standing appointment every
three months for that, and this was odd timing.
"Yes, they've revamped the vitamin cocktail, and we
need to make sure all the students get it. There's been a nasty flu going
around and it'll help keep you healthy."
'Need everyone healthy. Healthy and happy.'
"Okay, I'll head there right now."
"Great. Oh, and did you find anything?"
"Not really. Everything's pretty much destroyed."
"I'm sorry, Sam. I really am."
"Me too."
I left before he could question me more, and headed to the
clinic.
'Don't let them give you any drugs, Sam. Vitamins my
ass.'
"I don't have a choice. There's nothing I can do
about it."
He sighed mentally but didn't say anything more about it.
As I approached the clinic, Luke and Lucy walked past me.
"Hey, where are you two going?"
They both smiled with glazed expressions that contained no
hint of personality. "Just back to our room. See you around," Lucy
said.
I couldn't hide my exasperation. What was going on?
"Wait, what did you find out?"
Luke slugged my shoulder. "Oh, Sam, you worry too much.
Everything's fine. They're waiting for you in there, and we have to go."
They walked away and left me stunned.
'Your friends have been compromised.'
"They're like pod people. I'm scared, Drake."
'Me too.'
But what could I do? I couldn't hide or escape, so I walked
into the clinic and spied on every mind I could find, fighting a mounting
headache the whole time.
***
My trepidation mounted when the doctor with the gold tooth
walked into my room. "Hello, Sam." He flipped through a chart.
"Looks like it's time for your vitamin dose. This is an enhanced version
and will give you added health benefits as well as strengthen your powers."
"Who are you?"
"You are a direct young lady, aren't you? I'm Dr. Pana.
I created this new serum and am overseeing the distribution of it."
'Sam, that's the doctor who treated me.'
"I know."
"Please hold out your arm and lie back. You might get
dizzy or even fall asleep for a time. That's completely normal."
'Sam, don't! Please.'
"I have no choice."
My arm shook, but I offered it to him like a sacrificial
lamb. For all my newfound courage, I still just let myself be pushed around.
I'd never had any real power over my own life, and I realized I never would.
"Don't worry, it will only hurt for a second."
The prick came, and my body filled with a warm glow as I
slid into oblivion.
Drake's voice touched at the edges of my consciousness. I
reached for him, but he slipped farther and farther away, until he was gone and
I was alone.
***
The little boy sits on the bed once again and waits. When
New Daddy gets home, he's going to be ready for him this time.
New Mommy gets older every day and her skin wrinkles and
sinks into itself in a yellowish muck. Drake won't hurt New Mommy, even if she
does let New Daddy beat him.
New Mommy hurts herself enough for them both.
But New Daddy, he won't be allowed to do this anymore.
The door slams open and the little boy waits, quiet as a
dead mouse.
Then New Daddy is standing over him, a gun in his hand.
The blow lands before Drake can move, but Drake's been
practicing.
He pushes New Daddy's weak mind. He pushes harder and
harder—with each bashing from the pistol, he pushes.
This beating hurts more than the rest. The metal from the
gun breaks open his skin and bone. He might not heal from this, but he doesn't
care as long as New Daddy doesn't either.
As Drake fades into darkness, as he becomes truly as
quiet as a dead mouse—as a dead boy—he pushes one last time.
He hears the gunshot and feels New Daddy's brain and
blood hit his face.
New Daddy shot himself.
***
The nightmare woke me from my drugged stupor. A deep ache
built in my womb and pulsed through me. I calculated my cycle, but no, I still
had a few weeks for that. Still the cramps burned inside me, as did the memory
of that dream.
Of Drake's dream.
Drake's memories.
My breath hitched at the realization that all of
three months for that, and this was odd timing.
"Yes, they've revamped the vitamin cocktail, and we
need to make sure all the students get it. There's been a nasty flu going
around and it'll help keep you healthy."
'Need everyone healthy. Healthy and happy.'
"Okay, I'll head there right now."
"Great. Oh, and did you find anything?"
"Not really. Everything's pretty much destroyed."
"I'm sorry, Sam. I really am."
"Me too."
I left before he could question me more, and headed to the
clinic.
'Don't let them give you any drugs, Sam. Vitamins my
ass.'
"I don't have a choice. There's nothing I can do
about it."
He sighed mentally but didn't say anything more about it.
As I approached the clinic, Luke and Lucy walked past me.
"Hey, where are you two going?"
They both smiled with glazed expressions that contained no
hint of personality. "Just back to our room. See you around," Lucy
said.
I couldn't hide my exasperation. What was going on?
"Wait, what did you find out?"
Luke slugged my shoulder. "Oh, Sam, you worry too much.
Everything's fine. They're waiting for you in there, and we have to go."
They walked away and left me stunned.
'Your friends have been compromised.'
"They're like pod people. I'm scared, Drake."
'Me too.'
But what could I do? I couldn't hide or escape, so I walked
into the clinic and spied on every mind I could find, fighting a mounting
headache the whole time.
***
My trepidation mounted when the doctor with the gold tooth
walked into my room. "Hello, Sam." He flipped through a chart.
"Looks like it's time for your vitamin dose. This is an enhanced version
and will give you added health benefits as well as strengthen your powers."
"Who are you?"
"You are a direct young lady, aren't you? I'm Dr. Pana.
I created this new serum and am overseeing the distribution of it."
'Sam, that's the doctor who treated me.'
"I know."
"Please hold out your arm and lie back. You might get
dizzy or even fall asleep for a time. That's completely normal."
'Sam, don't! Please.'
"I have no choice."
My arm shook, but I offered it to him like a sacrificial
lamb. For all my newfound courage, I still just let myself be pushed around.
I'd never had any real power over my own life, and I realized I never would.
"Don't worry, it will only hurt for a second."
The prick came, and my body filled with a warm glow as I
slid into oblivion.
Drake's voice touched at the edges of my consciousness. I
reached for him, but he slipped farther and farther away, until he was gone and
I was alone.
***
The little boy sits on the bed once again and waits. When
New Daddy gets home, he's going to be ready for him this time.
New Mommy gets older every day and her skin wrinkles and
sinks into itself in a yellowish muck. Drake won't hurt New Mommy, even if she
does let New Daddy beat him.
New Mommy hurts herself enough for them both.
But New Daddy, he won't be allowed to do this anymore.
The door slams open and the little boy waits, quiet as a
dead mouse.
Then New Daddy is standing over him, a gun in his hand.
The blow lands before Drake can move, but Drake's been
practicing.
He pushes New Daddy's weak mind. He pushes harder and
harder—with each bashing from the pistol, he pushes.
This beating hurts more than the rest. The metal from the
gun breaks open his skin and bone. He might not heal from this, but he doesn't
care as long as New Daddy doesn't either.
As Drake fades into darkness, as he becomes truly as
quiet as a dead mouse—as a dead boy—he pushes one last time.
He hears the gunshot and feels New Daddy's brain and
blood hit his face.
New Daddy shot himself.
***
The nightmare woke me from my drugged stupor. A deep ache
built in my womb and pulsed through me. I calculated my cycle, but no, I still
had a few weeks for that. Still the cramps burned inside me, as did the memory
of that dream.
Of Drake's dream.
Drake's memories.
My breath hitched at the realization that all of
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