I'm Alive [CANCELED]

Chapter Five- The Remedy

(A.N.)

Oh my god! So sorry for this being so late! I just finished all my 10wk tests and I made the volleyball team, so I had those wonderful things I had to do. Plus my mom took away my laptop (WHY?! That's like taking away oxygen!), my nook and IPod. She likes to kill me, I don't even remember why I lost them in the first place... Anyway, I tried to make this EXTRA long to make up for my absence. Hope you enjoy it! Remember to try to vote and comment when you're done reading! :D

*******

My side is burning with pain by the time I find my way to the abandoned subway station.

I walk down the stairs and see an abandoned subway ticket station and a single subway car.

Carefully I walk toward the car.

I grab the side of the door and try to pry it open.

It didn't work.

With both my hands I try to pry them open.

The doors slowly creak open just enough for me to squeeze through.

After slipping inside I look around the car.

There isn't anything much about it except the green light in the corner.

Wait, green light?

I walk over to the light and see that the light is a spinning sign in a cracked glass screen. The sign says "LOCATION".

Under the spinning sign is a keypad.

"What the heck?" I whisper to myself.

The key pad didn't have numbers, but letters. Plus there weren't even all the letters of the alphabet just the letters "Y", "E", "R", "D", "E", and "M".

Yerdem? Is that even a word? Wait. The location I seek, the letters, what they spell when they're unmixed.

My brain puts this problem together like a puzzle and before I know it my fingers are typing on the key pad "REMEDY".

"Hello." says a voice.

I jump and turn around to see no one. Then I look up at the ceiling of the car and see the speaker.

It's a recording.

"It's okay. My name is Trisha, currently one of the high ranked members at the Remedy. Do not be afraid of this. You are on here to go strait to Remedy Headquarters and taken into our care. Don't fear that the government will find you because of our security is very heavy loaded. Make sure you have your match when you approach our doors. Thank you and enjoy your ride." finishes Trisha.

"What ride?" I ask out loud.

When the 'e' left my mouth, the subway car took off.

My whole body flies backward. I grasp onto one of the poles that line the aisle.

I shut my eyes and hold on to the pole for dear life.

*******

My eyes open.

It's been about 15 minutes until the subway car starts to slow down.

"Stop." says Trisha's voice.

The car commands to Trisha's voice and comes to a halt.

When the doors open, I make sure to be out of the car before it takes off.

There is a small light at the end of the subway and I start toward it.

By the time I get to the light, I notice it's a candle and there are huge black doors next to it.

I pull my match out and stick it in the candle. Immediately, the flame catches.

I walk toward the doors and open them.

Inside, the corridor is black. A spotlight is pointed at a bowl filled with water.

Using the small light the match gives me, I make my way toward it. The bowl is small and filled to about half way. I stick my match in the water getting rid of my light source. Alone, I just stand in the darkness.

"A girl." says a mysterious voice in the darkness.

"Medium height, skinny with brown hair with red highlights." says another voice.

"Now, do not antagonize her. She has passed all of our tests." says a familiar female voice. "Flip the lights!"

I shield my eyes before white lights flood the room.

When I open my eyes I see two men and a woman in the middle.

"Hello. My name is Trisha, I'm sure you're familiar of my voice from the subway car. This is Greg on my left and Griffin on my right, they're my assistants." says Trisha stepping forward. "Now, I need to know a few things about you before you enter. Where do you think you are?"

I straiten my posture and answer strongly, "I am at the entrance of the Remedy. An organization for 18 year old to come to learn to defend themselves from the government."

"How do you know this information?" Trisha asks strictly.

Am I not suppose to know this much about The Remedy?

"My name is Kaytilynn Evans and I'm the daughter of Asher Evans." I say.

My dad had told me before I left to bring up his name and I shouldn't have a problem getting in. I'm counting this as a situation to use his name.

"Asher has a daughter?" asks Griffin.

"Silence!" Trisha commands.

Trisha turns her attention back to me.

I stare her right in her eyes and see anger stirring in them, but there seems to be another emotion in them too. Could it be grieving?

