Inhuman Page 8

  Curling up on the tiny bed, I closed my eyes and sighed. My plan of escape was going to have to wait.

  ***

  “I’m not sure, but it looks like she has an internal infection.” The medic stood over me, holding his stethoscope in his hand. “She’ll need an aggressive round of antibiotics.”

  “Will it hurt the baby?” Agent Evans was gruff as he asked, his arms folded across his chest.

  “No, it shouldn’t.” The medic sounded nonchalant as he packed up his stethoscope and other instruments into a silver suitcase. Lying on the cot, I felt myself nod off as the two men discussed my condition.

  “Shouldn’t! We need to know for sure!” Agent Evans’ voice startled me from my brief nap. Opening my eyes to a mere sliver, I looked at his face and it was wrought with concern. I would have preferred he be worried for me, but instinct told me that his sights were set elsewhere.

  “Sir.” The medic began, obviously shaken from the verbal outburst. “Even though she has human anatomy, we can’t know for certain what reactions she or the baby might have.”

  Agent Evans paused for a moment, then replied. “Do it, do whatever you have to save the baby.”

  Chapter 10

  I was in and out of consciousness for at least two days. The only way I could tell time anymore was the kind of food being delivered to my cell. I had counted two breakfasts so far—both left uneaten.

  The second day, I’d tried a bit of the chicken noodle soup they’d shoved through the little flap at the bottom of the door, but it came right back up. After that, I decided to test the old wives tale about ‘starving a fever’.

  Even drinking water elicited heavy vomiting sessions but for the baby I forced myself to have at least two handfuls a day.

  Three times a day the medic would come in to administer needles which I presumed contained antibiotics.

  By the fourth day, I began to feel a little better. I could keep food down and that was the most important thing.

  The little person inside me needed sustenance. Maybe it was the illness, but I was sure that I could feel her, sense her. It was like we had a connection, not only by blood, but with our minds as well.

  I’d never been close to anyone who’d been pregnant before, so I wasn’t sure if this was a common occurrence. Some magazine articles I’d read alluded to the fact that mothers had a natural and deep bond with their unborn babies, but this felt like more than the average connection.

  I knew her. I felt her being, her life force.

  On the fifth day, Keanu came to visit.

  “How are you feeling?” His voice was gentle as he sat beside me on the cot and rubbed my leg just above the knee.

  “Better.” My voice had an obvious harsh tone as I glared at him. Why was this first time he’d come to see me since I’d been sick? Sighing, he sensed my disappointment in him. Leaning toward me, he whispered softly. “I wasn’t allowed to come before.”

  Guilt immediately rippled through me and I felt my expression soften as I looked into his eyes and touched his hand. I guessed by his last statement that they had found out about our little discussion in the closet.

  We sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, caressing one another’s hands. I examined his handsome face.

  If all this hadn’t happened, we’d be planning a life together.

  No sooner had I thought the words, I felt a gentle prodding from within my womb. She agreed with me.

  “Keanu! The baby just kicked!” Pulling his hand and placing it on my stomach, I smiled as I waited for her to move again. Keanu’s eyes were bright and he wore a silly grin as he too, waited. After a few seconds, we both felt a soft tapping.

  Elated, we laughed as we threw our arms around one another and hugged. Tears welled in my eyes as I bathed in the sensation of loving human contact. His large arms wrapped around me were so soothing, so warm. Nuzzling my cheek into his shoulder, I forgot for a moment where I was and how I’d gotten here. The memory of his kiss haunted me as I closed my eyes and inhaled the delicious scent that lingered in his shirt.

  His body tensed suddenly and he glanced at the corner of my cell where the surveillance bug lie embedded. My instincts of mistrust took over and I tried to pull away. He continued to hold me even though I attempted to move.

  I turned to look at him, still struggling to get away. Holding me tight with his right arm, he raised his left hand to my face. Caressing my cheek with the back of his fingers, his hand then trailed to the nape of my neck. The warmth of his skin on mine almost made me cry with happiness.

