The Pain Colony

by Shanon Hunt

Ryan perked up, and she could tell he was surprised she hadn’t crumbled into sobs. Relieved that he didn’t have to pretend to be compassionate. “Business as usual, Kiran says. He’s going to call a meeting with the board, but it’s not easy to get those dolts together, as you well know. It could be a couple weeks.”

  He signaled the bartender for another round.

  “Oh, I can’t—”

  “And they’ve put a hold on the SEC audit. I know that’ll disappoint you, given how much you’re into that sweetheart of a guy, Craig.” He smirked. “So that means you can sleep in tomorrow and stroll into the office at your usual ten o’clock.”

  “They’re not coming back to finish up?” She tried to sound casual. Please, please, please.

  “Nope. You’re free to go back to online shopping at your desk.”

  “Thank you, God.” She pressed her palms together. Now she could dig deeper into Austin’s work with Spiragene. “I guess another beer won’t kill me.”

  “Atta girl. Now, let me tell you my problem. You’re not the only one smoochin’ ass with the boss. I was going to go along with him to a meeting with Jonathan Chambers—you know, the head of the Pain Institute? He recently made the Forbes 2019 Top Physicians List, by the way. Bet you didn’t know that. Figured maybe I could talk him into a letter of recommendation into the Sterling Club. But now that’s shot to shit.”

  Allison spun on her stool. “Who?” she demanded, even though she heard him clearly. What the hell…the Pain Institute?

  “Dr. Chambers? World famous pain doctor? Don’t tell me you haven’t seen him on the news. He’s always ranting—”

  “But what were you meeting about? What business does Austin have with him?”

  “Beats me. Probably just networking. Austin wants me to meet all of his bigwig buddies. It’s a guy thing.” He waved dismissively and picked up his beer.

  She swallowed her jealous rage to question him further. “But why are they buddies? Are they working on something together?”

  “No deal that I’m aware of.”

  Fingers, followed by a small hand and arm emerged from behind Ryan and glided over his torso. He jerked around.

  “Well, hello there, sugar.” He twisted and put an arm around the shoulder of a gorgeous teenage-looking brunette with breasts far too large for her bony frame.

  “You remember me!” She squeaked.

  Allison sighed and swung her legs back under the bar. No, sugar, he doesn’t remember you. That’s why he called you ‘sugar.’

  She chugged her beer in one long gulp, and waved to the bartender. She should have just left, but she wanted to interrogate Ryan some more. Who else had Austin introduced him to?

  Sugar wedged herself between her and Ryan, and rested her bangle-adorned wrist on the edge of bar. The message was clear. Fuck off, he’s mine.

  She ordered a vodka tonic to settle her thoughts and hunched over the bar. She was probably overthinking it. Austin was a powerful CEO in northern New Jersey, and he had lots of friends in high places. Not that she’d met any of them. Still, it wouldn’t be so far-fetched to think he and a prominent physician might sip the same scotch at some VIP party.

  Sugar moved on, but Ryan didn’t turn his attention back to her. He swaggered over to another group of girls, introduced himself with confidence, and in mere seconds was whipping out his phone to take selfies and get phone numbers. She couldn’t help admiring his social skills, even if he was an insatiable lecher.

  Her vodka seemed to evaporate, and she ordered another. Her apprehension began to loosen as the liquor numbed her body, a bit quicker than usual because she hadn’t really eaten anything today. Her thoughts turned to Bradley Elliott. Brad. Who was he? A brief web search earlier had returned hundreds of Bradley Elliotts, but none with a research or biotech background. Was he Austin’s first lapdog? And oh my, what would Ryan do if he found out? Cyberbully the man on Instagram?

  She giggled at her own joke, and swiveled around to see how Ryan was doing.

  “Excuse me? This is Brooks Brothers.” His indignant tone rang out over the crowd. He removed his jacket and flashed the label for his adoring fans.

  The suit was a knock-off. He’d bragged about how cheaply he’d gotten it.

  She watched his shameless flirting for a few more minutes, then polished off the rest of her vodka –was that the second or the third? – and left. Ryan could pick up her tab.

