Chapter 10: Room CCXIII (213)

Why did they have to stay behind?

"Are you okay, Virginia?"

It's that sweet and caring voice, could it be? I jerked upright and quickly opened my eyes.

"Mom!" I blurted out longingly as I hugged the woman tightly. I closed my eyes and buried myself in her arms, "I missed you so much, please don't ever leave me"

"What are you talking about dear?" the woman replied confusingly.

Wait, don't tell me.

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was inside the room with the other children. Despite this scene that I made, they did not bat an eye, which is good.

If I was in this room then that means-

"I am so sorry," I quickly let go of the woman who has been watching over me for some time now, "that doesn't mean anything, I swear!"

She looked at me with confusion but quickly shrugged it off with a smile. "I see," she said with a smile plastered on her face.

She saw through me, I know it. I don't think I can make excuses for the suspicious actions. And even if I did try to explain myself, I'd be more exposed.

"You don't look okay Virginia," the woman said. I felt her touch my shoulder which sent a shiver up and down my spine.

"I-I am okay," I stuttered, this isn't good. The more I reply to her, the more I get exposed. I have to think of a way to make her stop talking with me.

"Excuse me, Miss, I have to prepare myself," I said with a monotonous voice. My heart is pounding very fast at the moment but I did my best to look as if everything was normal.

I stood up and faced away from her. I grabbed my bath towel and pair of clothes and started walking towards the washroom. I need to get away from her as soon as possible and be alone to gather my thoughts.

"If you are okay, then why were tears falling down your eyes while you were asleep?"

I stopped walking. I held my cheeks and felt that they were wet. I must have had cried while asleep and didn't noticed it. Was she just watching me while I'm sleeping? The thought gave me an unsettling feeling. So I am not just being watched while awake, but even if I am asleep. What do I do now?

"These are not tears Miss, but sweat," I protested. I did my best to make my voice sound like it was void of any emotion.

"You're not okay Virginia, you need to go to see our school doctor right now," the woman replied.

I faced her, "I am okay Miss, I apologize for making you worried." I answered with a monotonous voice. After that, I looked away and headed to the washroom. My heart was beating very fast at that moment and I felt like I would faint.

As I opened the door to the washroom, I saw four muscular men inside.

"What's the meaning of thi-". One of them covered my mouth with a cloth. I tried to fight him off but two other men grabbed my arms and legs. The three of them managed to make me immobile.

I looked at the woman standing outside the door, how could she?

"I'm sorry you had to go through this, if only you allowed me to help you it would've not headed to this," she said as she stared at me. There was no sign of concern visible on her face.

"Take her to the doctor," she instructed before taking another glance at me before walking away. I don't care why she did this to me but someday, I'll get back at her for this.

The muscular men did as they were told and started to carry me. I was lifted from the ground and restrained by three muscular men. The other one who seems to be doing nothing was walking ahead of us. I deduce that he might be there to keep watch if ever I did manage to escape.

I knew I had no chance against these three muscular men but I still tried. I closed my eyes and tried to think of a way to get out of their hold. I used my senses and felt that the hold on my arms was tighter than that of my legs. They must be expecting that I fight off using my arms, but they sure are wrong.

I spread out my legs which surprised the muscular man holding them. This made him loosen up his hold on me a bit so I used this opportunity to kick his face as hard as I can. He did not fall over but instead, he let go of both of my legs as he held his face. A bruise began to form on it, I saw it but I kept my laughter so I won't anger him.

The muscular man holding on to my arms was smart and didn't loosen up his hold on me. This did not make me lost hope but instead, I made worm-like movements and kept squiggling my body. While I was doing this the two other men were about to go restrain my legs again but I kept kicking my feet so they won't be able to take hold of it.

I kept on doing this set of weird movements without stop. I was starting to get tired but I couldn't give up now. I won't allow them to take me to that doctor and have all my memories erased.

About a minute or two I felt the grip on my arms loosen up, I looked at the man holding them and he began to look tired.

