Inhuman (12 page)

A large, painful lump formed in my throat as I smothered the tears welling in my eyes. Hugging my sides, I forced the unshed tears back.

The light padding of my bare feet on the polished tile floor was drowned out by the thudding of the guard’s army boots.

Walking steadily in front of me like a good soldier, he had no way of knowing that this, too, might be his final voyage. If Keanu had planted a gun, knife or some other weapon, I might be the last face this man ever sees. Does he have a family waiting for him to come home tonight? Would I be taking away someone’s daddy today? Will I be a murderer in a matter of minutes?

I felt sick to my stomach.

Rounding the corner to the showers, my insides lurched as I realized the big moment would be only seconds from now. Positioning himself outside the door to the showers, he stood rigid. Staring straight ahead, he pretended like I wasn’t there.

Avoiding eye contact. Avoiding me.

I looked up to examine his face. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least acknowledge his existence, his life.

He’s so young.

So young, in fact, I now felt that he couldn’t even be married or have children. How could I steal that future from him?

Pushing the door open and moving quickly into the washroom, I couldn’t tolerate to look at him any longer. It was unbearable to think that I’d have to harm this young man, probably fatally.

As the main door slammed behind me, the bang resonated loudly throughout the room. Holding onto the wall for support, I made my way to the last stall.

There were only four stalls in total but the last one felt as though it were over a mile away. As I passed each green door, I grew increasingly more nauseous and the anxiety was insufferable.

By the time I reached the third stall, I had to pause and hold my stomach because I was sure I was going to vomit. Breathing in and out slowly, I steadied myself as I reached the last stall.

Closed before me, I exhaled sharply as I placed a hand on the cool surface to push it open.

This is it, baby, this is where our future begins…or ends.

With a resistant creak, the green shower door swung open. Slamming into the back wall, I cringed and looked back at the main door with paranoia. As usual, a single white towel had been left for me, hanging behind the door.

Looking quickly to the showerhead, I was instantly confused.

There’s nothing there! What the…?

Almost breathing a sigh of relief that I may not have to kill anyone, I realized that the plan of escape may not happen…which meant I’d have to resort to plan B, which was slicing my leg open and pretending I was having a miscarriage, or worse…suicide.

That idea definitely didn’t appeal to me but it was quickly becoming evident that I had no other choice. Even if I pretending to miscarry, there’s no way I could run across the acres of fields without being caught.

Panicked, I checked all the other stalls to see if maybe I’d read the note wrong and I was going to find this item somewhere else. After peeking into each stall and realizing that there was no hidden weapon, I literally wanted to fall onto the floor and cry.

“Keanu…where is it?” Speaking quietly to myself, I decided to go back to the fourth stall and re-examine it. Pushing the door open again, I entered the stall this time and walked directly underneath the showerhead. Squinting my eyes and peering at the pipe that protruded from the wall, I actually saw something.

Held in place with silver duct tape to the topside of the pipe was a long thin metallic…pen.

A pen! Keanu! What the hell am I going to do with a pen?! Stab the man in the jugular?!

Annoyed, I extended my arms and stood on my tippy toes to retrieve the pen. Fighting with the tape momentarily, I finally pulled it free.

Examining it with a frown on my face, it indeed appeared to be a normal pen. There was no way to unscrew it or take it apart, so it obviously didn’t harbor some miniature knife or secret compartment. Pressing down on the top of the pen with my thumb, I heard the telltale audible click as its tip moved in and out.

I considered my options. Stab the guard in the jugular which was going to be ridiculously difficult and messy, or continue with my alternate plan. Looking at myself in the mirror hanging on the wall, I swallowed as I thought of the second option. I was going to have to cut myself pretty deep in order to bleed out enough to die.

Gruesome, but necessary.

Exhaling deeply as tears of frustration forced their way into my eyes, I realized I didn’t have any option but to end all of this.

Walking toward the mirror with trepidation shadowing every step, I examined the best way to smash the mirror. It needed to be quick and quiet. If I alerted the guard with a resounding crash, everything would be ruined.

Scanning the room for something to break the mirror with, I realized I was holding the answer.

The pen.

The metallic pen in my hand felt very strong and sturdy. It might be tough enough to hit the mirror with and just make a crack in the glass. From there, I could pick out a sharp piece and…I didn’t want to think about it yet.

Watching the reflection of myself as I held the pen like a knife, ready to pierce the mirror, I gave myself a final look.

Cassia Tiponi, the body which I’d worn for twenty years, was about to die. The baby inside me, the innocent victim in all this, had to perish because of my tainted blood. I couldn’t allow her to be subjected to the cruelty of these…humans. She has a right to a life, yes, but she has the right to a
decent
life. A decent life that I knew for a fact would never exist as long as she carried my genes.

A sensation of calm washed over me as I stared at my image for the last time. I realized in that moment that, despite all I’d learned of myself over the last few months,
I
was not just this body.
I
wasn’t defined by this suit, this flesh. No matter what deformity existed within me,
I
was still me, still the essence of a greater creature, a soul.

Aiming the pen at the mirror, I poised to strike it like a cobra would its prey. Focusing my attention onto the reflection of the tip of the pen, I readied myself to stab the mirror.

“One, two…” I muttered under my breath, my eyes like a hawk on the small, silver tip. The hollow barrel of the pen stared back at me, awaiting its fate like a tiny tin soldier.

Just as I was about to whisper ‘three’ and release my hand with all my strength, the baby fluttered lightly in womb. Losing my concentration for a moment, I realized exactly what I was looking at.

“Hey! Are you going to have a shower or what?” The guard’s voice nearly gave me a heart attack as he opened the main door a crack and hollered in. “I don’t hear any water running.”

