Blood of My Death

Blood of My Death: The Ancient Earthscrapper - Chapter Twenty-Six

"Moving test subject Kristen Howel to starting position," Dr. King informed no one in particular.

My legs moved on their own, like last time. The entire act caused tremendous pain to shoot through all over my whole body. The damage from yesterday hadn't fully healed; it was the worst pain I had ever felt. I moved awkwardly, like a bulky robot, to the starting line twenty yards away. It sapped all my energy from that cruel torture, and to think I had to go even further than this.

"Start the course test subject Kristen Howel," Dr. King announced.

I put all my effort into moving my right foot first, then my left foot, but my feet didn't budge an inch. The next thing I felt was the pads tightening around my legs. It was a crippling pain that caused me to experience lightheadedness. No matter how much I tried to lift either of my feet, the resistance knee braces wouldn't move. I cried out in anger, trying to make my legs move with no progress. Eventually, Dr. King called out the time, and ten minutes had already passed that fast. My time was down to thirty-five minutes, and I had to get moving. There were three other laps to complete, and I would not finish any at this rate. All I could think about was my sister Kristonia. If I failed her, she'd pay the price. Once again, I knew I could not accomplish this task.

"I don't think it needs to be said, but it goes without saying Test Subject Kristen Howel if you cannot complete any loops. Dr. Warren and Dr. Iris will be subject to electroshock treatment for three hours per lap, including every lap you repeat. So I have scheduled this test for the foreseeable future until you pass," Dr. King explained.

"This was insane, and now they are getting punished for my failures?" I thought as I strained to make progress.

The incentive to move didn't make my legs move, and time was moving forward with each second I wasted just standing here. If I couldn't move, I would fail the first lap, and then I noticed something I hadn't seen earlier. Attached to the sides of my boots were weights. Fifty-pound weights anchored me down, preventing me from moving my legs. To my knowledge, they had not attached weights during my last test. Even worse, I could feel the pads had added pressure before I started, and I knew Dr. King wanted me to fail.

'Kristonia couldn't even move in this thing, but he expects me to?' The thought of this Doctor purposely setting me up to fail sent a deep anger through my veins.

"You added weights to the suit, and the pads were already applying pressure!" I yelled.

"Yes, that is correct. The last time you performed well, and this time I've raised the bar substantially," Dr. King stated.

I had to get through this, and I needed to think of something. I closed my eyes as Dr. King announced fifteen minutes had passed. Closing my eyes, I went back to the time during that last test. The memory of drawing power from within to help me through that previous twenty-five yards surfaced. I remembered closing my eyes and drawing on that strength from within. A tingling sensation ran down my spine as I felt warmth swirling within my body. Then I remembered I had felt that same warmth when Rachel hugged me that first morning. As if I had turned on a faucet, the warmth spread throughout my entire body, and before I knew it, I had crossed the twenty-five yards that stood between us.

'What was that feeling? Where did it come from, and why did I have it inside me? I have never felt that before in my life, or have I? It seemed familiar but strange at the same time. Had I called on that strength before? I couldn't say for sure, but ever since my accident, everyone around me was helping me to walk again, and all said I could push myself further than anyone else.' I searched my mind for the answer but found that feeling I felt from the first test.

The warmth returned more potent than ever, and my body felt full of power. When I opened my eyes, my legs were emitting luminous green energy like exhaust. I was in a full sprint now, and the suit's weight felt like it wasn't even there. Before I knew it, I had finished the lap with thirty seconds to spare, and fifteen minutes blinked on the timer on the wall. I didn't even remember the obstacles the first time around. All the blocks on the first lap were easy enough to clear once the energy flowed. The hurdles and long jump were especially easy, and I hadn't jumped in years. It felt so good to run again with no help but my own.