"Anyway Kaytilynn Evans, you have passed our strength, intelligence and the first fear test. Therefore proving that you may belong here with us." Trisha says with a little bit of bitterness in her voice.

"I didn't take a test." I say.

Greg and Griffin smirk.

I glare at them.

"Yes you did. You proved yourself strong when you were able to open the subway doors. Your brain was able to figure out that you had to unscramble the letters to spell 'Remedy'. Lastly, when you put the match in the water, the darkness didn't frighten you." Trisha says flatly like she's said this over 100 times.

Maybe she has.

"Plus, you did all this while losing blood from the bullet wound from the bullet." finishes Trisha.

I nod.

"Now, I'm going to need to take that match of yours." Greg says.

Glaring at him, I grip the match tighter in my hand.

"Why?" I ask.

"For the records if you are to stay here." Greg responds.

Evidently, I hand over the match.

"Thank you." says Greg as he takes the match and puts it in a folder.

"Follow me now Kaytilynn Evans, for your tour of your new home." says Trisha walking toward the door at the end of the room.

I start to follow, but Griffin stops me. His hand locks fast on my wrist.

"Let.Me.Go." I mutter.

"Miss. Evans, we need to check your bag before you go in." Griffin says.

"Fine." I say, dropping my bag.

I watch Griffin zip open my bag and rummage around.

"You're belongings are all valid items to bring into the Remedy." Griffin says.

"Well what did you think was in there? Drugs?" I snap at him.

"I can never be sure." Griffin says.

"Yeah well I don't need pervs going through my bras and underwear." I throw at him.

"Kaytilynn don't talk to my assistant like that. He is just doing what I pay him for." Trisha says. "Now come on and follow or I'll leave you here in the darkness with nothing."

Picking up my bag, I walk toward the door where Trisha stands.

My eyes are alert as I look follow a mysterious woman to a destination I do not know.

Noise starts filling my ear as we get closer to a clearing.

"Welcome to The Remedy." Trisha says.

My only thoughts of this place is 'Woah'.

The ground is grey tile and the walls are black marble. The Remedy reminds me of a monument for an important person. People everywhere are dressed in green or white shirts and jeans.

"Greg, please take Miss. Evans to the screening room for the Orientation film. I have some other important matters to deal with. Griffin you are dismissed for the rest of today." Trisha says.

"Yes Trisha." Greg says.

Trisha walks away muttering "'He's married?" to herself.

"Let's go now." Greg says ushering me away.

This new place reminds me of a maze, but Greg seems to know exactly where to go.

After about turning left 2 times and turning right 4 times, the two of us stand in front of a place that looks like a movie theater.

Greg opens one of the doors and I walk through. The theater has red carpet on the ground and light blue walls.

"Greg!" says a deep voice.

Ahead is a man in a button down green plaid shirt with jeans.

"Hello Anthony. This is Katilynn Evans, daughter of Asher Evans. She's going to need the orientation film." Greg tells Anthony.

"Okay! Miss you can come with me." Anthony says to me.

I walk behind Anthony into a curtained room. Inside is a huge black screen. There are red velvet seats like the one's they had in the government.

Sitting down, Anthony dims the lights.

"Enjoy the film." Anthony says leaving the room.

I stare ahead.

For the first few moments it's just dark and then the screen comes on. Trisha comes up on the screen. She looks younger and a lot prettier. Her blonde hair is pinned up into a bun and she wears a white lace shirt and lime green jeans.

"Hello new member of the Remedy! I would like to welcome you to you're new home. You may have many questions, but let me explain. I have put together this new society after I lost all three of my sons to the government. You are here because your parents sent you here to protect you from death.Obviously, since you are watching this video you have proven that you have the three important qualities that will keep you alive here, intelligence, bravery and strength All 18 year olds are allowed to stay here to learn how to defend themselves until they turn 21. If you choose to leave and go back into the world you were raised in, we'll let you go. Thanks to our services you will know how to defend yourself if the government threatens you. However, if you are pleased with they way of life we have showed you, you can move into our living areas. Our rules here is to be at training at 10 a.m. every morning. Training only runs until 3 p.m. with lunch at noon. Here there are many different activities like competitive fighting to test your skills, shopping stores, going to intelligence classes and many others. Another rule is to at least always wear either white of green with anything you wear, they being the two signal colors. The third rule is to never leave the Remedy without permission. Leaving will result in supreme beating. Our last rule is never telling anyone about The Remedy. Breaking this rule will result in public execution. We hope you enjoy your new life here with us."

