The Typhon Project

Chapter Twenty-Two: Generally Uncooperative

The heavy door to the psychiatric ward closed behind me, and my legs went numb. Dr. Rail seized my arm, and dragged me forward. "You haven't adapted well Leah. You've not met our expectations."

She towed me into a broad room. Bars striped the large windows. Patients wrapped in light yellow bathrobes sat motionless in chairs around a small TV, their backs to me.

Dr. Rail yanked my arm and walked me around to the front of the half circle of patients. They didn't seem to notice our presence. Their eyes were blank, distant. Some stared at the floor, others toward the TV, but not at it.

Dr. Rail took a deep breath and smiled. "Leah, I'd like to introduce you to some of our patients. She put her hand on the shoulder of the girl closest to us. She didn't register the touch. "This is Abigail. She was so unsettled about her appearance that she tried to remove her skin with a pair of scissor. Can you believe she preferred her weak pink skin to our superior Typhon skin?"

She glanced at me and then back to the patients. "And over there is Daniel." she pointed to a boy in the middle. "Daniel tried to escape from the farm, clearly an act of insanity. Why would anyone in their right mind want to leave someplace so perfect?" She shook her head.

I peered down at the floor; I couldn't bare to look at their vacant eyes any longer.

"Don't look away Leah," Dr. Rail said. "I have one more person I'd like you to meet." I swallowed hard and lifted my gaze.

"The red-haired boy is Robert. He got this idea in his head that we just couldn't talk him out of. He was raving about an alien invasion and of course we couldn't have that." She laughed.

"And that chair . . ." Dr. Rail pointed to an empty chair on the other side of the semi-circle. ". . . is for you."

My chest constricted, and I tried to breath but couldn't. I shook my head. "No, no! Please." I attempted pulling my arm away from her grip but she dug her fingernails into my skin. She waved her free hand, motioning to someone behind me. I cranked my neck. A nurse marched toward me with a syringe.

Tears flooded my eyes. "I can do better. Please! I'll do what you want."

"I don't know, Leah. You've been so rebellious—not paying attention in class, refusing to start a relationship with Mr. Green, going into places you don't belong. You're generally uncooperative."

"I'll cooperate." My breathing came hard and fast. "I will."

She lifted her hand, and the nurse stopped. She stroked her chin and scrutinized me. "You seem as though you mean it."

"I do. I promise to do better. I've just had a . . . a hard time with all the changes, but it's getting better. I think I'm over it now."

She squared her shoulders. "Your aptitudes are of interest to us, especially in offspring, so we would prefer your mind and body not rot in here. It would be such a waste. But I do have conditions, and I expect them to be met."

A scream echoed down the hall.

I nodded. "Whatever you want."

She flashed a wide satisfied smile. "See, I knew a change of a change of scenery would help your attitude. So here is what I want. I need you to engage in your classes and do your homework. No more falling asleep in class. And you will begin a relationship with Dean Green. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Do you understand?" She raised her voice.

"Yes."

"And there will be no more snooping around on computers."

I stared at the red-haired boy—Robert, who had the same delusion as Jace. "Okay." Was it a delusion?

"Do you think you can manage that."

"I can. I know I can."

"Well, then, our business here is done. Goodbye all." She waved at the catatonic patients.

This time I didn't resist as she directed me down the hall. In fact, I wanted to run away from this place. We stepped onto the elevator. I glanced over at her. "Didn't you have a hard time adjusting when you were first changed? I mean doesn't everyone?"

She chuckled and then burst into laughter. "I had no such adjustment. I was born this way. Of course, you'll find yourself back on the sixth floor if you tell anyone that. Isn't this nice that we can share all our secrets now?"

Born this way? My mind raced. She'd never been human. Jace was right. There'd been an invasion, and no one knew about it. My stomach churned. I swallowed the bile creeping up my throat.

She smiled again and then the elevator doors opened.

"Why are you doing this? Why not just kill us all?"

She faced me in the wide hospital entryway. "Do you enjoy history? No, of course you don't—you sleep through history. I've learned that if you want to predict the future, simply look to the patterns of the past. And good ideas are good ideas no matter what species you are."

She continued. "Lately I've been studying your human history books and some of your religious writings. What we're doing is really a very old idea. According to the Bible's book of Daniel, the Israelites were defeated by the nation of Babylon. Just like humans have been defeated by Typhons. This Babylonian king had the right idea and I quote ' . . . bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace.'"

Dr. Rail patted my cheek. "We are using the best of humanity to make us stronger."

We walked into the courtyard. She smoothed her blazer. "Now, Leah. See to it that you follow our rules. We'll be watching." With that she marched, heels hammering against the cement, back toward her office. I stood, trembling on the sidewalk, watching her go.

I meandered down the sidewalk. My legs jittered and threatened to give out with every step. Serve. They've made us like them to serve them. We competed—I competed for the privilege of allowing them to take my humanity from me. I held out my hands in front of me and splayed by fingers. My breathing hitched. I veered off the path and leaned against a tree for support.

This skin. I hated this skin. I wanted to rip it off. Like Abigail—with the scissors. I understood her now.

I peered up into the tree's foliage. Dr. Rail said they'll be watching. The could have cameras anywhere and everywhere. I forced my legs to move. I had to do what they asked. I had to pull it together.

I somehow made it back to the dorm. Inside, I hurried down the hall to the Tesla family room. I stopped in the doorway. Sarah sat in her usual spot reading. Carter snored lightly on the sofa.

If only I could go to my room, lock the door, and dissolve into a teary heap. But if I did that, I may not have ever come out. I needed to do this while I was numb, before everything sank in and I fell apart. I had to start a relationship with Dean.

My life depended on it.