Phantom Universe

by Laura Kreitzer

CHAPTER 20: NEEDLES

  16 years old

  Summer’s been poked with needles before, and it’s always ended with a melting sensation followed by an extensive beating or whipping. And we aren’t talking about whipped cream. Needles mean so many different passionate emotions, but the most extensive, terror-inducing sensation is how the drugs she’s pumped with usually leave her incoherent. And when you aren’t able to defend yourself, horrible things can be done to your body without protest.

  She has no idea that an IV means a needle. If she had known this, Gage would have had to strap her down with only the mere mention of it. But the sight of it? Summer ran. Or attempted to. This is why she’s now strapped to the bed, holding in those tears she rarely lets loose.

  “Shh,” Cameron soothes, though Summer’s not quite sure how she’s supposed to quiet her panting breaths. “It’ll only take a second, and then it will all be over with.” Cameron looks away and asks someone, “Where’s Gage, anyway?”

  “He left here thirty minutes ago—he didn’t say where to,” a nurse answers. “He seemed upset.”

  “What a splashy piece of work,” Cameron grumbles. “He’s been the only one who can calm her down—he knew we would need him for this.”

  Summer struggles under the weight of the straps and hands that hold her down, binding her like some ritual sacrifice to the gods. Sweat blooms over her forehead in tiny beads and trickles into her hair. Her heart’s rapid beat echoes on the machine they hook her up to, and an alarm immediately begins to shriek.

  “She’s not getting enough oxygen,” someone shouts.

  There are too many people around Summer, all of them industriously working over her body. She’s freaking out, grasping for reality as it slips in and out of her view—and they haven’t even stuck her with the needle yet. A mask is held over her face, and her shallow breaths become more frantic.

  “Calm down sweetie. It’s just a quick poke so they can give you fluids,” says Cameron as her face floats over Summer’s.

  “Hold her arm still,” commands Doctor Rose, and several hands grip Summer’s arm painfully. There’s a quick poke, a few seconds of stinging pain, and then they cover her arm with some kind of clear tape. Summer’s blue eyes dilate in fear as she waits for the drugs to take effect, but her world doesn’t change shape. Her chest heaves, and her eyes dart around for the culprit of the punishment.

  “It’s all over with sweetie,” says Cameron softly as the hands gripping Summer disappear. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

  It’s over? she thinks. That’s it? They strap me down for this? She’s still suspicious. Her heart slows, and her breathing begins to even out as she stares up at Cameron’s brown eyes, curtained by her long, black hair.

  “You see that bag there?” Cameron points at a bag hanging next to the bed. “That’s fluids for you. It’ll constantly drip through the IV and into your body. It will keep you hydrated. They took some of your blood so they can figure out what your blood type and genetic code are, and to check to make sure there isn’t anything else wrong. Are you okay now?” She brushes a sweat-soaked piece of hair from Summer’s cheek. “If you promise me you won’t pull out the IV, I’ll undo the straps, okay?”

  Summer nods exhaustedly, her face pale and gaunt. She feels as if a part of her was extracted and shoved back in her upside down.

  The straps come free, one at a time, and though the first thing she wants to do is yank the IV from her arm, she knows that worse things will happen if she does. In the corner of the room is a man in white scrubs with a needle, holding it up in the air as if he’s preparing to pounce on her if she makes the wrong move.

  “Hey everyone, let’s let her have some time alone. We’re scaring her,” Cameron says and shoots the guy in the corner an unmistakable glare.

  Soon the room is empty, and all Summer has is her thoughts and the steady beeping of the machine that monitors her heart, oxygen, and a few vital signs she doesn’t know anything about. She tries to relax in the sudden silence.

  An hour later, Doctor Rose returns with Cameron and food.

  “Hello Summer,” greets Doctor Rose. “I need to give you an exam. It won’t hurt at all, I just need you to be cooperative. Is that okay?”

  Are they asking her? She’s not used to giving permission.

  Cameron places the tray of food on a table and moves it out of the way. Summer sits up and feels the pull of the IV. Her eyes follow the line to the fluid bag that is now only three quarters full. Cameron gently places a hand on her shoulder, and she jerks out of reflex until she realizes it’s just Cameron.

  “Will you cooperate?” repeats Doctor Rose. Summer nods and hangs her legs off the bed.

  The exam includes all her vital signs, her height and weight, and the measurements around her legs, arms, hips, and shoulders. Her head is rechecked, and everything’s okay; the Jackerion’s holding. They also extensively take note of her scars before they have her lie down and use a device that runs over her body and sends information to the Doctor—though she doesn’t know what kind of information. Afterward, Cameron pulls the table over for Summer to eat. While Summer’s busy shoveling potatoes into her mouth, she watches as Cameron and Doctor Rose talk animatedly next to the door. She can’t hear anything they say, but knows it’s about her.

  When Summer’s done, Doctor Rose takes note of how much she ate and leaves. Cameron stays behind for a few more minutes, taking a seat next to her bed.

  “I know you’re scared, Summer, and I’m sorry about that.” Cameron takes a deep breath and then exhales heavily. “I’m just going to tell you a few things about where you’re at. Maybe this will make you more comfortable?”

  Summer takes a long sip of water, eyeing Cameron carefully.

  Cameron clears her throat. “Okay . . . well, right now you are in the city of Phantomship, at the Phantomship Medical Institute, one of the top medical schools in the Federation, and the top hospital in the Californian Providence, also known as C.P. Outside your room is a guard for your protection, and the medical staff working on your case are aware of how you feel about people touching you and the fact you don’t speak.”

