The Escape Series Collection

Chapter 6

Inside the middle drawer of my dresser were several packages containing a white b*a and a pair of plain underwear. I chose a set and pulled it out. The plastic wrap crinkled. The camera droned behind me, its mechanical noise louder than usual. Why had I gotten rid of my robe? The thought caused my stomach to knot.

Why had I gotten rid of my robe?My question was rhetorical; I knew the answer. It"s what I"d always done. But for some strange reason, being n***d suddenly bothered me. If it weren"t for the warning, I would have still been in the washroom trying to think of a way to cover myself. I pulled on my underclothes and breathed easier as my body relaxed.

I yanked the bottom drawer open with too much force. It slid out with ease, but my quick reflexes stopped it before it freed itself from the rails and landed on my feet. I pulled the remaining green dress from inside and pushed the drawer closed.

My dresses were the only things I had that weren"t encased in plastic. I ran my hands over the soft fabric and carefully unfolded the dress. It was plain, short-sleeved, and came to below my knees. Three buttons closed it at the front and elastic cinched it in at the waist. Two large pockets adorned the skirt.

The red eye followed my every step toward the laundry chute, but I kept my gaze focused in front of me. When I reached the opening, I pressed the button nearby and the door slid open with a faint, airy sound. My eyes widened.

A white envelope sat on top of the packaged clean linens. I leaned into the compartment to get a better look. I reached out my hand but hesitated for a second; my heart had picked up speed. I concentrated on the lettering. A20100315L was penned with care in black ink on the front. That"s me! I smiled at the sudden realization.

That"s me!I reached out, grabbed the envelope, and stuffed it down the front of my dress. I closed my eyes for a second and slowed my breath. The action calmed my nervous excitement, and I grabbed the packaged linens.

My thoughts raced as I moved back toward my bed and started unpacking the sterile sheets. The envelope rumpled and poked into my chest while I made my bed. Each movement reminded me of its existence.

It took every effort not to reach inside my dress and pull it out. The poking annoyed me, and it was getting difficult to contain my building curiosity. Still, it would have to wait until I began my studies. My body would block the intruding surveillance system behind me, and I could read the note in safety.

My desk sat at the foot of my bed. It was a plain white table with one small drawer for writing tools and a bit of paper. Textbooks and other reading material sat on a shelf mounted above it. It was in this corner of the room, across from the intruding camera, that I studied whatever textbook happened to be on the shelf.

The padded white desk chair rolled with ease as I took my seat. I pulled out my black textbook with its silver lettering from the overhead shelf. The camera whined behind me as I moved. The back of my hand slid across my forehead, smearing away tiny beads of sweat. My stomach muscles ached from tension and made me a little queasy. The sensations were strange. While a part of me feared I"d contracted some illness another part assured me my feelings were normal.

I opened the textbook to where I"d left off. I removed the envelope from inside my dress, held the damp packet in my hands, and stared at my ID. I had no doubt it was mine, though A2 was my usual name.

What is this? I turned it over and laid it flat on the pages of the open book. My fingers eased out the flap tucked inside the envelope. I reached in and pulled out the note. With great stealth, I slid the envelope underneath the textbook. My shaky hands unfolded the piece of paper and rubbed out the creases. Written in black ink was the same neat handwriting.

What is this?A2,

A2,It was addressed to me.

I am sorry I did not answer your question. Your voice caught me off guard. I was not expecting it to return so soon.

I am sorry I did not answer your question. Your voice caught me off guard. I was not expecting it to return so soon.I reread the first line as I recognized who the author was. What did he mean by my voice returning? I returned to the note.

I reread the first line as I recognized who the author was. What did he mean by my voice returning?It is imperative you never speak while facing the video equipment.

It is imperative you never speak while facing the video equipment.Had I? I recalled the moment I"d asked him my question and was sure I"d faced away from the equipment. I squinted. Why? I looked at the letter and kept reading.

Had I?Why?I will see you later. If you must speak keep your back turned to the camera. When I speak to you, I will keep my head lowered and continue with my work. DO NOT react to anything I say.

I will see you later. If you must speak keep your back turned to the camera. When I speak to you, I will keep my head lowered and continue with my work. DO NOT react to anything I say.J.

J.I stared at the letter, lost in the writings penned by its creator. A sudden whooshing from behind entered my ears and startled me. I was no longer alone.

I stuffed the letter into the pages at the back of the book and pretended to study.

“Hello, A2! Busy with your studies?”

His voice was familiar, but I couldn"t quite place it. I eased around in my chair. He stood behind me a few feet away, his hands on his hips. My lips parted a little, and I nodded. Was it okay if I nodded? My heart thumped. What if I wasn"t supposed to acknowledge anyone?

Was it okay if I nodded?What if I wasn"t supposed to acknowledge anyone?A thin red smile came across his face, and my heart slowed. My head nodding hadn"t surprised him. He stepped closer; his clothing made no sound. He didn"t wear one of those baggy white suits that swished with movement. His clothing, though as white as the baggy suits, were more fitted. Only his thick, white hair covered his head, and he wore nothing over his eyes. Even his hands were gloveless.

His grey eyes darted around before he finally fixed his gaze on my face again. There was something about him that made me feel like I"d known him for a long time. It was much longer than what my memory suggested. He was someone you didn"t forget.

“Do you know who I am?” He tilted his head back a little and from my desk, I could see up his long, pointed nose.

I nodded, though I recognized him, his name and who he was, did not come to mind.

