Experiment Zero

4. Man Child

          I slide my key card in the slot, pressing the button that goes to the bottom floor.

       Yesterday went exceptionally good, so much so that I was actually surprised. Zero did not make a sound, sitting quietly the rest of the time as I has droned on about my new idea to be a sort of teacher to him, since it seemed the scientists don't teach him anything. 

The only noise he made, was when my time was up and I had to leave. He started making a strange noise, similar a whimper, and tried to follow me, but two guards stepped into the doorway, blocking him from me. He snarled, and I saw rage in his features right before the door closed.

He didn't kill me, and seemed to take a sort of liking to me, which is a good sign, a very good sign. 

       I hold in my hand a book, one of my personal favorites. This book is called Divergent, and it's purpose isn't for him to read it, because there's no way he'd be able to read this right away, but to show him what he could be reading one day. I guess kind of a motivation. If I show him I really like this book, he might just want to try and read it too. 

For now though, I managed to ask around and borrowed a book for children about farm animals from a female worker here who is a mom.

      I step out of the elevator,  scanning the downstairs main room and finding it empty except for Mrs.Clark. She agreed to my idea, and arranged so I now have half an hour of private time with him everyday. Then, following right after this, I'm put with the rest of the team to perform the tests.

     The glass does not have the one way veil over it, and I lock eyes with Zero through it, who's again sitting against one of the walls. I nod to Mrs. Clark, showing her the books, before walking to the huge, metal door.

     It takes me a second, but soon I'm  inside, hearing the click as the door shuts. Just in case, Mrs. Clark has guards on hand in a lounge that connects tot he main room, but I'm more at ease than I was yesterday.

     Zero stands to face me, the gold spot in his milky brown hair glittering in the white lights. Now that he's standing I can see how snug the bodysuit fits him,and I feel that if he flexed randomly he'd rip it. More importantly, the damaged glove has been replaced, meaning I don't have to worry about him reaching for me at any moment.

 I clear my throat, moving to the cot and sitting down, patting the a spot on the other end for him to sit.

    He walks over slowly, eyeing the books with a dangerous glint in his eye. It's almost like he's trying to threaten the books while not communicating. He takes a seat, and I didn't expect the weight as he sits closer than the spot I had patted, and I go sliding into his side, startlingly me.

 I move away quickly, reminding myself of the risks, even though it felt soothing for a second, like sliding into a huge teddy bear.

    "Books." I say, holding them up. He stares at them with a bored expression, and goes back to looking at me. 

I open the children's book, and point to the first animal on the page. "Pig." I say, pointing at it, before looking up to see him staring at me, and I shake my head, pointing down at the page.

    Zero glances at it, before looking back up to me, disinterested.

    "Ashie." He says, his voice semi-guttural. I nod at my name, and then point back to the pig.

    "Pig." I say.

     He rolls his eyes, grabbing the pillow Jack had given him yesterday.