The Mind Games

2

I stare affectionately down at my little tree. I look at it reflected thousands of times in all different directions, the green leaves are vibrant compared to everything else in the room. They demand attention.

I hear footsteps coming down the hall, and I rapidly place the sapling behind me.

The door opens, it's Cami.

"You know," Cami enters the mirrored room,"That's not a very good strategy considering the room is full of mirrors, I could see it anyways. I'm not going to take it away, you know."

I return the sapling to its original spot, "What kind of tree?" I ask. I can speak in full elaborate sentences, but I choose not to. I could have said, 'What kind of tree is this, Cami?' but I don't like to. Why? Because when I was twelve, and they first put me in here, I was too horrified and stunned and frustrated with the situation to use longer sentences without feeling like I was going to explode. Now I use it purely to communicate directly to the point.

They scientists actually think it's cute, how I don't always finish, they think I'm incapable. Cami knows better, but the others do not. It's actually become a source of amusement for me these days.

"It's a sycamore tree, someday a it'll grow outta that pot," Cami says looking at me staring at the sycamore tree.

"Is your stomach settled from the food?" Cami asks. I know where this is going, and I don't like it.

I nod.

"Okay, Running Chamber," Cami opens the door once more, and motions for me to exit.

I stand up without a word, and walk with my bare feet across the floor. I know where the running laboratory is. I lead us there.

I turn to Cami, who is behind me. I stare at her until she tells me which room I'm in today, "217," she says.

I brush my fingers across the braille on the signs by the rooms below the numbers.

215, 216... 217.

I stop. 217. I wait for Cami to open the door for me. She knows I hate this one with a passion.

She opens the door, and I enter immediately. Better to get it done and over with.

"Well, just come right on in," Cami says sarcastically.

I shrug.

Cami puts her hands by her hips, "I know you can talk."

I shrug again. I refuse to speak at all during this one. I don't want to.

Cami goes into the control center, and I step onto the treadmill, I attach the sensors to my chest and wrist, and my temple. Like they always did.

She gives me the okay sign with her fingers.

I place my hands on the supports, and I begin to run.

When I start running, it's refreshing. I actually enjoy stretching my legs out. Why did I hate this to begin with? This wasn't so bad.

As I continue to run, I begin to breathe harder, and it takes more effort to keep the same pace, thankfully they gave me shoes for this. That could've been bad.

One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two.

My legs start to burn, my breathing becomes rapid. I look at the clock Cami supplied for me. 37:24. That's how long I've been running.

We run until we cannot run. My footsteps become more lopsided.

One, two...... One, two..... One, two.

It's enough to keep me going. I'm sweating badly. My lungs hurt. My throat is dry. I hate this. My legs hurt, my head pounds, I want to stop. The treadmill feels like it's moving faster, and gravity magically got a lot stronger really quickly.

I stumble, I look at the clock. 53:17. I look at the treadmill, 8.8 mph. I slam my hand on the treadmill, stop, stop.

Cami sees this and panics, as she always does, she cuts the treadmill, and I crumple to the ground. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. OW.

I lay as a blob of a fifteen year old boy on the ground. Ow. Pain. That hurts.

Cami stares at me, "Can you get up?"

I shake my head. No.

"I'll give you fifteen minutes," Cami sympathizes, she's not supposed to let
me lay here like a blob in the ground. She's supposed to make me get up and go back to my room, "Then we really have to go back."

I nods, and ironically I fall asleep.

Cami shakes me awake, which was a mistake.

I see as Cami and I am talking to a cute little girl who is sobbing really hard. She points to an older boy, who fights back tears. He has short brown hair, and composed hazel eyes. The girl tries to push past me to get at the boy who is being dragged away, but I grab her and hold her back.

I know the boy and the girl.

I unwilling restrain my little sister, she brown hair behind her is cut in a 'U' shape. Her green eyes show fear and loathing at me.

I watch as the boy, who is the real me, gets dragged away, as he thrashes and tries to reach his sister. I remember that really clearly.

The girl sobs and punches at me, trying to get me to release her, I clutch her tightly, but she is relentless.

"Let. Go!" She screams, "That's. My. Brother!"

I hear the boy, yell back at the girl, "Kayla!"

"Andrew!" The girl sobs back, the girl looks me in the eyes, "Please, let me go! That's my brother. Don't take him away, please!"

Andrew kicks at the ground tried to destroy anything breakable near him. Dirt gets everywhere. The boy's jeans are filthy, and the girl has grim smeared on her face.

Cami realizes her mistake and immediately releases me, "I'm so sorry, Andrew."

I writhe in discomfort and pain, my head is cloudy, and all the colors of the room suddenly fight against one and other.

I struggle to my legs, and I exit the room, not looking back to see if Cami follows.