Human

Chapter nine

I can barely resist punching Quinton right in his fat, pink face.

"YOU ARE PATHETIC!" He screams as I climb down to the base on the ladder. "You took seventy six beeps! This is your tenth try, surely you are not trying your hardest." Sighing I look to Comet, him having reached sixty beeps already. He shrugs,

"Just keep doing what you're doing." He smiles, determined, I climb onto the ladder. Hopefully this is my last try,

"GO!" Drones Quinton, I race up the ladder. Swaying back and forth, a wave of panic washes over me and my hands slip and I fall to my back. My head spins on the cold steel floor, a spinning figure appears in my line of sight. "What a WEAK, little girl! Get up, and start working!" Suddenly room and my shot is clear, as Quinton bends down to drag me to the base of the ladder, I take a swing. My tired arm flies through the air, abruptly knocking his face to my left. Quinton is on his back alongside me, holding his head, shouting. I am dragged away.

~~~~~

I am held in room, by two women in dark suits. One binds my arms behind my back and the other stands one foot in front of my face. Holding a weapon, staring into my eyes like that alone could make me take back what I've done.

I believe the word for those of her stature is menacing.

Menacing.

"You will be punished for your actions.." The woman taunts, "you will cooperate." She takes one step towards me, to look down into my eyes once more. "You WILL be broken." Taking a step back, she turns on the large device in her hand, red and black. With a slightly curved dome surrounding a needle like point. The machine is illuminated by the green electricity it creates. "This is a warning." She vows, I close my eyes tight. Knowing.

The pain is there despite my attempt to ingnore it, the machine's needle is inside my torso. The pain burns bright. I long to curl up on the floor and shut out the agony, but I can't. I hear loud screaming, but I find it's not coming from any other but my own mouth.

When going through pain, a minute mirrors a century.

Dropping to the floor, My breath is shallow. I feel their eyes melting me away, but I don't care. As if shutting them out would tend to my wound. They soon leave me alone, to my own devices.

Willing myself to move from my place on the floor to the bed is hard. Loosing track of time, I lie there for hours.

~~~~~

"Astra!" A voice calls from outside, waking me from a broken sleep.

"Comet?" I groan, just hoping. I don't have the energy to deal with anyone else right now. My door opens and Comet's sheepish face slides into my room.

"It's me! Sorry I didn't come sooner, I was locked in my room." He stops, "What happened? Astra?" Siting up next to me on the bed, I grimace as my weight switches from the dip. "What did they do?" He asks, looking right at me.

"My side..." I wince, Comet lifts up my shirt to see a big bruise with purple veins working towards the centre needle prick.

"Oh my Gosh! Astra how could they do this to you!? Let me get you something for the swelling." Comet runs to the bathroom to get a towel. The water gushes through the cold tap, into the sink. "Here," he breathes, placing a cold towel on my side.

"Ahh..." I sigh, feeling the cold pricks into my skin. "It stings," I huff, Comet continues to freeze my side. "But you know, in a good way." I cough, laughing, he returns to the bathroom.

"You really are something else," He mutters, inspecting me as best he can. "We should take you to Daharia." I urge myself to a sitting position,

"No way! I'm... fine. Really, I just need some rest or something. I'll be ready to take on the day." I say over enthusiastically, Comet is sceptical, comedically raising his eyebrow.

"I'm not so sure you're quite, 'ready' for this day. Today, we are discovering and working on show talents. That will take all day, and when that is over, the children of newly recruited Pemba will be coming to visit and play with us in our rooms." I give a somber sigh, falling back onto my bed. "You're injured, you'll be taken care of, just rest for this morning." I give a slight nod. "I'll ring the nurse." Comet says as he pulls the cover over me, and up to my chin. "I'll see you this afternoon." He gives me a small hug, wiping my matted hair off my forehead. I close my eyes.

I'm enjoying my rest until a small male nurse is standing over me, coaxing my out from under the warm, inviting sheets.

"My name is Ferald Dosse, and, um. I'll inspect you now." Lifting up my shirt, to see a large circular bruise. Without question he pulls a small, full dropper out of a brown bottle in his pocket. Placing two drops on my bruise, he rubs a soothing cloth over it. "This will be sore for seven days, but the bruise will go away after twelve. The administered shock, damages the deep muscle tissue, so, be careful I guess." Ferald picks up his medical bag and scuttles towards the door. "Oh, you are authorized to rest until the end of your third class. After that your groomer will be sent to get you." I roll over in my bed, letting Ferald find his way out on his own.

My goodness, finding and practicing show talents. Pemba offspring?

Someone help me

So! Should I post another update soon? Show of hands! Who thinks I should? lol. Any who, if you're still reading I appreciate it, thanks! Like and comment if you want to! Peace out.