Dearest Lottie

Day #186

Professor Cambridge has been smiling all day. I finally get the courage up to ask him why after my lunch in brought in, and I finish the tiny bowl of granola that was breakfast. He sat against the wall, his legs crossed and the notebook on his lap.

"Professor, what happened? Why are you smiling? There is no cause to be happy with the awfulness of the this dying earth. Is happiness avalible?"

He shook his head. "No, Mr. Noal. There is no happiness. I was simply smiling because the walls are clean. The walls are clean, and I am still here. They have not removed me."

"Of course they didn't remove you, Professor. You are the only person in here I talk to. You are the only person that is not an Infect with the desease of humanity. You are pure."

Before he could respond, the mirror slid aside. I stared, aghast. A man, clearly not an Infect, stepped in. 

"Good day, Aaron," he said. "I'm Dr. Whittaker. In two weeks, we'll be having a few adgustments to your normal day. The first, we're going to give you animals to take care of. Not many, and we'll be switching them in and out for each other."

I felt cold. I didn't like the idea of living things in here. Nope, not one bit. 

"And the biggest change," Doctor Whittaker continued. "You'll be living with someone."

"Living with who?" My voice shook. "I a-already have Professor Cambridge. You gave him to me for a reason, right?"

"Aaron, we didn't. You drew him on the wall. All he is is a pencil-man. We are giving you a girl. She's nineteen, and the brightest one of her age. Not next to you, obviously."

Suddenly, I was on my hands and knees, gasping for the simple sensation of oxygen. It was something to focus on instead of reality, and the awful things that were happening around me. In and out. The diaphram contracts and moves backwards for all the new air I gasp in. I slowly hiss all the air out, letting my ribs and lung cavity fold back to their previous state. The process happens again, though nothing changes. The fact that the girl will be coming doesn't change. THe fact that the animals will be in here ruining everything doesn't change. 

My head spun, and I passed out from my breathing.