The first thing I noticed when I got to the parking garage was that my normal spot was taken. Actually, it wasn’t even that my spot was taken, it’s that spot G7 just wasn’t there at all. The second thing I noticed was that when I stepped out of my car, the security guard wasn’t there. Feeling less safe, I quickened my steps and hastily walked over to the elevator. When I walked inside, I pressed the three and stood on high alert while waiting for the elevator to arrive at my floor. As soon as the doors opened, I was greeted by Christina.
“Good morning, Ava.”
“Morning,” I replied as we began walking toward my office. “I have the settlement agreement outlined on my laptop. All I need is to export it and I'll be ready for today's briefing.” I stepped into my office and took a seat in the chair before booting up my laptop.
“Are you feeling okay, Ava?”
“Huh,” I asked glancing up at her while tilting my head to the side before focusing my attention back on my laptop.
Christina never asks how people are feeling.
“After your accident.”
“What accident?”
“Oh, don’t be silly. You're car accident.” She said while placing the back of her hand on my forehead.
“How did you – ” I began to ask before swallowing my words. “It’s not an issue. My priority is my work.”
Christina laughed at that. “Nonsense. We need to get you to the hospital.”
“What?” I asked, in a high-pitched tone. “No, no, I’m okay.”
“You were just in a car accident, dear. I take this very seriously,” she said as she began ushering me up and out of my chair.
This wasn’t right. Nothing about today has been right.
“Let me call an ambulance.”
“No, I think I just need…” I shook my head while rushing out of the room. “I just need a minute.”
I briskly walked over to Liam's office and closed the door gently behind me.
“Hey, have you noticed anything different about today? Like everyone seems…off,” I ranted as I peeked out the blinds hanging on his door. “And by everyone, I mean Christina.”
Liam stared at me with a wide smile. “She’s just worried about you. We all are after your accident.” His grin seemed strained and he sat with his hands folded in his lap.
“How does everyone know about – ”
“Oh, hey I got you a drink this morning.”
“Thanks, Liam.” I smiled and took the cup in my hands. Letting out a small sigh, I let my shoulders fall as I took a sip only to immediately spit it right back out into the cup.
“Are you okay? Do you not like your coffee?” he asked while staring intently at my face.
I hate coffee. Liam knows that.
“It's uhh,” I stuttered. “No, it's great.” I forced myself to take another sip.
“You're lying. Somethings wrong.” He glared at me. “I’m going to call an ambulance.”
“No,” I pleaded breathlessly as I moved to sit down.
“Don’t worry, I’ll call your family on the way there.”
That’s when I knew something was really wrong. I grew up in foster care. I've never had a family and that is precisely why I had a hard time opening up to people. Liam knew that.
“Whaa?” my words came out slurred. My vision faded. The last thing I saw was Liam and Christina standing over me.
***
When I opened my eyes, I was lying in a hospital bed. The steady beeping of the heart monitor next to me was driving me insane. I couldn’t remember how I got here. Looking down at my lap, I had on a blue and white hospital gown. There was a white curtain pulled shut to my right. I scanned the room and forced myself to try and focus so that I could remember how I ended up in a hospital.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember.
I looked up at the clock to check the time, but it wasn’t ticking. I fumbled with the bed sheets trying to find my phone but that too was no use. I was just about to stand up when a doctor walked up to the door. I could hear his voice just above a whisper as he talked to someone right outside.
“Melissa is almost ready for the final stage.”
Another voice murmured something that I couldn’t make out.
“Yes, I know it's been two days, but she has been very…difficult.”
The person he was talking to said something again.
“Yes, Ava. She is in there too. I will go check in on both of them to see if they are awake.”
Everything about this situation wasn’t right. My first instinct was to pretend I was still asleep, so I closed my eyes and allowed my chest to rise and fall rhythmically. The doctor then cracked open the door and I heard his steps grow nearer. He lowered his face to mine and I could feel his hot breath on my skin. I struggled to remain still. I felt a hand lightly caress my face. Then I heard a woman's voice echo from next to me. .
“Why are you doing this?”
As if he were burned, the doctor removed his hand from my cheek. I heard the sound of a curtain being pulled aside as he spoke. “Ah, you're awake.”
“Why are you doing this?” she asked again in a strained voice.
“All we want to do is create the perfect world. You humans had it pretty close but we are here to fix all of your imperfections.”
The woman let out a hearty laugh. “And what about your imperfections? I mean do you look at yourself in the mirror when you're not hiding behind a human mask?”
A loud slap echoed throughout the room.
“Melissa do not test my patience. You either comply or we force you to. If you resist it’ll only hurt worse.”
“I want to go home!” She spat back.
The doctor laughed, “We both know that’s not possible.”
Wait a minute. This woman had been locked away for two days and her name is Melissa.
I opened my eyes and whispered, “Melissa Gramble?”
Despite my hushed voice, the doctor must’ve heard me because he turned his head and met my eyes.
“Ah yes, you are awake as well.” He clapped his hands together. “We can get both of you started at the same time. This is wonderful.”
Fuck.
“Get what started?”
“Why the injection of course. I will be right back,” the doctor said while walking toward the door. Without turning around, he added, “And try not to resist.”
He shut the door behind him.
While looking straight ahead, the woman next to me began to speak. “You have to get out of here.” Her face was devoid of emotion.
My eyes scanned her features as I parted my lips and tried to find the right words to say “Are you Melissa Gramble?”
“Yeah,” she sighed.
“People are looking for you.”
“Yeah, and right now, they are probably looking for you too,” she huffed out.
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