A plan. I need a plan. A diversion.
 

Plotting for a moment, I searched my mind for an idea. With the limited resources I had in front of me, I had to dig deep. I nearly yelled with happiness as the idea struck me.

Excitement and fear mingled in my system as I took off my white jumpsuit. Running to the last stall and turning on the shower full blast, I then retrieved the white towel reserved for me. Wrapping it around my naked body, I then moved stealthily to the mirror.

With the pen held in my mouth, I grabbed my long black hair behind me with both hands. First forming a pony tail and then twisting it around several times, I folded my hair up into a tight bun. Holding the style with one hand, I reached around, took the pen from my mouth and proceeded to tuck it tightly into the chignon like an oriental up-do.

Giving myself one last look and a nod, I prepared myself with a deep breath.

I almost felt giddy.

This just might work.

I wasn’t going to allow myself to think too far ahead, but the taste of freedom was moving passed my lips and nearing my tongue.

Tip toeing quietly to the main door, I placed my jumpsuit on the floor behind the garbage bin, out of sight. Opening the door just a crack, I peered through the sliver at the guard. Obviously bored, he leaned against the wall just a few feet from me. Taking a quiet breath in, I decided it was now or never.

Swinging the door open quickly, the guard jumped a little. 

“I need your help.” I stated with a seductive voice and a soft pout on my lips. “I can’t get the hot water to work; the knob is too hard to turn. Will you help me?”

His eyes widened as he looked me up and down, my towel just barely covering the essentials, I was pleased when I saw his cheeks redden.

“I, um, I’m not supposed to…” Adjusting his collar, he glanced around with uncertainty.

“Please.” I edged toward him, reaching for his arm and touching him lightly. “I need a ‘hot’ shower.”

Giving him my best ‘come hither’ look, I moved even closer to him. Intentionally resting my chest against his arm, I stifled a giggle as he ogled my cleavage.

Staring down at my body moving against him, he stuttered as he leaned his gun against the wall. “Well, I’ll just have a quick look, okay?”

“Thank you.” Stepping out of his way as he entered the room, I followed closely behind as he checked out the shower.

Leaning in, he reached for the hot knob and gave it an easy turn. Turning to face me, he gave me a quirky grin like he’d done some serious hero work.

“There you go.” His voice cracked a little as he slowly moved toward the main door.

“Wait.” I pushed myself softly against him, blocking his departure. I ran my hand up his arm and caressed the back of his bare neck. “I’ve been alone for a very, very long time. I could use some…attention, if you know what I mean.”

Tilting my chin down as I gazed into his eyes like a cat stalking her prey, I pulled his face forcefully towards mine. Kissing him lightly on the lips, I ran my hands through his hair. His hands quickly went around my waist as he hungrily kissed me back.

As he groped me all over my body, I reached down and released the top of my towel. His eyes widened as I pushed him down to kiss my breasts. Diving in, he began devouring me like a starved wolf.

With him completely preoccupied, I carefully and slowly reached up to my head. Pulling the pen from its secured location within my hair, I brought it down into the back of his neck. Clicking it lightly with my thumb as I would if I wanted to begin writing a letter, a tiny needle extended into his skin and released what I hoped was only a sedative. His body slumped instantly against me, nearly knocking me over.

Moving away from him, his limp body fell over and landed face up on the shower floor.

After turning off the shower so the poor man didn’t drown as the droplets splashed his face, I ran to retrieve my jumpsuit and put it on.

With his body half in and half out of the stall, I grabbed one of his arms and tried pulling him further into the shower. Heaving him as hard as I could, I couldn’t believe how hard it was to move dead weight.

After several attempts, and a lot of groaning on my part, I finally managed to pull him to the corner of the stall.

Checking the pulse on his neck, I was relieved to feel a steady beat. Giving him one last look, I closed the stall door behind me and strode triumphantly toward the main door.

Holding the pen in one hand, I slowly opened the door with the other. Peeking out, I waited for a few moments to be sure it was really safe. I only had a couple feet to get to the janitorial closet, but it meant the difference between life and death, so I wanted to be certain I wasn’t going to get caught at the beginning of the game.

Feeling confident that the hallway was clear, I moved out of the shower room and with my back against the wall, I slid toward the closet. Paranoia was rampant within me; I imagined that every noise was the enemy about to pounce on me. Reaching the edge of the door to the closet, my heart in my throat, the sensation of success began to sweep through.

Extending my hand to the doorknob, I worried for a split second that it would be locked.

That would be my luck!

Placing my hand on the cool, metal knob, I turned it with trepidation. Luckily, it turned perfectly and I slipped into the closet with ease.

With an audible click behind me, I breathed a sigh of relief as I felt somewhat free and safe for the first time since I’d been abducted.

Looking around my new, and fairly dark, environment, I decided to turn over a silver bucket in the corner and have a seat. I had no idea how long it would take for Keanu to show up so I thought I’d better make myself comfortable.

Almost there.

 I patted my stomach to reassure my silent passenger that our freedom was just around the corner.

For the first time in months, I actually felt normal…even human…again. Since the whole nightmare began, I hadn’t allowed myself the privilege of considering a future for myself, but now, it seemed as though it just might be a possibility. If Keanu could get us out of here, we might just have a shot at a life. Maybe not a normal life, but a life none the less.

Growing up on the reserve had given me a different perspective on the standards of living. Though the Hopi people didn’t have much need for technology or modern housing, they had an understanding, an appreciation, for the land. They moved as one with the earth.

After so many years in the city, I’d almost forgotten my adopted roots. Even though I was not a Hopi Indian by blood, I was still a member of their community, trained with essentials to survive even the harshest elements; they’d taught me how to live.