"Patient XIX is now held captive," the psychologist speaks into the recorder. "We have her secured and strapped down. She is still recovering from her last struggle with the psychiatists. We have rescheduled her execution to tonight at 12:50am. For the time being, our doctors will be coming in to visit her. She will have to relax and calm herself if she wants to live. If she refuses to cope with our doctors, we will kill her without mercy."
My head feels so uncomfortable. The strap is crushing my forehead as it tugs me to the cold table. My arms are kept at my sides; my legs are parted a foot away from each other and are strapped to the end. This is how far I've gotten; I arrive here. Nowhere. Like this all was just a dead end to my life. I begin to cry; I feel the claustraphobia and isolation now. I can't move a single muscle, and it hurts. It hurts so much. I just want to move...I want somene to help...
I look down as much as I can. I barely see the buckle on the strap that holds my left wrist. If only I could undo it somehow.
I'm so alone in here. I no longer have any friends...I thought I trusted Dr. Maranoff. But he's just like the rest of them.
---
1 WEEK EARLIER
"Come onnn, Haley. Let's go now!"
Raina pulls my forearm and drags me down the sidewalk. I stumble forward, and try to follow. "Wait up, woman!" I yell back. Her golden hair, much darker than mine, flows behind her as she happily prances down the walkway.
We travel down the streets near Niagra Falls. We've been here since we were little kids. She and I, known by lots of people as the "Lost Twins" have wandered around, roaming the crowded paths until we had to find our way back home.
Here we are, now fifteen years old. We have begun to grow apart and be more independent; we now only walk around the city at least once a month. The same workers who we met as children have kept in touch with us; they are either still working here in the city, or have retired and moved out of town.
Raina and I stand at the railings where we face the famous Falls. We are silent for a few minutes; we just stare off at the beautiful setting and take it all in.
After the relaxing period, she finally speaks. "Haley...have you ever thought of...violent things?"
I give her a surprised look. "Well, uhh...not really, no. Come on, sis. You know I don't like that kind of stuff..."
She looks me straight in the eye. "I have."
I smile nervously. "Really? Do you want to tell me about it, or something?"
Raina chuckles, which is then followed by histerical laughter. I furrowed my eyebrows and glared at her angrily. "Raina, what is it?! Tell me!"
She regains her sanity, and sighs deeply. "Do you ever just wanna...push someone over the rails?" I look at her as if she had accidently fired a gun.
"Raina, stop it! You're not acting like yourself. You're really freaking me out now..." I take a step away from her, feeling startled. She smirks.
"Sorry, Haley. You know I wouldn't hurt you."
The words clutter in my head. What...what is she saying to me?
---
"Did you hear what happened to Raina?" a girl in my class asks a group of other classmates.
