The 21st (Unfinished)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Dust flew around my weak body as my eyelids jerked open. I looked to the stone hard ground under my nose and forced myself to get up, but I collapsed in exhaustion. I put my hand to my face, tracing my fingers across a deep gash in my head, chin, and nose. My vision finally focused and I found myself surrounded by blood. Where am I? I grunted as I once again unsuccessfully tried to get up, at least on my back or knees. I felt my lip and felt the dry blood, tattered against my tongue. The blood was fresh and tang, making me cautious. I finally successfully got up to my knees, my legs sore and weak. I sat back, crossing my legs together to look at the wall, but it wasn't much of a wall. It was more of a mirror, reflecting myself.
Is that what they meant when they would keep us safe from the sickness? My memory slowly came back to me and my stomach twisted with sickness. My mother and sister were dead. Murdered actually. I was starving.
The rest of the day all I could think about is food, trying to recollect my memories and find out where I was.
I turned my head to each one of the mirror walls, just seeing the terrible shape I was in. 
Maybe a day after of deadly silence, a woman in a black cloak opened the door, signaling two men to come get me. I quickly skittered back to the corner, trying to hide the best I could from the men. They grabbed my waist and pulled me to the wall, taking both of my arms and bullied me to the door. When they got back to the woman, they wrapped my wrists in chains, holding the ends so I did not escape. I was to weak to fight back, I wanted to eat badly so I didn't think it was such a good idea. As they lead me down a dark hallway the woman spoke to me in a calm and steady tone,
"I'm so sorry dear about the boys who killed your loved ones," she started to chuckle nervously, "that was definitely not part of the plan."
"Then what was? The part when your 'boys' bashed my head to the rock nearly killing me? Kidnapping me?" I snapped at her, forgetting my sore muscles.
"I know yo-"
"What do you think? I would be a happy little kid, happy to get kidnapped by some idiots?" I pulled at the chains, getting close to her.
The men yanked the ropes, causing my hands to squeeze together in pain. I fell back, my brownish, auburn hair blocking my irritated look.
"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" she grinned, gripping my freckled-covered cheeks.
"What? you think i'll just be all calm while my sister and mother are dead because of you?" I swiveled my head away from her, my shouts echoing through the hallway.
The girl skidded to a stop, whipping her head to meet my challenging glare. Her brow creased and her teeth gritted with annoyance. I growled deep in my throat, wanting to strike a sias deep in her cold skull. She leaned back and snapped her fingers for the men to continue walking. She walked next to my side; I protested to stop.
"We are going to have a blood test on you. Just for the sake of where to put you," the woman started.
"What do you mean, where to put me?" I demanded an answer.
"Sick, ready to be sick, or a miracle." she smirked at me and she leaned close to my face, barely whispering, "If you're sick you meet your fate. If you're ready to be sick even more tests. If you're a miracle then you will have weekly blood tests and people will come and study you."
I decided not to question it and tried to wrap my mind around what she said. If I'm sick with the disease they'll kill me, if I have the symptoms they will do tests on me to cure it. Then if I don't at all they will do weekly blood tests to see if I am receiving symptoms and people will study how I become sick, if I do get sick. I thought to myself.
After awhile of silence filling the air between us and the only sound of clicking heels, we finally reach an iron door at the end of the hallway. "Now if you refuse our tests we'll have to sedate you. Understand?"
"You think a little needle can scare me? I've seen worse," I spat not caring of my attitude towards the female.
As I was shoved in the door I understand why they would have to sedate me. The needle was about six inches and the liquid floating in it was green, an unnatural green like the green on steamed broccoli. I stepped back, my head spinning and my legs growing numb. "Where is this needle going exactly?" I stuttered as I scowled at the needle.
"Your neck," she replied smoothly.
I started to breath fastly, my heart beating so fast and so loud I couldn't hear the woman telling me to sit down. I bit my lip until it bled on my tongue, the salty taste of blood calming me. Then I suddenly tripped to the chair with no notice. I gulped down fear and tried to sit still. The nurse rubbed my neck with a cold sensation, speaking to me in a cool tone.
