A New Kind of Army

Chapter 13: Nexus

My fingers lightly traced the scarring flesh of what was left of my arm. I couldn't help but wince. The touch didn't really cause more pain, but it still hurt. Both physically and emotionally. It hurt to know that a I had lost a whole limb. It made me feel helpless. Daily tasks like putting on clothes or cooking, were nearly impossible.

And the phantom pains were getting worse. The strange tingling aching sensation would creep up on me at the worst times. During the weeks on the sub, there were times I was hit with pain so bad I had to stop for a few moments. Arrow, would use her powers to blanket me in gentle warmth when this happened, and it did help, but it wasn't a permanent solution. Christin said, that my prosthetic could help mellow out the pain a bit.

I flopped back on to my bed, already exhausted even though I had only been awake for a less than an hour. I sighed. My eyes trailed around the room I was given. Nothing was there to distract me yet. No pictures, no furniture other than the essential, nothing personal. Hopefully that would change soon too.

There was a small clock on the nightstand next to my head. 6:03. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. It was five hours and fifty-seven minutes until my appointment. I felt a million snakes slithering in my stomach at the thought of it. Which didn't make sense, as I had seen quite a few army doctors without feeling like I was going to toss my stomach. I didn't know why I was so worked up about this one.

I needed a distraction. So, I got up from my bed and thought about taking a walk around the house. There were a few places here that I hadn't seen. As far as I could tell this place was built like a patchwork quilt. Some parts matching some parts not. I had only been on the second and first floors, and I had no idea where the stairs to the other floors were yet.

I was walked down the hall, when I heard...music? Well, I thought it was music. The beat was good, modern but pleasant; it was the lyrics that were weird! Some guy was singing about Stonehenge, then he started talking about Spanish food, and then he went into somethings that I didn't even WANT to hear about, before going back to Stonehenge. What. On. Earth!?

I probably shouldn't have opened the door and walked in but I couldn't help myself. Inside was a bed room, with deep purple and bright green walls. A loft bed, and a large mirror rested on one wall in the back.

"Hey!"

I turned to the right, finding Arrow sitting in front of a desk that had a strange piece of tech, a computer I think it was called, resting on top of it. But it was her clothes that made my eyes go wide. She was wearing nothing but underwear and an oversized long sleeve shirt.

"Sorry," I said, looking away. My face began to burn.

She turned off her music, "It's fine. I just didn't think you were awake, yet."

"Well, I am," I said I still couldn't look at her.

"Okay," she said slowly.

There was a sudden chirping coming to the other side of the room.

"Oh, so you want to come out now?" Arrow said. She was answered with more chirping.

Arrow rolled her eyes, before getting up from her seat. Thank God, that the shirt she was wearing was long enough to almost be considered a dress. She walked over towards a large black cage in the back of the room next to the bed. She opened the cage's small door, and carefully reached inside. She pulled out a small fiery orange and yellow bird, with a shiny black beak.

Arrow looked up at me, "Are you okay? Your face is turning into a tomato."

"No, no I'm fine. I'm fine," I insisted.