“Good!” He nodded and took another step closer. The surveillance system hummed, and my heart quickened. Beads of sweat trickled down the small of my back. The back of my throat tickled, as my nose caught some strange scent. I resisted the urge to lean forward and sniff, but there was no doubt the strong perfume came from him. It wasn"t entirely unpleasant only too much, although there was something familiar about it.

“Let"s see how your studies are progressing.” He moved beside me and peered over my shoulder at the textbook on my desk. “Ah, history.”

I nodded again. I was sure my heart had climbed up my throat and was about to pop out of my mouth.

“Let"s see.” He pushed me and my chair out of his way, and I bumped into the foot of my bed. He reached over with his long, bony fingers and flipped over to the next page.

I swallowed the thickened spit in my mouth; my eyes fixed on his every move.

“I"m a little bit of a history buff myself. Well… truth be told,” he turned his attention away from the book and looked at me, “I"m pretty much a buff at everything.” He chuckled for a second before a crooked grin took its place. “You and I have a lot in common. Well, I must go. Nice talking at you.” He turned on his heel and headed back toward the door.

atFor the first time, I noticed someone by the entrance, dressed in full white-blob mode. He stood back from the door, and when it slid open, he followed the white-haired man out the exit.

I exhaled a huge breath, resisting the urge to fan the air with my hand. My shoulders dropped in relief, and my heart crept back into place. I returned to my textbook, grabbed the note and envelope, and stuffed them down the front of my dress.

Why had he come into my room? I flipped the page of my text and pretended to read. Confusing thoughts filled my head. I couldn"t concentrate on my work, but I couldn"t stop either. I had to keep pretending until study time was over.

Why had he come into my room?I grabbed my yellow highlighter and picked a few sentences. Their importance was of no concern to me. I hadn"t read a single word on the page. I flipped another page, mindless in my actions. My eyes stared at the words, but I saw nothing. The urge, to leave my desk grew stronger. The strict regimen held me in place.

Instant relief came in the form of a ringing bell, and all the muscles in my body relaxed as the tension eased. I closed my eyes and exhaled through pursed lips. The unmistakable sound of the dumbwaiter filled my ears, and I turned around. I had never looked so forward to my break.

I hesitated before I reached in and pulled the small tray from the compartment. My thoughts drifted to earlier events, and for a moment, the procedure was forgotten. I placed the tray on the table and pulled the lid free.

The moment the buzzing reached my ears my stomach dropped. I had made a mistake. It was all I had time to think before the flash of blue light.

I picked myself up off the floor; my legs shook under my weight. I managed to climb into my chair, folded my arms on the top of the table, and I rested my head. The smell of singed hair was in my nose. I inhaled and filled my lungs several times before rising on shaky legs and made my way over to the washroom.

The red apple stared up at me from the tray as the bathroom door clicked closed behind me. I had no appetite but couldn"t afford to face any more consequences if I didn"t eat. My feet dragged me back toward the table.

Was his visit my surprise? I bit into the sweet red orb as I remembered. Some surprise! I bit again, but my teeth sunk in too far, and I ended up with a mouthful of seeds. I spat them out on the plate and wiped the spittle from my chin with the back of my hand. Where am I? I stopped mid-chew. What is this place?

Was his visit my surprise?Some surprise!Where am I?What is this place?I didn"t hear him enter. I stared wide-eyed at his baggy white figure. For a moment, his brown eyes stared back at me as he stood in the entrance. I finally broke contact with his gaze and looked at the chair he held as he walked into the room.

He stood across from where I sat. “Remember, do not respond as I speak to you,” a voice floated from behind the mask. It was soft, yet deep with an unfamiliar accent, and it was most certainly male.

He set the chair down by the table, and we went about our business as though the other weren"t in the room. I wiped the juice from my chin and took another bite from my apple.

My ears pricked to the sound of the door; J had left the room. What kind of a surprise is another chair? I stared at the other chair, an exact copy of my own.

What kind of a surprise is another chair?The door alerted me again, and J came back in with a bed he rolled across the floor.

“Do not follow me with your eyes,” he warned as he pushed the bed past me. The click of the locks on the wheels rang in my ears. I wanted to turn around to see what he was doing, but I didn"t.

J came into view again and left the room. Minutes passed. I finished my apple and placed the remnants on the plate with the seeds I"d spat out earlier. I replaced the lid on the tray and pushed the whole thing into the waiting dumbwaiter.

As soon as I stood up from the table, the door slid open.

“Keep going about your business,” J said.

I peeked out the corner of my eye and saw two figures enter the room. The first was J"s unmistakable white blob. The second was much shorter, and from my glimpse, was dressed in blue. I entered the washroom.

I could not rinse the soap from my hands soon enough. It was hard not to hurry. I wanted to see who had entered my room with J, but the memory of the smell of singed hair kept me from leaving too soon.

Finally, the water shut off. I dried my hands, and I was free to leave. I stepped toward the door and pulled it open.

A girl sat on a bed at the far end of the room. Like me, she had shoulder-length, brown hair, though hers was wavier and darker.

The alarm sounded, and I hurried out from the washroom. The door clicked behind me.

The girl looked to be younger, but not by much. J stood at the head of her bed in the back corner underneath the video equipment.

My lips parted.

“Do not speak,” he reminded.

My pink tongue poked through and I licked them instead. I moved back toward my desk as though I were alone.

“So she"s my surprise?” I said with my back to the girl, J, and the prying camera.

“Yes.”

“Hmph! What kind of surprise is that?”

“She is your sister.”