Experiment VII

Chapter Eighteen: Is It Over?

     First I hear a faint yet steady beeping beside me, then confusion flooded my brain, realising I was not on a cold slab or a highly uncomfortable bunk. A bed? Something must definitely be wrong. My eyes instantly flared open to an almost blinding light, which took my eyes some time to adjust to. When they finally adjusted my eyes immediately scanned my surrounding as swiftly as possible. It was a fairly large room filled with unoccupied white beds and various pieces of machinery.

     Bolting upwards instantaneously proved to be a regretful decision when the pain in my abdomen flared once again. I put my hand towards my torso then seeing an I.V. in my arm. Thoughtlessly ripping it out I then noticed something under my nose. When it was also violently yanked out it turned out to be an oxygen tube. Beside the bed, there was a table with a metal tray on surgical equipment on it, all of which were bloody. Without hesitation I stretched over, grabbing what appears to be a surgical knife. Not knowing where I am I might end up needing it.

     My attention was soon diverted to a small green door on the far side of the room. Looking around a bit more briefly I slide my feet over the bed nearly falling over when I actually tried to stand up on them but steadying myself using the edge of the bed. 

     With my hand on my stomach, I slowly made my way over to the door, opening it not knowing what to expect. Not sure exactly what I was expecting if anything, but not to be greeted with a completely barren hallway. Why does it always have to be a hallway?

     Muttering and complaining to myself about not wanting to have to walk so far I make my way down it nonetheless. Observing the rather bland corridor what olive green coloured walls, I wondered where on earth I was.

     After a not so short amount of time, the hallway finally reaches its end, a large set of double doors. Hesitantly stumbling over I soon notice how much noise is emanating from behind the doors that made my head hurt.

     Taking a deep breathe and preparing myself for whatever might be behind said doors I shove them open abruptly without any more hesitation.

     It must have been some kind of mess hall or canteen because there are at least a hundred people filling the room, all of which sitting around various sets of circular metal tables. When the doors slam loudly behind me it makes me regret shoving it with such force. All the babblings that was previously going on amongst them begins to quiet as some of them turn around. They each share wary and cautious glances. To be fair I must look like a madman of sorts. I have a bloody surgical knife in my hand and am wearing my old grey inmate suit, which is missing the top half entirely, presumably to apply the bandages I now notice are wrapped around my torso.

     The legs of a seat squeak against the floor and a young man looking to be in his twenties gets up off his seat about fifty feet away from me. He slowly begins to make his way towards me so I point the scalpel at him defensively, "Get back!"

"Hey, calm down I'm not going to hurt you." he responds in a husky deep voice. I recognise his voice from somewhere, but where? He slowly puts his hands up yet a calm expression remains on his face. Rather than being scared, it is as though it to reassure me more than anything.

     It does not take a lengthy period of time for me to notice when he speaks two of his teeth are pointed like fangs, though not quite the same as Ellie's. Is he a mutant? His pupil's are slit, resembling this eyes of a reptile, similar to my own. I look around at the other people in the room and see they too are mutants.

"That's right, we're mutants here, just like you."

"Who-who are you? And where am I? What h-happened?" I managed to stutter out. My hand was shaking so I gripped the scalpel harder to try and hold it still, but only resulted in making it worse.

"My name's Rilo." he said motioning to himself, continuing to look me dead in the eyes "You got a pretty nasty concussion so I don't know if you remember anything, but you and a lot of other mutants were in one of Umbra's facilities, we got you out, all of you."

     It took a moment, but everything came flooding back, what happened with the Overseer, explosions, everything. I pressed my other hand against my head as the pain from earlier worsened.

"No, no I remember."

"You're safe now, it's over," Rilo said reassuringly. He was slowly extending his hand towards the knife I was holding and taking a few steps closer, but this did not alarm me. I do not know why but he seems trustworthy somehow.

     Could it really all be over? Was I truly out of that place? Or was this just another one of their tests? I have no way of knowing for sure but this guy just seems trustworthy somehow.

     As a million questions and doubts being rushing through my mind, my grip on the scalpel slowly begins to weaken and it is gradually taken out of my hand without me barely noticing or even caring.

"You're awake!" a soft yet loud voice shouts out of nowhere. Whilst whipping my head around I am taken aback with a bone-crushing embrace by none other than Gemma. The sudden collision triggers pain to shoot throughout my torso causing a shaky groan to leave my lips. It surprises me how someone with such a delicate and small frame can inflict such pain on accident.

"Oh I'm sorry!" she apologies instantly letting go and taking a few steps backwards.

"Gemma, mind taking him back to sick-bay?" Rilo asks Gemma.

"No, no it's not that serious." I interject. The last thing I want is to lie in bed more than I probably already had.

     He raises his eyebrow at me giving a questionable look, "From what I heard you just got a big chunk of shrapnel taken out of you and you have a concussion, I doubt it's not that serious."

"Wait really?" I ask in surprise, not having been aware of that, "Well I feel fine now...mostly." I add, noting that he was completely unconvinced at my statement.

     Gemma looked between us awkwardly and speaks up with enthusiasm to break the uncomfortable tension, "Well, in that case, I'll show you where you will be sleeping! Come on."

     Rilo merely sighed then turning to address all the mutants who had been watching the entire event unfold, "Go back to your meals people, nothing to see here."

"Is it really over?" I ask Gemma.

"Yeah, I think it is." She responds with a soft smile.

A/N: Or is it? Okay, enough dramatics, hope you enjoyed because I actually only took two weeks on this update which you know is pretty quick for me.

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