Patient Twelve

Chapter Sixteen

 I finished brushing my hair when there was a knock on the door. Oliver came in and told me to follow him. He went down the hall and punched in the code for the door. The glasses let me see better, and I got on my toes to see over his shoulder. All I could see was that the code started with a five.

Oliver put his hand on the small of my back. He guided me around the grand house. A few women were hurrying around the home. They appeared to be cleaning. He knocked on a door before entering.

Gregory was sitting on a stool at a large metal table. A bed was sitting in the middle of the room. A set of straps were dangling from the side. Gregory turned around, and I could see his body shake and jerk.

"Good morning, Diana," he said. "I'm excited to get a closer look."

"I'm sure you will not be disappointed," Oliver said.

"I hope," he said. "You can get onto the bed, Diana."

Oliver pushed me forward, and my knees wobbled as I walked. I sat on the edge of the bed. I was shocked when he kneeled down in front of me. He undid the buckle on my sandals and slid them off of my feet. He took off my glasses and set them aside. I held down the hem of my dress as I lied down on the bed. Gregory rolled his stool over to the side of the bed. He passed something over to Oliver. I squinted to see a piece of metal.

Oliver pulled back my eyelid and brought the metal toward my face. I slapped his hand away. I tried to scurry off of the bed. Gregory placed a shaky hand on my ankle and pulled me back. I kicked him off.

"Calm down, Diana," Oliver said. He grabbed my shoulders and forced me down onto the bed.

"What is that?" I asked as I tried to shake them off of me. "What are you doing?"

"I thought you've done these examinations on her before," Gregory asked.

"I have," Oliver said. "She's just usually unconscious. She is not used to all of this yet."

"Get her hand to her side," he said.

Oliver snatched my wrist and held it down. Something cold touched my skin. I looked down to see Gregory's fingers fumble as he tried to secure the restraint around my wrist. He mumbled a curse as I pulled my hand away from the restraint. Oliver took over and secured my wrist down.

I held my other hand against my chest. Oliver let out a huff of breath.

"Diana, don't do this," he said.

I bit down on my lip and squeezed my eyes shut. My heart was pounding. I tried to remember what Ben told me. If I fought against Oliver in front of Gregory he won't get accepted into this sick club and then he'll kill me. If he does get accepted, I will lose the little trust I have gained.

As much as I hated to think about it, I was stuck. One wrist was already tied to the bed. I did not fight against Oliver as he strapped my other hand down. I opened my eyes as I felt the bed raise up. Oliver had the piece of metal in his hands again.

I turned my head to the side. Oliver grabbed my chin and turned my head back.

"Dr. Alexander wants to see my work," he said. "This is just going to keep your eyes open."

"I'll keep my eyes open," I said. "Please, don't use that."

"I have to," he said. "It won't hurt. It's just uncomfortable. I need you to lie still."

Oliver pulled back my eyelid. I curled my fingers into the sheet under me. My eyes watered as he hooked the metal under my eyelid. Oliver reached across me as he did the same to my other eye. The sheets were bunched up in my fists.