4522 {The Number Series}

24

Warning: Graphic chapter.  

I had twenty numbers on my list. Twenty babies in a tube. Twenty times to push the red reject button. Twenty deaths by my hand.

My legs shook as I went down the metal stairs. My palms sweet as I gripped the tablet tightly. I felt as If I were going to be sick as my stomach continuously twisted into knots. The same expression I was sure I held on my face was placed on the other three although it seemed I was the one who was the most troubled. I did not know I was going to be able to hide my emotions while completing the task.

I walked along the silver cylinders looking for my first number but not really seeing. It was one hundred and fifteen.

You could not see anything except the back of the tubes from the direction of the stairs. On the side sat the numbers in thick black print. Once I was walking through the rows I could see that only on half could you see into the tube, something I was dreading. I did not want to witness what was happening. It was not until I looked up did I realize I had navigated my way to them without paying attention.

The first one on my list. 

I stood in front of the glass. The inside glowed a dull red. The baby floated in the liquid, attached to a cord that went high up past where I could see. It looked peaceful with its little hands clasped and its eye closed in sleep. 

The first red button was hit and the sound of rushing liquid filled my ears. I cringed. I looked around to see if I could see any scientists around me. There was one. I could see her and she could see me. Her hand pressed down quickly on the red button. She turned away as the rushing sound happened again. She was staring right at me. I swallowed a lump in my throat. I could not just walk away from the tube and the baby without her telling someone that I was not in fact supposed to be there. I either had to press the red button or I had to give my group away.

My hand hovered over the read button, not able to quite press down.

There was a life in there. An innocent baby that had done nothing but fallen short genetically of its peers, which it had been given and had no choice over. 

I had to remind myself that if I did not press the button then I would give myself away. I would not be able to start the fire of the revolution that would ensure this never happened again if I were caught and caused the other three to be discovered as well. 

My stomach lurched. Tears prickled my eyes. It felt as though I were about to faint.

I had no choice. I had no more time.

My hand felt like it crashed into the red. The noise of rushing liquid filled my ears along with all of the other tubes that were being rejected. I tried to close my eyes from the horror but I was not quick enough. The liquid shot towards the ceiling and the little baby was torn apart before being taken with it. It took everything I had not to vomit.

There were nineteen left. Nineteen more times I had to do that and it became a thousand times more difficult with each one. Little lives were being depleted by my hands when my goal was to save lives not end them. It felt like the sound of the rushing liquid would be all I would ever hear again. The grief I was feeling seemed like it would never fade. Back in the forest they had a thing they called religion. They believed that a higher power guided and helped them. While i had not joined them in this while I was there, I found myself asking for help now. That the burden I was carrying of these murders would be lifted off of my shoulders. There was nothing more that I wanted then to un-see the deaths of innocent babies who had done nothing wrong other than be created and fall short on their genetic make up that had been given to them. Much like myself, they did not have a choice.