little did we know

Josiah 2

I lightly shove Ella out from behind me. She looks completely terrified, and I don't understand why. Maris isn't exactly frightening. She looks like a teenager that went crazy with a box of hair dye!

"Why have you been expecting me?" Ella asks, sounding a bit more confident.

"I've been expecting you because I sent Mr Galloway and Josiah to go get you... speaking of Mr Galloway, where is he?" Ella and I share a glance.

"He, uh, stopped and took a nap?" Ella says. Maris grins.

"I have security cameras of the hallways, and it was playing right on those screens." Maris says, gesturing to the walls. "I know your lying." Ella stares down at her feet.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. Lying will be a good quality if your going to work for me."

"Who says I'm going to work for you?"

"You don't remember?" Says Maris. "You signed a contract. Josiah, go fetch that for me will ya?" Annoyed, I exit the room. The files are held in a room a few doors down, and I don't really want to leave Ella alone with Maris. Despite her easy going appearance, Maris can be blood thirsty. Her whole company is dependant on Ella and her well being. Behind me, I can hear Maris begin to grill Ella with questions. How are you feeling?Do you need anything? I take a deep breath and walk faster. Ella will be fine. Besides, why was I worrying so much?

~~~~~~~

The hallway is empty, minus the few workers bustling to their places. I get to the file room and locate Ella's file quickly. It doesn't take long before I have Ella's contract in my hands. While I'm sifting through the papers though, something catches my eye. It's a date.

Subject zero extraction on Dec. 12.

What did that mean? Subject extraction? What were they going to do to Ella? December 12th was only a week away. I push my thoughts aside. Maybe someone put the file in the wrong spot. Yeah. That's it. I quickly walk out of the file room, the contract in hand. It only takes 154 steps (yes, I counted) to get back to Maris' room. I enter very silently, so quiet Maris doesn't hear me. Ella does though, but she doesn't show it. Ella keeps the conversation going.

"So, what do you remember about your life before?" Ella inspects her fingernails, as if looking for an imperfection.

"I remember that I was from a big family. I have an older brother, Tobias, and an older sister, Willa. Then there's me. After me is Gia, then Okla and Mika, the twins. Then lastly, my baby brother Ethan"

"Seven kids, wow." Maris stares at Ella, like she wants her to elaborate.

"Tobias is 20 years old. Willa is 18. I'm 16, but you probably knew that because you have everything about me on file. Gia is 14, the twins are 10. Ethan is the only adopted one. He's two years old." Maris finally locates me.

"Ah, Josiah. Bring me that file please?"

"Yeah, sure." I walk over to Maris, who's sitting on the couch again, Ella right beside her. They look like they're best friends already. "So, what exactly is in this contract?"

"Oh, nothing much," Maris says, shrugging her shoulders. "Only proof that Ella has sworn her life over to me."