Of Monsters and Humanity: The Genesis

Chapter 37 - Xander

Thirty-one days before....

I stand staring at the bed for what feels like hours.

My fists are balled up like I'm trying to swallow something I don't want to swallow or like I'm trying not to punch someone. Those feelings are both mixed. I want to lay in the bed, and I promised her that I would, but I just can't.

I could lie to her and just say that I did. Who would she be to say differently? She doesn't review the security footage, so she would never know. I'm a good liar.

But what if, by chance, she does tomorrow? She would be really angry, and she wouldn't show me her drawing.

Or what if Damian tells her? I know that they aren't on great terms, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't watch the security footage and tell her. He likes to do the right thing, what if he knew that she wanted me to sleep in the bed?

A large part of me is telling me that I should just sleep on the floor and then lie to her when she gets here. I really want to do that. She wouldn't know differently, and only I would know that I did it. I like keeping secrets to myself, even if they only amuse me.

But a small part of me, a dim light, is telling me that I should just sleep in the damn bed already. I don't know what she went through to get the bed in the first place, and I'm just acting like a spoiled brat.

Damn it.

I sat in my bed and felt my body sink into the mattress.

I don't like it already.

As I turn to lay, I realize that I look awkward. Shit, how do you lay in a bed again? I shift to the side and lay my head on the pillow. Is this even right?

I don't know, and I don't care. I was missing out majorly when I was sleeping on the floor. I need to thank Terra when I see her.

I wake up to voices.

Drearily, I blink and roll over. The lights are out now and I'm warm and comfortable. I don't like it.

I'm about to fall right back asleep when I hear whispers in the Observation Room. Normally when I hear them I kind of just ignore them and go on with my life because they usually have no significance to me at all. But I start catching a few words as I'm falling asleep and I can't just drift off now.

"We need to move him eventually. There's no way we can have construction in here with him sitting in the corner. It's too dangerous, much too dangerous," I hear a woman say, and I recognize the African accent. It's Dr. Fahim.

"Where would we put him? The renovation blueprints were just approved by the President. There's nowhere else for him to go," another voice disagreed, and I recognize him as Byligan.

"I hate to suggest the option of keeping him in the lab," Dr. Fahim muttered.

"Did you not see what he did last week? He tried to kill himself. Do you really think that it would be a good option to keep him knocked out in the lab for a week or so?"

"I suppose you're right."

"Not to mention the fact that he will be around doctors with scalpels at the ready. How can we put a cap on research with him in the lab twenty-four-seven?"

There is a moment of silence and I keep my eyes closed as I pretend to sleep. They're doing construction on the Pit. Something within me ignites again, a flame that I put out a long long time ago and swore to never reignite.

Hope.

"I don't know, special agent Byligan, but we need to find a resolution and fast. The higher ups of the entire operation will be visiting soon and we cannot have the Holding Pen looking the way it is."

I want to think more on this and maybe even laugh at them, but I can't because the bed is calling me to sleep again and I need to answer it.