The Prison Project [-Editing-]

16: Linley

Annie -->

16: Linley

“Linley?”

I open my eyes and look out the food hatch. I wasn’t sleeping; just thinking in the darkness of my own confused mind.

“Yes, Scott?”

“What did they do to you in there?”

I look at him a little closer. He looks sad; scared.

“They just gave me some medicine. Why?”

“You don’t seem yourself. You don’t seem yourself at all.”

I sit up a little and continue to watch him. “How so?”

“You seem…like you’re suddenly friends with these people.”

“Why shouldn’t I be? They’re taking care of us, aren’t they?”

Scott looks at me, appalled. “Linley, these people have kidnapped us, drugged us, beat us. They are far from our friends.”

I cock my head at him, shocked but also feeling slightly enlightened. I don’t know what they’ve done to my mind. They could very well have taken me, drugged me, and hurt me, but all I can remember is them taking care of me. Whatever Scott is saying doesn’t register. At least it doesn’t right now. I’m still too weak to buy into it too much.

My cell door opens unexpectedly.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Keene says, smiling brightly. “How are you feeling?”

“Drowsy,” I mutter. “Not quite myself yet.”

Keene nods. “The medicine does that sometimes. It should wear off soon.”

“That’s what you said yesterday.”

“Your system just isn’t used to it yet. You’ll grow accustomed to it with more doses.”

“You mean…I have to take more of this stuff?”

Keene hugs me, seemingly trying to comfort me. I accept it, but I don’t hug him back.

“Yes, Linley dear. You have to take more. And I know it’s miserable now, but it will get better. This is for your own good.”

He rubs my back and then pulls away, smiling sadly at me.

“The boy in my head,” I say, my voice almost a whisper. “Who is he?”

Keene’s eyes grow wide. I hug myself, suddenly scared. He jumps to his feet, pulls out a remote of some sort, and presses a button. Red lights begin to flash in my cell, and the steel door slams shut.

“She remembers someone, Jade,” he says into the remote. “We’ve got to get her to the Dileuer. Now.”

I hold myself tighter, panic rising in my chest. I somehow manage to stay calm as the woman, Jade, storms in looking very angry. Another woman follows behind her. She’s got long, dark hair, and stone, dark eyes. Not cold, just…hard.

“Annie, go get the chamber prepared,” Jade says. The dark haired woman, Annie, nods and exits the room.

“Keene,” she barks. “Help me escort her. She trusts you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he says, helping me to my feet.

“Keene, what’s happening?” I say, my voice strangled.

“Something went wrong with the medicine,” he murmurs in my ear. “It’s going to be okay. We’re fixing it now.”

I cling to his arm and nod. He places a reassuring hand on mine. Jade leads us from the cellblock and into the hallways. I count the turns, expecting to be sent back into the lab. But as we reach it, we pass right by it and continue down another hallway. We come to a small room with black walls and a single helmet hanging from a strange looking device.