  Cameron crosses her legs, turns slightly in Summer’s direction, and tucks her black hair behind her ears. “I, um, don’t know where Gage went. He won’t respond to my calls.” She sighs when she sees Summer’s big, round sad eyes. “Listen, Summer, he told me you had a close-call with a man once.”

  Summer deposits her cup of water next to her bed and scrutinizes Cameron warily.

  Cameron uncrosses her legs, leans forward, and stares up with her dark eyes. “When I was younger, something similar happened to me. Of course my life was nothing like yours, but that one thing I can relate to. Except it wasn’t a close-call, and it’s the reason why Paige called me a ‘goldhole.’” Summer attempts to look innocent—that was from a conversation she had eavesdropped on. Cameron laughs lightly. “I know you were listening. Just . . . I can relate.”

  Summer continues to study Cameron’s face, reading the truth in her eyes. It’s not like her to want to reach out to someone—she prefers to be out of sight, observing everyone else. But after hearing Cameron’s statement that she, too, was in the same state of panic and terror, her body being forcefully held down against her will . . . she can’t help but want to reach out and comfort. She knows how it feels, how helpless you become. It’s the worst feeling in the entire world. Summer extends her hand and opens her palm to Cameron. An offering. Cameron takes her hand, and they sit together for several moments, comforting each other.

  “They’ve put me back on rotation for a few days,” says Cameron softly. “So I’m going to be really busy. I would send Jaden over to keep you company, but she’s already been released and sent to the Outlander camp here in Phantomship.”

  Summer frowns. She didn’t think they would separate her from Jaden—but they did. And now who knows where Jaden’s at. Maybe they’ll never see each other again. She didn’t even get the chance
to thank her properly for rescuing her and trying to rescue Landon . . . and who knows where he’s at.

  Alone. She’s all alone now.

  “I’ll come check on you later, okay?” says Cameron.

  Summer gives a sharp tap on the table next to her bed, falls back onto the pillows, and stares at the ceiling again. She hears the distinct opening of the door and a tiny click as it slides closed. Time passes as she fades in and out of sleep, a few times the lights are turned off. Food is brought in, more exams are done, but overall the days are endlessly boring. Two days pass.

  On the third day of her hospital stay, Doctor Rose enters with a grin spread across her face, her hawk-like eyes softened. “Well Summer, it looks like I have good news! Your tests have come back from this morning, and we can finally take that pesky IV out of your arm. How does that sound?”

  Summer sits up and grins. She’s practically bouncing in her seat as she holds her arm out. Doctor Rose places her hands inside a machine where skin-tight gloves are pulled onto her hands. She immediately pulls up a floating stool (another mystery Summer hasn’t been able to solve, no matter how many times she runs her hand underneath it) and begins to disassemble the IV. She throws the pieces of the IV into a biomedical wastebasket on the wall that sucks the trash away.

  “Lunch will be here soon,” says Doctor Rose as she sends her gloves down the vacuum-like trash. Her bright, red hair is pulled into its usual bun at the nape of her neck, and her robust hips lose their shape as she turns toward the door, her lab coat almost to her knees. She glances over her shoulder and smiles at Summer as she puts her hand in front of the door.

  It opens before Doctor Rose has a chance to move her hand, and just outside is Gage. Doctor Rose stops the door from fully opening and glances back at Summer again, her eyes apologetic. Summer, on the other hand, sits up straight and waits for Gage to enter. He said he would visit every day, even though he did leave abruptly from her room three days ago and hasn’t seen him since. Summer can’t help but be excited.

  “Now’s not a good time, Lieutenant Appleton,” whispers Doctor Rose crossly.

  Gage tries to peer around her, but she sways from side-to-side to stop him. “I need to see her,” he says. “Please.”

  “You left here without saying anything to anyone, Appleton.” Doctor Rose’s voice lowers indignantly. “We had to strap her down to give her an IV!”

  Gage quits his whack-a-mole routine to meet Doctor Rose’s eyes. “Oh.” He’s taller than her so he’s able to stare over her and right into Summer’s eyes.

  “ ‘Oh’ is right. So I think it’s best if you leave. Now.”

  “Whoa,” a male voice says behind Gage. Summer can’t see who it is. “Is that the Outlander everyone’s talking about?”

  Voices erupt right outside the door, and all Summer can see is the Doctor and Gage whispering through an argument. The door is only opened a few inches . . . a few inches too many.

  “This is the Outlander’s room?” someone asks.

  “Are we helping them now?” sneers another voice.

  The first male voice tells them to shut up, then says, “Dude, she’s hot. Blonde hair, and from what I can tell, smokin’ legs.”

  Summer gasps and covers her legs quickly, realizing her scrub-like bottoms have bunched at her knees. She pulls the covers all the way up to her chin as images of Jarvis assault her. She shudders and shakes uncontrollably.

  Gage turns and punches someone before pivoting back like nothing happened. The situation outside becomes rowdy as more people begin to yell. Summer’s heart starts to pick up its pace, the beeping monitor registering its speed. Doctor Rose pushes past Gage and starts to shout at the people outside.

  “If you don’t settle down I’ll have the guards escort you out now! Any of my employees who are caught hanging outside my patient’s door without my permission will lose their jobs!” exclaims Doctor Rose with authority. “Is that clear?”

  Gage squeezes through the door with a wary grin on his face. The door slides shut behind him. His alluring green eyes gaze pleadingly at her. He’s wearing his uniform again: dark green jacket, black undershirt and pants, and tall, black boots. What he holds in his hand is a stark color difference to his appearance, but it’s the most beautiful thing Summer’s ever seen.