Shape

Chapter 6: The Pain of Prototypes

After the incident, I was placed into a recovery room under strict supervision. Apple visited me a couple times to make sure I was okay and wasn't dying. I reassured him I was going to be okay. I wish I believed that.
Everyday at the same time the hall I was temporarily placed in gained a visitor. He would walk the hall up and down before entering a dying person's room, and once he came out he gained a new person's soul, and we lost a member of the facility. He's called the Soul Bunny.
The first time I saw him, I was trying to sleep when I sensed a person's footsteps. You could see him walk down the hall, yet his steps never made a sound. When he passed my room it felt like death itself was staring me down, it was terrifying. It's been days since then though and I've slowly gained a tolerance to the walking death the more he passed by me. Though no matter how many times I try, he won't speak to me, or anyone for that matter unless he was talking to an older scientist or an important staff member.
"We don't have many to offer you today, only about two or three"
All he did was nod and walk away. That was my breaking point.
"Hey! Who are you exactly?"
He glanced over at my room and his face quickly filled with shock when he saw me standing on limbs that I wasn't supposed to have, but all he did was point and a doctor ran in my room to put me back in my bed.
"You shouldn't be out of bed yet! And put those extra arms away, you're using up too much of your energy!"
I hate doctors.
"I'm perfectly fine! But why won't that guy talk to anyone?"
The doctor sighed as he moved me back into my bed.
"That man's been around for about one or two hundred years. You can't even imagine how many people he must've lost."
I was at a loss for words. I didn't want to upset him.
"Oh.. I'm sorry."
The doctor gave me a small smile, he was kind to me.
"It's okay, you couldn't have known."
I talked with him some more before he left to take care of another patient. I was sad to see him leave.
"Heeeeyyyy!!! How's it going bunny man!"
As the days went on, I continued to try and talk to the lonely man, and every time he never gave me so much as a glance or hand motion to get me to stop talking. Except for one day.
"Bunny man!! At least give me a smile or something!" I was determined.
I then saw him stop. I was shocked, I was starting to think he was deaf up until then.
"You stopped! I can't believe it!"
I was so excited that I didn't even notice the expression on his face. Until..
"What are you?"
I paused. I've never heard him talk before.
"I.. what?"
He started walking towards me, each step sent a chill down my spine. I never noticed how cold the air became when he was around.
"No human is able to hold three different souls inside them. So what exactly are you to be able to do that?"
I looked at him with shock, how did he know something like that!?
"I.. actually don't know. I guess I was just born like this..?"
He looked defeated, what was he hoping I'd say?
"I guess that could be possible. On another note, stop calling me bunny man. It's stupid."
"What should I call you then?"
"Nolan."
As it got closer to my release day from the recovery ward, I spent the rest of my time talking to Nolan about whatever topics would come to mind. I liked having company, especially the kind that isn't afraid of you.
"So what exactly are prototypes?" I had heard Apple talking about them once before.
"Prototypes? They're what make up most of this hall!"
Nolan motioned his hand towards the hallway when he said that. He sounded too cheerful in his response.
"What..?" I felt disturbed
"Sorry, I know it's not something to mention so casually. Prototypes are doomed 'experiments', as you call them."
His tone changed from cheerful to sympathetic. Like he understood exactly what they go through.
"The main purpose of a prototype is to become the mold for future experiments of their type. Like your friend Apple for example, he's the study of seeing if people can successfully carry the DNA structure of food inside of their own. But unlike the prototypes in this hall, he was successful."
I was horrified from learning that information. Nolan seemed to notice.
"It's okay though, at least he got a much better fate than anyone in this hall. The people here are marked with a skull, waiting for me to bring them to the other side." He looked down at his hands with a sad expression as he said that, must be a painful job to have.
"I'm sure you bring them happiness by doing that". His expression softened a bit, like a small amount of hope was gained behind his eyes. We talked a little longer before he said he had to go and bring more people a sense of peace. Once I was released from the medical ward, I rushed over to Apple's room as fast as I could to give him the biggest hug my body would allow me to give before he could even get a chance to protest. He deserved a bit of comfort after all the pain he's been through.