Think 'Haven' & Take My Hand (girlxgirl)

Chapter 2 Rachel

 Just as an informative background.

There's rules when it comes to testing. Testing as in, testing stuff on (or in) your actual body. It's in one of the amendments. I don't remember which exactly but I was taught about it in school thoroughly enough to remember that it exists. It states that for all experiments regarding chemicals, old and new, a previous examination has to be done on all of the user's cells involved. This means, for those in the Sections regarding makeup, it's much safer than it used to be for animals back in the day. They get some of their skin cells, examine them, add the chemical to see if there's any reaction – both long-term and short-term – and then apply it to the real person. No biggie.

Seriously, considering conditions back then, we're much better off than old orphans. We get a good education, 'parents', eat well and are part of middle to high-class society. It's not like we're the only people that exist. We're not isolated or labeled. We're just there.

They don't mess with use either. It's part of the law that researchers can't do anything that will alter our systems. For example, they can't use probes on our brains or anything as harmful as what is done on animals still. I'm incredibly against animal abuse. I'd like them to be treated like us. They can't do us any REAL harm that will bring a trauma or some disability. If any risk exists, the procedure is not carried out.

To be sincere though, we're probably some of the best off in modern society. For example, our apartments are very nice.

“Why don't I have this at home?” I asked Stephanie as I switched the heat radiator on.

“What do you mean?” She asked approaching me behind my back. “The radiator?”

“No.” I said pointing inside the machine, “That plate. The spices don't get burnt.”

Stephanie laughed at my seemingly immature complaint. “You have to buy that.”

“Just give me one.” I turned around and grabbed the counter behind me with both of my hands.

Steph's eyes shifted up slightly as I'm barely two centimeters taller than her. (It's a fact – our records clearly state it.) She opened her mouth to say something but then huffed out a laugh. “Fine. You can take one. I have three anyways.”

“Thanks.” I gave her a toothy grin as I went back to stare at the cooking chicken. It was going to be ready in twenty more seconds, much quicker than the old microwaves people used to use.

My ears listened as Steph moved out of the wide kitchen and onto the dining room. The moving of plates was light as she set the table for us. The movement of her feet, a common pattern to me, was even lighter on the wooden floor.

I glanced to the side and stared at her for those ten seconds that were left. She was already wearing a sleeveless pajama shirt with dark and loose shorts. They exposed her lean body very well which is slightly tanned from all the outdoor physical activity she has to do.

She's not an object. I told myself as I ripped out my eyes away from her. You know that.

“Hey,” Steph said straightening up from where she was, “It's ready.”

“Ah, yeah.” I said coming to my senses. I had blanked out again.

Once we were sitted the plates consisted of chicken accompanied by rice cooked without oil and some vegetables; carrots, broccoli, squash, lettuce, tomato and avocado. The last two are practically fruits... but still. Even now people call them vegetables.

Next to the main plate, we had a bowl of fruits from which we were supposed to grab at least one for dinner...

Yeah, it sounds very healthy. Like it always is... The extra is that we also have to take some other pills. Mine were at home so I would take them later and Steph's were stored in a little rectangular container divided into the days of the week. Inside were some small iron pills (more than I usually take because Stephanie is involved in the Bone Marrow Investigation Unit) among many other supplements.