The First

8.1

A/N: How's it going, beautifuls? Having a good day? I hope so! Enjoy the update :) Things are starting to heat up! Also, MWAHAHAHAHAHA >:)

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02 - 05 - 2089

The next day is normal. But not the boring kind of normal. The kind of normal that you dread and have no choice but to endure. The kind of normal that you are forced into. The kind of normal that is my life.

I am up bright and early according to my internal clock before my breakfast even arrives. I take the extra time to take a quick bath and clean myself up. Then I sit on the edge of my bed and braid my wet hair to pass the time.

When my meal finally comes, my stomach is yelling at me to eat something. It has quite the temper as I have learned over the years.

I down the tasteless meal quickly while a nameless orderly waits to take me to a day filled with tests. Tests for this thing and that thing. Who knows what they will test on me today?

I make a sour face at the thought. I wish I could stay in here all day and draw while I wait for Cade to get me out of here. He's going to save me; I just have to wait, I remind myself. It might take a few days so we make sure to do it right. I can wait a few days. I can wait a year if it means freedom.

The orderly takes my arm and leads me out of my room, heading for the testing room where I normally go. That helps to relieve some of the apprehension building in my stomach. Normal is always better than the unexpected when it comes to these tests. Normal means pokes and prods. Maybe a few shots. But nothing overly scary then. At least, I hope.

When we arrive, the orderly has me go into the empty room and lie down on the bed. Then he waits in the corner, stoic and still as a statue.

Minutes later, the door opens again and Doctor Acosta enters, looking perky and more energetic than usual. Great.

"Good morning, Gis," she says as she takes a seat at her desk.

I don't respond. I used to, but not anymore. Doctor Acosta is not my friend. I won't treat her like one.

"Today we are going to be doing something less invasive." She turns off the screen on her A-book as she finishes typing something in and approaches the bed where I'm lying. "So no pain, dear." She smiles, like she is doing me a great favor.

I want to slap her.

"Thomas, go prepare the XRER room."

Thomas, the orderly, leaves immediately without a word.

My stomach is caught in my throat. But I force past the lump to speak. "What does XRER mean?"

"It is just the x-ray room. Today we are going to do a full workup to complete our records." Doctor Acosta slaps on a pair of rubber gloves and lifts my shirt. She presses her fingers into different parts of my stomach and I hold my breath against the uncomfortable feeling. Even through the gloves her fingers feel cold.

"You just got pictures of me not too long ago," I argue, hoping she'll change her mind. Yes, x-rays don't hurt, but I don't like the room. It's so cold and dark that it reminds me of solitary. And that gives me the tremors.

"Yes, dear. But we've had a breakthrough. With the new data we've recorded as of late, we might be ready." Doctor Acosta moves her hands to my neck and collarbone, still pressing.

"For what?" I ask as a shiver rolls down my back. Be strong. Be strong.

"To extract and identify your DNA," she says. Her voice is simple, like she is talking about an everyday topic. Like the weather outside. I've heard guards and orderlies talking about that on occasion when I passed by them on my way to the testing room, or back to my room.