Lab girl

Chapter 1

Ava woke up shivering. I only had a blanket between me and the cold marble floor and one to cover my body and in winter it was hard to keep warm in the lab subjects room unlike in the scientists room where they had heaters to keep them warm. It was 5:30 half an hour till experiment time I thought to myself and forced myself to get up. I went over to the window I loved looking out the windows here especially the skylight right above us it always made me feel better. I let go of the resentment I felt towards them when I was five knowing if it slipped it would be much worse than being cold for thirty minutes at least being experimented on had the advantage of being able to warm my body and the people around me. I didn't remember who my real parents were my adoptive mother who happened to be the one that looked after the test subjects had just found me at the door at 18 months in a basket with no note about me. But the main thing was I had put my life work to two uses 1 finding an escape route for all of us the other subjects kinda looked up to me including some of the older orphan children here because they new I would never be broken unlike the very little kids who were broken very quickly and 2 keeping everyone here warm and safe there was about fifty six of us here not counting my adoptive mum and because I had been here since I was born I knew all their names. I had developed the ability to warm myself up within or under thirty minutes from the "fire serum" as they called it when I was only six and had gotten good at controlling it now. I looked out the window and couldn't help smiling seeing the snowflakes slowing falling in front of me I loved snow which was ironic because I disliked being freezing cold. I heard the familiar strong flapping noise I looked at the clock it was 5:50! I panicked it was ten minutes until testing I rushed outside two see a purple and silver dragon. "No Amethyst go back to the cave in the mountain top." I whispered pointing at the mountain in the distance. "I'll meet you there later." I whispered in a urgent voice. Amethyst understood nodded and turned back too the mountain flying quickly and more silently. I breathed a sigh of relief and hurried back inside. 1 minute exactly by the time it was up 5 men 1 dressed in a suit who I recognised to be the head scientist who chose us and kept us here and the 4 others wore lab coats all holding altered tazers that would not give you a long shock but could do some damage if it hits bare skin. All 56 of us held out our left wrists (everyone was awake and standing up by now) this was the routine we would all get up wait for the scientists to come in then hold out our left wrists and wait to see who they chose. There were a couple rules we all followed you kept your mouth shut, listened to orders and didn't fight back especially the last one the head scientist had this weird red button that all he had to do was point it at you and your whole body would freeze up in other words you couldn't move the only thing you could move was your hands and face because normally as long as you don't come at night the scientists will knock you out and put this microchip in your arm that was linked to button, that was there way of keeping us in check. Suddenly I saw out of the corner of my eye one of the boys resisting I knew him I think his name was Flame, he had come in late last night so he wasn't microchipped yet but had been picked for the latest experiment he started to fight back and the four scientists took out their tazers and I couldn't help but not fight back and protect him, he was new I had to. I rushed over and heard some of the girls around me call out to me to stop and come back but all they could do was watch even though if we ganged up on them we could probably take them they were to scared. I stepped in front of Flame. I was about to punch one of them in the nose when my whole body froze up it was straining on my body and it was a feeling I knew all to well. I looked to the head scientist who was pointing the button right at me, I let go of the breath I was holding and unclenched my fist the straining subsided and I glanced at the head scientist and then rubbed my wrist. I turned around and whispered "Don't worry were gonna get outta here." Into Flame's ear. "What was that experiment 12." The head scientist asked using my experiment number instead of my actual name, I hated when he did that. "Nothing James- I mean sir!" His real name slipped out of my mouth and considering Flame and I were probably on thin ice I would have to hope he'd forgive my little slip up. "Is this correct?" James asked turning to the others I tapped my foot twice looking away to not make it obvious I was telling the others to play along. "Yep!" They all said in unison nodding there heads quickly, I had to admit they were good at acting. "Hmmmm," James scanned there faces squinting at them trying to see if they were lying or not. "Ok..... But know if I find out your lying your all in big trouble." James said sternly turning towards the door as I gulped not liking the idea of being punished since the punishments were normally what you would consider child abuse. "Come along Flame your coming to get microchipped and the rest of you can relax you should all be very grateful." I rolled my eyes and told Flame to follow James which he did but didn't look happy about grumbling as he was cuffed and brought to the door I turned walking away before James stopped me. "Not you experiment 12." James said still facing the door. "Yes sir." I asked turning to face him again. "You're coming with me." I sighed either he was mad I used his real name or I'm still his favourite lab rat. "Yes sir..." I followed him staying close to Flame he was mad he had to obey. "Here take this it helps." I gave him a stress ball and some pain killers. "The experiments are quite painful." We walked into the room and they sedated Flame. I waited in the waiting room while they put the microchip in Flame. I didn't like the sight of blood it made me wince. "Ava you slipped up today calling me by my real name." He said with a displeased look and tone. "I know sir." I looked down in guilt, I had screwed up I knew he was going to punish me for it now. "It won't happen again." I promised. "Anyway your punishment is cleaning up the chipping room and the subjects living quarters." Wow he never punished us this lightly. "Yes sir, of course sir." When we get out no one will have to suffer because of you I'll make sure of it. I thought.