Shocked

The Visitor

Today was day 850 in hell. I'm supposed to be getting a visitor today, my first one ever. I looked through my cell door to see Agent Peterson approaching. She was about 5'7", only slightly taller than me, and had beautiful blonde hair that was always pulled into a curled ponytail. The lights began to flicker, as they often do.
"Wanna get that for me, Odo?" She said in her sweet southern accent. Peterson grew up in Georgia but moved out to Nevada to pursue her dreams. I've always wondered what type of dreams you have that you move to Nevada for, but she never told me.
"Of course, I do Pete!" I raised my finger to the hanging light right in front of my door. I closed my eyes. Breath in, breathe out. The electricity was already starting to bubble in my body. In, out. My body was beginning to burn with power. I cleared my head and only left my intention in my mind. In, out. In, out. Once the thunder was flowing through my arm I flicked my finger ever so slightly. A bolt of lightning connected my fingertip to the light. Another flick to my finger and the bolt was gone. I shook my head and opened my eyes, the lights were bright and working again. I gave my brightest smile over to Peterson who was grinning at me too.
"How are the nightmares kiddo? Doing any better or worse?" She asks me this every day, and every day I give the same response.
"Still the same as day one," I say with little enthusiasm. "But I did see my parents this time, not for long though. I ended up hurting them accidentally in the end." My eyes start to blur, I missed them. Even if they never came to see me, or call me, or write a letter. Peterson noticed the change in my tone and unlocked the cell.
"Come here kiddo. Give me a hug," she said. I walked through the door as soon as it was open and attached to her. She'd been the closest thing to family you've had in over two years. She was like a big sister to me when I couldn't have mine. She helped me with my history papers, taught me how to do flips, she'd curl my hair when I was bored. Sometimes if I had an important meeting, she'd bring some eyeshadow and blush.
I could smell her perfume. Apples and lilies. She had the kinda scent that could calm you down on a bad day. "Have I ever told you that I like your scent? You always smell very nice and safe." I pulled away and wiped my eyes on my navy blue hoodie.
The hoodie was one I've been given recently. It read "Midtown School of Science & Technology," in a gold circle with an atom in the middle. Midtown was the school I was learning through. They sent me emails every week with all my work attached. I'm enrolled as a Freshman this year, but they let me take advanced math and science classes. I'm taking Algebra 2 this year. The way I do my work is one subject a day.
Mondays- Math
Tuesdays- Science
Wednesdays- Social Studies
Thursdays- English
Fridays- Extra work.
Peterson gave a slight chuckle as she patted my back. "Yeah, you have, a few times kiddo. I need to get you down to the visitor wing, your special guest is here." Oh my god, he's here! I've been waiting for a week for him and he has finally come! I can't wait to ask for his name, see who he is.
"Why didn't you start with that? Let's go, come on!" I turned to the left and started heading towards the elevators. Peterson grabbed my wrist and pulled me to a halt. "Peterson just this once, please? I'm not going to try anything, I have a visitor and don't wanna mess it up." I looked at her with pleading eyes, hoping that it would do the trick even though it never did.
"No, no. You know the rules. If you aren't in the cell or the lab, the power chambers are on. I can't take the risk of either of us getting in trouble." She held out the cuffs. I sighed and put my wrist towards her. Peterson snapped them shut and pressed the buttons. She then reached into her bag and grabbed the neck cuff. I looked at her puzzled.
"Is he someone important? The neck is only required for people with power and respect. Who is he? The president? Oh, that would be so cool. Maybe it's someone from the school, oh my god are they expelling me? I haven't done anything wrong why would they-"
"Stop rambling, kid. I get it you're nervous, but I can't tell you who it is, because I don't know either. I'm just here to get you down there." Well, that response was a letdown, how am I supposed to prepare for someone when I don't know who they are?
I reached out to press the down button on the elevator pad when Peterson spoke, "We are not using that one Odo. Go down the right hallway."
"Oh. Um okay. I'm a little confused, are we using the stairs?" I glanced at her, we only use the stairs on weekends, it's a Tuesday. She chuckled a little before we rounded the corner. Around this corner was another elevator. This one was shiny and clean. Her slim fingers hit the down button.
I guess my shock was visible because Peterson spoke, "What's with the face, never been in this elevator before?" I shook my head. Another chuckle, "This is the elevator we use to get to the main floors. This one goes to your floor, the main floor, the office floor, and the cafe."
The doors of the elevator open and we enter. Agent Peterson presses the button labeled one. I look to the front right corner and notice the round camera. I force a warm smile to my face and wave to it. The silence between us is nice, but I decide to break it. "I didn't even know there was another elevator." I looked up to meet her deep brown eyes, which are now looking into mine. As she grinned a bit as the elevator dinged signaling we arrived on the first floor. "Oh, this is so nerve-racking."