  Chapter 16

  Layla hoped devotions would be led by Brother James this morning; she hadn’t seen him all week. She combed her hair with her fingers and smoothed her white linen tunic as she turned toward the community building. The sun hadn’t yet risen, and the sky was darker than usual with patchy clouds overhead. Could it be a monsoon brewing?

  She crossed the courtyard past the nursery, where gentle light illuminated a nurse-mother feeding a juvie a bottle. She appeared to be talking or singing to the baby, rocking in a chair, her face serene and smiling. Layla wondered if she would ever be so lucky as to be assigned to the nursery, feeding and playing with the infants, taking the toddlers out to the playground. If the Father found her worthy, of course.

  Still, she was grateful for her assignment in the dining center. Each day after devotions, she dashed over to the kitchen to prepare the cold salads for the buffet tables. The recipes were provided, but she often deviated from them to add her own flair. She took great pride in her salads, and she often received praise for how tasty they were. Today, she would finish her assignment by noon and then go to the park to meditate and collect her thoughts for her appointment with Dr. Jeannette.

  But first, devotions.

  She entered the community building and took her place on the cement floor. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out to the count of four, releasing the pain.

  “Thank you, Father.”

  The side door opened, and Sister Mia entered the room. Layla’s heart sank. She hadn’t seen Brother James in so long, and she missed him. Maybe she’d visit his office after her appointment with Dr. Jeannette. She could ask about the progress of the new girl with the sad eyes—Kelly, was it? She looked forward to being a mentor.

  “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. How’s everyone feeling this morning?” Sister Mia chimed. “Let’s take a few moments of meditation to release the pain.”

  Sister Mia was the most beautiful African American woman Layla had ever met. Her skin was dark and smooth, a stunning contrast to the Colony’s mandatory white linen uniform. Her long black hair, which she gathered loosely in a hair tie, reached all the way down her back. Sister Mia was the perfect image of purity to Layla, and she hoped she would have the same glow when she became pure.

  Layla breathed deeply, but her mind refused let go of the news she would share with Dr. Jeannette later that morning. I had a breakthrough. I saw him. My real dad and my real mother! It wasn’t as you described them, though. He died when I was young. He wasn’t horrible or abusive at all, let me tell you. It’s still fresh in my mind, even now.

  Dr. Jeannette would smile and clap excitedly. Tell me all about it, my dear.

  “Okay, everyone, let’s begin,” Sister Mia said. “We will not have a pain ritual today, I’m afraid.”

  The inductees glanced around the room at each other. Could something be wrong? Was the Father punishing them for something?

  “Experiencing pain is not the goal of induction. The reason you’re here is to demonstrate your worthiness for purification, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The Father knows you can suffer physically, and he sees your commitment every day.”

  Layla was disheartened. She hoped this wasn’t a bad omen for the rest of her day. She didn’t feel like herself without her pain rituals.

  “This week, we’ll dedicate ourselves to a different type of suffering: that of the poisoned world, from which you are protected here at the Colony.” Sister Mia picked up a remote control and pressed a button. The lights dimmed, and a large screen descended from the ceilin
g. “This isn’t meant to make you fearful of what’s on the other side of our walls, but instead to enlighten you to the atrocities of impure human nature. This may be upsetting. Just as you’ve been taught to do with the pain rituals, you should embrace what you see and release it. Allow it to reinforce what you already know, that being a member of the Colony is a privilege and purification is an honor.”

  “Thank you, Father,” Layla whispered in unison with the other inductees.

  “We’ll begin a new chant today: ‘With knowledge comes insight. I cannot know purity inside until I embrace the poison outside.’”

  Still in heel-sit position, Layla repeated the chant. She inhaled to the count of four and exhaled, chanting and breathing as the horror unfurled on the screen in front of her. She sat tall on her aching shins, refusing to turn away, unwilling to give in to the impulse to recoil at scenes of war, sickness, hunger, and violence.

  “With knowledge comes insight,” she whispered, inhaling and exhaling to the perfect count of four.

