Chain Me

Friends

     The General watches the footage from earlier today in silence, his eyes slitted and focused. Mariam and I sit in silence as well, waiting for his verdict. After a handful of long minutes, he rubs his stubbled chin and grunts long and low.
     "It appears to be real," he says, looking up. "Do you think she's faking?"
     "I certainly don't," Mariam chimes in. "She had every chance to make an escape, and we all know she very well could have succeeded, yet she went back to her room. She didn't even stray or attempt to look into other rooms."
     The General nods in thought. Then he looks to me, "And you?"
     "No," I mutter, agreeing with Mariam. She was right when she said Lost didn't attempt to snoop around when she had the perfect chance. I remember the look on Lost's face in the footage. She was determined to go back to her room and I'm certain that if someone had tried to stop her, they would have paid dearly. "I don't think she's faking." There are the facts of her past, too. No one would willingly allow their bodies to be abused the way hers clearly has been. Her scars are too precise, as if she didn't fight what was happening to her.
     "All right," the General gruffs. He taps his desk for a moment, then seems to come to a decision. "So we have her on our side. Now what?"
     Mariam and I look at each other, surprised. She says, "You're asking us?"
     "Mostly Kahlan," he clarifies, eyeing me. "You know her best and she trusts you. I would like to put her out in the field like Cas, but I think now I need to turn to you on whether or not you- and her- are ready for that."
     I'm flabbergasted. I knew Lost would eventually be put out into the field, but I never thought it would be with me, or that I'd be the decider on it all. "I- I don't know," I blubber.
     "You have time to figure it out," the General tells me. "You can keep her here for training or take her up top to get her used to you and her new surroundings. Everything has already been set for when you decide to go into the field."
     "Than you, but..." My words trail off. I haven't been up top for an extended period of time for years. I had no plan to go up anytime soon, but now I'm going to have to, eventually. I can't put it off forever. "What will be the arrangement?" I ask, to better know what I'm going to be getting into.
     "You and the subject-"
     "Lost," I correct him before thinking. "Her name is Lost."
     "Right. You and Lost will be stationed in the same building as Cas and Mariam so Lost can have more than one pair of eyes on her. Your apartment is fully furnished and paid for. All you need is to be on call for whenever we need you."
     Well, that doesn't sound so bad. "I think we need to get her off the tranquilizers first," I say. I might as well start getting used to the idea of living up top with Lost. That means I have to keep an eye out for her. "Give her a week to get used to living normally. Then we'll go up top and see how she does."
     The General grunts in agreement. "Fine. I'm giving you the last word on anything that has to do with the sub- Lost's health. You're her caretaker now. If you need help on it, you can ask Mariam."
     I stand and smooth down my shirt, anxious. A caretaker is a sort of a promotion, seeing as there's only one- Mariam. Well, I suppose now there's two.
     Mariam walks out of the General's office with me, a smirk on her face. She pushes her glasses further up her nose and says, "Welcome to the club. The apartment isn't fully furnished, by the way. You're going to need to buy tampons."

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     For the first time since I've been here I'm fully conscious when my meal arrives. A male soldier comes into my room and places a tray on the table and gives me a nod, but he never turns his back on me. Still, though, it's nice not to have that murky feeling in my brain as I eat. Apparently I did something right to earn this privilege.
     Mind blindingly clear, I suck gingerly on the thin straw poked into my unlabeled drink box and rub my eyes. Just this one time without the drugs has made me feel better, but there's definitely something wrong with me. But it's not a hindrance. I assume I'll be fine after another day without the stuff. Hopefully whatever they used to keep me under doesn't have long lasting effects.
     When I'm finished with my meal I push my empty tray to the edge of the table and let my stomach get used to the new food in it. It's enjoyable not to be drugged but now what am I supposed to do with the time I've gained? There's nowhere to go and nothing to do besides sleep. Maybe this is all a test to see what I do. Whatever the case, I shrug and go into my futuristic bathroom to shower. I'm still not used to how the wall slides away to reveal the amenities, but it's not as scary as when I first discovered it. This whole place has effectively help thrust me into the 21st century.
     I shower, annoyed at how much hair I have to clean, then dry and dress in the seemingly endless wear that's always left for me. No matter what, when I need them, there's a whole outfit left for me in the little cubby hole beside the sink. Perhaps if I'm still left conscious for the next few days I'll figure out how that happens.
     As I sit on the edge of my bed and try to figure out how I should start managing my long hair on my own since no one will probably be brushing it anymore while I'm drugged, the door to my room buzzes and clicks unlocked. I push my damp hair to my back then stand, already knowing who it is. I could feel her coming.
     Kahlan steps into my room, but leaves the door wide open. She smiles lightly at me and shows me her palms at her sides. "Want to go for a walk?"