Unforgettable Memories/ Henry Creel

002

   I was awoken by the sound of a phone ringing.

   I untangled myself from the pure white bedsheets and shuffled into the kitchen.

   I picked up the phone, "Hello?"

   "Hello, Ms. Morgan. This is Dr.
Brenner from the Lab."

   "Oh, hey." I began, "Is everything alright?"

   "Yes Ma'am, I just wanted to let you know that you aren't expected to come into work today, but the option is still open."

   Thinking about it, I decided that I should probably stay home. I opened my mouth to stop myself, but that ugly painting hanging on the wall caught my eye.

   It really was quite horrendous, the neon colors were mixed together in some areas, creating this ugly green. The colors were way too bright on my eyes.

   It made me feel disgusted knowing that I picked that out and hung it in my apartment.

   "Ms. Morgan?"

   I snapped back to reality, "Sorry! I got distracted."

   I glanced back at the painting, "I think I will come into work today."

———

   "How'd you sleep?" Michelle asked me.

   "Pretty good, I had some trouble falling asleep, but once I did I was out like a light."

    The woman smiled at me, "I'm glad."

   The nurses office we were in was different than the one I was in yesterday. It was much larger, with more beds.

   I played with the hem of my shirt, finding the silence between us awkward.

   "So," I began, "why is there a children's ward in a lab?"

    Michelle took a while to respond, for a second I thought she didn't hear me, but just as I was about to repeat the question she signed and looked in my direction.

   "I really don't even know the tip of the iceberg, but i'll tell you what I do know."

   I furrow my eyebrows and nodded.

   "There are kids here who have-" she cut herself off, searching for the right word, "powers."

    "Some of them have more unique powers, but the most common one is telekinesis."

   I waited for her to tell me she was joking, but she looked at me straight faced, letting me know that she was being completely serious.

   "Holy shit."

   She nodded, "Holy shit is right."

   "But that's not even the worst part," she started again, "I've heard that their-"

   She immediately stopped talking when the door opened.

   A tall man with sandy blond hair and piercing blue eyes stood in the doorframe with a young child with a shaved head.

   "Fourteen said that he has a stomach ache." He said while looking back and fourth between Michelle and I.

   "Christina," He smiled at me, but it didn't reach his eyes, "its good to have you back."

   I smiled back out of politeness, "Thank you."

   Without another word, he left the room.

   I looked at Michelle to see if she was getting the same weird vibe from him that I was. She returned my gaze, letting me know that it wasn't just me.

———

   Michelle gave the child something for the pain after concluding that he wasn't sick.

   "Chrissy, can you walk him back to the rainbow room? It's down the hall to the left."

   I nodded, "Of course."

   Walking out of the room, the child grabbed my hand. It caught me off guard, but I allowed it and smiled at him.

   "So," We began walking down the hall, "why do they call you fourteen?"

   "That's my name." He said without missing a beat.

   His name is fourteen?

   "Your name is a number?" I asked.

   He looked up at me, making eye contact, "I'm confused."

   I shook my head and smiled down at him, "Forget I said anything."

   We arrive at the rainbow room and he lets go of my hand and walks in without another word.

   I turn around to head back to the nurses office, but was met face to face, or I should say face to chest, with the man from earlier.

   "Can I help y-"

   "You shouldn't ask questions like that here." He cuts me off.

   Prick.

   I furrowed my eyebrows, "Why?"

   "Because, Christina," He looks up at a camera that was pointed directly towards us, "they are always watching..."

   At that he goes to walk into the rainbow room, but I stop him, "I never got your name."

   He gives me that same, fake, smile that he gave me before.

   "Peter Ballard."

———

i forgot to mention, but Chrissy is supposed to be a nurses assistant or something like that.

what do y'all think so far?