  Gently pulling my face to his, he wet his lips as he brought my mouth to his. Running my hands through his black wavy curls, months of fear, anxiety and loneliness suddenly released from my body.

  As a moan escaped me, Keanu quickly raised his pointer finger to his lips. Grinning, he laid me back onto the cot and reached for the zipper of my white jumpsuit. Beginning at the soft indent below my neck, he slowly pulled the cold metal zipper down the center of my body. Ending just below my navel, he held the material open and leaned in to kiss my body.

  Pausing as though showing homage to the baby inside me, he placed a single tender kiss on the swelling contour of my lower abdomen.

  Focusing his attention on me, he carefully pulled the jumpsuit down the length of my body, and then off completely. Peeling his own clothes from his body, my eyes drank in the sheer beauty of the man.

  Climbing onto the cot and positioning over me, he continued to kiss my stomach. With his tongue trailing up my torso, he stopped and lightly kissed the birthmark between my breasts. Looking down at him, he gave me a teasing glance as he moved slightly to the right.

  Licking and kissing every curve and contour of my body, he finally made his way back up to my lips. Passion and lust intermingled as we gave into our desires. Our bodies moved together, gently and lovingly.

  Afterwards, holding one another and basking in the glow of blissful satisfaction, I could have sworn I felt the baby smile in approval.

  ***

  Watching Keanu get dressed, I struggled to keep my eyes from welling with tears. Now that I’d had a taste of the outside world again, I felt like a little kid that had just dropped their ice cream cone in the dirt.

  “Cassia, I have to go. They’ll already be suspicious.” His soft brown eyes pleaded with me as he tucked his shirt into his pants.

  “I know. I’m sorry.” I averted my eyes to the floor.

  Sighing, he moved to the cot where I was sitting and knelt on the floor beside me.

  “Don’t be sorry for anything. You’ve done nothing wrong.” He rubbed my hand as he spoke. “All this…bullshit, you don’t deserve this.” Anger tinged his voice as he stood again.

  Running his fingers through his hair, he paused for moment. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Walking briskly towards me, he took my hand and placed it firmly into my palm.

  Lifting my chin and kissing me, he turned and moved to the door. Knocking for the guard to let him out, he gave me one last cryptic look.

  After he’d gone, I looked down at the note in my hand. Fear swelled inside me as I unfolded it.

  Was it a good-bye letter? Had he come to see me one last time? To say good-bye to the baby?

  I couldn’t bear to read it.

  The note crinkled as I unfolded it, holding my breath, I began reading.

  Cassia, flush this as soon as you’re done reading it!

  Follow this note to the letter…

  Before I could read any further, my ears suddenly twitched as I heard the sound of voices just outside the door. I realized that someone was coming in. Unzipping my jumpsuit and stuffing the note down the front, I prayed it wasn’t Meyers.

  He hadn’t bothered me since they had discovered I was pregnant, but I had a sneaky feeling that he wasn’t finished with me yet. The white door swung open just as I had zipped up the front of my jumpsuit.

  “Agent Evans.” I said, relieved to s
ee the older man.

  “Miss Tiponi.” He eyed the cell suspiciously. “I need to take you down to the lab for more testing.”

  A hard, cold sensation settled over me with the thought of more tests. I never knew what the hell they were going to do to me next.

  “Um, what kind of tests?” I asked, trying to sound pleasant. He sighed as he appeared to contemplate whether or not to tell me.

  “Ultrasound.” He finally surrendered, looking uncomfortable.

  “Oh.” A streak of fear shot through me as I realized I’d have to remove my jumpsuit for that.

  The note!

  “Could I…have a moment before we go?” I stalled, my eyes darting around the small room as I tried to figure out where I was going to hide this thing stuffed between my breasts.

  Wary, he frowned. “Why?”

