The Medical School

Chapter Ten

I grin on the morning of Day Ten. Today's the day that I keep my promise of helping the kids no matter what the personal cost. I roll out of bed with a smile, but with slight hearing problems.

Yesterday had been Day Nine, and we took a trip to the Hearing Lab. They had tested all sorts of frequencies and beeps on me to see whether I could hear them or not. I pop my ears, and my hearing goes back to normal.

We were all more than a bit nervous about Abby's brace yesterday, but the guards saw it and didn't take it away. I guess that's a plus. As we eat breakfast, I take in every detail of the Main Room. Today I am especially aware of my surroundings, going over every aspect of our escape plan in my head, and coming up with plan Bs in case anything goes wrong.

I look for anything that might make our escape easier, and pick out which hallways will be best for escaping by. I have memorized the route to the Chemical Testing Lab, and gone over it in my head upwards of a hundred times. Right, left, left, right, left, first door on the right. Those directions will save us all.

"Table One! Retinal Examination Lab! Table Two! Talent Demonstration Lab! Table Three! Pain Reaction Lab! Table Four! X-ray Lab! Table Five! Heart Limits Lab! Table Six! Final Testing Lab!"

Good thing we'll be missing the Pain Reaction Lab. Abby and I look at each other with excitement in our eyes. Even though I know better than to get my hopes up, it's almost impossible not to. Everything is planned out down to the last detail, and I can't think of anything that should go wrong. Unless the guards sleep in the hallways, we shouldn't be seen.

We're shoved into the Talent Demonstration Lab, and I look around in mild amusement. I don't know what I expected, but it certainly wasn't this.

Rather than ten different booths or chairs where each one of us would be tested, there are hundreds of random objects spread out among the room. Three jump ropes, six trampolines, monkey bars, a rock wall, and so much more. I would have loved this if I weren't in a child abuse facility.

One worker takes each of us, and they lead us over to certain objects that we'll have to do something with. They have clipboards with them that I'm assuming are for recording our performance.

My first object is a wobbly plastic disk that I have to try to balance on. I do fairly well, and manage to stay on it for quite some time. That is, until Peter falls off the rock wall and the crash scares me half to death.

My next object is a paddle that I have to bounce a Ping-Pong ball on. I get to seventy-four, and then the ball drops when Ashley falls off the rock wall.

To my dismay, my worker shoves me toward the ominous grey tower after Ashley is led elsewhere. I can see why the others were falling off; there's not much of a ledge on any of the multicolor rocks.

I also see what was making the crash, there's a large bin full of empty plastic water bottles presumably to break our fall. I'm sure it's supposed to hurt.

My worker shoves me none too gently toward the wall, and I climb up onto the edge of the bin. It's metal, and I don't want to know how many unfortunate kids have been victims of a cracked skull.

"Get a move on, student!" my worker growls at me.

His harsh words cause me to flinch, and I see him smirk. I'll show you just who can get a move on, I tell him in my mind. I jump and grab on to the nearest rock, hauling myself up the wall with ease. I stay close to the grey surface, the metal edge of the bin my motivation not to fall.

I reach the top too quickly, and feel a surge of disappointment that I can't keep on climbing away from the cruel worker down below.

I turn my head around, and take in the room. I catch Peter looking up at me with raised eyebrows, and I manage a thin smile. Yeah that's right, you just got owned!