Momentum (Completed)

Chapter Eleven: Deja Vu

 (Lyra)

I didn’t manage to sleep at all that night, too overcome with a mixture of generally negative emotions. The most dramatic was a newfound longing for Dolosus. I knew he was there, right next to me, but I had to touch him, to hold him, which I hadn’t done since we’d first been brought to this lab. Occasionally, my longing became temporary depression and I would let loose an uncontrollable anguished moan, but, for the most part we talked in hushed voices. In all honesty I was a bit paranoid. Earlier in the night, I had spotted a surveillance camera in the corner of my cell, which led to the chilling realization that I had no privacy at all.

‘Are you alright?’ Dolosus asked me, concerned. I had gotten restless and had been pacing the cell, which was only about the size of a large bathroom stall, for the past half hour. I myself didn’t understand why I was doing it; apparently, I didn’t handle such limited confinement very well at all. I was used to going wherever I wanted and existing with no rules. I had so much to live for outside of this cell, and, more specifically, this city. I didn’t even know where I was…

“No, I’m really not, Dolosus,” I sighed. “I can’t stand it here. I’m too anxious and fidgety.” I walked closer to the door of the cell, peering at the clock. 3:47 AM. “Time goes by too slow,” I muttered.

‘It would help if you tried to sleep.’ Dolosus had been asleep for several hours.

“I can’t sleep like an owl,” I growled. Without really thinking, I kicked the bars blocking my exit. “I hate this!” Dolosus was annoyed with my conduct.

‘Would you stop that? Kicking that cell door is not going to help you! You’re behaving like a child.’

I glared at him. “Leave me alone.”

‘That’s not what you really want, nor will it help or do any good. You’ll be even more miserable than you already are.’

“I don’t see you doing anything,” I growled. “You’re just sitting there sleeping, leaving me to endure all these horrible feelings by myself.”

I could feel his guilt at my words. ‘I won’t go back to sleep. I didn’t realize you were upset, otherwise I would have stayed awake.’

“What the hell do you expect?” I snapped at him. “Do you expect me to be sitting here singing and dancing like the world is a perfect, happy ray, of bloody sunshine?”

‘No,’ he replied, and I could tell he was getting angry, ‘but I do expect you to behave like an adult. Right now you’re throwing a temper tantrum like a child. I Bonded with you because you’re intelligent and mature; now you’re acting worse than a hungry newborn chick.’

I walked away from the wall of bars separating our two cells angrily, throwing myself into the opposite corner, muttering, “just go back to bed. It’s all you’re good for anyway...”

‘Is it, now?’ He bristled angrily before flying to the far side of his cell, as far from me as he could get, shutting his mind off from mine. We sat in silence for what felt like a very long time, but I knew Dolosus wasn’t sleeping; he was angry and probably offended. I sighed deeply, looking straight out of my small cage. Even in the dark, the white walls were too bright and the platform with all its chains looked eerie and ominous. I had a better view of the tables from this angle, and this time I saw a variety of needles, knives, prodders, and other dangerous and painful-looking medical tools... And I knew they were for use on me.

I shuddered and looked away, very apprehensive. I then concentrated on the empty wall above the tools, anything to keep my mind off the equipment... The only sound was the steady ticking of the clock and occasional beeping from the machines. I counted the seconds at first, but after about ten minutes, it became obnoxious and I couldn’t drown it out. I stole another glance at Dolosus, who was glaring at the wall of his own cell. What was this place doing to me...? I shouldn’t be sitting here, feeling sorry for myself. I shouldn’t be arguing with Dolosus. I shouldn’t be allowing myself to get so frustrated.