The Bellevue Program

10.

Sydney was woken by the woman's voice over the speaker in her cell.

"Its five a.m. you are required to be in the food hall by five fifteen" it told her gently. She had spent 2 weeks in transition and in that time she had come to agree to at least comply, being that the first week almost entirely sedated. She had grown more aggressive until the fluid in the IV bag changed from orange to blue, and then the anger began to subside. Then other things began to noticibly change. She could smell better, today for example  the breakfast crew had begun cooking, she could smell sausage and eggs down in the food hall.

In the second week she had a chance to learn about the process, her new routines and the requirements, like the liquids and the injections, the blood tests and the scans. She was still restrained but she was awake for the timed procedures, and the started to allow her time to walk around. She was surprisingly strong, each day they would run tests on her and monitor every heartbeat. 

No one treated her bad, and because she was already going to serve life for double murder, her options here at least for the meantime were better than that filthy prison. She did not know what it was they were giving her, but since she started on the blue liquid, she had leveled out her moods so they moved her from the hospital wing to her cell.

She understood living here was a working relationship. She could have a sense of normality, a job and a purpose. Maybe thats what they meant by a place of rebirth, a second chance to live while contributing to society by being a test subject for vitamins. Thats what she had decided this was all about.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and dim lights brightened. The faucet began to run and she quickly splashed the water on her face before it turned off 1 minute later. under the bed she pulled out a drawer. She took out black leggings and a tank top, leaving the sports bra on she slept in. Next to the bed were ballet flats. She tied her hair up in a messy bun, and took a glass bottle of her liquid from a small refrigerator spot in the wall.

sat looking at the glass door in front of her, sitting on the plastic chair by the bed.

At exactly 5:10am a red light under her door alerted it was about to open, with a beep its slip open. She followed the other inmates, now about 20 of them down the narrow catwalk to the gym. This was the first time she had entered with the rest of the inmatesat the others walking in the same direction. It was the first glimpse of her cellmates she'd had since arriving, and inwardly she felt her heart quicken. 

On the catwalk to the left, she noticed a few of women were pregnant. To the right, were men. She couldn't help but notice the men were all very striking, very fit. The pregnant women, although seemingly unhappy also flawless in their appearance. She wondered how, or why she was brought here when the last time she had seen her reflection it was kind enough to cover her shameful face by rust and streaks of grime.

She reached end of the walkway where they all stood in a line, waiting for the doors in front of them to open.