The Institute

by Kayla Howarth

  ***

  The minutes drag, possibly hours. I don’t know how long I’ve had my head down when I start wondering if someone’s coming back for me. The door clicks open, but I don’t even bother lifting my head. What’s the point? Right now I’m thinking about those apartments we’re shown every year on our tour. They have a shower and a bed, and that sounds really good to me.

  Someone steps behind me and binds my arms together again. I don’t even fight it. When I look up, the same man who was asking me questions is sitting down in the chair across from me, and there’s a new person standing at the door. He’s taller and a lot bulkier than the last guy. His biceps are the same size as my head. Something tells me I should try to contain my emotions this time or he will be containing them for me.

  “Sorry about the handcuffs, but if you aren’t willing to tell us the nature of your defect, we can’t be too careful.”

  I lower my head back down on the desk and sigh. “I don’t have a defect,” I say, defeated. I’m starting to think it won’t matter what I say. They aren’t going to believe me anyway. This is a complete mess.

  “That’s not what your blood test results say,” he says. I don’t care what a stupid test says. I’m not Defective. “So I will ask again. When was it that you first found out you’re Defective?”

  Are we just going to go in circles all night?

  I let out an even bigger sigh. “I don’t know what I can say to convince you. I’ve never had any symptoms, I don’t have a special ability, and I can’t tell you when I got it because I’ve never had it.” I say this next part very slowly and carefully so I can get my point across. “I am not Defective.” There’s silence, and hope begins to grow inside me that he may actually believe me.

  “Would you like to tell us how you saved two boys from a fiery car crash just a month ago?”

  My head snaps up quickly. That was only a month ago? It seems like a lifetime has passed since then. I don’t answer because I don’t exactly know how to. They couldn’t know that I dragged Drew out of the car, could they?

  “Miss Daniels, I suggest you start talking soon. You won’t be going anywhere until you give us some answers.” I put my head back on the desk. “Right, okay then,” he says. He goes to leave the room but pauses just as he passes the tall man. “Do it.”

  Monobrow continues to walk out, and just before I have the chance to ask him what exactly the tall man is going to do, he crosses the room, and I feel the burn of a backhanded slap across my face.

  The word pain isn’t enough to describe what I’m feeling. The power of his hand was so forceful I felt my neck jolt from the momentum behind it. I didn’t know it was possible to feel burning, stinging, and numbness all at the same time. Did he really only hit me with his hand? My hands are still cuffed, so I’m trying to soothe my skin by pressing it into my shoulder.

  What is this supposed to accomplish? I don’t feel like talking any more than I did five minutes ago. In fact, I’d love nothing more than to keep my mouth shut forever—I will not be bullied into admitting a lie.

  “Are you ready to talk yet?” It’s the first time I’ve heard this man’s voice. It’s rough, and deep, and also the most terrifying voice I’ve ever heard, or maybe it was just the words that were spoken. What is going to happen if I say no?

  I don’t think Muscles is a very patient man. Before I can say anything, he’s raising his hand and striking me again. Same cheek, same brute force behind the hit. Although, it doesn’t seem as painful this time. It hurts, yes, but maybe some of the nerve endings must be numb from the first hit.

  My face aches. I don’t know how many more hits I can take. My plan to keep my mouth shut isn’t going to work, especially now looking at the possibility of experiencing that slap yet again. I’m willing to make up a defect to admit to just to avoid it. That’s how this bullying tactic works, I’m guessing.

  I await any more abuse that’s headed my way when I hear the door click open again. Now the Monobrow man is back.

  “Change of heart yet, Miss Daniels?”

  “I don’t know how to say it any other way. I wish I had something to tell you, but I don’t. I wish I knew what you wanted from me, but I don’t.” I’m pleading with them to believe me. Why won’t they just believe me?

  “What are you willing to talk about, Miss Daniels? Your brother?”

  I have to be strong. Don’t break now and give Shilah away, although it’s pretty obvious they know.

  “No.” I say it as firmly as I can, but my voice still breaks.

  “Your boyfriend?”

  This pulls me out of my stupor. How do they even know?

  My eyes dart towards the door when I hear it open. Drew’s being dragged in by the man who just hit me. They found them.

  “Drew,” I cry out.

  He tries to break the grip Muscles has on him to try to get over to me, but he’s pulled back and restrained by his arm.

  Monobrow tells him to release Drew. He rushes over to me and throws his arms around me. I wish I could reciprocate, but I’m still handcuffed.

  “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he says as he cradles my face.

  “Ah, Mr. Stanley.” Monobrow emphasises Drew’s name as if it’s entertaining to watch this scene play out right in front of him. “Would you like to fill me in on Miss Daniels’ defect?”

  Drew looks as surprised as I did. He looks at me with searching eyes. “Allira, just tell them. If you have a defect, just tell them.”

  “I don’t. I swear I don’t.” I return his gaze. He has to believe me. I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t.

  “How about we leave you two alone so you can sort your story out?” The two men leave the room, but I doubt very much that we’re actually alone. They would most definitely be listening in.

  “Drew, what happened? How did they find you? Where’s—”

  “Shh, not here.” He cuts me off before I can ask where Shilah is. He gestures to the mirror on the opposite wall with his eyes. He must know that they’re listening or watching us, too.

  “Then where, Drew? It’s too late. There’s no use in trying to hide it anymore, is there?”

  “So tell them the truth. Why are you hiding your defect, and why didn’t you come with us? Not that it mattered obviously, because we all ended up here anyway.” He sighs. “Allira, you need to tell them, or tell me and I can tell them for you. Look at what they’ve already done to you.” He leans forward and kisses my swollen cheek.

  “But, Drew, I am telling the truth.”

  “Then why did your blood test come back positive?”

  “I don’t know why. I’ve never had anything happen in my whole life that would make me think I’m Defective. If I suspected for a second, I would’ve come with you. Maybe then, we all wouldn’t have ended up here. How did they find you, Drew? Have you seen Shilah since you got here?”

  Drew puts his hands on my shoulders. “Allira, you need to focus on you right now, you have to tell them what you know.”

  “That’s just it. I don’t know anything. They mentioned the car accident, but I didn’t do anything no other normal person could do. I just don’t understand why they don’t believe me.”

  Drew gets up, and I hang my head. My brows furrow when another thought crosses my mind.

  “Drew, how did you know my test came back positive?”

  A static noise echoes throughout the room. I look up to see Drew on a two-way radio. “I think she needs more motivation, boys. Send her brother in.”