In The Flesh(Teeth)

12

"When did we become these sinking stones? When did we build this broken home? Holding each other like ransom notes, Dropping our hearts to grip our brother's throats ." This Is The Time by Nothing More

______________

Dark.

This is what greets my eyes when I open them.

I am devoid of sensation.

At first, I am confused. I begin to panic. Am I paralyzed? Where are my hands? Why can't I see?

.......there.

My fingers twitch and I feel a moist, spongy something beneath my hands. Just as I begin to stretch my legs, a soft hissing sounds and a soft shttttttt fills the black around me as something above moves. Gradually, the darkness lifts until bright light spills inside my chamber and the surface of the pod shrinks away.

Warm air rushes in and heats my skin, which I didn't notice was cold. I squint my eyes shut against the full intensity of the fluorescent lights above. After a moment, I carefully peel them open and slowly sit up. My progress is halted by tugging sensations in my arms and legs. I look curiously down to discover thick black tubes that spill out of my skin. The material looks organic and alive.

I lift my hand to my arm and grasp the tube. I tug on it and pain shoots up my arm.

"Just a moment,"

I flinch and look up. A woman stands before me, examining a black tablet in her hands. She taps something in the screen with her cherry red nails and my skin begins to move as the tunes retract.

"Who are you?" I ask.

She looks up at me.

"You don't remember?" She asks. She doesn't sound surprised.

"Remember what?" I ask.

She taps her ear and I realize that she has an earpiece.

"Subject has been successful in the Clean Slate wipe. Proceed?"

"What's been wiped?" I ask.

She ignores me again as she listens to the response on the other end.

"Yes, sir." she says and then she looks at me again and I notice how strange her eyes are. They are the color of fire. A sense of deja vu washes over me as I meet her gaze.

I stand in shaky legs and move towards her. She averts her gaze and I notice that I am completely naked. I cover the bits that matter and look at her furiously.

"What's going on? Who are you? Why am I buck-ass naked?" I bounce questions off her.

"Subject's vitals are rising. I will administer a mild sedative and deliver him."

I step away from her.

"You're not taking me any where," I say.

"Calm down, Seven. It's alright."

"No," I say.

A splitting pain erupts inside my head and I gasp for air as I fall to my knees. I clutch my head with my hands and scream. I've never felt this level of pain before.