The Morganville Institute

Chapter 5

I stood up, using the wall for support. He held his arms out for me to help him up.

 "Ugh do I have to help you?" I joked.

 "Oh c'mon, " He moaned, slowly getting up without my assistance. 

 "I forgot to mention my name, I’m Alex," The voice within flinched at his name, as if she was frightened of him. While I stood there trying to figure out why the voice had done so, Alex glared at me; expecting something. "And you are?" he said, clearly taking the mic.

 "Eli," I replied, he gave me a smirk and said, "Weird name, sounds like a guy’s name,” I wanted to hit him for his arrogant comment on my name. It wasn't as if this was the first time someone had picked up on that before, Emmie had often. I was still confused about why the voice was suddenly scared, I had never known her to be like this. I tried to question her about it as I walked with Alex to the canteen but she threw up a wall around her, a barricade to shut me out. She’d never pushed me away before. The sudden feel of loneliness kicked in as I realised for the first time in my life, I was alone in my mind. Tears were welling in my eyes. I started to drop, the floor escaping me. I didn’t even try to stop the impending impact of the lino. Alex’s voice hollered at me, trying to warn me but my body wasn’t listening to him. His arms snaked around me, yanking me onto my feet. I could just about mutter, “She’s…she’s gone...” before I passed out in his arms.

Something stung my eyes as I opened them. A nurse or doctor - I couldn’t tell – loomed over me, checking me for something. “She seems to be okay….So patient A715 are you feeling alright?” I hated it when they used those names, our “patient” names. I pushed myself up, and adjusted to the room around me. It was a room I didn’t recognise. The walls had a blue trim on them, and the nurse was wearing jeans and clothing that I’d never seen on a nurse before. “Where am I?”

“You’re in Morganville facility, sweetie,” She replied.

 “But this...you…this isn’t the facility” I stuttered, pointing at her clothes and the walls around me. She seemed flustered, “This is ward 1 of the facility dear….I mean where else would it be….” I could tell she was lying to me but I didn’t press further as Alex grabbed my arm and pulled me from the room.  “Are you okay?!” He shouted.

“I’m fine, what is that room?” I demanded.

 “Its ward 1…like she said,” I felt like a secret was being kept tightly from me. He tugged me away from the door, ignoring my protests against it. The more I pulled away from him, the harder I was pulled towards him until my muscles ached and I had to give in.

 After being moved through corridor after corridor, we reached the canteen. It was full to the brim with “patients”. Emmie spotted me and sprinted to my side. “OMG where have you been? You’ve missed so much!” Her eyes glanced over Alex, she gave me a wink and said, “Oh,” I gently punched her arm as she made kissy noises at me. She ran off towards her table, which had three people sat down. The brunette, Kat and a weird looking ginger boy. I just stared at him before realising how rude I must’ve seemed to them. I motioned to Alex that I was going to join them so he moved in an opposite direction despite me offering for him to join me as well.