Hiding in the Shadows

Chapter Eight: The Lab

Darkness encased my vision.  I opened my eyes, shutting them immediately at the too-bright light searing into my irises. My head throbbed, a sluggish pulse of blood pounding through my brain. I reached up to rub my eyes, trying to pull the sleep out of them.

As they cracked open once more, white light streamed through the tiny opening. I stretched, pushing my arms up until I could feel the muscles pull taught. An ache reverberated in my shoulder, and a memory squeezed itself into my mind.

I had fainted, falling on my shoulder and hitting my head. I sat up, touching the tender spot on the side of my head and glancing around to see where my journey had taken me. Nausea rippled through my gut and I gagged. Quickly, I stood and stumbled to the nearest waste bin, emptying what little was left of my breakfast into it. Groggily, I wiped my mouth with the back of my sleeve and looked up. As soon as I saw my surroundings, a knot of fear clenched in my gut.

I was back in the lab. Footsteps sounded outside a door to my right and my breath caught in my chest. I scooted farther under the table the waste bin was leaning against.

I watched as the pair of legs strode into the room. The person stopped when they saw the empty table. Their feet were hurried as they began moving around the room, searching for me.

"Hey!" he called as he ducked down suddenly, spotting me under the table. I scrambled back and stood up, snatching up the trashcan. The man blocked the door from my path, spreading his arms wide.

It was a boy. He was young, but he was wearing a white lab coat. He was Kako's. Maybe an intern or an apprentice of some sort. We stared at each other. His eyes were hesitant, moving down to the vomit in the trash bin then back up to my face. Of course I probably looked manic. Crazy. He was right to be cautious.

He stepped towards me and I stepped away, my back butting up against the wall. I felt as the walls connected against my palms, trapped in a corner. 

"It's okay," he stuttered. His hands shook as they spread out before him, and he slowly took another step forward. I clutched onto the trash bin and he faltered, fear flashing across his gaze. His eyes traveled over my face and I recognized the uneasiness in them as he took in my labored breathing and the fear that danced in my eyes. "It's okay," he said again, with more confidence this time. "I'm not here to hurt you, it's just the infirmary. You...you hit your head and I-"

"Please. Please don't let him come. Please..."," I muttered through gasps of air.

Bewilderment crossed his gray-blue eyes before he responded. "Who? Don't let who-"

"Kako."

His mouth opened and closed but no sound left. He simply stared at me in confusion. "He's not here."

"Where is he?" I forced out through gritted teeth.

"Why?"

Instead, I responded with my own question. "Where is he?"

"He's out. He had to get his new project approved." With fake leisure, he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Who are you?"

"I'm getting tired of the questions." He rolled his eyes.

"You're a doctor aren't you?" I slowly set the trash bin down and relief flooded his face. "So I'll ask you again, who are you?"

"Rupert. And no," he shook his head, "I'm not a doctor. I'm an intern."

I stayed silent, watching him from across the table. He pulled a small remote out of his pocket and my wrists were pulled together. When I looked down at them, I could see thin bands of metal that I hadn't noticed before. Two binding, deadly bracelets. New and improved shackles.

"What are these? What are you doing?"

"You fainted," he simply stated. "If you're stable you can leave, you can go to the field. But I need you over here," Rupert pointed to the table, "to check your vitals."

"The field?" I froze.

"Yes." 

"What?"

"They were taking you to the Field. That's where you've been assigned." I stared at him, eyes wide. He continued, "In the drawing?"

I didn't reply but I shut my mouth. I understood now. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I could breathe again. Carefully, I stepped towards Rupert and sat down on the table. He was so still, not moving at all until I slowly held out my arm.

He eased slightly and wrapped a blood pressure cuff around my bicep, tightening it all the way. It pinched my skin and I hissed in a breath. He didn't loosen it.

Next, he took my temperature. He slid the cuff off and turned around to put in on a small cart. I touched the back of my scalp and winced at the pain. 

"I can put some ice on that."

"No." I looked at the tiles on the floor. "I'm fine."

No response. He glanced at me quickly then stepped away as a loud buzzer rang through the room. Kai's eyes shone in the elevator as the guard landed on our floor. He stepped out and I instantly recognized him as the guard from Kako's interrogation.

Rupert cautiously grabbed onto the metal holding my wrists together and thrust me forward towards the guard. They transferred the shackles and the guard roughly seized my forearm. I winced but he shoved me away from Rupert into the elevator.  I took a shaky breath as Rupert vanished behind the metal door, still staring at me. We went up, above the basement labs to the field. 

My toes curled on the steel floor and my heart began to pound. No one had told me what the field was. What if it was worse than the lab? I didn't have a choice now.

The door opened and we stepped out into the cold air. I inhaled sharply as a breeze whipped against my cheek, the smell of snow filling my nose for the first time in a year.