Cameron was breathing heavily as she bit in to her forearm; the needle was going in and out of her side just as the older women in Chesapeake did to mend the fabric that had been passed down from generation to generation. Her clothing had been disposed of, which after wearing for such a long time, didn’t upset her in the slightest. She now dawned a white, paper hospital gown which she had adjusted to expose her side.
“Almost done,” the nurse mumbled with intense focus.
“Damn it,” Cameron whimpered into the crook of her elbow with her eyes squeezed shut. “All of this technology, and there’s nothing you can give me so I don’t feel this?”
“I’ve been given strict instructions to not give you anything mind altering. Sorry.” The nurse’s tone was far from apologetic, but she had no idea but to accept it with a long sigh.
“Alright, all done,” the nurse grunted as she stood up and eyed the sutures. “Try to keep it clean this time. You’ve developed an infection.” She walked over to a cabinet and pulled out an orange bottle with three large pills inside, then handed it to Cameron.
“What do I do with these?” she asked as she held the bottle up to the light.
“Swallow them. I’d give you more, but we try to save as many as we can. Now, stay still, you need a shot.”
Her eyes widened. “A shot? For what?”
Before Cameron could get an answer, the nurse punctured one shoulder –
“What the fu – “
And the next. “Shit!” Cameron yelled as she went to smack the nurse’s hand away, but she was already disposing of the needle and washing her hands.
“Over on that chair,” the nurse pointed, “is your change of clothes. Get dressed and knock on the door so the guard can escort you.”
Without another word, Cameron was left alone in the cold medical room in her paper gown, rubbing both shoulders as she walked over to the chair. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
*****
The guard’s took her to a large building that seemed to tower over the short woman, but instead of observing, she kept her head down and her arms around her. The outfit she was given did not leave much to the imagination: a skin tight, blue top and matching shorts that hit just above mid-thigh.
Eventually, Cameron was delivered to the same location where Justin was, and once the guards disappeared behind the door, she couldn’t help but double over in laughter, a snort or two escaping her until she finally caught her breath. “I’m… I’m sorry,” she apologized between breaths, wiping the tears from her eyes. “They obviously don’t have fabric to spare. “Didn’t know you were so muscular,” she said with a goofy grin as she squeezed her own arm.
After another few breaths, the reality of the situation they were in made its way back into her head. They were going to be subjected to a series of unknown tests for people whose motives were a complete mystery.
“Shit,” she whispered as she began to tie her hair back in a knot that sat on the top of her head.
Cameron was able to find one small flicker of hope: she wasn’t going through it alone. She’d have Justin by her side through whatever Avery and William were going to throw at them, and it gave her a sense of security.
Looking up to him, she flashed a brief smile before a guard entered the hallway with two arm bands in his hands. “Right arm.”
The arm bands were attached with Velcro tightly, and the guard pressed a few buttons on the small panel affixed to them.
“What’s this?” asked Cameron.
“Heart rate monitor.” With that, the guard exited, disappearing behind the same door he had come out of.
“Hey,” Cameron whispered as she swiveled around to Justin. “We’re gonna be fine, right? I know you’ll pass the test, but what if I – “
“Subjects,” a woman’s voice boomed over a loudspeaker in the hallway. “Please enter the lab.”
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