The Encroacher's Trilogy: Dystopia (COMPLETED)

Chapter 2

A/N: The asterisks mark when Flora is recollecting the past apart from one where I've tried to make it clearer. Hope you enjoy it!

"Flora James; 14 years old; disgusting attitude; extremely intelligent; 90%." The bald man stood at the end of my bed and once again read my 'features' off of his clipboard. At that time I did not understand what 90% meant and I knew he wasn't going to tell me either.  I had a funny suspicion it had something to do with my past life because Noah had 100% and he was older and smarter than me.

"It appears to be your birthday tomorrow Miss James, is it not?" He leered.

"Yes, it is." It was hard to keep the fury out of my voice. He knew another thing that he was on the verge of saying. I watched his lips tighten as he could feel the pleasure ride up his throat,

"Oh, and it must be the anniversary." That was it. He said it. He knew Noah was more than a best friend to me. He was a brother.

"Ahh yes, I can see by the look on your face that I am not mistaken." He looked upward to show his dominance.

It was indeed 4 years a go on that day that Noah was taken away from me. He was taken from the snug room- our beautiful little snug room with pastel sunflower walls, plush sofas and bunk beds that felt like a permanent holiday- to a place I did not know but feared dreadfully.

The bald man was watching me recollect that indescribable time. I could feel his eyes on me without having to pay attention to him.

"You remember that wonderful feeling of being loved, don't you. Of safety... like you still had a family."

The moment left me and I was back on the stone bed.

"Shut. Up." He was doing it for a reaction, I knew. I really did know... but the words, they hurt deeply.

"You'd always go off on a little adventure, so I am told. You'd be the little sister and Noah would be the brother... how... sweet." He didn't stop talking. He knew his words were working.

***

Luckily the year following Noah's departure, one week after my 11th birthday, I too was removed from the Snug Room and brought to the Lab.

They first took me to a confined consultation room with several discomforting scientific objects.
The walls were grey and there was one window with a blind drawn that seemed to look out on to the Lab.

They wrote my surname down so it could be added to a list. When I asked what the necessity of this was, they irrationally averted eye contact and ignored the question. They never told me about the objects either; they just pretended they weren't there.

***

"And then you were brought to the Lab." The bald man cut my thoughts short and brought me back to reality. I hated it when he did that- the only freedom I got those dats was thinking of the past.

"Unfortunately you were put next to Noah. Hmm, a slight error there."

I always found their mistake rather entertaining as they're usually overly organised. Either way, Noah and I immediately started from where he left off but with more maturity now that we were 5 years older. It was Noah who pointed out that the scientists never told us what the meaning of the Lab was for, and so I stupidly wanted to impress him by tricking them into telling me:

"You know if there is no point in being here then I should just leave and find my mother."

This statement jerked the heads of all the scientists towards my direction and caused an immediate lock down of all the doors so that no one could escape.

Well. At least I found out that the Lab did have a reason for its creation.

It was only when a foolish newbie left the door open and drew my attention with its draft that I took the risk. The results were catastrophic.

As you well know, a Rottweiler regarded my leg as lunch and refused to let go. I was then dragged back to the Lab and all of the newbies had to remain inside, while the bald man went on constant guard duty of the door.

***

"Flora..." the bald man's voice drawled and once again brought me back to reality.

"What." I didn't care to listen to him.

"It's your birthday tomorrow, is it not?" A slight smile crept onto his jaw.

"You've already made that observation from your clipboard." I said cooly,

"Well, I'm glad you know that it will be such a special day."

And then I saw it... a very small twitch of his nose of disgust. He was planning something.

"Must have something special for a birthday..." The twitch must've been an illusion. He returned to his arrogant demeanour and trotted away to peeve another hostage and I swore fiercely  under my breath.

Well that's just great. I've always wanted a 'special present' from a psychotic man for my 15th birthday. Come to think of it, just one present from him just makes my day.

I wished I could have retorted with a snide remark like Noah would've done but I wasn't as witty as him. I simply choked the saliva in my throat and spat on the floor before where the bald man had stood. Because of his beautiful words of kindness I knew that it was going to be a rough night and I could only wake up to another birthday of torment.