“I’ll put the glasses on to help you relax.”
“Okay,” I breathed, trying to keep my eyes from veering back to the needle. Every time I did, I could feel my heart rate spike.
As soon as he put the glasses on, everything went completely black.
The lab door slid open.
“Dr. Simon, you’re needed in the lab,” a female voice spoke softly.
“Just relax, Abi,” Dr. Simon’s voice comforted. “You’ll be okay, and I’ll be back shortly.”
“Okay,” I answered, then took in a deep breath and exhaled, allowing my body to go limp.
I felt pressure on my arm, followed by a poke and a tingling sensation. Soon, a rush of liquid was being pushed into my veins. It felt cold, but it didn’t hurt.
I took another deep breath, trying to keep myself loose, waiting for the serum to make its rounds. It probably wouldn’t be too long, considering my heart was still coming down from its high and pumping double time.
As I released all tension and sunk deeper into the chair, colored spots formed within the darkness, and seemed to be self-illuminating. At first, they were only floating, but then they started to cling to each other. Each bubble was connecting and becoming a part of the other, creating one enormous iridescent bubble.
In my mind, I walked toward it, then like an idiot, reached out my finger and touched it. As I did, the bubble stuck to my finger. It wouldn’t release and tugged me toward it, pulling me closer. I tried to pull my arm back, but the bubble was climbing up my hand like it had suctioned tentacles. In mere seconds, it was up to my wrist.
I panicked.
“Hey, you need to relax,” the man in the lab coat urged.
But I couldn’t. In my mind, I was battling a huge plasma bubble.
Then, I heard a familiar voice, but it was very faint, like a whisper.
“Abi, don’t fight it.”
“Chase, is that you?” I yelled. “Where are you?”
“Still strapped in my chair, but channeling into your mind.”
“There is a freaking monster bubble trying to suck me into it. What do I do?” I shrieked.
“Absorb it,” he answered. “It’s the serum.”
“It’s climbing up my arm. Is this normal?”
“Yes. Your brain is trying to interpret the serum as best it can. You’ll be just fine.”
“Are you positive?” I bellowed, still fighting it.
My brain was interpreting the serum as a bubble? It wasn’t very imaginative.
“I’m positive. Just relax.”
“Where’s Chloe?”
“I’m here.” Her voice was barely audible.
“Are you okay?” I needed to get a second opinion.
“I'm okay. Just relax and do as he says. You’ll be alright,” she said.
I struggled as the material spread across my chest, its iridescent tentacles tightly coiling around my waist and neck.
Listening to their advice, I relinquished the fight.
The bubble consumed my body but started to constrict my breathing.
Panic clawed its way into my limbs as I struggled, trying to rip the foreign substance off my face.
It was unbreakable. I was suffocating.
I could feel myself fading. And then right before I blacked out, it dissolved.
I fell to the ground, panting for air. As I examined my arms, there were iridescent flecks swimming under my skin.
It was inside me.
“Abi, are you okay?” Chase asked.
“Yeah, but that damn bubble almost killed me.”
“I didn’t tell you the serum makes a dramatic introduction. I thought it would freak you out.”
“I would not call that dramatic,” I huffed. “That was horrific.”
I could hear Chase and Chloe’s laughter, then he said, “Come find me.”
“Find you?”
A dim trail of golden light formed in the darkness directly in front of me. I took a step, not knowing where my foot would land, but it fell on a steady surface.
“There’s a golden trail forming.”
“Then follow it,” he said matter-of-factly.
Smart ass.
Rolling my eyes, I stepped forward and with each additional step, the trail became longer, leading me farther and farther from where I started.
As I continued along the trail, tiny bursts of lights appeared and then exploded like fireworks. I paused, watching the incredible light show.
“There’s something happening,” I said out loud.
“Explain,” the man in the white coat replied.
“There are lights bursting all around me. They’re getting bigger and brighter. Should I be concerned?”
There was laughter again.
“What? What should I do?”
“It’s your brain starting to wake up. Give it a moment.”
“Okay, but do I need to do something like move out of the way?”
“No, just stay there and enjoy the show.”
“Show?”
No sooner did I say the word when pictures of past memories flashed by. They were on the first day we went down into the bunker. The truck, my last sunset, the black hole which was the final descent into the bunker. It was all there, including my moments with Finn in studies, the training room, and the park.
Then, everything went black.
Flashes of my encounters with Arvies attacked me at an alarming rate. I was standing in a dark stairwell with Finn. It was the first time we encountered Arvies.
An Arvy jumped on me, pushing me down the stairs. We fell, tumbling and hit the wall at the bottom. Then the bastard bit my leg.
Next, we were being attacked by Arvies on a mountain top, and I was laying on the ground using a sniper rifle. As I focused my sight, I saw the lead Arvy’s eyes snap up to me. It bared its sharp teeth, then raised his long fingers, aiming them at me in the shape of a gun.
More and more memories played out in front of me.
Tina and I were in the vent, spying on what was happening behind the biohazard door. The Arvy being held captive suddenly locked his eyes onto our position and growled even though he couldn’t see us. At that exact moment, I experienced a throbbing headache.
