Controlled

Chapter 18

"What the heck are you doing here?!" We all yelled.

"Oh I just thought I would pay you a visit," she said. "I do own the place, after all."

"No you don't!" We shouted.

"Actually yes, I do," she said, "I can always make a bargain when I see one. I said that we could transform this dump into a science and mathematics and medicine institute for cures of diseases. Turns out, the board of directors, and the state, like my plans. I thought that this could be the headquarters for a chain of places like this. You were all part of the plan. You are helping us come up with a cure for a disease. This disease is found common in secret nations off the coast of Asia and in central Europe. I also happen to be working with your uncle, Joe the medicine pro, Mia. The disease causes people to be able to be controlled by the person who gave it to them. We had Joe help you, Mia and suggest this type of recipe for Eli. The medicine was originally created to help with cancer, but it failed. We have developed this facility for good reason."

Everyone was silent. Nobody moved. It was about ten minutes until I said, "Way to drop a bomb on us Lilly!"

Maddie started to hyperventilate, "Oh my gosh! Shaina, we were apart of a test for a medicine. It's the Maze Runner!!"

"Oh my gosh Maddie!! This is so freaking scary!!" Maddie and I were the only ones freaking out.

"Guys, chill!" Eli said.

"YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND!" Maddie and I both yelled.

"No it is not The Maze Runner. It is nothing like that," Lilly said. Maddie and I were silent.

"We are just trying to experiment with the disease and see the effects. We can use these effects to help stop it. We aren't mapping brain patterns like in The Maze Runner because this disease does not affect all of the brain. It only affects part of the brain and all of your nerves and muscles in the rest of your body. We have experimented with these parts of the body and are now experimenting with these parts of the body in affected victims. We are comparing differences and have found some important information. We are going to try to find the ingredients that will cause these differences to stop in the victim's body. After that we are going to start studying the cells that cancer affects and will be comparing this to a regular cell. Then we can use the differences to help find a cure that will stop the differences in the cells. Neuroblastoma cells are very dangerous and we need to find out why and how they work, why and how they form, things like that. Got it?" Lilly said.

"Wait," Eli said, "why did you choose me for this test?"

"We chose you because it would be easier. With so many girls that like you and want revenge on people, it was easy to convince Mia and all the rest of you to have Eli be controlled. I didn't want to do this, but they forced me to experiment this way," Lilly said.

Eli still seemed confused, "But I don't have the disease, right? How did it work if I don't have the disease?"

"It is considered a disease. But to put it more simply, it is an infection that you can get from taking this particular recipe that I mentioned earlier. It can be cured and Shaina has already accomplished part of the cure."

"ME?! HOW ME?!" I said.

"Yes. When you and Eli had that connection earlier, something happened. Eli's nerves and muscles were put at ease. You kissed him. It was a real kiss and you both felt the same way," Lilly said with a smile.

"True love's kiss." I looked over at Maddie and yelled, "Now this is like Once Upon a Time!!!"

"No, no. Unfortunately, Eli is not completely cured yet. We also need a type of medicine. The state that Eli is in now is simply a state of relaxation that was given to him from the kiss, Shaina. We are doing this for that reason. We need to create a medicine to help cure him and everyone else completely, even without true love," Lilly explained.

"Could he never be cured?" I asked quietly.

"Actually," Lilly started. "I have the cure in my hands."

She was mumbling and wouldn't speak louder.

"What?" I said.

"Nothing, never mind," she said.

"WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO SAY!?" We all shouted together.

"Nothing," she said, even quieter. We all groaned.

"Can I have the cure?" Eli said.

"Well..." Lilly started and trailed off.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!!" Maddie and I yelled.

"But..." Lilly said.

"Lilly..." Eli said looking her straight in the eyes.

"Okay. I- can't- give it to you. I'm sorry."

"What!! So I will never be cured!!" Eli yelled. I started to cry.

"No, you will. It's just... they won't let me give you the cure that I found. They don't think a child can do it," Lilly said quietly. "Did I mention they can also control me?"

"Who has to give it to him?" I asked still crying a bit.

"I'm sorry. I don't know. They don't trust me and they won't even try the cure I found. If I try to give it to you, they will just make me do something bad." She said. I looked over at Maddie, we both knew what the other was thinking. I ran over to Lilly and pinned her to the ground.

"Get off of me!!!!!!!!!" she screamed and kicked me really hard. Then she got up and ran to the auditorium, which we didn't block with stuff.

"COME ON," I yelled, "WE ALL WANT ELI BACK DON'T WE? Just follow our lead." I looked at Maddie and nodded, she nodded back.