Subdue-X

Facade Of Relief

The cold sterility of the med bay felt suffocating, the fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows on the white walls. I sat on the edge of a metal examination table, my legs dangling, the chill of the room sinking into my bones. Sterling was across from me, busying himself with medical equipment, his face unreadable.

“Lie back,” he instructed, his voice steady but quiet, as though the air was too thin for loud words.

I did as I was told, lying flat as Sterling placed the stethoscope over my chest. The coolness of it made me shiver, but it was nothing compared to the steady throb in my head. My ribs felt tight, and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears—dull, but persistent.

“You’ve decided to take them,” Sterling murmured as he listened to my breathing, confirming what he already knew.

“I didn’t feel I had a choice,” I replied flatly, my gaze fixed on the ceiling. “You pushed me.”

His hand paused briefly, then moved to the side of my neck to check my pulse. “It wasn’t a push. You knew what would happen without them.”

I swallowed, feeling the weight of his words. “Yeah, I know.”

Sterling didn’t say anything more as he continued his check, methodical and silent. I could tell he was running through the protocol—monitoring me for the side effects I didn’t want to think about. The side effects that could tear through me at any time.

As Sterling finished, he pulled back, eyes scanning a small tablet screen, making notes. The soft hum of the machines around us filled the silence. Just as I was about to sit up, the door to the med bay slid open.

A young man—maybe a few years younger than me—stepped inside. He looked out of place in this sterile environment, his worn hoodie and ripped jeans clashing against the clean, sharp lines of the room. He had the kind of face that seemed like it hadn’t quite grown into adulthood yet, thin and a bit hollow, with dark, sleepless eyes.

“Why are you two down here this late?” he asked, his voice curious but rough, like he’d just woken up.

Sterling straightened immediately, his face hardening. “It’s none of your concern,” he said, his tone final.

The guy raised an eyebrow, looking between us, but shrugged, clearly not wanting to push the issue. “Alright,” he muttered, scratching the back of his neck. “Weird place to hang out at this hour, that’s all.” He glanced at me for a moment, his eyes lingering with a faint curiosity before he turned and left, the door sliding shut behind him.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Sterling didn’t react, already turning his attention back to me as if the interruption hadn’t happened.

“He won’t bother you,” Sterling said, more of a statement than a reassurance.

“I know,” I replied softly, staring at the spot where the young man had stood.

Sterling watched me for a long moment. “How do you feel?”

I sat up slowly, the dizziness hitting me like a slow wave. “Different. But I don’t know if it’s good yet.”

“You’ll know soon enough,” he muttered, tapping a few more notes on the screen.

I slid off the table, steadying myself as the room spun briefly. “Is Christian still upstairs?”

Sterling nodded. “ I’ll take you back to your room. But,” he paused, looking at me, “be careful with how much of those pills you take.”

I didn’t respond. His words hung in the air like a warning, one I didn’t know if I could heed. We both knew the risks, but we were already too far down this path to turn back.