Ellipse

3: Work Load

I remove my jacket, and throw it in the chair. I make my way around my living quarters. I look around to find the bedroom, because that is the only thing I want to do after such an overwhelming day: sleep.
Behind a large door, lies the bedroom. It's very bland, just like everything in this place. White walls, white sheets, white curtains. White everything. I look to the left of me to find the closet. It is packed full of the regulation attire. I pull out my pajamas, and take them into the bathroom.

I decide to take a shower, even though I'm pretty sure I'm clean. I was stripped clean of my skin cells this afternoon.
Everything in this apartment is so different from what it was back home. The appliances are acually up to date, and everything has a touchscreen. The shower was so confusing. There was no dial, just a touchscreen interface. It took me a solid 20 minutes to figure out how to turn on the hot water. After I figured all of that out, it was pretty easy from there.
I climb in bed, and just lie there for a while, then slowly drift off to sleep.

I wake with a start by an alarm. I don't remember setting one, though. I hit the snooze. The alarm goes off, but this time it shouts "You don't want to be late to work."
Then I realize, I have to go to work.
I got dressed, and locked my apartment door, and started to make the trek to work.
I really didn't know what to expect today. This is unlike any other job I had ever done. The factory I worked in never delt with dead bodies, so. This should definitely be an experience. What would I even be doing? Performing autopsies? Who knows. There can't be that many people that get ill here, due to all the disease protection.
After minutes of walking turned into what felt like hours, I finally arrived at the Disease & Death Control Center. It is a tall, stone building, just like everything else here. When I walk in, I am greeted by the desk manager, which isn't a robot for once.

"Hello, and welcome. How may I help you?"
"Um, I was assigned a work position here." I said, stuttering my words.
"Oh, well then, I'm just gonna need you to scan your fingerprint on this keypad," she shoves the keypad in front of me, "and then I can get you a name badge."
I put my already sore thumb onto the pad, and this time it just scans, no blood.

"Alright, Ms. Carter. I will have your name badge before you leave today. You can just walk back and start your shift. Its all the way down the hallway. Last doorway on the left."
"Okay, thanks." I say, as I begin to walk. This place felt kind of sketchy. There was no real lighting. It was kind of like the old science labs you would see in movies. Green and blue light illuminating from every doorway, people moivng about, performing experiments, creating medications. It was a real-life science laboratory.
I get to the doorway I'm supposed to go in. I see the outline of two figures. One turns around to greet me.

"Ah! Well, hello there! You must be the new girl I was told about! Welcome to Death Inspection! I am Dr. Freck."
"Nice to meet you, Doctor," I say in return.
"And this is my right had man, Isacc, really good this one."
Isacc turns at the mention of his name, "Oh hello, great to meet you. Not often we get newbies down here."
"Oh really? Well, I guess I must be special.."
"You very well are my dear!" the doctor turn to say me, "the people they choose to work down here in this place are the brightest of the bright. It's not easy doing what we do."
"Oh, well that really does make me feel better about this. I was kind of nervous."
"So was I," Isacc finally pipes up, "the old man here was working by himself when I was assigned. I'm from the Outer Lands, you see. We really don't get the high class work positions. But, when I got this gem, I thought for sure this was where I was meant to be.." he says, smiling at the doctor.

"Alright, ladies. Let's get to work!" I see Isacc roll his eyes, and we gater around the stainless steel table.
"Here we see our first specimen of the day, Ms. Peony Wilson. She was thirty years old. Found dead in her living quarters when she didn't report to work. Cause of death unknown, and that's why she's here!"