Trapped | The Trapped Trilogy Book 1

Fourteen (Part 2)

Fourteen (Part 2)

I glare at her.

"You're a bright one," She says, smiling. "Welcome to my office."

Everything is white, and her clear computer screens are buzzing with information, constantly flashing.

"You will fight, Eenralla Land," She says. "But not like everyone else. You learn fast. Really fast. It's almost... Alien." She chuckles, pacing the room.

"And if I refuse?"

"You won't." She smiles, turning to walk the other direction. "Something about you is different."

"From what?"

"Show me your hand," She says, planting her feet to look at me. I close both of my fists, but the two men holding me yank my arms out toward her and pry my hands open. I notice that one of them—the one that touched the wall—is beginning to turn purple. The one I thought was bruised while I was in the simulation sphere. But looking at it more carefully now, I realize it isn't. The purple isn't the deep purple you get with bruises, but more of a bright, pinkish-purple color.

It's not normal.

I try to jerk it back to me anyway, ignoring the thousands of questions burning in my mind, but the men are too strong and they barely move as Rebecca touches it with the tips of her fingers.

Rebecca's eyes widen and a smile grows on her face.

"It's begun," She says, almost awestruck.

"What's begun?" I ask, trying to pull my arm back.

"Take her to the room with the other one."

They pull me down familiar hallways as I struggle to pull away, to escape. Not a word passes their lips and their eyes stay staring forward the entire time, seeming unfazed by my wriggling. They open a familiar door and shove me into the darkness.

"Get... out..."

The click of the lock echoes past the voice.

"I'm back," I say.

The voice chuckles airily. "Not because you escaped though..."

I turn into the darkness of the room.

"I want my three questions."

The voice chuckles again. "That... was not the deal..."

"It is if you want out of here," I say sternly into the room.

There is a shuffle of feet and a sigh.

"All right..."

I nod and straighten my back, my brain suddenly going blank. I had so many questions... and now they're gone.

"I touched the wall. Is that the reason why holograms flicker?"

"Is that your first question?"

"No... um... um... what's wrong with my mom? With Ream Land?"

"The injections... the brain steroids the Dome would give... they are wearing off... she's going through withdrawals... she gets seizures... her brain is wearing away... she is dying..."

Withdrawals. From the stuff they put in our brains to make us learn faster. Could I be having starting symptoms of withdrawals? Is that possible for me? Or is everything that is happening to me because of the wall?

"Next question."

"Uh... gosh, um... Why do the holograms flicker?"

"Because... you touched... the wall..."

I hit my palm to my forehead.

"Yes, but why?"

"There is a serum... in the needles on the Dome... all it needs... is one layer of skin... it seeps into every part of you... and your brain begins to rewire itself... your brain becomes smarter... holograms are primitive... you can see past them... you start learning faster... you remember better... you change..."

"Change how?"

"Is that your third question?"

I groan in frustration.

"Fine! Why are you in here?"

"Because I'm different... I'm like you..."

I stare into the darkness. Like me?

"I'm different... I'm a..."

"A what?"

"You have no more questions left..."

I glare into the room.

I could always find out later.