Born without an expiration date

Twenty-six

ETNA

The lab was actually a big complex. Through the main entrance, I found a reception. The lady behind the desk was busy typing away on her computer, with a phone balanced between her ear and shoulder. When she saw me, she held up one finger and smiled. I waited while she worked.

"Yes, yes, no, yes. That's all done for you Sir. No sir, not yet. Okay. Thank you. Bye". All the while she typed and typed. Once she put the phone down, she turned to me and smiled. "What can I do for you?"

She was very pretty, blonde hair, big glasses framing her green eyes. She had one too many buttons on her blouse undone, but I guessed that was deliberate.

"My names Eternal, I'm here for the testing". She looked me up and down as I spoke.

"Oh great, do follow me," she said, getting up and walking around the desk. As I followed her through a door and down the hall, I realised that her shirt buttons were definitely deliberate. They matched perfectly with her tiny skirt and high heels. She stopped at the end of the corridor and called the lift. We went up two floors and then walked along three doors.

"Here we are," she said, handing me a key. This is your room for the next week. The keyring and door both said 'Room 3C'.

"Everything you could possibly need is inside, including a map and your personal testing schedule. You are free to use the gym, pool, and other activity centres whenever you choose, as long as you attend every test on time. If you miss even one, you won't get paid. Any problems, either ring or come down to reception - its manned all the time. Speaking of which, I must get back! Have fun".

With that, she turned on her heel and walked off, leaving me a little flabbergasted. She seemed happy and pleasant enough, but there was something quite abrupt about her attitude.

It turned out 'Room 3C' was less of a room, and more of a small apartment. I walked into a kitchen come living room, with all the basic essentials of a sofa, tv, table and two chairs, cooker, fridge and worktops. There was two doors off to the right. One led to a little shower room, and the other a small bedroom with a single bed, bedside table and chest of drawers. I dumped my bag on the bed and went to look around properly. The kitchen was fully stocked with food and cooking utensils. I made myself a drink and sat at the table.

On the table was a red folder with 'Eternal 3C' written on the front. Inside was a my testing schedule and a map, as promised. It was getting late but as I'd never been swimming I was very excited to go and try the pool. I rang down to reception.

"Hello, Jessica speaking, how can I help you?"

"Erm, hi, its Eternal, I'd like to go swimming, but I don't have a costume with me..."

She cut me off, "check the chest of draws." And with that, she put the phone down. I sat staring at the receiver for a second - that was rude.

She was right though. The chest of draws held a few basic sets of clothes, a swimming costume, tennis outfit, yoga pants, and a few pairs of shorts and tops for general exercise. The room really did have everything I could need.

I put on the swimming costume, with a set of clothes over the top. I also grabbed one of the towels from the shower room before heading off to where the map said the swimming pool was.

Down the lift and out through the back door, across the courtyard and back into the next building. It was about a five minute walk, no way of getting lost with everything sign posted. I passed a few doors that said 'Staff Only' and memorised where they were for a closer snoop later, they weren't on my map.

When I arrived at the swimming pool there were two other women already there, both in identical swimming costumes to me. They were sat at the deep end, dangling their legs in the water, chatting. They waved me over as soon as I entered.

"Hi!! Are you new?" Said one, patting the floor next to her. She was very tanned and a little chubby, with short brown hair.

"Yeah, just arrived," I replied sitting next to her.

"I'm Beauty, and this is Grace," she told me. "I've been here two days.."

"And I've been here three," said Grace.