Overdose

16. The Executioner

"Evan?" A quiet voice behind me snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned around.

"Lilith? Do you need something?" Lilith looked at me with her narrow brown eyes.

"In a place like this, friends are one of the most important things you can have. You can believe that being emotionless is your way out of here, but the true way out is by befriending the right people. And I'm not talking about Xander."

"Am I wrong to assume that you're talking about you and Yvonne?"

"You'd be right. But not just us. We need people who have some authority. Dr. Evelyn has offered to help us. And that group of kids, the ones that the new staff don't mess with, but the old ones talk to when they think no one is looking. I think if we team up with them, we'd be unstoppable. We could get everyone out. Not just us."

"And what happens when we leave? We tell people about what we went through here and get hailed as heroes?"

"No hero identifies themselves as heroes. And we're not doing this to be recognized for taking down a tyrant and get countless riches and fame. Even if we die during this, we may not be recognized at all." She stood straight and looked me dead in the eyes. "But those are the things that people don't understand when it comes to being a hero. We are not heroes. We are just doing the right thing."

"Have you talked to Yvonne about this?"

"Yvonne has enough on her plate already."

"We should talk about this somewhere more private. Follow me."

I would have taken her to the roof, but I thought of a place that would be more safer, considering no one went there anymore. I took her to the hallway Dr. Evelyn showed me.

"I remember this place." She ran her hands against the faded wall. Her eyes glazed over, as if she was imagining how the hallway looked years before.

"You do?"

"So much is coming back to me yet it is so fuzzy." She looked in all the rooms, like she was looking for something. I followed her, confused. I knew that Lilith had been at the Facility longer than I had, but I didn't know just how long. "It is a warm feeling." She stood in front of the rooms for a moment, and then walked in. I quickly ran in after her.

All the rooms looked the same to me, but it was clear that they were used. Drawings on the wall, tiny dusty knick-knacks left on the dressers, messes left on the floor, things out of place. Rooms left in such a way that it seemed like no one moved out, just simply left the room one day and never came back. I left Lilith alone and went to explore a few of the other rooms. I didn't get a chance to fully explore the first time I had been in there, and I was taking the chance.

I went to a room at the further end of the hall. This room had been painted a dark green, with the standard twin bed. On the dresser was a watch, with the initials "W.F." engraved on it. Under it, a letter.

Dear Heath,

How are things? Your last letter has made your mother and I so happy. We are glad that you are able to work on your powers and make new friendships. How is Marina? I know you said she hadn't been feeling well, but I hope she has gotten better since your last letter. I have spoken to Lazarus, and I am pleased to hear that you are getting much stronger. Your sister misses you by the way, and we are excited to see you for the holidays. Enclosed is a watch. It is one your grandfather, William, gave me, and now I am giving it to you. I was going to save it for when you are older, but I believe it is the right time now. Your mother and I love you.

Sincerely,

Your father.

I put the letter down and picked up the gold watch. The letter answered one of my questions, which was what the initials stood for. But it gave me so many new questions. Why was Heath allowed to talk to his parents? Who is Marina? The name Lazarus was in the letter, and was the same name that Heath had mentioned when we spoke about Yvonne. Heath was allowed to go home? And what did his father mean by powers? It was the same thing Dr. Evelyn had brought up.

I took the watch and letter and put them in my pocket. At that time, Lilith came in. She was holding something in her hand, and by the way she looked at it, it was clearly something that was important to her.

"We must gather Dr. Evelyn and the other patients." She said. I walked over to her, leaning on the doorway. "We know The Facility much better than you do."

"Patients?"

"Some of the people here came by choice. I know that's very hard for you to believe, but you just have trust me."

"What are you holding?" I gestured to the paper in her hand.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. I will go and talk to Dr. Evelyn. I need you to talk to Heath and the others." She ordered. It was odd, seeing Lilith taking initiative. She was usually very quiet. But I had no time to question her.

"Alright."

Lilith and I walked back into the bright white hallways of the Facility. She went the other way, and I walked back to my dorm. And ran right into Dr. Evelyn.

"Oh my stars." She said, picking up the folder she was holding. "Oh, Evan, it's you."

"Yeah. It is." I dusted myself off. "Lilith was looking for you."

"Ah. She probably wants to talk more about this escape plan." Dr. Evelyn said.

"You know about that?"

"Yes. And I want to help. It's important that you kids get back home to your families."

"I don't even remember my family."

Every time someone said the word family, I felt this odd feeling. At the time, Xander had me emotionless, or at least not as sensitive to emotions like other people were. But hearing the word family always made me miss mine, even if I didn't have the broader range of emotions that everyone else had.

"I got this for you." She handed me something. "Make sure no one sees you with this."

"What is it?" I looked it over, a plain manilla folder.

"Evan, I know about the serum Xander gave you. And I know you don't remember your family. That's why I want you to have this. It was very hard to get." She gave me a serious look. "It's your file. It's got everything in there. The day you came here, the medicine they gave you, your family. Everything."