"Hey! What's wrong?" Shiobhan grabbed a rushing guy by the arm, the man looked very panicked, something terrible must've happened.
We got to the main hall minutes ago where, as Shiobhan had said, we're supposed to be welcomed by the operators and my fellow innovators but instead we received nothing but people running around who didn't even bother to take a glance at us.
"Combine center 157 just came back. The remaining are badly wounded!" I feel like I was struck by lightning. Remaining? What does he mean by remaining? How many are left? Three? Two? Just one? Did I really jump into my grave like EJ said?
"—kid?" I snapped back.
"Kid?? You okay?" Shiobhan's waving his hand in front of me, I nodded.
He looked a little doubtful at first but gave in anyway.
"Oh well, let's not waste time, I'll send you to the infirmary first. I'll be needed in the ER right now" will we be heading in the same way?
We walked toward an oscillating metal door, and Shiobhan took something from his pocket, pressing it on the scanner so we could pass through. My eyes struggled to adjust to the corridor's brightness. The lights are piercing and the glossy white wall wasn't helping with all the reflecting. We headed deeper into the corridor and I so much want to retch when I smell a faint hint of blood in the air, every step is getting heavier for me. I don't want to go any further.
"We're here" Shiobhan paused when we met a door by the side of the corridor, he pressed his thumb onto the door's button and it slid open.
"Hey Gen, I'm leaving him with you" Shiobhan faintly pushed me in the room where a tall man in a white coat was standing by the table, he smiled and grabbed me lightly by the arm, placing me onto the bed "What happened to you?" When I didn't answer he looked at Shiobhan.
"We've hit the O barrier earlier, he's weak so when he slumped he thought it was a good idea to croak. You can handle him I'm sure. I need to go now" the man smiled again and nodded at Shiobhan as he rushed away in the corridor. One thought about this doctor that stayed with me is his unusual smile.
"Please lie down"
I followed and rested my body on the bed. I feel all my nerves calm down so much that I'm sure I'll fall asleep at any minute.
"Open your mouth for me" I complied and stretched my mouth wide. He raised a small pencil shaped emilight and directed it to my throat.
"Severe inflammation" he places the emilight down.
"I don't think this was caused by the shaking" I paused. What?
He glanced at me, his smiled unchanged "Neurological condition?" I sat up almost instantly, my whole body running cold.
"Calm down now otherwise you'll add to the inflammation. Lie down please" How? He handed me a hand spray "Spray it to your mouth twice and your voice will come back"
I observed the spray in his hand. It's a small and clear container so the blue liquid inside is visible. I took it and looked back up at him to which he responded with a smile "Go on."
I sprayed it in my mouth twice. It tasted bittersweet with a bit of minty aftertaste, like menthol candy. After spraying I handed it back to him "Oh no, it's yours. Keep it" pushing the spray back to me.
I took a breath. "How?" my voice is still a bit raspy but it doesn't hurt now.
He showed that unusual smile "Guessing patients' problems come along with being a doctor" liar, my doctors weren't able to guess mine with only one look.
"Don't look at me like you're accusing me now, how about a thank you to a colleague?" colleague? He's in my Combined center?? "Thank you" I murmured quietly.
"That's more like it, now I'll leave you here. I have to go check with the patients in the ER. Please take a rest" he beamed at me and left.
I just lay on the bed tracing back all of today's events but mostly that doctor, something's just not right with him. As I keep thinking about the whole conversation, I finally know why I find his smile strange—he was doing it without his eyes, he was all smiley and nice but his eyes weren't going along, that kind of acting means he's not to be trusted especially when the expedition starts.
My mind keeps drifting and my body feels light, I don't want to sleep yet but on the other side I need to rest, I might not get this kind of luxury once the whole thing begins, so I let myself sleep.
"Kid" Shiobhan's faded voice called "Kid, wake up!" I jolted awake when Shiobhan sprayed water in my nose
"Why would you do that?" I coughed and coughed and I could feel my throat hurting again.
"You've been asleep for a whole day, you totally missed the briefing" not like I'm interested in knowing anything else about the expedition, the thought that I could die in the process is enough for me.
"Then why didn't you wake me up early?" My feet touched the ground and it's so cold I could feel the chills all the way to my head.
"Genesis told me to just let you rest, so I did"
"Genesis?" I looked up at Shiobhan and noticed something unusual "What happened to your hair?" his hair wasn't messy but instead combed slick to the back of his head "And what are you wearing?" for a day that I've known Shiobhan, I never thought of him as a suit person.
He flicked my forehead "Oww!"
"Don't look so surprised, I can be formal when the occasion calls for it" the word formal should never be acquainted with you.
"Okay, so what's the occasion?"
"We held a funeral this morning," he said with a quiet tone.
Funeral? Was it for the survivors? "How many of them?" I'm glad the words came out strong and indifferent, this is a good start.
"All"
The word brought a heavy atmosphere between us. I stared at the floor, I don't know if I can cover my next words with a cold tone, how come all of them died? Weren't they supposed to be just wounded?
"Weren't there survivors?" it came out weaker than before.
He shook his head "There were two, but they died a few hours after they were admitted to the ER"
I sighed, being an innovator is a gamble, a gamble that I consider my hope. Why must people be resigned to a fate they didn't want?
I heaved another sigh "Why did you wake me up then?"
I was shocked by his sudden shift "Ohhh right" he said with an I-almost-forgot that-tone,"I'm bringing you to meet your colleagues"
Well that's a nightmare. I don't want to get to know people who are going to die either way, I don't want to go back home all depressed.
"You excited?" I faked a smile "Maybe"
We got back into the hallway and entered another room, but this one's bigger, brighter and colder or the colder part might just be me hesitating to meet them.
"Welcome to your new life Kid, enjoy it while you still can."
I really hope he didn't say that last line.