"Now this may pinch but try your hardest to stay still. I'll be right here, you can squeeze my hand as hard as you like. Remember if you move I'll have to start all over." she whispered in my ear, lending a hand.
I swatted her hand away in stubbornness, "I don't need babying."
I tried to hide the mixed and feared emotions that were swirling in my head. She sighed and pushed my neck to the side, suspense filling my stomach, twisting it into a knot.
"Get on with it please and make it quick." I whined through gritted teeth.
I didn't feel the pain at first, but it wasn't pleasant and I wish I didn't have to feel it. The needle shot through my neck like a bullet shooting through flesh. The medicine burned my veins, crawling in my skin and making me shudder. Tears instantly shot in the corners of my eyes, a wail crawling up my throat. I couldn't take it anymore, my skin pulsed with unknown uncertainty, my lip bleeding unnormally, I started to scream. My head pulsed and my eyes closed shut. My screech followed in the air, tears strolling down my face, seeping on the needle, crawling in the needle wound. My shierk was saddening and terrifying in my own ears, it was like a cry of an abused child. Or the scream of a tortured man, or the last scream that came from a woman when she was ripped open. I took a glance at the men and the woman, they were covering their ears and even the willful woman was trembling with desolation. I didn't remember anything else after that.

****

I wearily looked around the white room, my brain pulsing inside my skull. I shook off the agony and constrained myself to get up. I looked down at my clothes, I was dressed in a white gown on a white hospital bed, in a white room. My eyes pounded from the whiteness of the room so I had to squint my eyes. It was the kind of eye strain when you get out from the dark room of the movies on a bright day. I tried to move my arm but it was wrenched back down to the table by a chain. I moaned, thinking I may have the sickness. I rested my head back down for a moment and I suddenly heard a door open then close loudly.
I lifted my head heedfully. A man in once again, a white cloak and a mouth mask trotted to my bed. His skin was wrinkled as a rotten grape and his eyes were as blue as diamonds. He held out his clammy hand to mine, taking it in his.
"You may be wondering who I am." he smiled.
I took my hand away from the unknown man, "Who are you?"
"I am your doctor, Dr. Boon."
"What are you here for? Tell me the results already!" I desperately cried.
He once again took my hand and reeled a chair next to my bed. "Are you sure you're prepared for this news?"
"Yes!" I urged impatiently.
"Well you are on the verge on being sick," my heart dropped and I closed my eyes, "but you're only showing the first signs so were early to catch it. That means no execution."
I sighed relief and reopened my eyes, "But I will have to take more blood, or whatever that was, tests?"
"Only once a month to keep history of your sickness."
"The woman told me I had to do more tests if I was showing symptoms of being sick. What would they be?"
"I am truly sorry but I can't tell you any of that information." he lowered his head in shame.
"Why? I thought you came in here to tell me whats happening?" I retorted quickly.
"And I did, didn't I?" he looked back up and softened his gaze.
He had a point and I was in no mood to argue with someone at the point. I was trembling so bad that I felt my teeth chattering, the sound bouncing throughout my eardrum. I didn't want to die. I just wanted my mom and sister. I had a life to live. When will I get out of here? Before the man got up to leave I lifted my arm as far as I could and grabbed his shoulder, clutching it until his skin turned red.
"Please sir, one more question." I pleaded.
He opened his mouth to object but closed it in pity.
"When will I get out of here?" I whispered; a camera zoomed in at me in the corner of the blinding room.
He sighed, his face regretting his decision to speak, "As soon as we do some tests on you and make sure we can keep you from getting other people sick, we will put you in a room with people of your kind."
With that he turned and left me to shudder. With my kind? I turned to my side and laid my head down on the rock-hard pillow. I couldn't sleep that night. Especially if I don't know the "tests" their doing, and not knowing there's others of my kind.