Blessings of Anathema

Chapter IV: Dalton III

We have been in this facility for a few days now. They say our day of  surgery is tomorrow.
Pablo has regained most of his normal health. They're still pushing his surgery through, however, despite his condition.
We haven't made any contact with anyone else yet. We were brought to a large facility in the middle of the mountains. Nothing but rocks and dirt for miles.
As soon as the gate opened, we were brought out of the van and blindfolded. We were then carried to a sealed room and haven't been able to leave it once.
It's awkward sharing this room with Pablo. There's only one toilet and no door. When one needs to use the bathroom, the others covers his ears and sings loudly to avoid any unwanted bodily hymns to scratch the eardrum.
I look over at Pablo. It's late, he's asleep. I don't know what's to come in the morning, but I hope everything ends well.
He agreed to come with me with no push back at all. He fully trust me. I hope that doesn't stop now.
———————————————————

We were woken by the sounds of loud chains banging against our door. I jumped up out of freight but Pablo just laid still.
The door swung open and a group of guards walked through it carrying a large rope of chain. I held out my arms in preparation of being chained, however my hand was slapped away.
"These chains are for your surgery. Not your escort." One of the guards said.
Surgery? Why would they need chains...
Me and Pablo were escorted throughout the facility. It's kinda crazy. Every door is sealed shut and I have yet to find any opened area. The whole place is like a maze of hallways.
Perhaps this was intentional...
They only need areas for transportation, not for gathering.
In other words, they don't want the subjects to meet...
We were finally met by an opened door and inside the door was two chairs and some medical equipment.
"Wait here." One of the guards said and then he left the room, leaving two guards to watch us.
He returned shortly with a short old man with a very long mustache. "Well, well. If it isn't our two volunteers. I have high hopes for you two."
I just looked at Pablo nervously. I hope he didn't catch on to those words. That it's odd to volunteer to be here.
"Well.." the old man said. "Do you not recognize my voice, Dalton? I'm professor Dalvin Wodwood."
The guy from the phone call...
"We'll begin the operation as soon as we possibly can. But first, imma need you two to eat these apples." He then handed me and Pablo an apple. Neither one of us bit into it.
He looked at us disappointingly. "Now look, we can't start the operation until after you two eat your apple."
I looked down at the Apple. "Why.." I muttered underneath my breath.
"Why, you ask?" Dalvin said. "It's because an apple symbolizes knowledge. Right now you're naive. We'll open your mind to many things, and that all starts with a little knowledge." He smiled at us.
I looked at Pablo and we both shrugged and ate the apples.
We were then invited on to the two chairs and strapped in with chains.
Professor Dalvin grabbed a Syringe and looked up at me. "The funny thing about this operation is that it's not an operation at all. It's just a quick injection."
A quick injection? Then why am I chained up?
Wait.... oh no
Then the needle exerted pain throughout my arm.
I screamed out in pain and Pablo's screams followed almost directly after.
I felt the liquid crawl throughout my arm and into my lungs. I felt like my lungs stop and only the strength of my screams were keeping them open. I struggled to free myself but I couldn't, the chains were fulfilling their purpose.
I began to feel chills throughout my entire body. The mixture of pain and crystallizing my insides was almost too much to bare.
I looked over at Pablo, his entire body was dripping in sweat. The chair was soaked.
What's going on!? What are they doing to my little brother!?
I heard chuckling. I looked up and seen Professor Dalvin admiring my panic.
"The injection is a bunch of... off limit chemicals to say the least. When mixed together, these chemicals form a compound we named Yurie. What's a Yurie, you might ask. I'll tell you."
He pulled up a chair on wheels and sat down.
"A Yurie is a substance that targets a specific molecules inside your body and around you. Think of it like a 6th scent that acts as a steroid and multiplier to specific molecules to create an alchemic reaction and form an Element. This might not make sense to you just yet, but let me ask you..."
He got up from his chair and leaned into my face. He smiled at me sadistically.
"Do you.... feel cold yet?"
My heart began to race. I need to control my breathing, my vision is getting spotty.
I looked away from the professor to try to ease myself and that's when I seen it.
The tips of my fingers were covered in Ice.
The panic became too much and I lost consciousness.
———————————————-

I woke up in a dark room, tied to a chair holding me upright.
I was greeted by a strange man who wore the same white suits as the people who visited me.
What have I done. What is this. Please forgive me, Pablo.
"Ah, you're awake." The man said before standing up.
He opened up a stack of papers, looked at them, then looked at me.
"It's time for your daily briefing." He said.
"You'll learn more about your Yurie in a few days, after the chemicals have settled into your system. In the mean time, you should be happy to know that your little brother is perfectly fine. He even woke up before you did."
I let out a sigh of relief.
"Of course..." he said. "If that's even what you want."
I glared at him.
"Dalton, do you know what Shika rmeans, in Yurie Shika?" He asked.
I shook my head.
"It means Seeker." He said. "And a seeker is someone without any answers, looking for all the answers. That name is quite filling for yourself, wouldn't you say?"
He smiled at me, and my glare dropped to a worry. He then dropped his smile.
"You don't know the answers to anything." He said. "The answer to love, life, happiness, freedom... you uoYdon't even know the answer to your own dissatisfaction to life. I'll tell you the answer."
He grabbed my head and looked me in my eyes.
"It's that beating heart you call a brother."
My eyes shot open.
"Your parents didn't love you enough to be sober. They didn't love you enough to stay alive, but they did hate you enough to leave you with a burden. A brother who's only purpose is to weigh on your heart when he finally dies."
"No!" I shouted.
"Yes!" He fired back. "Admit it. You hate his existence. Your life would have been so much easier if it wasn't for him. You wouldn't even be here. Your parents would still be alive. Every despair in your body is delivered by that one soul and you hate him for it. You want him dead, don't you!!?"
"No!"
"You do!!"
"I don't!!"
"The glass is empty!" He said.
I stopped screaming. I was frozen.
"If you can't see what's inside of it...". He smiled at me. "That's what your mother used to tell you, right? Every time you would try to hide your feelings from her. Even in her death, you still defy her wishes."
I continued staring ahead, tears began to run down my cheek.
He let go of my head and backed away.
"We're finished here." He said.
He then slid open my door, walked through it, and slid it shut. Leaving me alone in the darkness.
I sat and let the tears escape my glands.
He said daily briefing.
Daily....
What kind of place is this..