The Key to My Hart

Chapter 1

Dr. Elton Carroway stood over me where I lay inside the small cage, like an animal trapped. "I have a surprise for you Attie girl. I brought you a friend."

Horror and hope clashed inside me. Horror at the thought of someone else going through the same treatment as me. Hope that I had another to keep me company. The emotions battled against each other as Carroway's assistant dragged a boy around my age into the room.

"His name is Thomas. He's actually my son. I didn't know he existed because his whore of a mother kept him hidden from me." Carroway chuckled.

Thomas was a plain looking kid with a flat face and light brown hair. He had on stained shirt and pants that were slightly too big for his frame. He gave me a scared smile. "Hello."

I ignored him and rolled over. If he was Carroway's son, then there was a good chance he would turn into a tormentor for me as well.

"Now that's no way to treat your new friend, Attie." Carroway admonished. "I've decided to throw out your cage and give you a room to share with Thomas. How does that sound?"

It actually sounded nice. At 8, I had grown too big for the cage to be of any comfort. With a single shabby blanket, I was always cold. Of course, Carroway let me out to use the bathroom, eat, and for testing, but I spent more of my time in the cage than anywhere else.

The crazy doctor laughed at my sudden interest. He plucked a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. "I will be keeping a lock on the bedroom door. There isn't a window in there for you to try and escape again, but it does have an attached bathroom."

I wasn't sure why he had suddenly decided to let me stay in a room again, but I wouldn't turn it down for the sake of pride. A real bed. A shower. It was the best gift I could have been given. I crawled out of the cage, my muscles stiff from sleeping curled into a ball, and stood up.

Thomas was an inch shorter than me, I realized as I came face to face with him. Carroway clapped the back of my head. "Greet your new friend, Attie."

As soon as I have a half-hearted wave, I was shoved towards the door. With a hand on the back of my head steering me to the lab, my heart dropped. "No. Please not anymore."

"Be quiet. You have to get your daily shot." Carroway forced me into his lab, picking me up as I began to struggle, kicking and punching him. His assistant left Thomas in the corner of the room as she came to help the doctor strap me down.

My wrists and legs were held down by leather straps as Carroway took a needle and pushed the air out of the shot. He grinned and approached me. The assistant slapped her hand over my mouth to smother my screams as the doctor shoved the needle into my arm, pushing a thick black liquid inside.

"You'll thank me for this one day, Attie girl." The doctor turned his attention to Thomas who backed up to the wall, a silent scream etched on his face as he began to pee himself.

The clanging of metal on metal and loud shouting woke me from my slumber. The bed was cold and empty, meaning Chogan and Ryder were already awake and going about business. Soaking in the alone time, I allowed myself a few moments of peace. I needed to tell them soon. After hearing Calloway's message and feinting, I woke up knowing what I needed to do, but scared to tell anyone else.

I crawled from the bed and pulled on clothes before heading out. Everyone, and I mean everyone, had a role to play now. Flora and Dorothy had moved to the base and taken charge like FEMA after a hurricane. It was amazing what they had accomplished, with the help of Big John, in the past month since the sergeant's death.