Inhuman Page 2

  Laughing out loud, she nodded in agreement. “I think that’s a pretty universal loathing.”

  Smiling in spite of myself, I always enjoyed Amy’s twist on vocabulary. Amy Gates, my friend for the last two years in university. I was grateful to have found such a wonderful human being.

  “Are you going back tomorrow?” She inquired throwing a fresh piece of gum in her mouth. Offering me a piece, I declined with a polite wave of my hand.

  “Yah, I have to if I want to make my tuition next week.” My heart sank as I thought of the possibility of not making enough. Archeology was my dream, if I couldn’t finish school, I’d be devastated.

  “How much more do you need?” Amy looked up at me with a worried frown.

  “Only $500, so if I go two more times that should cover it.” I rolled my eyes as I added, “Of course, that means I don’t have any money for food this week, but who needs food right?”

  Amy didn’t appear to see the humor in my statement as she clutched her lunch bag a little closer to her chest.

  “What tests did they do on you?”

  “Just blood test and MRI this time. Who knows what other crazy things they have in store for me?” Wrapping my sweater tightly around me as a gust of fall wind swept by, I sighed. “At least it helps the students learn, right?”

  “What sort of things are they looking for…with your blood I mean.” Long strands of her blonde hair whipped at her cherubic cheeks as she gave me an inquisitive glance.

  “Everything I guess. I had to sign a waiver before I started and it said something about red and white blood cell count and DNA evaluation…whatever the students in the lab need to learn I guess.” I shrugged as I watched a flock of robins suddenly dart into the sky from a nearby maple tree. The campus was littered with trees shifting from summer to fall, the school sat stoic amongst the golden and copper shades of autumn.

  “A waiver? What kind of waiver?” Amy’s professional alter ego sprang forth with suspicion. As a second year law student, she was trained like a bloodhound to sniff out shady contracts.

  Realizing I shouldn’t have said anything, I sighed, “Just a paper saying that if I fall down dead from their tests, I won’t sue. Oh, and that I give them permission to send my results to some government census project.” I mumbled the last part in hopes that she might not be paying attention. I was wrong.

  “What?!” Her lunch landed on the ground with a thud as she spun to face me. Her eyes wild, she was obviously appalled. “Haven’t I taught you anything?! The government! Cassia…” She held me by the shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes. “The government is corrupt; they could use your own blood against you.”

  I fought hard not to roll my eyes and I bit my lip to prevent the smirk that wanted to spread across my face. She was a big conspiracy nut and according to her; the government was out to get everyone.

  Bending over, picking up her lunch and handing it to her, I shook my head, linked my arm in hers and started walking again. “Amy, honey, you have to learn how to relax.”

  Chapter 2

  “Ahh, back for more, huh?” The receptionist at the front desk gave me a teasing grin.

  “Yah.” I shrugged. “I guess I enjoy a little torture first thing in the morning.”

  “Haha, just take this sheet down to admitting and they’ll get you started.” She smiled sweetly as she handed me a sheet of paper.

  “Thanks.”

  I wandered through the corridor of the university, passing several students along the way. Each smiled warmly at me as we passed one another.

  “Friendly bunch.” I mumbled as I walked to the admitting booth.

  “Hi there.” A bubbly young woman greeted me.

  “Hi.” I replied as I handed her the sheet.

  “Wonderful, just head down to x-ray and they’ll get you prepped for the mammogram.”

  “What?!” I’d heard those were terribly painful, what was I getting myself into?

  Cringing as I walked down the hallway toward x-ray, I imagined my poor breasts being squashed between two metal plates that slowly moved closer and closer together like a present day torture device.

  “Money for my tuition…money for my tuition.” I reminded myself, gritting my teeth.

  Turning into the lab, I walked up to a young woman dressed in a lab coat. Cheerily, she nodded as she greeted me hello. “I’m Deborah, do you have your waiver with you?” Handing her the paper that would give her permission to inflict pain and suffering upon me, she guided me to the back to change.

  Slipping once again into a gown and tying it in the back, I wandered out into the waiting area. Spotting me, Deborah walked quickly to retrieve me.

  “Follow me, please.” She smiled and directed me with her pointer finger as she led me down a hallway. Turning into a dimly lit room, she instructed me to have a seat near an enormous piece of technology.

  Warily, I searched for the little window that the students usually stood behind and watched their specimens from. Exhaling a sigh of relief as I didn’t see one, I could feel my shoulders relax a little.

  “Please remove your gown and place your left breast on the plate.” The young student asked politely. Standing beside me as I took off my gown, I heard a quiet gasp escape her. Looking at her face, I saw that her eyes were firmly focused on the anomaly between my breasts. “What…?” She began with a bizarre mixture of fascination and disbelief painted on her face.

  “It’s a birthmark, weird huh?” I could feel the burn of embarrassment reach the tips of my ears. Making a mental note to have my freakish birthmark covered with a garish tattoo after all of this, I turned my front torso away from her gawking stare and placed my left breast onto the cold plate of the mammogram machine.

  Silently, Deborah turned and walked to the control room to begin the test.

