The Program (Sherlolly || Teen!Lock)

Chapter 1 - Infected

I'm sorry if this is confusing at first, but everything will get explained, I promise.

–OH

            “Look out. Handler at 6:00.” Mary Morstan sat across the table, her red lips frowning as she stared behind Molly. “He’s watching you.”

            Molly Hooper turned her head slightly, just far enough to see the handler in her peripheral vision. “Why do they keep looking at me? Do I look like I sick?”

            “No.” Mary said quickly. “No, but with everything that’s happened, Molly, I’m sure they are just watching out for signs.”

            Molly scoffed, turning her head back to Mary, her brown hair falling over her shoulder. “Signs? I’m perfectly healthy.”

            Mary looked down, and poked at her mashed potatoes with a plastic spoon. “Indeed. They’re idiots, the handlers. They can’t even look out for the proper signs, so they just stare, like they want you to mess up.”

            “I’m sure they enjoy hauling us off to The Program, leaving our memories behind us in the process.” Molly rested her elbow on the lunch table, which was empty besides Mary and herself, her cheek in her hand as she stared at her friend.

            “What?” Mary asked, looking up a Molly.

            “Do you think they remember anything?” Molly asked. “The people who get flagged for depression; They go to The Program, and get their memories wiped, but do you think that everything is gone?”

            Mary shrugged. “I dunno. There’s no way to tell, I guess.”

            The bell rang, and Mary picked up her tray, her food untouched, and carried it to the nearest waste bin, Molly trailing behind with her own half-empty tray. After they dumped the remains of their lunch, they hurried off to math class.

            The day passed as a blur, and Molly could feel the intense stare from the handler in the lunchroom, who had followed her to her classes. He leaned against the wall in the back of the room, and Molly first spotted him following her in math, she couldn’t help but think that this was the day she would get flagged, but she didn’t. He stood in the back, and watched her, like any other handler would do to an entire class, but his eyes stayed on her and did not stray.

            When the final bell rang, Molly pushed her books into her backpack, through the strap over her shoulder and swung the bag on her back, and hurried out of the classroom. Her boyfriend, Tom, was waiting for her at his car, a silver Mini that his Mum had had for two years but gave him a few months ago when she bought herself a blue Mini. She likes Minis.

            Tom wrapped his arms around me when Molly reached him, and she pressed her lips to his warm ones, wrapping her arms around his neck. When she backed off he looked down at her, his lips pulling down slightly, and Molly cocked her head.

            “What’s wrong?” Molly asked.

            “I want to take you somewhere.” He said.

            I smiled. “Where?”

            “Camping.” He said. “Right now.”

            “Tom,” Molly said, laughing. “I’ve not brought any clothes.”

            “Neither have I,” He said, turning to his Mini and opening the driver’s side door, “But let’s go anyways.” He gave her a smile, and she smiled back brightly and climbed into the passenger side.