Doppled in Gray [Discontinued]

Doppled in Gray [chapter four]

CHAPTER FOUR

My throat is dry and my muscles are sore when I wake. I yawn and stretch for a bit before finally checking my surroundings. Once I do, my brows furrow. I am in the sunroom. My entire body feels bloated with energy and I immediately set my suit to keep out all the sun. Shoulders roll back and I shake my head, trying to find some recollection of getting here but I have none whatsoever. My last memory is taking the pill from the General. After that nothing, total blackness. I sit there for a few moments longer, taking deep breaths and cracking different joints while trying to decide what would be best to do.

In the corner of my vision I see Raymie shuffle past the door. She glances in my direction but once she sees my movements she runs to me excitedly. 

“Hey,” I say, though my throat sounds scratchy and hoarse. 

Raymie completely brushes off my greeting and hugs me tightly. 

“You're okay!”she exclaims.

“Of course I'm okay. What did you think?”

Raymie bites her small lips nervously and then shakes her head.

“You're going to have to ask mommy.”

With those words she briskly walks away and only turns back to give me a shy smile. 

I drag myself into the living room and there sitting on the couch is Deeva looking at the baby growing inside of her with the armex. It is a boy and the stats below the hologram show that he is healthy. His eye color is estimated to be blue and his hair will be a caramel colored brown. Deeva smile to herself when she sees the baby move its feet in perfect time to the kicking she can feel on her stomach. Even though she was forced to have this baby she will love it. I can see it now. She will love him just as much as her own children. Maybe even more so if you consider how much closer they are.

When she sees me her eyes immediately drop to the floor. When her eyes finally meet mine they are harder, making me realize how broken she really looks. Her face looks pale, haggard and worried despite not working all week. After she closes her armex I sit next to Deeva and take her hand sympathetically. I hope that the simple act of kindness will do her some good. 

As the couch reforms itself to fit my body shape I watch Deeva try to find the right words to speak. Every moment feels hours long as she searches.

“You took something that the Superiors gave, didn't you?” she asks with her voice cracking in the middle of the question.

I nod my head though I am confused to how she knows this. 

“You've been out for three days. It was an educated guess,” she informed me. 

My mouth drops open and I take a small gasp. Why would the superiors give me a pill that put me out for seventy-two hours? It doesn't add up to me. They need workers. Something has happened, that must be it. I shift uncomfortably trying to see if I could remember anything in between taking the pill and my long slumber. But it is all hazy when I try to recall it. Like a thick syrupy fog covering all that might have taken place. 

“Do you know what happened?”

She shakes her head sadly. 

“But I know why.”

I look at her even more befuddled.

“Money,” she continues. “It's the only reason they have done anything before so why should it be different now? Even this,” she says referring to her stomach, “is because of Originals that are to lazy to pay the extra money to actually clone a new child.”