Enhancement

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I scream myself awake, waking up in an unfamiliar bed. Foreign pillows and sheets surround me, and I blink wildly in response. My heart pounds against my ribs, my ear ringing. Gasping for air, I stumble out of the bedcovers the semi-darkness.

This is relocation. Again.

My breathing shallows, and I swallow with difficulty. My limbs are shaking, losing control of everything around me. Where's Stephen?

My hands drag through my hair, fingers trembling. I feel my face contorting, my chest rising sharply. I don't know where I am.

"What's going on with me?" I mumble to myself, lost. "I can't take this anymore. I can't do it. I can't do it."

My strength abandons my body, and I stumble. Tears escape my eyes, and I let out a cry. I can't do this anymore. I don't know where I am. The Enhancement Project is too wild, too extreme. It's ripping me to shreds.

Hysteria creeps into me, haunting my thoughts. Everything has been happening too quickly for me to withstand. I can't handle any more changes. I fall to my knees onto the carpet.

My fingers comb through my hair again as I keel over. It all started with the Project. The Screeners and hazmat men ruined me with their tattoos and injections. They took away any control I thought I had.

They punished and tortured me for no reason with electric pulses. It destroyed my sense of justice in the world. Nothing is fair, I should have known that.

My hands curls around my hair, tightening their grip. Another raspy cry flies from my lips. Tears scrawl down my cheeks, dripping onto my clothes.

The Enhancement Project ruined everything. My self-control was stolen from me by government-supported scientists. They ordered me back to my home city to test out their technology. I defied them by telling my mom about their Project, and as a result, I killed her. I killed my own mother.

A sickening feeling rises in my throat, and I rush into the nearest bathroom. I don't bother switching on the light before I vomit into the sink.

I killed my mother, and I miss her now more than ever. I try to force the memory away, but it's too late. I see my mom hanging upside-down by a rope. Her body slackens and sways as the entire nation shames her with hate. They thought she was a terrorist, but she did nothing wrong.

My hands shake on the faucet as water sprays into the skin. More sickness consumes me, and I throw up again. The water flushes the vomit out of sight, but my stomach sloshes uneasily. I lean my weight onto the counter, feeling nauseous again.

I think about Grand Rapids and the rebels, but mind falters and gives up. I can't process their existence, it's too unbelievable. One event after another slammed into my life, taking everything from me. It all happened too fast.

I cup my hands under the rushing water, bending close to the faucet. Cold water soothes my throat, filling into my stomach. Repeating the action a few times, my tremors subside. The water switches off, and I stand over the empty basin.

I think about Nicolette with mounting emotions. Are we ever going to meet again? Or be friends again? The shaking returns to my body, weakening my arms. I clench my eyes shut, ready to faint.

Or Stephen? Where is he? Is he safe? Hurt? Having a panic attack just like I am?

Limited in my thought process, I name a few facts to restore my logic. I don't know where I am or why. I'm alone. Nobody can help me. The Project said if I break a rule, I die. There's no room for error.

I take another sip of water, too weak to summon any more tears. I dry my hands and shakily exit the bathroom. Slowly approaching the bed again, I drop onto the sheets and lay face-down. I barely muster the energy to breathe while falling asleep in defeat.

-- -- -- -- --

I glide awake, shuffling my covers closer to my chin. Morning light shines, and I gaze across the unfamiliar room. My insides pang when I realize where I am.

Offset, I turn towards the nightstand. An AirPhone lies flat on the table, holographically displaying an alarm clock's flashing numbers. September 21st, 2147. 0 days until the 220th Autumnal Equinox.

I swallow, a pit forming in my stomach. This is my relocation, my new fate. As if that wasn't enough, a pending notification hovers over my Phone screen.

-- -- -- -- --
yet another lovely cliffhanger. i haven't used the winning choice from the last chapter yet, but it will be coming soon. I figured it was time for holland to finally feel the effects of her stressful situation, even if it makes her panic.

but to brighten the sad mood, it's now CONTEST TIME! thanks to all the amazing readers of Enhancement (including you!), i will start a little contest below as a huge thank you. Enhancement grew so much over the past few months, including a #3 rank and a lot of reads, so here it goes:

Receive an entry into the drawing to win a GRAND PRIZE of: a book cover made by me, a shout-out, a dedication, and a critique of one of your stories!

How to enter? Comment your answer to the following question by filling in the blanks:

I discovered the book Enhancement when ___. I began reading Enhancement because ___.