Black as Day (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 3- Pounding in My Head

Doctor Avery slowley turned her head over her shoulder and looked at me. I shrank into myself under her indimidating stare. Those green eyes... Avery swivled on her heel and before I could even blink, she was leaning over my head, face blank of emotion. I flinched, the straps on my head cutting into my face. 

"You're right." I stared at her in confusion. What did she say? "That's enough. I'll stop now." What was going on with her? Those were the last words I expected to come out of her mouth.

The Doctor stood up straight. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled back from her face in a very proffesional-looking bun. Although, the blood specks on her face and lab coat kind of took away from that image. She held up her wrist and spoke directly into it- or actually, the thick black band that encircled it. 

"Get up here. Take this incompetent nurse and wipe her mind. Dump her on a road in the middle of a desert somewhere. Now." Avery spoke with an icy authority that disguised the burning anger that I had seen only a few moments before. She turned to the lady on the floor, who was staring at us, terrified and confused. 

"Please, don't do this!" The lady begged Heavy footsteps sounded throughout the room. Guards in heavy black vests and boots marched into the room, picking her up and carrying her away. "I've worked so long for you! You can't do this! LET ME GO!!!!!!!!" Her screams faded into the distance as the guards left the room. A door slammed and her voice was cut off.

I felt sick. How could they just leave her there? She would probably die out, alone and confused, and no one on Dust would ever know. Except for me, and how would I ever get out of here to tell her family? I didn't even know her name. Then a thought struck me- Is that what would happen to me, when they were done here? 

Doctor Avery turned towards me again. 

"Shira. I know you're confused. But trust me. I'm here to help." I couldn't help myself- I laughed! Helping, right. Sure. How sick and twisted was she?

She continued. "As the nurse said, I am Doctor Avery. I'm the head of this operation. Everyone reports to me." I could tell what she was doing here- she was trying to build trust by telling me her name and what she did. I wasn't falling for any of it! "Like I said before, Shira, there's no reason to be afraid. We're just helping you." 

"Uh huh. Look, Avery or whatever your name is, I don't really think you are. If you really were helping me, I'd be home right now, curled up with a good book and a French Vanilla. I think I'm getting the exact opposite of that right now. So thanks, but no thanks, but I want outta here." 

She looked at me. I could see it in her eyes, she was slightly surprised. "Is that so? Well, ok then then. We'll have you on the next bus home." 

I stared at her.  Was she bipolar? I didn't like this version of the Doctor. Too sweet, too nice, too willing to give up anwers to me. And that voice... it was way too trusting.

"Really?" Avery just laughed.

"Of course not! Honestly, child, do you really think we'd let you go after all the trouble you gave us? After all the problems you caused- and are still causing?"

"What?" I was bewildered. "What have I ever done to you? Well, I clawed that one guys face but he was strapping me to a table so I think a little panic is somewhat justified- Ahh!" I turned my head away from her and shook it from side to side. Avery leaned over, trying to identify what was causing my discomfort. 

"What is it?" Her words were fast and clipped- did she sound excited? What the heck? 

I shook my head, barely able to hear the question over the ringing in my ears that had come back. Why was this happeneing again? I worked my jaw back and forth, trying to pop my ears or something! The piercing sound grew to an almost unbearable high and I think I screamed. The Doctor moved out of my line of vision. Or was it just the black that was filling my sight? 

                                                   *************************************************************

I think I must have blacked out for a moment or two, or maybe more, because when I opened my eyes, the ringing was gone and Doctor Avery was nowhere to be seen. What had happened? A slow beep broke the silence. I fliched, startled. Whatever it was, beeped again. Why was it so loud? It was sounded painfuly into my head. Beep. What was this? Beep. If anything, it seemed to be growing louder all the time. Beep. Beep. Beep. 

I looked around the room, trying to find the source of the noise. But it could be any number of these strange machines and equipment! 

Beep. It pounded into my skull, echoing inside my head.

Beep. What the heck was happening?

Beep. Why wouldn't this just stop?!

Beep.

My searching eyes caught the corner of some sort of screen. It was just out of my sight. I craned my head as far as it would go beneath the head strap, straining my vision. I could see it now!

It was a heart rate monitor.

And the rise and fall of the lines matched perfectly with the damn beeps.