29 Minutes

Six

It must have been nighttime because there was darkness in the room when Aisle opened her eyes. The window's curtains were still drawn back and the moonlight shone into the room, illuminating the scene that was in front of her. Where was she? A quick look around and she saw she was in the bedroom. How had she gotten here again? That information was a bit sketchy. She had a head splitting migraine that only made itself known when she sat up.

Something was wrong.

Why she thought this?

Well, first of all, the watch on the bedside table said it was thirty three minutes past seven o'clock. She had never slept in, even on a day she was completely free. She did next to nothing in this place but look after the house so there was no need for her to nap if any.

The second indication was that she was naked. And not semi or wearing-just-the-lacy-item naked. No, she was all-the-way-birthday-suit naked. She never went to sleep that naked. Call her old fashioned but Aisle wanted to have some fabric on her body in case of an emergency at night. By emergency she meant anything that could cause her to leave the warm comfort of her bedding.

So what the hell happened to her?

She glanced around her and noticed the trail of clothes on the floor. They weren't just hers. There was a pair of pants there next to her very pink, very lacy item. She had never been this much of a sloth. I mean sure, Aisle was not a very pro active person, but she generally picked up after herself. So why did she leave her undergarments on the floor if she had come to have a nap? And more importantly, why were the Governor's son's pants next to her underwear?

There was a sound from the bathroom.

A flushing toilet, she thought.

What came out of that room was almost knocking her out with surprise again.

"Should we get something to eat or would you rather just have the main course in bed?" The Governor's son spoke as he wrapped the towel around himself. Aisle was just starting to understand why exactly she was tired and sleeping at seven in the night.

The Governor's son turned to face her and almost immediately noticed the change in his wife's eyes. His father had said that this was likely going to happen. He said that the code was not perfected yet. But even with that, there was no way an Individual was supposed to 'wake up' after it was administered. That was what he had been assured. Now what was happening here? His Connector blared to life and he answered without looking at the caller ID. He already knew whom it was.

We have a situation. The Individual is to be taken to the Capitol in the Upper Division.

The line went dead even before he could speak. This was not good. He knew that Aisle was a different kind to her species... but enough to have the Capitol request for her transfer to the Upper Division? He knew that none of the Individuals who went there ever came back. He knew what they were going there to do. And he did not want that kind of life for his wife.

"Get dressed."

Aisle was still in shock when she saw her husband going about the room looking for something to put on. She was remembering everything now. She was remembering just exactly what she and he had been doing in that bed. How could she even consent to doing such a thing? Did she really not care at all anymore? But she did not understand herself anymore. There were... parts in her head... parts that did not feel... human.

"Aisle! Get up and get dressed!"

The Governor's son's voice roused her from her thought process. What was he doing? It looked like the call he had just gotten was not a good one. He was behaving like something was coming for him.