Chapter 1
MILLIE
“Ah, the smell of hospitals.” My mother inhaled, closing her eyes.
I shot a disgusted look at her for a moment, then shook my head.
“How could anyone love the smell of hospitals?” I asked her. I had always found it weird because she was the first person that I knew that loved the smell of hospitals. She had been a nurse before, so I guess she was used to it which was why she started to like it, as a coping mechanism.
“How could someone approve using their body as a lab rat for the government.” She threw back at me, her lips twisting with distaste.
Today was the day that I was going to be injected with a lab experiment drug for some scientists and after that, I was going to get a large sum of money when they were done testing the effects it had on my body. I was in desperate need of money to settle my bills because my parents were not rich. My mother had a job, but we have been struggling ever since my father got diagnosed with cancer and all of our money went to his chemotherapy and drugs.
Thankfully, he was pulling through now. I could never get the amount of money I was going to need to pay my tuition so when this opportunity came by, I snatched it as fast as I could. They had made me sign bulky papers and then, I was told that the sample test was not going to kill me. It was going to make me feel lethargic for a while, and then that was it. That was the worst it could go.
“Mum, you can’t stop me from doing this. I am 18 now, with the full right to do anything I want with my body.”
“I could pick up extra shifts,” she had offered this countless times, but I could not do that to her because she was already ageing and frail. “We could get a loan that we will pay off gradually over the years. It is not too late to turn around, Millie.”
“Or I could get in there and earn millions of dollars just because of a simple injection.” I interjected. Nothing she would say was going to make me change my mind.
“What if they turn you into one of those beasts?” Her tone is thick with worry and disgust.
Ever since my mother knew about the werewolves that were lurking in the town with normal people, she had been paranoid, thinking that they were going to harm her. I never thought that was real. I mean if they actually existed then the government would have made it public.
“They can’t turn me into them,” I rolled my eyes. “I do not have the werewolf gene, so it is not possible.” I had researched it and whatever came up was folklore. I had tried to make sense with my mother even though deep down I didn’t believe in it.
“Right.” She nibbled on her lips as we approached the room where I was going to get the drug sample.
I had already booked and signed everything yesterday. They asked me to go to the room at the assigned time, and I was right on time.
“I am going to hang on in the lobby. Come find me there when you are done, OK honey?” She kissed me on my cheek and soothed my short hair that I had recently cut to shoulder length.
“Yes, mum.” I nodded.
I watched her walk away before I took a deep breath. It was going to be easy. I will just go in, let them have the test on me, and then I will not have to worry about money again for the rest of my life. It was as easy as that. I tried to not think of the fact that I might be the only one that signed up for this because the lobby of the hospital was empty. I knocked on the door and I stepped into the office.
The nice face of Dr Sharma was the first thing I saw when I came in, then the harsh air conditioning hit my face.
“Millie, you came.” Her lips spread into a wide, courteous smile. There was no way a person like this could be willing to hurt me, right? She seemed too sweet. So motherly. I had to do this. For myself, for my family, and for my future.
“Yes, I did. Can we go ahead with it?” I wanted to get it over with because every second I spent not doing it made me want to back out at the last minute.
“Sure. Please go and meet Sheila,” she pointed at another door in the office. “She is in there, with the sample. It is going to be easy and painless, I assure you.”
I nodded, simply not finding the words to reply to her with before I trudged towards the door. My heart was beating fast, my palms were sweaty, and my brain was trying to send me an alarm, yet I did not stop. I got into the room and there was a bed there. Only one. There was a tray that was filled with ice, and the little sample was laid in a small tube in between it.
“Hi,” I called out, swallowing.
“Yes?” Sheila replied, coming out of a little corner in the room that I did not notice. Her eyes looked bloodshot, like she was crying her eyes out. Her eyeliner was smudged and her hair was sticking out in odd directions.
“Are you OK?” I asked her, my eyes narrowing.
“Of course, madam. I am so sorry. Something got into my eyes,” Sheila sniffed. “Please, let's go on with it. I do not want to waste any of your precious time.”
“Yeah, right.” I entered deeper into the room. I kept my bag on the edge of the bed and laid down, then took a deep breath.
“Actually, madam, I am not actually injecting it into your veins,” she said. “You will have to take off your underwear so I will inject the sample there.”
My heartbeat immediately picked up even more than it was as I shot her a perplexed look, “Why?”
“That was where I was told to inject the sample.” Her lips formed into a thin line.
I turned my head to look at the door. It might be the best time to sprint. To leave the place, but I couldn’t. I was greedy. It was going to be quick and painless. Sheila looked away as I started to undress. When I was done, she started to go on with the procedure. Just like I was told, it was in fact, quick and painless. The only thing I felt was the cold metal slipping into me, and it was out less than a few seconds later.
“Alright, all done, madam. You may dress up now.” Her tone was overly cheerful.
“Thanks, Shiela,” I thanked her. “What am I supposed to be looked out for?”
She removed the plastic gloves in her hands and trashed them into a trash can, then put them on the faucet, “Well. Heightened smell, a little bit of nausea, and a slight headache. Or there might not even be symptoms at all because we take great pride in the integrity of our new drug. We just wanted to check… you know.”
“Seems fair. And what time do I need to come back to get checked and collect my p*****t?” I asked her.
“In two weeks. If you notice any changes in your body, document it in a journal and present it to us when we next meet.” When she turned back to face me this time, the sadness in her eyes was gone. She looked less sad and more professional. I wondered what could be wrong with her, but I shrugged it off immediately because it was none of my business.
“I will. Bye, Shiela.” I gave her a nod before I turned to leave.
“Bye, madam.”
When I got into the office, Dr Sharma was nowhere to be found. She must have left while the sample was injected into me.
I sighed before I left the room. My hands were not shaking violently anymore, and my heart was not pounding like I had just run a marathon. See, now that was not so hard, was it? In a few weeks I was going to be a multi-millionaire. I would be able to afford everything I have ever wanted. Maybe even a new house near the college where I can be staying to afford all of the extra transportation fees.
This was perfect. It was all going according to plan. I tried to think of the positive parts of it, ignoring that deep down in my heart, I knew something was not right. The foreseeable future might be bright, but something dark was lurking and waiting for me afterward. Something that was going to change the course of my life completely, leading me to doom.
But I will cross the bridge when I get there. For now, I just need to survive the next two weeks and then after, I will be very freaking rich.
