Immortus

DAYS OF FUTURE (PASSED)

DAYS OF FUTURE (PASSED)

I can still remember the first day of the drug trial: the day they gave me the drug.

In between the visit from the woman and the first day of the trial, I had been subjected to vigorous medical tests to make sure that I was fit enough to take the drug, and that my body would not reject it or react to it in a potentially life threatening way.

On the first morning, two military policemen in red berets and with red armbands on their uniforms came and led me from my cell, out past the other cells that were hives of curious activity wanting to know where I was going, and into a lift that descended as far as it could. There was a curved metal staircase that led into a level deeper than the one I was already on. In the basement, I could smell the damp on the exposed bricks. It took the military policemen two swipe cards and two eye scans to get through the metal door at the end, and then I was inside. There was a single medic present, the green plastic apron contrasting from the starched and ironed light blue of his working dress shirt. The military policemen uncuffed my hands and retreated to the door. The medic told me to get on the bed, and then attached wrist and ankle restraints to my arms and legs to keep me strapped firmly to the bed. Allegedly just there as a precaution if the drug did in fact make me fit. In reality, it was a constant reminder of the fact that I was still a prisoner. The back of my left hand stung as he pushed a needle into it and then attached an IV. I started upwards at the sterile metal ceiling. The glass of the viewing gallery cast a reflection onto the ceiling. I could see the arresting officer, leaning forwards with her elbows on a handrail attached to her side of the glass.

Behind her in the shadows, lurked a second spectator. This one was taller- taller than myself, bulkier, male. He stood in shadow so that I could not see his face. He cast an aura of command and authority that seemed to pass through the glass.

The medic looked towards the viewing gallery, and the second nodded. A tap was turned on the IV, and I watched a solution of fluid and drug begin to drip slowly into the tube, and then into my veins. The fluid seemed to sting as it reached my veins. As more and more of it was taken up, my body began to feel heavy and lethargic. When my body had taken in the full dose of the drug, there was a second of relief where there was no pain at all as I reached the eye of the storm.

Then my body felt as if it was on fire.

I struggled against the restraints, feeling myself begin to convulse. When it was over, my eyelids were peeled back and a light was shone inside of them. I blinked and opened my eyes on my own. My vision began to focus. The restraints were undone, and I sat up, looking around. My vision had sharpened somewhat, and the world seemed to be much brighter and a lot more vivid, as if someone had upgraded my vision into high definition. My body felt lighter, and moved faster when I tested my reactions. I felt a sense of euphoria as if I was invincible. I felt on top of the world.

“What is it?”

“Immortus,” a deep voice answered.

I looked over to the viewing gallery. Only the second was there now. He moved out of the shadows to stand directly in my line of vision. He looked like just an ordinary person, and yet my eyes were instantly drawn to the left side of his face where something did not seem to be quite right.

“Just one drop is enough to make a human immortal. Just one drop…” He let his words sink in. “You’ll also find yourself better, faster and smarter than you used to be. That stuff is elite in a can.”

I stood and went to walk to the door. The door appeared faster than I had been expecting it to. One of the military policemen forced me into a restraining hold.