With a small smile, Trisha hits a button on the camera and the film turns off.

The lights come on and Anthony walks back in.

"Well?" he asks me.

I don't really know what to say back.

This place is amazing, but everything is so much to take in at one time. The Remedy is so much different that it is at home. Yet, there is something that makes me feel alive here.

A new home.

My new home.

"I think I'm really going to like it here." I tell Anthony smiling.

"That's good. Now come on, I think you may want a place to sleep tonight." Anthony says.

I stand up from one of the seats and follow him.

Anthony goes over to a computer and types in a few quick numbers and a huge directory comes up.

"Okay, well there may be an open apartment on 87. Oh look! There is. Okay, well I'll just set you up for a room." Anthony says.

His hands are flying over the keyboard it's hard to see what letters he's typing.

"Here we go. Done! I got you a room on the 32nd floor, compartment 627. Oh, and here," Anthony says, handing my a green cloth.

On the green cloth is a cool black design with swirls and a little bit of white swirls in the cloth too.

"It's a bandana. Do you want me to show you how to wear it?" Anthony explains.

"Sure!" I say.

Anthony lays the bandana on the desk where his computer is. He lays the bandana out flat so it makes a square then folds one corner so it touches the other. After he's done he starts folding the longer part toward the point.

"Let me see your head." Anthony says.

I obey, which is weird since I've given all the other men here problems with what I ask.

"Could you lift up your hair?" Anthony asks.

Again, I obey.

He wraps the bandana around my neck and brings it up toward my forehead and into my hair. Then his fingers start to tie it into a knot.

"See?" Anthony says, pointing at his computer.

I look into the now black screen and see that the cloth is like a headband, but it just goes from my neck that's behind my hair, behind ears and on top of my head. Adjusting the knot from the middle of my head to the side, I smile.

"Thanks Anthony." I say.

"You're welcome. I figured that you needed some kind of green or white on your body, like you learned in the orientation film." Anthony states.

For the first time since I've been here, I really look at Anthony. He looks about 24 years old, so I'm guessing he decided to stay here.

"Well, I'll let you go. Here, give this to the doorman when you walk in." Anthony says, scribbling things on a piece of paper.

I take it.

"Thank you Anthony. Maybe I'll come to visit sometime." I say.

"That'd be nice. Goodbye Katilynn." Anthony says waving goodbye.

I walk out of the door of the theater.

I think I just made a friend.

The Remedy is sort of set up like it was at home. There weren't street names just numbers.

Quicker than I expected I find street 87.

The apartment building is a tall, white building. When I walk in the door, I hand the doorman the piece of paper that Anthony gave me.

"New comer?" the doorman asks.

"Yes." I say.

"Okay, here's the key to your apartment. You'll be on floor 32, compartment 627. You just slide this card into the slot. If you need anything, just come to the lobby." the door man says.

I nod and head to the elevator in the corner.

Pushing the button up and pressing the number 32, I feel the elevator car shoot upward.

The ride is silent and for once, I have a few moments to think of my parents.

What are they doing? How are they doing? Are they doing okay without me?

Ding.

The elevator doors open and open to a large, long hallway.

Walking slowly down the hall, my eyes roam over the numbers.

612, 613, 614

I pick up my pace a bit.

620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, WAIT!

I back up a room so I'm standing in front of compartment 627.

I slide the card into the slot and the light on the door flashes green and opens.

Slipping inside, I flip the lights.

Inside is a small kitchen and bathroom. There is also a medium sized bed in front of a flat screen TV. There's also a little table next to the dresser. The bed has white sheets and pillows except a thick green blanket at the foot of the bed. The painting is a light soothing green color.

It's small, but to be honest I like it.

After taking off my shoes, I walking over to table and dump my bag on it.

I'll unpack later.

I turn toward the bed and flop down, face first, on it.

Before I know it, I'm under the covers in a deep sleep.