  She forced herself into the scenes in front of her. She wrapped her arms around a slave who cried out in agony as her child was torn from her and sold. She hung tied to a stake next to a terrified young woman and watched her skin melt as flames engulfed her. She sat next to a sixteen-year-old soldier as he tried to stop the bleeding from his little brother’s throat. She lay next to an old man as he shivered under a wet, musty blanket on the cold pavement behind a dumpster.

  Finally, she extracted herself.

  “I’m so sorry for your poisoned life,” she whispered. She embraced the anguish she felt as tears rolled down her cheeks.

  Thank you, Father. Thank you for showing me the poison outside.

  She rolled off her numb legs and rubbed them to get the blood circulating again. And without a word to Sister Mia or anyone else, she left devotions with a heaviness in her chest.

  ***

  Layla looked at the clock: 10:35, and she was already finished with her salads. She cleaned the knives and dishes, said goodbye to her friends, and left the dining center.

  Unable to shake the images of the impure world, she headed toward the flower garden. She wanted to be in a positive frame of mind for her meeting with Dr. Jeannette. Over the past week, she’d visited the garden as often as she could to smell the roses. Each time, her memory was flooded with images of the funeral. The vividness of the scene left her invigorated. The colors and smells and the sound of her mother’s voice filled her head and heart. She didn’t mourn the loss of her dad; on the contrary, she felt as though she’d gained a family member. She had a mother somewhere out there in the impure world.

  She strolled past an indoctrination purity circle engaged in a group chant and couldn’t help smiling. The public bloodletting ritual had been one of her favorites, and she was envious of the young inductee lying on the bench in the center of the circle, his arms and legs covered in leeches.

  Poison from the impure world runs through our veins. We must release the poison.

  His white mesh veil caught a breeze and fluttered up over his head, allowing her a brief glimpse of his face. His jaw was clenched, and he scowled. His look troubled her. Why would he look so anguished when his poison was being pulled right from his veins?

  “Layla!”

  Nicole waved from a park bench where she sat next to a woman Layla didn’t recognize, a tall, older woman wearing a light blue dress and a yellow sweater. Clothing from the impure world. Curious, she smiled and walked over to them.

  “This is Mrs. Madeline Barnett.” Nicole gestured as though Mrs. Barnett were a piece of fine art displayed at an auction.

  The woman smiled up at Layla. She wore a necklace with a large stone surrounded by a ring of diamonds. It was the most beautiful necklace Layla had ever seen, and she couldn’t take her eyes off it.

  Madeline laughed cordially at Nicole’s flamboyant introduction. “Very nice to meet you, Layla. Please call me Madeline. Nicole was just giving me all the gossip of the Colony. I haven’t been here for a while, and it seems I’ve missed some juicy stuff.”

  She exchanged a glance with Nicole, and they giggled as though they were sharing a secret.

  Layla had no idea what she was talking about. She sneaked another look at the necklace, transfixed by the iridescence of large stone in the center.

  Madeline traced her finger around the circle. “Opal is a stone of purity, and it sits within a white circle that symbolizes both purity and eternity.”

  Layla looked down and smoothed her shirt, with a mumbled “Sorry.”

  “And how long have you been here at the Colony, Layla?”

  “A little longer than me,” Nicole piped up.

  Layla winced. Nicole was just boasting about her fast progress to purification.

  “And where did you live before arriving here?”

  “She doesn’t know. Layla doesn’t have any memories. It’s like a form of amnesia.” Nicole rattled off the response before Layla could come up with a tactful reply.

  She smiled weakly.

  Madeline turned to Nicole. “How about if we let your friend speak for herself?”

  “Okay.” Nicole didn’t notice the scolding. “Look! The dessert cart is out! I’m going to go grab us a selection before the good stuff is all gone.” She bounced up. “Be right back!”

  Madeline squinted up at Layla and patted the bench beside her, an invitation. Layla obediently sat, her hands folded in her lap, eyes downcast.

  “How do you like it here, Layla?”

