Unbecoming Humans

Chapter 15

I stood in the doorway, not altogether aware of what I was supposed to be doing. Who was the "she" to whom my father had referred? I assumed it was either Nima or my mother, most likely the latter. Was I supposed to follow him? Did I want to follow him? What was he even doing outside of his lab? Except for the brief scolding in the lab, I hadn't seen him for three months!

I could have stood there asking questions that might never have been answered. Instead, I ran to catch up with my father at the end of the hall. He said nothing, and neither did I. Nobody followed us, so I assumed this was a sanctioned venture. We were heading toward the laboratory. I wanted to take that as a positive omen, but I had learned that it was best to expect the worst. That way I would always be pleasantly surprised if things went better.

When we entered the lab, the first thing I noticed was that it appeared completely empty aside from the two of us. My father led me over to the curtain that hid Nima's bed. He directed me through. As he did, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, both because Nima was sitting awake in her bed, and because this was not some trick confrontation with my mother.

Nima's smile - though admittedly sickly looking - washed over me like a warm ray of sunshine. I found myself smiling back at her. My father gave us an awkward bow and wandered off back into the depths of his private laboratory. Nima still looked thin, but her color was returning. There was definitely a visible improvement in her health since I saw her the day before.

"Hey. How are your feeling?" I asked Nima, still standing awkwardly by the edge of the curtain. I must have inherited my awkwardness from my father.

"Better now that you're here," Nima replied unabashedly. I blushed and looked down at my shoes. I tried to play off my awkwardness by glancing around the rest of the lab to make sure we were alone.

"Everyone is at lunch," Nima told me, correctly reading my actions.

"Come sit with me," she said, patting the space next to her on the bed. I did as I was told, hanging my legs over the edge of the bed. I faced slightly away from her so I could avoid looking at her. I was ashamed of the way I had acted toward her before her treatment. I knew it was irrational, but part of me felt responsible for her current state, which only made it harder to look her in the eye.

"What happened?" I asked quietly, picking lint off the bed sheet.

"I was in a coma," she told me matter-of-factly. "They said my body almost couldn't handle the treatment, so it just shut down. All I remember is not feeling well, walking outside to get some air, and then nothing." Her words drifted off a little. I nodded.

"I found you outside when I went out for my morning run. You were freezing. I was afraid you were hypothermic." I still didn't look at her.

"Thank you," Nima said, placing her hand gently on my arm. She cocked her head to get a better look at my face and try to draw my gaze. "If you hadn't found me and brought me down here, I probably would have died." I finally gave in and looked at her. The smile she wore now was not the same warm smile she flashed when I had entered her makeshift room. There was a hint of sadness behind it.

"Now it's my turn to ask the questions," she told me. "Everyone else seems to be content here, more or less. And why shouldn't they be? You have all been given everything: a beautiful home, three quality meals a day, an excellent education, and the promise of a future that no one else will live to see. Not to mention, you are perfect. I mean, look at you," she waved both of her arms, gesturing to my body. I blushed, again.

"I don't mean to embarrass you," she continued. "It's just a scientific fact that you are completely, genetically perfect. If you happened across a primitive peoples, they would likely believe you to be a goddess." Her eyes drank me in as she spoke. Now, we were both blushing. She cleared her throat before continuing.