Ink, Inc.

Taking Care

 The shock zipped through his body, and Lukas awoke with the sheets clenched in his fists and a vice of panic around his lungs.

He rolled off his bunk and the buzzing in his skull stopped. He staggered across the concrete toward the rows of lockers. His heart hammered his ribs as he fumbled with the handle, wrenched the locker open and snatched up a pill bottle in a trembling hand. He wiped the grit out of his eyes and checked the label.

It was Sleep. He dropped the bottle and examined another.

This one was Awake. He would need that soon, but not now. It would make his anxiety worse.

Groans and sighs echoed around the dormitory as the others awoke. Sheets rustled. Rungs tolled under bare feet. Neon tubes sputtered and hummed, illuminating endless rows of bunk beds, stacked five-high. A few people stayed in bed, brows twisted, hands over their ears as though that would stop the fizzing in their heads.

There! Lukas prised open the bottle of Relax and dry-swallowed two of the powdery green tablets. He rubbed his eyes again, and sorted through the other containers. He took a Soothe to uncoil his stiff muscles, an Energise to top up vitamins and minerals, a Balance to offset the nausea from the Soothe, and a Care. Then he closed his locker and leaned against it, eyes closed, sucking in deep breaths as he waited for the chemicals to filter into his bloodstream. It was dangerous to take more than one Care, but he kept the bottle in his hand, just in case.

Someone pushed him aside. ‘Move, freak.’

Lukas shuffled sideways so the other boy – a hulking youth named Howard Gieve – could open his own locker. He opened his eyes a crack and watched Howard swallow an Awake and a Content. Hopefully the mood stabiliser would make him less aggressive.

As always, Lukas worried that the Care wouldn’t work. What if he had built up a resistance? What if he did something terrible before it kicked in? But the Relax was already dulling these concerns. His heart slowed. His breaths eased. He was increasingly certain that everything would be all right.

‘Are you okay?’

Lukas turned to see a girl with wide, clear eyes, a slightly bent nose and muscular arms crossed over her thin tank top. Her teeth were crooked and stubby. Lukas had never seen her before – she must be a recent transfer. According to her SIM, her name was Abbey Cane. She was staring at the droplets of cold sweat which clung to his brow.

‘Don’t worry about me,’ Lukas said.

Abbey saw the bottle of Care in his hand. The colour drained from her cheeks.

‘I didn’t mean to bother you,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry. I have to go.’

She fled before Lukas could think of anything else to say.

Some of the teenagers were already on their way to the lifts. Almost everyone else was at the lockers, taking their supplements. Only one bunk was still occupied. Ben Wade was curled up beneath the sheet, valiantly ignoring the burning alarm. Only his stubby fingers were visible.

When Lukas was transferred to Mine R808, only Ben had bothered to speak to him. When the others saw his Care supply and started hurling accusations and fists, Ben hadn’t joined them.

‘Ben,’ Lukas whispered. ‘It’s 5:07.’

Ben didn’t open his eyes.

‘They’ll incentivise you.’ Even through the haze from the Relax, a little anxiety built up in Lukas’ chest. ‘You have to get up.’

Ben didn’t react. Lukas pulled off the sheet, and gripped Ben’s shoulder. ‘Ben!’

‘Lukas Taleb.’ The voice filled the dormitory, coming from speakers hidden in the shadows of each corner.