I stretched my arms out and the smooth cotton sheets greeted my hands.
"Ah," A gentle voice comforted, "you're awake, I see."
My eyelids opened, exposing a lady, about 5 years older than me.
She smiled.
I turned to face the wall.
"I'm your mentor. I've been analysing your behaviour and you're very special to us."
I turned back around to face her.
I insisted, bitterly, "I'm not special. Now leave me alone"
"The bosses suggest-"
"I don't care what the bosses suggest."
"My name is Kel, nice to meet you 2206."
"My name is Isla."
"Because I am a worker here, by the rules, I have to name you by your given number." Kel urged.
I chuckled, "Good luck with trying to get anything out of me, Kel."
I expected Kel to purse her lips and call me a brat but she stayed put. She smiled softly. She leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "I'm one of the good ones."
"Anyone who works here is not good, leave me alone and don't try and give me pity. You're only here for the money. You don't care for me. You don't care for anyone. Leave me alone." At the end, I was screaming and crying without realising it. My whole face was red and wet from crying. I was so devoid of sense and reality, I didn't notice tears sliding off Kel's bare cheek until she sniffed.
"You don't- care." It was a struggle to come forward with this statement because I didn't believe it anymore. I did want to be angry at Kel, I needed something to blame for this mess, a scapegoat.
I slithered back down into my duvet and Kel told me about why I need a mentor and how I was detrimental to the bosses' studies to gain a cure for everyone.
The bosses wanted a cure, it drove them. They were all affected by death and had to fight death, even if it meant hurting teenagers.
Kel left my room.
A guard stepped in. He stood in front of the door.
A red light turned on in the corner of my eye. It was minuscule, hidden in the cracks. I climbed on top of my bed and I ran my smooth hand over the rough crack. The red light glared at me.
The guard coughed.
I craned my head at him, analysing him.
The light turned blue. I didn't turn to look. I acted oblivious to the moving blue light that was watching me. I had got it. It was a camera. That was what Kel was on about them watching us. The blue light meant they were watching me. Red meant the camera was off.
I waved at the camera, mocking them. I cocked my head and smiled.
The guard didn't know what to do, he was startled that I had caught on so quickly. He grabbed my waving hand, "Do you want to die?"
"At this point in time, why not?" I replied, cooly. I flung myself on my bed.
"I get why they think you're special. You're... smart." The guard grunted.
"What has that got to do with finding how to make humans immortal to all disease?"
He grunted, "A lot more than you think."
The light turned red.
A scrawny man with red hair stepped into my room.
"Good morning 2206, it's time to go to your first test." The corners of his mouth slanted and his eye met mine, winking.
