I; Labyrinth

16; The Spy from Zambia

Xara Ellis

I remember the distant thought-it was though I were trying to pull the string of a balloon back to earth-the thought of my left hand landing on Dr Hunter's right shoulder and calling his name.

He was peering into my room, which I had left in a terrible state prior to leaving it for breakfast.

"Miss Ellis!" he exclaimed as he turned around, shaking his head and panting, "I was so worried..."

"No need, mister...uhm.. Hunter. I'm...fine. More or less..." I replied calmly.

"It definitely doesn't look like it. Look at your room," he pointed, indicating the blood stains on the bed and other areas, which I'd rather not recall.

"We need to talk," I told him.

*

As I finished recounting my ordeal with Jason-"another"-the doctor slammed his fists down on the table we were seated at.

"That monster!" he shouted, "I'll kill him, God damn it! I'll kill him!"

A short silence followed, until I eventually broke it, "you mustn't. That's what he wants: he wants someone to get to him so he can carry out another crime. He may have raped me, but his other intention was to eat a part of me."

Dr Perry's expression turned from anger into horror. The whole scene was rather unsettling, if I may be honest.

"So, he's a cannibal," the frightened doctor said, "he's a rapist, a cannibal... and a mental health practitioner."

My eyes widened in disbelief upon realising what he'd just confirmed. We'd been left with a countless number of questions that would probably never be answered.

What could we do? Tell the authorities? No. That would put us in more danger, also because we had no idea where Jason (I hate saying that) was and he'd hidden the evidence of everything he'd done, so we had little to say. Jason was also the second-most renowned mental health practitioner of the 31st century and it would have been stupid to try to stand against billions of dollars and, well, lawyers and fans and protectors.

In any case, no one knew where Jason was. He was lurking around one of the largest hospitals in the world-seventeen floors and counting, with a perimeter of approximately 3 kilometres.

He could be anywhere and we didn't know what to do to protect ourselves.

Just when I thought I'd be dead meat in the jaws of a human (if I dare venture to name him that), Dr Perry told me of his plans to secretly employ a certain 'Canessa'-an old friend of his.

What did this mean? It meant she would have to try to become Jason's friend by working in his department. As a spy, she would have to fake all of her qualifications in order to work at the most prestigious hospital in the US.

Surely she would manage to enter, but would she manage to spy on him and report back to Dr Perry and I? As lithe and agile as she was, would she be able to catch him red-handed without getting hurt?

I couldn't say. I had never even met the woman, although the doctor did show me some pictures on the WindVoicer. She was highly beautiful and her make-up was flawless.

There were smudges of blue and green spreading like wings from the corners of her eyes, ocean-blue lipstick and a turban to keep her from being burnt by the sun in her homeland-Zambia.

She wouldn't need it here, would she? Probably not; she'd have to disguise herself and make her colourful aspect less conspicuous.

In any case, I was still shaking after what had happened earlier. I was already afflicted mentally, then my body was subject to carnal invasion.

Would I ever get better?

*

Xara Ellis

Tuesday, 22nd July 3032, 12:11 PM, Saint Mary's Hospital, Yeste', US, Earth.

It was summer and still raining outside. I can remember the clouds clearly: silver linings and fluffy. I could have melted into them easily.

A week had passed since I'd been...raped...but there was still no sign of the perpetrator.

To boot, there was no news from Dr Perry or his ally.

I had seen the former recently but he just seemed more and more worried. He would talk to himself calmly, then he would shake his head angrily and storm off back to his study.

It was depressing to stay in bed for so long. Wait a second-bed-BED. We have beds in the 31st century? You may be asking this. Of course we have beds, only that they're much more advanced in technology.

The patient is connected to the bed's controls through a wireless headband which they can use to order the bed to do various things, such as massaging (at least, for the patients suffering from psychological disorders).

So I lay on the bed, staring at the window and the clouds and rain on the other side of it.

I felt numb, emotionless but sturdy. I was also slightly confused. What happened to the scientists roaming my mind? Did they get lost? What would happen then?

Adrian was my favourite of the two scientists. He was very young and highly intelligent, but also slightly cowardly and naïve.

I wondered how he was doing...inside my head.

Jack, on the other hand would usually get himself into trouble due to his offensive remarks when he got angry. I had found him to be haughty and self-serving...but perhaps I was wrong.

Suddenly, just I was beginning to relax, someone knocked on the door.

My heart skipped a beat. Who could it be? At this time of day?

I gulped.

"Who... who is it?" I asked.

Initially nobody replied.

After a few seconds of waiting, however, the knocker strode in.

It was a woman, possibly born in Africa.

Her name badge confirmed that: Alinani was her surname.

At first, I felt startled and confused by who she was. I had never seen her before. From behind her Dr Perry Hunter stepped in front and smiled at me. It was the most delicate and humble smile I had seen in a while.

"Miss Ellis," said the doctor, "this is your new nurse. She'll be in Jason's ward as an assistant but she'll take care of you and make sure you get your food."

I forced a smile in return.

The woman then took a step towards me and shook my hand. I then knew who she was as she smiled.

"Canessa Alinani, at your service," she greeted, stroking my fingers with her silky, shiny skin.