Human Untouched

5

I shook my head as I started climbing the stairs. There was a buzz in my ear, and I could hear the way that creep had said my name over and over. It almost felt like he was at my back...

I paused with my hand on the railing, having already ascended a few steps before turning around to see Marcus running towards me. I grimaced as irritation crossed through me, turning to head upstairs a bit faster but he'd already caught up to me.

"Terra!" He said as he reached the stairs under me, reminding me how disoriented I was to have thought that as the doctor's voice. The metal stairs shook as he ran up to me. "Are you okay?" His eyes ran over me as he stepped forward to take my hand in his. "I should've known they'd take you in for the primer."

I tugged my hand out of his, frowning. "Primer?"

He nodded. "It's to prepare your body for what's going to happen next. They'll mess with your DNA now... everyone gets something different." Saying that, he reached up to pull down his collar. My eyes widened a bit at the blackened, peeling skin underneath. It had weird ridges in it. My skin crawled the longer I stared at it, making me look away. "Come on, you have to eat." He said as he let his collar snap back into place.

"I'm not hungry." I replied, turning to walk up the stairs again. "I'm tired."

"You need your energy for what's coming next."

"Then let me sleep." I hissed back. "You go eat."

He sighed loudly behind me before I heard him start to follow me up. I felt a bit grateful for the company considering what had happened, my skin still crawled with the thoughts of the doctor and what Marcus had shown me.

He was quiet all the way, walking beside me.

"I died." I suddenly blurted out. "I was dead for five minutes."

Marcus inhaled sharply. "What?"

"They revived me. The doctor likes me."

"That's... not usually a good sign but it ensures your survival here in the future." He sighed. "Peacekeepers won't target you, you'll get preferential treatment."

I churned these thoughts in my mind as we stepped onto my floor and I turned towards my room. I did want this just yesterday, to curry favour with the men here for my survival but thinking of who was my patron kept making me wish he'd let me die on that table.

"Keep the door open." A Peacekeeper growled as he passed by us.

Marcus mumbled something to himself as I turned to my room, and made my way to the sink. "Thanks for the unneeded escort, but you can go now."

"You'll need someone around for what's about to happen next." I watched his reflection walk in, idly glancing around. "How are you feeling right now, by the way?"

I washed the dried blood off my arms as I decided to take stock of myself. My irritation at Marcus had ended up trumping the weird squeamy feeling in my belly. I rubbed the blood off my neck, as my stomach suddenly revolted.

My hands slammed against the metal sink at the harsh pain washing through me as saliva filled my mouth. I moved quickly, slamming the door to the toilet and leaning over it as last night's dinner erupted from my mouth.

"Holy fu-" Marcus burst out in surprise behind me as I coughed over the bowl. "This is too fast!" He exclaimed, I felt his presence behind me and cool hands pulled my hair back as another wave heaved over me.

The vomit came in spasms of pain where I could feel my entire body scream in pain before upchucking it. It was nasty. Saliva dripped from my lips, my nose burnt as tears flowed down the side of my face from the burning pain.