These visions showed me the Arvies seemed to be responding to me from the very beginning. Like they already knew I possessed the gift.
“Abi,” Dr. Simon’s voice called.
I glanced around and in my mind I was surrounded by Arvies at Sanctum.
My heart pounded, as their leader came closer. This was the first time I’d made contact by way of telepathy.
“Abi, you need to wake up,” Dr. Simon urged, this time a little louder.
“How?” I yelled. I didn’t want to be in this nightmare anymore.
“Just close your eyes and imagine yourself back in the seat,” Chase interjected.
I did as he said, but when I opened my eyes, the Arvies were still surrounding me, growling and snapping their sharp teeth.
“It didn’t work,” I screamed.
I turned and ran, following the fading trail of light. As I came to the end, I felt myself free falling.
Screaming, I opened my eyes.
Standing around me were Dr. Simon, Chase, Chloe, and three men in white lab coats. Their eyes were wide, with either worry or wonder. I couldn’t tell.
“Are you okay?” Chloe asked, handing me a tissue.
“I'm okay,” I said, bringing the tissue to my bloody nose.
“What happened, Abi?” Dr. Simon asked. His brow was creased and eyes narrowed.
“I was reliving my encounter with the Arvies,” I panted.
“You broke your bonds.” Chase pointed down to my arm, with a slight grin.
“What?” I swallowed a huge lump in my throat, as two of the men in lab coats, one on either side, released my wrists. The bonds around the chair arms had snapped and were laying on the ground.
“Do you realize how strong you have to be to break one of
those bonds?” Chase asked.
“Obviously not too strong,” I muttered. “Maybe it was flawed.”
“Both of them?”
I shrugged. I suddenly didn’t want to be here. Scientific eyes were now glued to me – the main rat. I wanted to run and hide. I didn’t want to be trapped in my head, trying to make sense of what was happening. How could something be explained when I didn’t even know it existed in the first place?
“You’re something else,” Chase huffed.
“What are you saying? I have super powers?” I laughed.
“No, but your brain is reacting much differently than ours to the serum, and this was only your first dose,” Dr. Simon noted.
“I think I need to go lie down for a while,” I said trying to get up. As soon as I did, my world spiraled and I dropped to the ground and vomited.
“Oh shit,” Chase cursed.
“Abi,” Chloe called, but I was too wrapped up in my symptoms to answer.
“Take her to medical,” Dr. Simon ordered.
The last thing I remembered was being swooped up into someone’s arms.
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES, I thought I was dreaming.
“Dad?” I whispered.
“Abi,” he said relieved, leaning over and kissing my forehead. “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine,” I said, looking around.
It appeared to be their medical facility.
“What happened to you?”
“They gave me some kind of shot that made me nauseated.”
“I’m so sorry, honey,” he breathed. “I’ve spoken to Dr. Harvey and he is trying to find out what’s going on. Apparently, the Reader department is kept top secret, and even he doesn’t know what’s happening deep within. But he assured me he’d get me some answers. I’ll get you out of here, Abi. I promise.”
“Don’t do anything rash that will get you exiled. I’ve been hearing a lot about people who are uncompromising of the system. They are labeled as Intransigent and sent topside.”
“Don’t worry. Dr. Harvey made me aware of the laws. We just have to be smart and do this right.”
I nodded, knowing my dad was a very smart man. I didn’t have to worry about him.
“How’s Finn?” I asked.
“They have him training, but he’s been a wreck, worried sick about you. Actually, everyone in our hive family has been worried. They’ll be glad to know you’re okay.”
“Things are happening to me, Dad. Things I’ve never experienced before, that I can’t explain or understand.”
“What kinds of things, sweetheart?”
I scrunched my nose, knowing it sounded ridiculous.
“It seems ever since I first ran into the Arvies, they woke up some kind of telepathy power inside of me. I never even knew I had it until a few days ago.”
His face showed he was apologetic about something.
“What’s wrong?”
“There is something your mother and I never told you because we thought it wouldn’t matter. Your grandmother also had the gift of telepathy. Your mother never acquired the gift, so it must have skipped a generation and transferred to you. She referred to herself as a clairvoyant and a medium. She said she could speak to spirits and foresee bits and pieces of the future, among other things. We all thought she was crazy, but now that we see you’re showing the same gifts, it’s become clear she was telling the truth.”
“Are you serious? So I’m not crazy?”
“No, you’re not crazy,” he answered, taking my hand.
“Do you think she’s still alive?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Hopefully her predictions made her aware of the apocalypse, and she found a safe bunker for shelter.”
I could barely remember her, or what she looked like. I’d only been five when we’d arrived at our bunker, and up until then I’d only seen her once.
I didn’t remember much about her single visit, but I was anxious to see if there was a way for me to pull up the memory. There must have been a way. Maybe that visit would reveal something about my gift.
“How long have you been here?” I asked, seeing his eyes looked tired.
“A few hours.”
“And how much sleep have you gotten?”