  After twenty minutes of torture and having my breasts squashed like pancakes, I wandered back to the change room. Closing the curtain behind me, I massaged my aching chest and then proceeded to get dressed.

  “Thanks again.” The happy receptionist handed me my money and I left the building clutching my throbbing bosom.

  “This had better be worth it!” I muttered as I headed back to my dorm room.

  ***

  The hard noodles clinked against the sides of the pot of boiling water as I built myself a bowl of macaroni and cheese. As steam rose above the pot, I was reminded of the smoke that swirled up into the sky from the huge bonfires on the reservation.

  I missed my home. Well, my foster home anyways. No one, not even the Hopi elders, seemed to know where I came from. My So’o, adopted grandmother, raised me from infancy after she found me abandoned in a cave near the village.

  Closing my eyes, I could almost feel the heat of the Sedona sun kiss my face and warm my chest. Opening my eyes, however, I realized it was only the steam from my boiling pot of noodles.

  Sighing as I poured the el dente noodles into a colander and drained the hot water away, I wondered if I was ever going to see my home in the desert again. I could barely afford to eat and put myself through college let alone fly over eight states to see my family.

  Thank heavens for Amy; I wouldn’t have lasted this long out here if it weren’t for her. People just weren’t as friendly as I’d hoped they’d be when I moved away to go to school. Well, most people, the students that had been using me as a living Petri dish for the last two days were exceptionally nice which made it a little easier to endure the life of a guinea pig. Except for the pain, I almost looked forward to my last day of testing, I was getting used to the royal treatment.

  Smiling as I settled down with my meager dinner, I winced as my arm brushed up against my swollen left breast. After being smashed in the mammogram, it was screaming in protest.

  “Just one more day…then I don’t have to endure any more tests,” I shrugged as I loaded my fork full of cheesy pasta, “I hope.”

  Chapter 3

  Jogging through the campus, the muscles in my
thighs burned a little. It had been a little over a week since I’d ran last and my body was letting me know that it wasn’t impressed.

  With my long black hair secured in a ponytail, it bobbed on the back of my head with every stride. My ears quivered with delight as a heavy metal band blared angry lyrics. I rarely ran in silence, music was a muse for me.

  The early morning sun was just centering itself in an ocean of blue sky. A brisk wind brushed against my face, air drying the tiny beads of sweat that were forming along my hairline.

  Pulling my stopwatch from the front pocket of my sweatshirt, I checked the time.

  Another ten minutes, then I should go back for a shower and head to the medical department for my next torture session.

  Tucking my watch back into my pocket and turning a corner around the university, I started a sprint down the football field. Hot blood ran to my head and hands, a powerful thudding coursed through me as my body surged with energy. After only five minutes, however, I was surprised to find myself huffing and puffing a little.

  Doesn’t take long for the body to lose shape. I thought with a disgruntled snort. How fickle the human body can be, one day it’s your best friend, the next, your worst enemy.

  Slowing myself to a light jog, I noticed a couple walking hand in hand through the park. A pang of jealously twisted at my heart as my eyes lingered on the happy pair. I’d gone on a few dates in my life, but nothing, and I do mean nothing, ever came from them but annoyance.

  Having been raised on the reservation, there’s a different approach to courtship. Most choose the more traditional route and allow their parents to find them a suitable mate. The western world shuns the idea of betrothal because they think it is a violation of individual rights, but in reality, it can be a very romantic way to discover love. Parents would only want the very best for their children, so they’d choose the best possible fit. Scouring nearby villages for the perfect future husband or wife, they can spend years searching for that right match.

  I, however, being an orphan, was no one’s first choice for a wife. Without access to my ancestry, medical history or proven bloodline, I was considered ‘unfit’ for any of the boys within a hundred mile radius.

  Stopping to take a breath and stretch my calves, I held onto a nearby oak tree and flexed my knees forwards, then straightened them.

  Resentment for my biological parents seeped into my heart. Why did they leave me in the cave? Who were they? Wasn’t I worth keeping?

  The questions had plagued me for most of my life; I began to wonder if they’d ever be answered.

  A tap on my shoulder startled me out of my pity party. Pulling my earphones out and spinning around, I wasn’t quite prepared for what I was about to see.

  “Hi…um…you dropped this.” A tall, bronze-skinned man said as he handed me my stopwatch.

  “Oh! Thanks!” I responded as I took the timepiece. His eyes reminded me of dark chocolate with a dash of caramel in the middle. His black hair looked freshly cut but was left long enough to entertain a mass of wavy curls. It was fairly obvious that this guy worked out—a lot. I had to force my eyes away from his massive chest.

  Towering over me with a warm smile, I looked at the ground as I felt heat rush to my cheeks.

  “I’m Keanu.” He stated as he extended his large right hand to me.

  “Like the actor?” The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them. This guy made me nervous, I felt like a brainless teenager around him.

  “Yah, like the actor.” His eyes twinkled with a kind humor. “And you are?”

  “Cassia.” I couldn’t make my mouth relax, a silly grin stayed planted on my face.

  “Like the spice?” His handsome face looked inquisitive.

  “Spice?”

  “Yes, there’s a spice, like cinnamon, called Cassia.”