I could feel my heart pounding in my body, like an elephant trying to break through my chest. I tried straightening out my hair but it seems my hands were too shaky. The big metals doors were now opening again. A hallway that was new to me was revealed to me. The walls were a pale yellow color, the floors are bright white tiles. Agent Peterson steps out and signals for me to follow as she turns left through the hallway. I have so many things to say and ask but I can't seem to speak.
My mouth feels dry and my stomach starts to twist. "Will I be able to have some water before I meet them? Also, my stomach hurts, do you think I am sick?" I don't know how long I've been holding my breath but it felt nice to breathe in again. The blue hospital dress and hoodie seem too warm for me at the moment, it's making my neck and palms violently sweat. I wipe my hands on the pastel green railing on the walls as I take off the hoodie and fold it over my arms.
"There is going to be some drinks and fruit in there for you. Don't sweat it too much. It's going to be a short meeting, they said. And I'll be right beside this door the whole time." Her eyes were warm and full of truth. "I promise." She added as she held up her pinky.
I lifted my pinky to meet hers and sighed. She pinky promised me she'd be there, and I hoped this was true. In, out. Peterson pulled the metal door open and I entered. The room wasn't like the rest of the ones I've seen. It wasn't bright, shiny, white, or stuffy. The walls were two different shades of gray, light gray on the top and an awkward brown-gray on the bottom. A white table sat in the middle with one matching chair on each side. There was a hanging light directly above the table, this light was nicer than the one outside my cell. On a wall left to the door, there was a large mirror. I could see the man in it. I tried to study him before we spoke so I could get as much information about him as I could.
In, out. In, out. I tried to calm myself before speaking to avoid any weakness my voice could show. "Who's on the other side?" I questioned as I glanced at him over my shoulder, I don't want to give him my full attention yet. He shifted in his chair a bit, sitting straighter up and putting his clasped hands on the table. He could either have just been uncomfy in his seat, or he could have been upset that I wasn't focused on him, that I was giving attention to the two-way mirror in front of us.
The man looked at his watch on his left wrist. That's the third time he has checked it since I've stepped in. "Hate to say I don't know. A few random agents from here, said it's some kind of safety precaution," He glanced at the watch again, "Why don't you come and sit down so we can get those chambers off of you?" I debated my options in my head quickly. I can stay standing and interrogate him, but then I would have to keep on the chambers. I could also listen to him, and go sit down so I can get them off. I think back to Peterson's promise. I turn my head left towards the door to look at its window. You could see a blonde head in front of it, I knew I would be safe.
I rotate to the right to face back towards him, I'm trying to buy myself more time to observe. He has a black eyepatch coving his left eye and he's wearing a dull thermal under his black dress coat. I take four steps to meet the chair and sat down. My eyes met the man's eye for the first time. They're seem closed off and full of secrets. Our eyes hold contact for just a few seconds before he breaks it, he looks into the mirror and nods. My heart starts racing again, was this some kind of sick way to run a test? "Wait, why are you nodding? Is this another experiment?" Almost every word I spoke had a quiver to it, and the man seemed to notice.
He spoke very quickly to calm me, "No experiments, just telling them to get the chambers, as I promised. Is that alright with you?" I stopped my panic to see if he was sincere, and he was. I take a few deep breaths to ease the pounding coming from my heart. I nodded my head, I'm ashamed I let my emotions overpower me. Two agents in nice plain suits entered. One, a tall broad man, stood in the entryway, while the other, a shorter man, clicked off the cuffs. While the door is cracked open I peak through the taller man to see if Peterson was still there, she was, thankfully.
The two agents left after they took off all three of my cuffs. I waited for the man to talk but he never spoke. "So mystery man, what can I call you?" He looked at me puzzled like he didn't know his name. "I'm going to assume you came here for a conversation, and if we're going to have a successful one, I must know what your name is. Do you know what your name is?" I added the last question to get a reaction out of him, but all I was met with was a forceful exhale through the nose.
The man glanced at his wristwatch again, where ever he's going after this, it must start soon. We waited a good minute in silence before the man said, "My name is Nick Fury, It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms.Odo." He leaned back in his chair slightly and pulled his hands to his lap.
"Lovely to meet you, Mr.Fury," I announced with a fake half-smile plastered to me. He smiled back at me. "How are you doing today?" I continued, asking as if I wanted to know.
He nodded his head a little before replying, "Hmm well I'd say I'm doing pretty good today, and you?" His eye stared into mine. They were crazy deep brown. They may not tell you much, but they could tell me he wasn't interested in how it was today, he was pretending like I was. There was something else in his eyes, his eyes felt familiar. I ran through all the eyes I've seen before to try and find his.
My body went cold. My heart stopped. I could feel my hands shaking but there was nothing I could do to stop them. "I know you. We've met haven't we?"