Damage Me

Chapter 6

Two weeks pass by.

They've been spent by me doing 3 workouts a day, afternoon rounds through the compounds, multiple meetings, and everyday breakfasts with Juliette and Aaron before they go off and start their day.

I never tag along, but I've heard the soldiers talking, saying that Warners obsessed with her, and never leaves her side.

I mostly ignore them. But today's a special day.

We have something for Juliette that all the soldiers have been through. A simulation chamber. So today after breakfast I grab Juliette and bring her to a room, giving her a tank top and shorts, lined with special material that helps create the senses in the simulation room.

We're not going to tell her that, of course. Afterwards we can inform her of the simulation, but we want her reaction to be as real as possible.

"Put these on." I say, holding the clothes in my hand.

I see her eyeing them cautiously, "What are they for?"

I smile, placing the bundle of cloth in her hands, "An aptitude test. I'll turn around, don't worry."

It takes about a minute for her to change, and she seems extremely uncomfortable. I can see why, the first time you wear it, you feel practically naked.

I cock my head toward the door, "Let's go."

Aaron's waiting right outside the door, along with Adam.

I notice Aaron's eyes linger on Juliette's frame before Kent speaks, "Sir?"

"Remain where you are, soldier." Aaron says.

"Yes sir." We start our way downstairs, to the basement, where we have to go through 4 metal doors, each one with a passcode.

There are soldiers everywhere, and I notice two of them look me and Juliette up and down, trying to seem nonchalant.

I stare them straight in the eyes, casually take out my gun, unloading, then reloading the clip with a loud cha ching! And they start moving quickly foreword, heads down, past us.

We reach the simulation room, and I give Juliette a little shove toward the door, "In you go." Aaron says.

The room has a one way mirror, but that's all we can do, just watch. Aaron and I set up the simulation a few nights back, so we definitely have an idea of what it is, but can't be for certain.

You see, how these things work, is you have no idea what idea exactly what they're hearing, seeing, or feeling, just an idea.

The room is completely soundproof from the inside.

The simulation room doesn't look all that fancy; just four slabs of concrete for walls, and old, ugly carpet.

We hear her suddenly yell, "What am I supposed to be ready for?"

A pause, "What-"

A few more seconds, then, "I won't touch you!" She shouts, and I realize she must be imagining Aaron's voice.

Makes sense.

She turns towards the metal door at the back of the room that is there for nothing but decoration in other simulations.

And that, I think, is where the toddler must be right now. I can see how it could be a cruel simulation, but we both agreed that we need to see what she can do if she lets herself get angry, considering she's never gotten the chance to do so before.

She now looks as if she's holding a child, and more soldiers have come up around us to watch.

It looks like she's holding him by the diaper, and still working to dodge the spikes.