24 Hours

Prolouge

Destiny Hailes never liked the idea of a dystopia, however, she never dreamed of a utopia either. Her preferences kind of reminded her of a story her father had read to her when she was younger, about a girl and three bears. Oh, how she missed that. She longed for everything to be just right once again.
Beginning in the year of 2034, when Destiny was only seven years old, the government of the United States announced a new path to take once out of high school. Instead of going off to college, starting a career, or enlistment, there was the option of becoming a servant at one of the labs built around the world. These labs were built on remote islands that had been discovered as humans began to explore more than just twenty percent of the ocean, finding islands that had become submerged in water a long time ago and building onto them until they reached the surface once again. Now, with the idea of being a lab servant being an option in mind, we must realize that it wasn’t exactly an option for the individual graduating high school, no. It was instead the government’s choice. Typically, officials would take a student’s records, grades, and history and decide if they fit the standard for lab service.
After this plethora of information, you may be asking yourself, what exactly does a lab servant do? Well, there are a variety of roles. These roles were split into three sections when created: Lab guard, scientist, and experiment/test subject.
Enough of that. Shall we begin the story now?

Destiny Hailes. The name read clearly on her diploma. That was in fact her name. She graduated… She graduated! After all those years of endless homework and staying up all night just to earn straight A’s, she’d finally achieved her goal. College was her next step, or at least she’d planned for that. Destiny wasn’t exactly sure how graduates were sent off to labs but nothing had happened to her yet. That was good, right?
“I’m so proud of you, Dezzie.”
She felt arms wrap around her from behind and looked back. Her older sister was there, hugging her and smiling.
“Thanks, Asha.” She replied, smiling right back at her.
“Come on, mom’s waiting in the seats. She wants to see you.”
Destiny followed her sister who led her to where their mother sat. The three spent the rest of the evening together at home before Destiny took off to her friend’s apartment to spend the night.
“Goodnight, I’ll see you tommorow!” Destiny shouted.
She shut the door behind herself and locked it with her keys, finally turning to walk down the street. As she walked, she listened to the chirping of crickets, passing a few people on the other side of the street. Out of nowhere came a dinging noise, startling her from her tired state. She carelessly pulled her phone out of a pocket in her vest and nearly dropped it as it slipped from her hand. Now she definitely was awake.
“You on your way?” Read a text from her friend.
She began to type in the message bar… “Yeah, just a few bl-”
But she stopped in her tracks, dropping her phone after the miraculous save just a few moments ago. She could hear it clatter to the ground. There were hands restraining her arms, holding them behind her back.
“What?” She barely managed to utter in shock.
“Do not resist, I am with Ms. Mae Hunt, you have been selected to serve at her lab. Hold still.”
Destiny’s eyes widened as she desperately tried to pull away from the woman behind her but just before her hands could slip out of her grip, something poked her in the arm, sending her back into a state of drowsiness and eventually, unconsciousness.

“Let me go!” Destiny struggled as she was pushed into an office by two guards.
She fell to her knees and looked up, hair blocking her vision. Her vision would have been useless anyway. She’d been asleep for who knows how long and it felt like there was a film over her eyes, blurring everything.
“Good morning, have a seat please.”
She blinked, wiping her eyes as she stood up. Her eyes had settled enough to see a woman standing at the other end of a room next to a tray of tools. “What do you want from me?” She asked, gritting her teeth.
“Government orders. Are you Miss Hailes?”
She hesitated, then nodded.
“Well, Destiny, you’ve been selected to serve for Ms. Hunt at her lab.”
Mae Hunt. She remembered that name.
“Please, sit down. If you don’t, I could get in trouble and that just wouldn’t really work well for me.” The woman said, sighing.
Destiny started toward the chair next to the tray of odd looking tools, her legs trembling. As if the room wasn’t cold enough, the chair froze her skin once it touched the plastic. Something cold then brushed across the side of her neck, startling her.
“What are you doing?”  Destiny asked.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“What month is it?”
Destiny thought for a moment but before she could respond, something pierced into her neck. Her eyes watered and she turned around, watching the woman put down one of the strange tools shaped like a weapon. Destiny put her hand to the spot that had been pierced but felt nothing. There was nothing.
“What was that!?”
The woman stayed silent, only held out what looked to be a receipt of some kind to her and instructed her to leave.
       Destiny Hailes - #3814 Lab Guard
Chip Inserted at 4:23 PM - June 1st 2045
       Warning: Chip Will Emit Poison If                               Perimeters Are Crossed without Permission