The Machine

Part 1, The Room

When Lyla woke up, she was in a strange, cold room. The tiled floor was cold against her shivering little body. Where was she? Not at home in her bed, that's for sure.

"Mama?" She called, and when no one responded she tried again. "Mama!"

Frightened, she began to cry and bang on the outline of what seemed to be the door. Somebody heard her, for the outline disappeared, but no one came to comfort her, to put their arms around her, cradle her, and tell her she was safe. She spent that entire day, (or what she thought to be a day) kicking the wall, and screaming.

When she finally looked up, exhausted and hungry, she found a small table had risen out of the floor when her back was turned. Hesitantly, she walked towards the chair and hoisted herself up. She reached across the table and grabbed the rim of the bowl. It contained rice, with bits of peas and chicken in it. At home, she had always been served. She licked her lips, it looked good.

Once she was done eating, the table sunk back into the floor. She yawned, the day's activities had made her tired! Noiselessly, several tiles slid away, and a bed rose out. She walked over to it and changed into the nightgown that lay on its neat coverlet, struggling with the buttons. After climbing into bed, she waited for someone to tuck the covers up to her chin, and kiss her goodnight, but as she expected, no one came. She sighed, silent tears dripping down her face.

"Goodnight Lyla." She said to herself.

************

"Dr. Palmer?"

"Yes?" Rita Palmer looked up.

"You may see the footage of the subject now if you like."

"Ok," said Rita, as she played with the tip of her ponytail, her one nervous habit. "Thank you, Doctor Williams."

Dr. Murray Williams pushed a button and the screen in front of Rita lit up.

"Lyla!" Rita gasped, the footage of Lyla's tantrum replaying before her eyes. "This is not a reaction a girl like her would be having."

"People behave strangely under unusual circumstances." Dr. Williams responded.

"I guess you're right." Said Rita, "Lyla's just not the little girl she used to be."

"Dr. Palmer?"

"Yes?"

"I would recommend you turn in for the night. You have a big day awaiting tomorrow."

"Why? What's tomorrow? My schedule is back in my room."

"The first day of testing!" Dr. Williams said, maybe too enthusiastically. "Oh, and Dr. Palmer, you should stop calling the subject by its name. You need completely get rid of any connections you have had, just in case something unexpected were to happen."

Rita's fingers coiled into a fist in her pocket.

"Yes, Dr. Williams."

************

Lyla woke up to find a steaming bowl of oatmeal had risen out of the floor. After she had eaten it, the table it was on sunk back into the floor, along with her bed.

She had been in her prison for about a week at this point, each day consisting with slightly less screaming than the day before.

"I'm bored!" She announced to no one in particular.

Slowly, a new tile rose up, and on it was several sheets of paper and some markers. Lyla's face lit up. It was like the room had read her mind. She grabbed a sheet of paper and folded it in half. On the inside, she drew a picture of a girl, with short curly hair and blue eyes staring up at the sky. In the background, she drew a lattice of lines as if to represent the prison she was in. She walked over to the still risen tile and carefully placed the card back on it. The second the tile felt the pressure of the paper upon it, it promptly sank back into the ground. Lyla looked around the room as the tile sank, and whispered a kind "Thank you!"

************

Rita held the card gently in her hands. Tears were streaming down her face, but she was laughing too. The lab had wanted to stick the card in some sterile bag, and shove it in some sort of "Lyla's Evidence" room, along with her old clothes, bits of her hair, and even her urine, but after much pleading, they finally let Rita borrow the card. She should probably return it soon too.

Right then, Dr. Williams poked his head in the doorway.

"Dr. Palmer! What are you doing with the evidence?" He asked her.

"The head of the evidence room said I could examine it." Rita responded carefully, hoping he wouldn't start another lecture about the "mistreatment" of evidence.

"First anger, and now gratitude!" Dr. Williams exclaimed, "I didn't expect development this quickly!"

"What?"

"Earlier this week the subject was showing a lot of hostility, yet now, poof! It's like she's a completely different person!"

Rita raised her eyebrows. Had Dr. Williams just called Lyla a person?

************