  Giving him a shy glance, I responded bluntly. “I…have to pee.” I almost giggled at the varying shades of pink he turned.

  “Oh, um, yes, I’ll be back for you in minute or rather, knock when you’re ready.”

  As soon as he stepped outside the door, I retrieved the letter from inside my suit and searched for a hiding place. Falling to my knees and running my hands behind the toilet, I realized it was too damp and would damage the note. The sink had the same issue. The cot was the only other thing in the room so I rushed over and felt underneath. Relief swept over me as I felt rows of metallic coils. After stuffing the note tightly between a coil and the guts of the mattress, I stood and walked to the door.

  Knocking on the door, I looked back to the cot, praying that the note would still be there when I returned.

  ***

  “You shouldn’t have let her urinate, Agent Evans, she needs to have a full bladder to perform the ultrasound properly.” The lab technician scolded the elder agent as he prepped me for the procedure.

  I didn’t, dumbass. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the arrogant attendant.

  “Sorry.” Agent Evans mumbled as he tossed an annoyed glare at the lab technician.

  Letting out an exaggerated sigh, the lab technician pushed up my gown, and holding a little plastic bottle, squirted some cold, clear jelly onto my bare stomach.

  When I arrived, they had me change out of my jumpsuit and into a hospital gown.

  Thank god I hid the note! I thought to myself earlier as I disrobed in the washroom outside of the lab. The very washroom where I’d wandered away and tried to escape a few weeks previous.

  Placing an elongated wand on my stomach, over the location of my uterus, the lab tech slid the apparatus around with no obvious pattern.

  Both men watched a monitor turned just out of my line of vision. I knew it had been moved so I couldn’t see—which really pissed me off.

  I wanted to see her. I wanted to see her tiny hands and feet. Her heartbeat.

  Watching the monitor, the two men’s faces were steady and concentrated. I couldn’t read anything beyond vague interest. There was the occasional mumble and odd pointing of fingers when they’d notice something on the screen, but other than that, I was bored.

  Closing my eyes, I settled back and just enjoyed being somewhere other than my cell. It was rather relaxing laying there on the table. I felt myself nod off slightly. Pregnancy, combined with an illness, had definitely taken a toll on me.

  Just as I drifted off, I was awakened by Agent Evans’ gasp.

  “What?! What is it?! Is my baby okay?!” Panic swept through my body as I sat up on the examining table and clutched my stomach.

  “It’s nothing. Lie back.” The lab technician pushed me down forcefully by the shoulder. I caught a subtle unspoken exchange between the two men as they looked seriously at one another.

  Nothing my ass!

  Anger and fear enveloped me as tears began flowing from my eyes.

  How dare they keep anything wrong from me!

  Shaking, worry for my baby’s well-being overwhelmed me. What if something was wrong? What if this deformed DNA of mine was a genetic death sentence for my baby?

  I didn’t know if my mind could handle this. I was already on the verge of a breakdown from all the other atrocities I’d experienced over the last few months of my life. I couldn’t deal with the loss or malformation of my baby as well. She was the only person I could trust in this new and unstable world.

  I could hear a lot of mumbled exchanges between the two men. Quieting myself, I strained my ears to decipher anything I could.

  “Eighteen weeks?” Agent Evans asked with a hushed voice and the lab technician nodded in reply.

  Eighteen weeks!

  I was further along than I thought. That still didn’t confirm who the father was though; I’d been raped by Meyers only about a week after I had sex with Keanu.

  Depressed that I couldn’t see the image of my baby and that I didn’t have confirmation of who her daddy was, I closed my eyes and blocked out the world.

  Besides, I had a lot more important things to think about—like how I was going to get us out of here.

  ***

  The white door to my cell sealed with an audible click. Moving quickly, I lunged to the cot and immediately stuck my hand underneath. Feeling around for the note, I panicked for a second when I couldn’t find it. Lowering myself further, I turned my head and scanned the underside of the bed.

  I blew out a breath of relief when I saw it tucked neatly in the place where I’d left it.

