Defy

Part 2: Doubts

11:00am Tuesday October 12th, 2031;
I got up and got dressed and headed for the lab. I got up a little late because I couldn't sleep last night. I have a headache that I can absolutely not get rid of.
      12:25pm Tuesday October 12th, 2031;
      I open the door to the lab and request to see the doc at the front desk.
"Name?" The front desk woman asks me.
"Sam. Sam Jackson." I tell her.
"I need Dr. Derek to the waiting room please." She calls over the intercom.

      A few minutes later, the doc arrives.
"Good. You're here. And you're not late. Come on. I'll take you to the back." He grabs my shoulder as if we were buddies and walks me to a room that is decorated like an exam room.
"I need to take a Covid-19 test, a Strep Throat test and an eye test." He tells me. And then he exits the room.
      A few minutes later he comes back with 2 swabs and a miniature flashlight. He does the Covid test first, then the strep, and lastly the eye sight. I wait 25 minutes and the results are back.
"You don't have Covid, nor strep. And your eye sight is fair. You will be fine." The doc says.

      12:45pm Tuesday October 12th, 2031;
      The doc calls me to the very back of the lab again.
"Are you married?" He asks.
"No. I have a girlfriend though. Her name is Tracy." I say a little worried.
"It's all in your head you know. There is no way to be worried. You're gonna be just fine." He says reassuringly.
"Wait a minute, doc. You didn't even tell me what I'm here for." I say pissed off.
"Oh. Yes. Of course. You are here to be one of the first humans to be criostasized ever."
"Wait, one? As in there are more people doing this?" I ask angrily.
"Yes. Me, you, and someone you already know."
"Someone I know? Like who?" I ask.

      When we get to the criolab, I see Finlan being prepped for procedure. My gut sinks to my feet instantly.
"Really?!! My brother?!!!!" I ask very pissed off.
"Yes. I figured you both could experience it together. I told him not to tell you so that you wouldn't say no to doing this." He says.
I make an Ugh noise and walk off angrily.

1:00pm Tuesday October 12th, 2031;
I plop down on a couch just outside of the criolab. The doc eventually walks through the doors of the lab and tries to talk me into doing it with Finlan. That doesn't work and then the doc brings Fin to me. Fin sits next to me.
"We have to do this. It's the only way we can actually be brothers for a change. I don't want us to keep on fighting every time we see each other." Fin says reassuringly.
"What if something goes wrong? Huh? I won't be able to save you when I'm in.....crio..something... whatever it is." I say disappointed, "I can't lose you. You are the only family I have."
"Nothing will go wrong. The doctors have the right training and the right tools to keep us, all of us, alive. And it's criostasis." He says correcting me.
"Smart ass." I say jokingly to Fin.