The Stockings and The Eyes

Chapter Nine

  I woke up in a bed. There was a band around my right wrist with a barcode on it. It had number that read 917. There was a furry light brown blanket over me with a pink comforter on top of it. I sat up, my head was still a little fuzzy. The woman from earlier was sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book. She looked up at me. She put the book down and moved to sit right next to me. She took my temperature, and shined a light in my eyes and ears.

"Everything seems to be in check," She said as she wrote on a clipboard.

"Where am I now?" I asked, "And who are you people?"

"So now you want to talk," She said, "You can call me Chance, sweety."

"Don't call me that," I said.

"Alright then," She had taken off her blazed and was in a plain white button up shirt, "You're in my room right now. Your room will be set up shortly."

"And where's that?" I asked.

"Right next door to mine. You see that door," She pointed to a door next to an open closet near the sofas, "That will connect our two rooms. Any problems and I'll be the first to know about it. Personally I don't mind but it can be tiresome to work with younger teens. Thank goodness I don't have to deal with the seven and eighteen year olds. You coming along practically gave me a permanent job."

"Where's Azure?" I asked.

"She's in the main building," Chance said, "So long as you're here she'll cooperate and no one has to get hurt anymore. I know you'll try to save her, but it's no use to try. You're injured, you practically nicked an artery. You won't be walking for weeks."

"Why are you doing this to us?" I asked.

"We have to," Chance leaned against the bedpost and put her legs up on the bed, "Teens like her can grow to become quite challenging in our society. She could risk an uprising to the entire system. Everyone is to do their part. This is our part. It may feel like you being held hostage, but just think of this as a recovery and retirement."

"What about my parents and my sister," I felt hopeless again, "Do I ever get to see them again?"

"They're allowed to visit once every two months," Chance began running her hands through my hair again, "You'll get adjusted sooner than you think."

I didn't move much after that. I just stared down at the blanket my mind, blank. My room was ready at some point. Chance got me into a wheelchair and then into a new bed. The bed was a twin size with a plain white blanket and comforter. The walls were a very slight shade of blue. There were a few christmas light hanging on the walls. The floor was a light brown wood. There was a small rug under the foot of the bed where they left the wheelchair. Chance had me tucked under the covers. I stared out the window until everyone left. I waited a few minutes after, then I sat back up. I couldn't hear anything in the halls. I got an idea and tried to move to stand up, but the second I moved my left leg I sat a huge wave of pain. I covered my mouth just in time to keep myself from screaming. My eyes got teary but I still attempted to stand. Practically all of my weight was leaning on the wall. I had just stood up and I was already panting.

I heard footsteps coming from Chance's room. I held still until I heard the door close in the other room. I had managed to reach my door to the hall. Which was a bit surprising, despite the fact that it was a small room. I opened the door, and was suddenly lifted up off the ground. My arms were held tightly to the sides.

"I told you I'd be the first to know," Chance had grabbed me, "Come on. It already ten o'clock, bedtime. I'll leave the door between our rooms open tonight. And All the doors to the halls locked."

She put me back into the white twin bed, replaced my bandages again, and turned on the christmas lights. She turned off the main lights and laid me onto my back. She tuck me in so tight I could even turn onto my side.

"If you need anything just yell," She said as she ruffled my hair.

I tried to blow the hair out of my face but it just fell back into place. I hear the water for the shower turn on. I wound up slowly falling asleep to the sound of the water, as I stared at all the colors from the christmas lights.

I woke up around eleven the next day the lights were turned off and the curtains were open to let sun in through the window. I slowly inched myself into the wheelchair, trying to case as little pain as possible. I rolled myself over to the window. There was a huge grass area down below. It had lots of benches and flowers. There were a few small trees by the sides. A few adults were there, but no one was in a gown like me. There were a few who had lab coats on. I watch for a while and my door opened. Chance came in with something white and blue folded in her arms.

"Alright kiddo," She said, "Bath time. Then we get lunch."

"I can wash myself," I said.

"Doesn't matter," She started to push me into her room, "Unless we want anti-fog cameras installed someone has to watch you for safety reasons. You understand. I won't do anything. I'll just be reading. You can clean yourself."

I leaned my head on my arm. Chance started the water for a bath. She added in a few bubbles and sat me down my the edge of the bath. Luckily it was ground level with the shower over head. It looked like a hot tub, it even had jets. The room started to fill with steam once I got in. After the bath she handed my what was folded in her arm from before. It was a soft, white, long sleeved sweater-shirt. There were also light blue yoga pants. Once I was changed and clean Chance put me on her sofa. She handed me the remote to the flat screen TV she had on a small, four drawer, dresser.

"You can watch whatever you want in this room," She said, "Worker dorms aren't channel controlled. This is the most privacy you'll get here. It's like an apartment you work at. Anything special you want to eat?"

"Azure," I said softly.

Chance sighed and walked into the open kitchen. She could see straight into the living room. It was practically all one huge room. The kitchen was right to her bed, and behind the living room. The only walls and doors were to separate the bathroom, the closet, and my bedroom. It wasn't long when she came over with a tray. She put it down on the coffee table in front of me. She sat in the recliner across from me. She had made a cream soup and heated up sourdough bread. She used a clean spoon to take a sip from both.

"See not poisoned," She handed me the first one she tasted, "We can't hurt you. You're perfectly safe. Now eat. You need to stay healthy."

"I don't want to," I replied.

She sighed and put another clean spoon into the bowl she handed me. I still didn't eat. She drank her's while dipping the bread into the soup. When she finished she watched me a while. She eventually took the soup from my hand. I was starving but I didn't want anything other than Azure. Chance got up and went into the bathroom after taking her phone from her pocket. She came back out after a few moments. She handed me a hairbrush.

"You'll want to look nice for her don't you," She sat back down in the recliner with her hand on her forehead.

"Thank you," I said quietly, my eyes got teary but I was smiling.