Cold Copy

Chapter 2

It's the start of her first day being 15 years old. Genevieve wakes up to the sound of a loud knocking on their door, and her mom and dad talking with someone outside. She wakes up quickly, knowing they might need her for something, and she rushes to the bathroom. She brushes her teeth quickly, nearly causing her gums to bleed, then she rushes back to her room to get dressed into more appropriate clothes.

"Gen! Genevieve! Come down here please, there's someone who wishes to speak with you!" her mom calls out.

"Okay mom! I'm on my way!" Genevieve answers. She dries her face and then runs out to meet them. At the door stands a few men in suits, and a fourth in the middle who wears a white lab coat. He looks down to her with a kind smile. "Hello."

"Hello there Genevieve, that's a pretty name you've got. May I come in to talk with you privately?" he asks.

Genevieve looks to her parents, a look to ask if it's proper, or okay if they do so. They nod and step aside, Genevieve following before the man enters their home. The other three wait outside, and the door is shut. The researcher sits down on one of the chairs, and Genevieve sits with her parents, in between them, on the couch across from him.

"Genevieve, you're one of the 10 remaining applicants who we need to select from. I do appreciate your willingness to take on the responsibilities we'll give you, even if you don't know what they are. I'm here to personally assess your health and conditions, and update our data to see if you can still be a good match for our standards" he tells her, looking to her parents next. "Has she been eating well enough every day? Staying hydrated? Getting exercise?"

"She's a very healthy girl, we can assure you of that" her mom answers. "Genevieve has always been a healthy girl, and she's worked hard for it too. In school she's taking some extra physical ed classes, she wants to stay healthy for this position you're offering her."

"Extra classes?" he asks with some confusion. "If she's healthy, why take more than the one class that is necessary?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, she takes them because she's been fighting a battle for her whole life. While she is healthy, perfectly healthy in fact, she's always had low energy levels, low stamina, and until the age of 9 she's had a slight heart problem" her mom answers.

The researcher looks down for a brief moment. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry to hear that. Was it a curable problem? You worded it as if she no longer has the issue."

"That's correct" her dad chimes in. "With some great medical help Genevieve was able to recover. She still suffers from low stamina and strength, but with the extra classes and a lot of effort she's willing to put in, she can still meet your standards."

"I bet she will," the man says, looking right at her. "Genevieve? Can I ask you why you filled out the application form?"

Her hands start to sweat, more so than they were from the start of the conversation, she keeps them folded in her lap. "Well, I saw it might be something that would be used to help other people. It was a donor position...so...I figured that if something ever went wrong with me, or if not, I could give something to others if they're sick and in need. I just want to help."

"Genevieve, now that there's only 10 candidates remaining, I have been given permission to give you the details of what kind of donor we're looking for. Is that alright with you? I can tell you now, or later. That choice is up to you" he says before looking at her parents. "Will you please wait outside with the others for a while? This will be for her ears only."

"Of course, take all the time you need," her dad says, before taking his wife outside.

After the door closes once more, the researcher turns to face her again. "So, what will your answer be? Want to hear it now, or later?"