  Endeavoring to shove my fingers between the coils, I realized that retrieving it was going to be harder than I thought. Lying on my back, I positioned myself just under the location of the note.

  Squeezing my hand between the bed frame and metalwork; I then tried to grab the note with my pointer and middle fingers pressed together. Slowly and carefully, I attempted again and again to pull the note to freedom. Painstakingly, I managed to maneuver it a couple of inches.

  Hearing a tear as I moved the delicate paper note through the labyrinth of metal lattice, I paused and tried moving it more slowly. Only a few more inches and it would reach the edge of the bed frame. Shimmying the note back and forth for another minute, the end finally poked its nose out the side of the bed.

  God! And I was worried someone would steal it!

  As I unfolded the letter once again, a wave of nervousness washed through my stomach. Straightening out the wrinkled paper, I started reading.

  Cassia, flush this as soon as you’re done reading it!

  Follow this note to the letter…I can’t leave you and the baby to suffer any longer. Besides, they have plans for you after the baby is born…and it’s not good.

  Tears welled and dripped softly through my lashes as I continued.

  Tomorrow, when they take you for your shower, use the stall farthest from the door and look up at the showerhead, I’ll have left you something there. Use it to disable the guard. Drag the guard into the shower stall and close the door. Make sure to take the item with you, then hide in the janitorial closet that we used before. Stay there and be quiet. I’ll come get you when it’s safe.

  Be careful.

  And Cassia, I love you.

  Gripping the note with both hands, I re-read it over and over in disbelief. I didn’t know which part I was happiest about, the fact that I was getting out of here or that Keanu loved me. Tears of joy ran down my face as I clutched the note, readying myself to rip it up and flush it down the toilet. Standing over the bowl, I held the note at the top, preparing to tear into two pieces, then four…

  Frozen in mid-air, I tried to pull the letter apart. My eyes lingered on the last phrase and I realized how much it meant to me—and how much I wanted to keep that letter.

  Chapter 11

  After supper was delivered that night, I curled up on my little cot and waited impatiently for the next morning. Sleep eluded me for hours as Keanu’s plan replayed over and over in my mind. His idea was certainly a lot better than the one I had hatched only the day before.

  Mine entailed breaking the mirror in my cell an
d hiding it in my jumpsuit. Once I got to the showers, I was going to cut my thigh, near my groin, and pretend like I was having a miscarriage. Upon calling the guard for help, I would stab the poor man and then make my getaway.

  In hindsight, I’m not entirely sure I could’ve gone through with it, both the idea of cutting myself and possibly killing another human being just didn’t feel like my style. Not to mention, where was I going to escape to? I still had the acres of nowhere to deal with.

  I wonder what Keanu has hidden in the shower?

  I hoped it wasn’t a knife or gun, I wasn’t sure I could live with myself if I took someone’s life, even if it was essential for our escape.

  Escape.

  Daydreaming, I thought back to the moment the door swung open when I tried to flee with Jessica. Remembering the way the sunlight cascaded onto my face and how the wind ran its invisible fingers through my hair made me long for the outside world even more. Even the scent of the gasoline that hung in the air from the vehicles on the army base elicited an ache in my heart as I pined for freedom.

  A tiny kick from inside my womb reminded me how important tomorrow was.

  Soon, little one, soon. I won’t let them hurt you.

  Closing my eyes, I let a wave of unconsciousness lull my weary soul to sleep.

  Tomorrow.

  My lips twitched into a smile as I drifted off.

  ***

  The dream, which had been so consistent all my life, was suddenly unrecognizable. The golden ocean of sand that had always lay before me as my nemesis had transformed to a sea of white. Millions of crystalline shards of snow glinted and gleamed by the light of a lessened sun.

  The sun.

  The once colossal source of heat which had blazed within my dreams had retreated into the black fabric of space, leaving a bitterly cold and unforgiving landscape of ice to dwell below.