  “Wow, really? I had no idea.” Feeling stupid that I didn’t even know what my name meant, I attempted to change the subject. “Where did you find my watch?”

  His bicep flexed as he turned and pointed to the far side of the university where I’d been only moments before. I averted my eyes from his arm to my watch as he looked back at me. Realizing the time, I debated internally whether or not to go to my next torture session in the medical wing. After only a few seconds, I quickly decided that because I was ‘volunteering’, I could go tomorrow.

  “Do you…wanna go get a coffee or something?” Keanu asked shyly as his eyes searched my face.

  My stomach did a little flutter of butterflies as I answered with a grin. “Sure.”

  ***

  Sipping the steaming mocha with appreciation, I savored the creamy liquid velvet as it ran down my throat. My hands hugged the sides of the hot mug, treasuring the rare treat. Since starting school, such luxuries were few and far between. Taking another drink, I glanced over the brim of the cup at the large, gorgeous man admiring me from across the table.

  “So you’re taking archeology?” I found his deep voice intoxicating.

  “Um, yes. I’ve always loved ancient artifacts. I’m going to move to Egypt when I’m done.” I blurted out.

  “Cool.” He responded with a warm smile.

  “What are you taking?” I set my cup down but continued to clutch the warm sides; my hands were cold which always seemed to happen when I was nervous.

  “Engineering.”

  “Whoa, that’s a tough one.” I stated, truly impressed.

  His bronze cheeks reddened a little and he grinned as he lowered his head. “Well, it’s not too bad. Are you from Washington originally?”

  “No, Arizona.”

  “Were you born there?” Keanu’s dark brown eyes were penetrating as he probed me about my life.

  Nodding, I finished off the last of my mocha. Peeking wistfully into the empty mug, I hoped our food was coming shortly, I was hungry.

  “In Phoenix?” He prodded.

  “Um…” I always had problems answering that one. I didn’t like to explain where I was born. Most of the population could boast at least being born in a city, and more specifically, a hospital. There was no pride in stating that my mother pushed me out in a cave and then left. “Sedona. You?” I finally answered, fudging the truth a little.

  “Hawaii.” He smirked as my eyes lit up with his answer.

  “Oh, I’ve always wanted to go there!” I really did. The way the island seemed to breathe with beauty and energy, it was a dream of mine to take a holiday there.

  “It is…beautiful.” His mouth spoke, but his eyes were firmly focused on mine as he enunciated the word beautiful.

  The corners of my mouth twitched into a smile and for what felt like the hundredth time that day, I blushed like a schoolgirl.

  The waitress arrived beside us with our order. I was ravenous and very grateful to Keanu for buying me a decent meal. It had been a few weeks since I’d eaten anything but macaroni and cheese.

  “Any brothers or sisters?” He inquired as he took a large forkful of pancakes. The man’s metabolism must have been that of a lion! He’d ordered eight pancakes, two sides of bacon and four fried eggs! My meager French toast, orphaned between a slice of ham and a strawberry garnish, looked like a bite size snack for him. I would’ve ordered more but I didn’t want to take advantage of his gesture. I didn’t know if this was considered a date so it was best if I just remained polite and not order everything on the menu.

  “Nope, just me. You?”

  “I have a twin sister, Keila. She’s still in Hawaii.” His entire face warmed with the mere mention of his family yet I wasn’t sure, but I thought I saw a twinge of sadness behind his eyes.

  Swallowing a mouthful of pancake, he inquired. “Are your parents still in Sedona?”

  He had no idea how painful these questions were for me to answer; I felt my defensive mechanism churning deep within me. I wanted to drop the family subject and the inquisition altogether. Debating within myself as to how to answer, my eyes locked downward, I quietly responded. “My gr
andmother raised me.” I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I really liked this guy, but we desperately needed a fresh topic.

  He must have sensed my discomfort because he reached over and took my hand. Allowing my eyes to move up to his, I was surprised at the compassionate expression he wore.

  For the first time in my life, my heart did a little skip. An awkward silence loomed over the table for a moment. I searched my mind desperately to find something intelligent to talk about but came up empty. Thankfully, he spoke first.

  “Do you want to go for a walk or something?” His brown eyes shone with a hopeful glint as he awaited my answer.

  “Sure.” I responded very quickly, my voice high-pitched. He made me nervous…but in a good way. I wanted to be with him. I liked his company and I certainly liked looking at him. Normally, I wasn’t the kind of girl who liked the large, hulking type, but damn, he was just a god among men.

  Collecting our things, he paid and then led me out of the restaurant, his hand gently placed on the small of my back.

  The morning sun was nestling itself into the center of the sky as we walked slowly around the large campus.

  Several students were scattered about the yard, enjoying one of the last warm days of fall. Some studious pupils poured over books as they sat beneath the old oak trees. Standing like sentinels over the old university, their nearly bare branches stretched into the sky as though reaching for some unseen angel.

  Keeping stride with Keanu, I smiled as I soaked in the atmosphere. A light wind whipped a few strands of my ebony hair over my lips.

  “What are you thinking?” He tilted his head with an inquisitive grin as he reached over and gently pulled the flyaway hairs from my face.