Of Monsters and Humanity: The Genesis

Chapter 19 - Xander

Fifty-three days before....

"Today, we thought we would go through some rules, Experiment X."

Today, there were about a dozen people in the Observation Room. I ate last night after the drugs wore off, so I was feeling pretty good, but all of the talking and bustling around gave me a headache. Once in awhile they did this--all gathered in the room to watch me as if that day I would do something interesting.

"Why?" I asked, resting my cheek on my knee and tracing lines on the floor.

"There is a group coming in today, and--"

"Am I being knocked out again?" I interrupted, but didn't raise my voice. "Am I gonna be chained up again? Is this another show?"

"Not exactly," he said.

"I don't care, I guess."

"You don't have to. There's nothing different today, just a few new interns watching. We expect you to be on your best behavior. No shows, I promise."

I cracked a crooked, fake smile and snickered. "I don't mind," I repeated quietly.

"We are just letting you know."

I looked up at him. "What do you care about me knowing what was going on?"

"Dr. Fahim instructed me to tell you."

I blinked and looked away. She would do that?

"But, anyway, they're just down the hall. We don't want to sedate you today, but please try to be polite."

"Polite?" I laughed.

He winced.

"I'll be polite when you let me free," I grumbled just as my voice was covered by others coming into the room.

I looked away. I didn't want them to find amusement in me being in the Pit. Besides, I could get through the glass. I could kill them all. I wasn't doubtful.

The group entered the room just as a few other doctors who were in there for hours before the others left. I could sense that they were younger--they were louder and didn't speak like the others. There were about ten of them, I think.

"This is so cool," one marveled.

People shifted around as the interns stayed in a group and tried to find room to see through the Viewing Window.

"Is that him?" one whispered.

I ignored the doctors in lab coats and the newbies pretending that they were one of them.

I heard them line up in front of the control board as they stared at me, marveling at me like I was some strange animal in a cage at the zoo. It was kinda like a zoo, though. I was the animal, the doctors and experimenters were the staff, and Balcom was the head zoologist. It was perfect.

"He seems tired today," a woman whispered to another beside her who agreed.

No one said much of anything as chairs were found for all of the interns

"Does he talk?"

"Are we going to do anything to him today?"

"What's his name, again?"

"What are his abilities?"

I drown them all out and continued to sit with my face covered as I stared at the ground as if it held some significance other than holding me from falling into the pits of hell, where I wish I was.