Future Fires

What is even happening?

I woke from my slumber locked back in the room this time on top of my bed. I looked across at the bedside table and saw that they had left me a sandwich. Just a plain ham one but it made me realise how hungry I was. Before I knew it the sandwich was gone and I was sat with nothing to do.

After 10 minutes of contemplating what I should do next, I decided to go change my t-shirt. When I went into the wardrobe to get the top I found more clothes had been added a dress and some casual clothes I would have guessed for lounging around in. There was also a swimming costume and some work out clothes along with a new pair of trainers. This made me chuckle to myself thinking about the lack of exercise I do. Little did I know exercise would unwillingly become a part of my daily routine. After I made this discovery I heard the hatch in the metal door slide open. I ran as fast as I could into the other room hoping to see those striking green eyes again. I was then I saw the ice blue eyes I would get used to seeing more often than I wanted.

This time it was a man's voice that spoke in a low grumbly tone like a man who had been smoking 10 packs a day for too long.

"Maxine I'm about to open this door and come in," he said in a stern monotoned voice "if you try to escape you will be knocked out and put in a more secure much less comfortable room I can assure you. Even if you do get past me there is no way you will escape this place is more secure than Area 51"

"Is Area 51 real then?"

"That's classified unless you try to escape then you may just find out"

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind"

"I'm going to open the door now I would like you to go and stand with your back to the opposite wall and if you comply I may be able to answer some of your questions"

"Okay"

I heard what sounded like a very heavy bolt unlock and in he stepped. He was of average stature about 5'11" but he was skinny and old, he must have been in his late 60's if not early 70's. He was holding a brown file which had many sheets of paper in it and was colour coded with separators. He had short white hair and was clean-shaven. As he stepped in I stepped away from the wall so I could talk to him.

"Good morning Maxine"

"Is it morning? I wouldn't have known due to a lack of a clock or sunlight or just general orientation"

"I'm sorry you have had to be kept in the dark for your first 2 weeks but we couldn't risk you hurting yourself or others"

"2 WEEKS! What do you mean for 2 weeks? How long was I out for?"

"You were out for 10 days before you woke up after your injection and then you spent 1 day awake before we did tests and then you were out for another 2 days and now we are here day 14"

"Who are you? And where am I?"

"I am doctor Arnold Miller and I will be your physician from now on"

"I don't need a physician I'm 23 and I'm in perfectly fine physical shape"

"Right now you are"

"Right now, are you planning on injuring me?"

"Well we wouldn't injure on purpose but it may be an unfortunate side effect"

"You know what I give up on asking questions I only end up finding out things I don't want to know."

"Well if the questions are over I would like you to put on a jacket and come with me"

I went into the wardrobe and put on my leather jacket and came back out to the bedroom. For a moment I considered running with the door wide open and Dr Miller looking like he couldn't keep up with a tortoise; he was different to the green-eyed girl, he didn't seem like he would hesitate to dispose of me if I tried to run. So I followed him and this made me glad I didn't run because as soon as I stepped out into the corridor I realised what he meant by I wouldn't escape. There where bolted doors all along the corridor leading to a literal light at the end of the tunnel.

We walked along the tunnel for what felt like a mile and reached a set of steps that where steep and high it felt like a lifetime getting up those stairs but it was worth the climb when we got to the top a glass door was all that separated me and fresh air. A glass door that Dr Miller had the key to. Outside there was a track and some weights and a tall concrete wall with barbed wire around the top and cameras everywhere. There was a large thick sheet metal gate which looked old and rusted.

I stood and looked around the whole area was deserted yet it looked like it was used weights were out of place and the track was worn.

"Do you run?" Said the doctor.

"No, but I feel like I might have to take it up if it means I can come outside."

"Well, you can have an allotted time each day to exercise just like you will to eat."

"That's great and all, but I feel like I'm a prisoner and I haven't done anything wrong."

"You are not here because you have done something wrong and you will see others like you soon but for now we need to keep you isolated whilst you go through your adjustment period."

"There are others here then."

"Yes, but most of them you will not want to meet."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your intuition was right. This is a high-security prison for those that the public prisons cannot deal with. No one knows we even exist. We deal with those who the public will never hear of."

"The woman who brought me here is she one of them?"

"No she is like you and very soon you will meet her but for now I must take you back down to your room."

We walked back down the stairs and along the corridor. Then I saw on my door my name printed and a photo of me taken from my Twitter. I did point out that most people just called me Max and I only ever got called Maxine when I was in trouble or at my grandparents. Dr Miller ignored this and locked the door after I stepped back into my room.