The whole car ride to the Tower, Clara felt the noose cinch tighter and tighter. She stared out the window, taking measured breaths, trying to keep her heartrate under control.
"Dr. Hayes?" Connor was looking at her with concern. "Is everything okay?"
She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Just nerves."
"Did you sleep last night? You look tired." He leaned forward, analyzing her.
So much for the makeup she'd put on. She shrugged. "Not really."
"You should stop picking at your cuticles, Dr. Hayes. You'll make yourself bleed again." His voice was soft, betraying a hint of worry.
She looked down and realized she had been shredding her fingers unconsciously. She stopped, instead intertwining her fingers in her lap, squeezing hard enough for her knuckles to turn white.
Closing her eyes, she leaned back in the seat. She needed to get herself under control. Slowly, she inhaled through her nose.
1...2...3...4
She held her breath.
1...2...3...4...5...6...7
Slowly, she exhaled from her mouth.
1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8
She repeated the process several times until, gradually, her heartrate came down, and the knots around her throat loosened slightly. She opened her eyes, feeling a little lightheaded, and resumed her usual mask of confident stoicism. She needed to stay calm and alert.
When they arrived at the Tower, Ms. Alvarez was once again waiting. She greeted them with a glare.
"Dr. Hayes." Her voice was terse.
"Maria." Clara smirked.
"Follow me." The intern turned abruptly, heading toward the elevator.
Clara exchanged a glance with Connor. He gave her a slight nod. She straightened and entered the elevator behind Maria, standing in the corner. Ms. Alvarez put in their floor, and the elevator lurched into motion. Once more, Clara closed her eyes, measuring her breathing, hands gripping the strap of her bag tightly.
After a few minutes, the elevator came to a halt. Ms. Alvarez stepped out quickly, leading them into the hallway. She made her way down to the usual conference room and opened the door, allowing Clara to step in, then closed the door behind her.
Steeling herself, Clara walked her way to her usual seat and sat down. She was alone in the room. Sighing, she leaned back into the chair and waited.
A screen across from her flickered to life, illuminating five rectangular boxes. Dark silhouettes lay in the center of each, features obscured.
YOU ARE READING
Deviants Fallen: A DBH Story
Science FictionThe android revolution failed, but Detroit is still reeling from the aftermath. One woman, Dr. Clara Hayes, has always been fascinated with androids, especially deviants. She's devoted herself to researching and understanding deviant psychology. One...