Now's my chance. I pulled my arms towards my chest as forcefully as I can. The man was physically buff but this unexpected movement of mine caught him off guard, therefore, making him let go of my arms.

But I'm not yet really free to run. There are four of them, one of them was still holding my mouth and keeping it shut with a cloth. Now my arms and legs are free I can easily fight him off, but I can't do that just yet. Remember that I didn't really immobilize the other three so they can team up together against me.

I may have been outnumbered at the moment and I can't fight them off physically, I can still beat them. But how? It is very easy. I need to outsmart these fools.

So that's what I did. I slipped under the man holding my mouth. I quickly went under his arms and slide through it. It caught the man off-guard again so I was able to do it successfully. I was able to free myself from these four muscular men's hold. The three of them stood on their feet and just stared at me in disbelief and shock.

I quickly turned back and attempted to run away. I ran as fast as I can away from them.

"What are you doing fools! Don't just stand there, chase after her!" the man ordered angrily. The three other men bowed down and ran to separate directions.

I too kept on running away. I didn't know this place much yet but I tried to listen to my surroundings and avoided any adult. It would be easy for them to catch me because of my brown skin so I decided to find a cloth that might cover my skin. I always wear long sleeves to classes but since I was only in my pajama and my clothes are back in that room, I can't wear anything. Unless...

I looked at the other children's rooms. I might be able to get any clothing from these other children. Something about this idea of going inside another room without permission and taking something from it feels wrong. I just really have no choice. I checked the room number, room number CCXIII (213). I turned the knob and to my surprise, it opened so I quietly went inside and gently closed the door.

I sat on the floor trying to catch my breath. I sat there for a while as I plan on my next move. So after I take some clothing and other important stuff like food from this room, I will get out. Once I'm out of this establishment I'll hide far away and figure out how to get out of this planet. That's the plan.

There was no guarantee that I'd succeed in this but I would like to hope what I would. I stood up and surveyed the room.

Wait

Something's wrong.

This doesn't look like my room with a big cabinet full of books and 5 beds. Instead, there are little screens, microscopes, test tubes, oxygen tanks, and a lot of other more things used for medical purposes.

No, but how?

"Hello we meet again test subject number 1," a chilling voice spoke. I looked at her face, it's the pretty and tall lady who was the very first on this planet to approach me.

"How did you?" I asked while taking a step back to the door.

I disguised the laboratory into a room by putting a room number on it. You kids are so easy to fool. She laughed very wicked laughter.

"It's been a while huh"

"I am not happy to see you, goodbye," I turned the knob but it won't turn. The lock isn't inside this room, nor was it outside as I saw it a while ago.

"There's no use, stop trying so hard kid, and just follow," the lady provoked.

"Never!" I protested.

"I don't like to do this but you leave me with no choice," she said then faded away and disappeared.

I couldn't see her anywhere. I was waiting for something to happen but nothing was. Until I felt a sting on my neck.

"I'm sorry kid, it had to be done," the lady said. The voice was coming from beside me but I couldn't see her.

"Where are you? What did you..." I felt a sharp sting on my head, it feels as if it's throbbing.

She appeared in front of me, I was about to charge towards her but I felt extremely weak and fell. I can't get up and move, everything feels so heavy. My eyes began to close and I slowly drifted into darkness.

***

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. I was floating in that dark spot again. In my hand was the figure of the man and the woman in my dreams, I held on to it so tightly.

I'm in this place again so it means they are at it again at erasing my memories. Good luck on that, I am holding on tightly to this memory, they can't remove it even if they try.

Suddenly my surroundings started to get illuminated, here we go. I held on to the object very tightly and closed my eyes.

The light became brighter and brighter. No matter how high they turn that machine up, I would always remember.

I held on to the figure tightly, but something feels off, the object feels lighter. I tried to open my eyes to take a peek and there I saw the figure – it was slowly fading – this can't be happening!

I held on to it the tightest that I can but it's still slowly fading away.

PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!

The object slowly degraded into ashes.

PLEASE STOP!

My hands felt very light, the figure, it's completely gone – erased.

NO!