  She looked up at Madeline with shining eyes. “Oh, I love it here! The Colony is a wonderful place to live. We have a much higher quality of life than the impures in the outside world. We all work together like family to make this a beautiful place.”

  “That’s wonderful to hear. And how are you progressing to purification?”

  She rubbed each finger of her left hand, looking for stray hangnails. “Um, it’s going well, I think. I guess.”

  It was embarrassing that Nicole was so far ahead of her, but she couldn’t say that. She looked up and saw Nicole in animated conversation with Sofia. Probably bragging about her purification.

  Madeline took Layla’s hands into her own.

  She stiffened.

  “Can I tell you something?” Madeline’s voice was solemn.

  “Um, yes.”

  “You are my hero. You and everyone else here working so hard for purification. I know you’re told every single day how special you are, but I want you to know that you’re so much more than merely special. You’re striving to be pure, and as a pure, you will be a higher priority than anyone else in the world. I’m impure, and I’ll never have the opportunity to be pure like you. You’re superior to me and all the other impures out there.”

  Layla was taken aback by the conviction in Madeline’s voice. Pures were special, of course, but she’d never thought of herself as superior. She looked into Madeline’s eyes, trying to discern her message.

  “And I’ll share a little secret with you. I’ve been visiting the Colony for many years and seen many inductees who’ve been unable to attain purification. Not everyone is successful. In fact, most fail. To be pure, you must have the right mindset. You must be able to endure significant physical challenge. You need discipline and focus. Most importantly, you must be willing to unselfishly give of yourself for the greater cause. You must want to be a part of something bigger than you. It’s a tremendous purpose and responsibility. The Father can identify the pures—usually from the first day they arrive, if you can believe that.”

  Layla drew back. “You know him?” She thought only pures like Brother James could speak to the Father.

  “I do. And”—Madeline leaned in closer and whispered—“I’ve already heard from him that he believes you’re an extremely strong candidate, even more so than Nicole.”

  Her heart nearly exploded with joy.

  “You’ll do great things, Layla. Amazing things. I’ll be very proud to watch you gro
w and thrive here.”

  Layla bowed her head humbly. “Thank you. That really means a lot to me.”

  Madeline dropped her hands and they sat in silence, watching the crowd mill around the dessert cart.

  Nicole scampered back, vibrating with energy, although she seemed to have forgotten the desserts. “Madeline! Let’s go over to the nursery! The babies are out playing.”

  “Remember what I said, Layla,” Madeline said as Nicole tugged her up by the arm. She reached out as if to shake hands, and Layla felt something drop into her hand. “Good luck, darling.”

  Layla watched how gracefully Madeline glided across the lawn with Nicole. Madeline may be from the impure world, but there was no way she had any poison running through her veins. She was the perfect picture of elegance.

  She opened her hand and couldn’t believe what she saw. The sparkling opal necklace.

  ***

  Layla sat in the garden a long time, rubbing her finger over the spectacular opal and the nubbly smaller diamonds surrounding it. It was the only beautiful thing she owned. She wondered if she’d be allowed to keep it. Perhaps it would be best to keep it hidden.

  You’re superior. You have a tremendous purpose. You’re an extremely strong candidate. God, she wanted it so badly. She was aching for purification, for Brother James to call her and tell her it was time. She didn’t know why she wanted it, because she didn’t know what being pure meant. But she didn’t have to know. It was the sole reason for her existence.

  She would be pure.

  She looked at the sun, now lowering to the west, and bolted off the bench. The time had flown by so quickly. Dr. Jeannette would be waiting.

  Chapter 17

  Allison eased into her office and quietly closed the door, hoping Carol wouldn’t see that she’d overslept yet again. She’d hoped to get in early enough to have some privacy to research the Spiragene programs, but it was already nearly lunchtime. Maybe the third glass of vodka last night had been a bit too much.

  The database opened, revealing eight project folders, each with the same naming convention. She opened the first folder, LXR100101 ZFHX2 Gene Construct—Chronic Pain. It included a request for proposal, a scope of work document, a subfolder titled Raw Data, a final report, and an invoice. She opened the invoice and scrolled to the bottom.