She’s at my window. She knows I can’t come out. This makes it all the more annoying.

I open my window. “Claira,” I start, “you know just how well this places’ security is. You can’t just walk up to the window and say ‘Hey, let this idiot out of the room.’ That’s not how scientific research facilities work.”

“What kind of research are they even doing? It seems like they’re torturing you or something…” She scans my arms, which I now notice are shaking out of my control. This place is so cold, but I’ve grown to see it as a part of life now. Claira, however, yelps as soon as she grabs my hand.

“What in the world… are they doing to you?”

“Scientific research. It’s not supposed to be frightening, so I’m sorry if it seems like it is—“

“Don’t be… it’s just… I’m scared what they’ll do to you.”

The window is now closed. She most likely couldn’t bare to see the scientist that is coming in the room. “Our team hopes you’re ready, Rquil #37.” What I say in response is too shaky for either of us to make sense of.

“Uh… is that person out the window your friend?” I turn around. Claira is definitely saying some terrible things to that scientist… “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” I say to both of them, unsure if Claira can hear me.

“Rquil #37, over a 3 week timespan, we’re hoping to inject 5 different cures into your person. If it seems you can tolerate these cures, we can see if we can spread out the injections. This way, we can create a healthy plan for those with this disease. Do you want to accept this offer?”

I turn around once again to see Claira mouthing “no,” making sure her lips are especially easy to read. “That friend of yours thinks we’re evil, doesn’t she?”

“You could say that. Never been too fond of needles, either. Scared poison’s in them.”

“There’s no time for small talk, Rqui—“

“Ika. Just call me Ika.”

“We can’t waste our time trying to learn about our test subjects when they have a possibility of dying. Makes us feel regret.”Whatever else they say I can’t hear, for I can only think of one thing.

_That needle is huge. And it’s going to be put into my body._

__

__

“…_Ika, _are you ready for this?”

They assume I am, although the shaking of my hands say otherwise.

And everything goes black.

***

“…Ika…Is she awake…Ika….._Ika!”_

__

__

Isn’t that Claira’s voice..? There isn’t a way she broke in… Security would have to be especially high after I passed out… “You stupid scientist, it’s all your fault! She’s staring at me like I grew four heads!” Anything I try to speak seems like I can only mouth it. This is really bad…

Something is said on the intercom, which makes Claira look like she was going to burn the entire place down. “What did that mean, ‘Rquil #37 is lightheaded, task achieved’? If you’re going to _kill _Ika, you better get through me first!”

“Calm down… please… we aren’t…”

My vision goes black again.

***

The next time my eyes open, everything is exceedingly bright. The thing connected to my arm is pumping warm blood into me; but it may not be warm, rather just a normal temperature, which I have forgotten what that is ever since my entering of that facility.

“We will help you, Ikanimo. The scientists really knew what the cure was to your rquil disease, and just wanted to experiment with ways to make it seem like they were trying to help, but in the end they were just hurting you.”

Now, I rest, knowing now that I am in safe hands.

[This is part one of this freewrite— and also I’ve been feeling insecure about my writing, so any compliments are deeply appreciated, and critique is also invited!]