He smiled. “A few hours. But knowing you’re okay makes it all worth it. I better go tell your mom and the rest of the gang you’re up and feeling fine.” He leaned over and gave me another kiss on the forehead. “Rest, and I’ll try and be back with some answers.”
“I will. Thanks, Dad.”
He stood. “Finn wanted me to tell you he misses you, and . . .”
“And what?”
“He loves you,” he said rolling his eyes. His gesture made me laugh.
“Tell him I said ditto.”
“I will. Okay, I’ll be back soon. They cannot deny me access to my daughter.”
“Well, we do get one hour a week to visit. Make sure Finn is on my list. Please.”
“I’m sure he’d write himself on that list come hell or high water.” He chuckled. “By the way, you’ll have another surprise visit soon.”
“I can’t wait. Hey, thanks for being here.”
“I love you, Abi.”
“I love you too.”
He waved and walked out the door.
Seeing my dad was like a breath of fresh air. If I could manage to have one ounce of his qualities, I would be successful in this life.
I knew he would try and do whatever he could to keep me safe, no matter what it took. I needed to make sure I was ready for anything, if and when the time came.
Until then, I would learn whatever I could about my gift. Get stronger, and do exactly as they told me. I knew how to play the game. I just had to watch my thoughts and memories around Dr. Simon.
“Knock-knock,” a voice said at the door.
“Dr. Banks,” I chimed. “It’s good to see you!”
“I’m part of the new medical staff,” he said, flashing his new badge. “I told them I was in charge of you at the previous bunker, so they kept me on as your personal doctor.”
“That’s great. There’s no one else I’d want taking care of me anyway,” I said. “You are the best.”
“And you are biased.” He laughed.
“I guess I am, but the truth is the truth.”
“Thanks, Abi.” He flipped some pages on a clipboard. “You’re blood results came back normal. So, what happened? They said you were in the training room and passed out?”
“Yes. They injected me with some kind of neuro serum, and I guess my system didn’t take to it too well. I feel fine now though, but I think I puked on their floor before blacking out.” My face cringed, wondering what Chase and Chloe must have thought. How embarrassing.
“Neuro serum? Who was this approved by, and what was it for?” His eyes were narrowed, and he showed grave concern.
I knew I had to tell him the truth. No one said I wasn’t allowed to talk, so I technically wasn’t breaking any rules.
“The injection was developed by the scientists here. They said it is supposed to enhance our telepathy. They also said it was tested and considered safe.” I shrugged. “I’m not even sure if I’m supposed to be telling anyone about it.”
“That’s nonsense. You’re under my care, and I need to know what’s wrong with you before I can treat you. If they’re pumping some kind of crap into your body, I need to know what it is,” he ranted.
“You should talk to Dr. Simon. He’s the one who’s heading up the Reader department and might be able to tell you what was in the shot, or at least give you a little insight as to what it does.”
“I’ll definitely do that,” he murmured, taking a few notes.
“How long am I going to be in here?” I asked.
“You should be able to leave in a few hours since you’ve been given a clean bill of health.”
“I think most of the dizziness hit me because of my insomnia last night. I only slept for an h
our or two, so my body and brain probably wanted to shut down.”
“That could most definitely be a factor,” he said. “Remember, don’t put the weight of the world on your shoulders, Abi. You have people all around you who are here to help. Don’t forget, you’re never alone.”
I smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Dr. Banks. Like I said, you’re the best.”
“Well . . .” he shrugged with a grin.
“How do you like it here in the new facility?”
He shook his head. “It’s like a doctor’s dream come true. They have everything you could ever imagine, for any kind of ailment. And they have top scientists constantly working on cures, especially the ARV-3 virus. They might not find a cure for those who have already been infected, but they’re trying to find an antidote, in hopes if survivors are ever bitten, we won’t become infected.”
“That would give us a huge advantage,” I said.
“It would. But they still outnumber us a thousand to one, at the very least.”
“Oh my God,” I gasped. That statistic painted a very real picture. “How can any of us survive without using weapons of mass destruction? There are way too many of them to fight using military ground tactics. We don’t have enough bullets or manpower.”
“That’s true, and the government knows that as well. I’m not sure what they have in store, but it’s clear they’re planning something.”
Yea . . . me, Chloe, and Chase. I wanted to say it out loud, but I didn’t. I wasn’t sure if the room was being monitored, and I was almost certain it was.
When Dr. Banks left the room, I decided to try and go back into my mind. I was a little hesitant at first because it was a very scary place. Maybe if I didn’t wander too far, I could easily find my way back out. I wanted to see what I could do, without the pressure of someone hovering over me and watching my every reaction.
I’m sure Dr. Simon didn’t have someone teach him how to use his gift. He must have practiced and learned how to operate it through trial and error.
That’s what I was going to do. I would practice whenever I was alone, and hopefully get stronger. This was my new mission. I would lay low, and take myself out of the spotlight. One of the first things I needed to figure out was how I could block more than thirty percent of my brain. I had a feeling I could do it, I just needed to figure it out.