Hidden Abnormality

12. Study

Chapter Twelve

  I found a great excuse I could use to be more interactive with my patients. Well, I thought it was great. I do think I could have come up with it a lot sooner, though.

  Studies. I had to be in the same room as they solved my puzzles for studying purposes. I could write a report for this as well as my usual report to give to the doctors. It would work. It had to work.

  I called my supervisor and threw them the pitch. They approved. All I had to do was inform all the doctors I worked with that I had clearance to be inside the room as the peculiar people solved my puzzles. As well as having a security guard inside for safety reasons.

  It didn't sound so hard.

  All of the doctors agreed easily. Except one. The one I had left for last. The one I knew would disagree. Doctor Opus had some words to tell me about my "ludicrous idea." He even had to call his supervisor. He had some more words to share with me after that call.

  Doctor Opus of Hallway Z was a very unhappy man today.

  But that didn't stop me from being ecstatic. I had won. I was officially allowed to be inside every single one of their rooms. I had the clearance. That made me happy.

  I had a busy schedule today. Starting with 3y. To be honest, I was a little hesitant to be inside his room. The last time I was here he had almost died. It wasn't a pleasant memory.

  I will admit, however, that it would be a unique experience to be so close to him. Having some meteor creature, Pete, in your eyes was something of a science fiction series. And the way it made his eyes glow was intriguing, to say the least.

  "Are you going to enter?"

  I spun in the direction of the voice. Doctor Inquiridor was looking at me from the observation room door frame. He raised an eyebrow at me in question.

  I nodded. "Yeah. Sorry."

  "You have nothing to apologize for. I would be hesitant myself if he almost died the last time I stepped foot in there. No rush." He returned inside the room.

  Was I that easy to read? I liked to think I was at least a half-closed book. Not a fully open one. And yet, he just told me my own emotions as if they were written plain as day on my face.

  Taking a calming breath, I grabbed my key card. This was it. The human interaction that these people needed. I swiped my card and stepped into the room.

  The puzzle in my palm was digging into my skin, reminding me of its presence. There was more to it than simply giving these people someone to interact with. I was still here to give them puzzles of logic and determine their growth.

  3y looked surprised to see me step into his room. His mouth opened but no words were said. I wonder if he speaks the same way 12z does.

  Small static appeared and then the doctor's voice could be heard. I looked at the wall that wasn't exactly a wall. This side did look like it was simply a wall. It was weird to be on this side. I don't think I liked it very much, honestly.

  I felt like I was the one being watched.

  "Listen here, 3y. This is Mr. Mestiere. He makes the puzzles I give to you."

  The boy looked at me with a new gaze. "Not a doctor then?"

  I couldn't help but stare at the boy now. He had an unusual accent that sounded very pleasing. He looked like an average fair-skinned person, however. Was it the creature's influence? Could he have gained an accent from Pete?

  "No," I replied, "not exactly."

  He raised his eyebrow as if he didn't believe me. "Then how come you wear clothes like a doctor?"

  I looked down at my apparel. I already knew what I was wearing. Looking made me feel like a fool. He was referring to the white lab coat I was wearing. He couldn't possibly mean my black dress pants and grey shirt.

  "Dress code," I said simply, shrugging my shoulders.

  "What's in your pocket?"

  What a nosey boy. I didn't owe him an explanation of my whole being. I simply had to toss him the puzzle and study his behaviour.

  I held up the puzzle. "Here. Solve this puzzle. And don't forget to put it back together again." I wasn't taking any chances. I would make sure everybody did them right this time.

  This puzzle was a lot simpler than most of the ones I've worked on recently. It was made up of four pieces that spun together in a specific route to come apart and then be put back together again. It was relatively simple, and I was confident 3y would have no problem figuring it out.

  3y frowned at my evasion. His eyes seemed to glow a darker hue as well. He wasn't stupid. At least not about this. And he didn't appreciate the topic change.

  Even if the thing in my pocket was nothing dangerous, it wasn't any of his business what I had on me.

  The static rung out again. "3y," the doctor said with a disapproving tone, "be on your best behaviour."

  "Do I need to interrupt?" the security guard by the door inquired. I had forgotten them entirely.

  "That's quite alright. He's going to behave, right?"

  3y looked like he wanted to do anything but obey his doctor's orders. Instead, he nodded and took the puzzle from my hand.

  Reaching in my pocket, I took out the notepad and pen I had stashed in there earlier this morning. I sat down a few feet away from the boy, pen ready to write.

  "What level is this?" he asked, staring at the piece with growing frustration.

  Doctor Inquiridor answered first. "This puzzle is called Level Water."

  "Level Water?" he mused, playing with a piece of the metal puzzle. "I don't understand."

  "You don't have to understand the title of the puzzle," I said slowly, careful of the words I used.

  "Begin solving the puzzle, 3y."

  He stopped talking and began fiddling with the level five puzzle. As he continued to toy with the pieces, I wrote down the things I found important or noteworthy.

  The tiring thing to think about was that I had multiple patients I had to do this with today. It was going to be a long day writing things down. My wrist was going to hate me for it later.

  But for now, I didn't mind. I got to be up close to the peculiar boy who had a meteorite creature living in his eyes. Not every day I got to do that.