The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments)

by Jacqueline Druga

  August 9 - 7:45 A.M.

  Racing Jake had become pretty much a daily routine that Cal thought she had physically adjusted to quite well. And she did it well, no matter the distance. Struggling on the last bit of the uphill run, Cal regretted telling Jake the day before that there was nothing he could throw her way she couldn’t handle.

  Legs burning, Cal made it. She caught her breath at the top of hill by a wooded area about a half mile from the complex.

  “Look at you, how pitiful. You know, if you quit smoking, you wouldn’t lose your breath.” Jake stood, hands on hips peering down at Cal.

  Cal only raised her eyes. “I’m out of breath because I raced you up a hill.”

  “And lost, I might add.” Jake removed his hand from his hip, held it out in cockiness and placed it back.

  “Lost? One of your steps equals ten of mine. Of course, I’m going to lose. And . . . you could be less of a dick and realize that you’ve been doing this shit for like twenty years and give me a head start.”

  “Then there would go the thrill of competition, right?”

  Cal closed her eyes and shook her head. “You really irk me.”

  With a smug look, Jake smiled at her. “Yeah, I know, but I can beat you.”

  “Physically, yes, but intellectually, you aren’t even in the same league as me.”

  “You don’t think?”

  “Please . . . who kicked your ass in scrabble this past week--every time?” Cal didn’t give Jake a chance to reply, she kept rambling. “Who wiped the floor with you in trivial pursuit? And the best--Mr. Military genius--who kicked your ass eight times in battleship? Eight times and you kept on wanting to play again to try to beat me, over and over . . .”

  “Cool it!” Jake ran his hand over the top of his head. “I’ll give you a head start tomorrow.”

  “What makes you think I’m going to race you tomorrow, let alone work out with you?”

  “Because you said the same thing yesterday and you’re here. And you need to challenge me.”

  “I need to have my head examined for taking on every one of your challenges, too.”

  “You’re having fun, who are you kidding.”

  Cal smiled and stood up straight. “You’re right. I’m having fun. However, we’re going to start getting bored with these games. So we’d better think of something else to do to occupy our evening time.”

  The corner of Jake’s mouth raised a little as he stared down at her. He saw her lips moving, but he really didn’t hear what she was saying.

  “I think I’m ready to start on that building project you mentioned last night . . . Jake?” She snapped her fingers in front of him. “Hey. You want to work on that building project you mentioned?”

  “Um . . .” Jake stammered to get from his wayward thoughts back on the train of conversation.

  “If you don’t feel like it,” Cal said smugly, “I can hang out with Carlos.

  “No.” Jake interrupted her. “I told you about Carlos. Humor me, please.”

  “I’ve been humoring you. He’s very nice to me. He asks me every night if I’d like to read with him.” She saw Jake roll his eyes in sarcasm. “What?”

  “Cal, you aren’t that naive are you? Carlos wants a little more than reading off of you.”

  “I resent that. If all he wants is sex, Jennifer will be happy to oblige, she’s made that abundantly clear to all the men.”

  “Yeah, but look at Jennifer, and look at you.” Jake said.

  “In another month, she and I will both look like super models to you men.”

  “You’re implying we’ll get desperate. What about you? Aren’t you going to want to . . . uh you know in a month’s time? Won’t we start looking good to you, too?”

  “Doubtful.” Cal faced him. “I’m a lesbian.” She waited. Watched and when she saw the shocked expression on Jake’s face, Cal laughed. “I’m joking with you. All right, now that we’ve gotten our morning exercise, race, argument and intellectual discussion out of the way, I’m going to eat.” She started to walk back down the hill until she felt Jake grab her arm.

  “Wait.” He pulled her back. “I brought you up here for a reason.” Still holding her arm, he led her another ten feet into the trees. “This.” He pointed to a tree with a knotted rope hanging down. “We’ll climb up. I have to talk to you.”

  “Up there? Why not talk here?”

  “I could talk to you here, but it’s pretty great up there.” He grabbed the rope. “Gees, I didn’t think.” Jake smacked himself in the head. “You probably can’t climb a rope. It’s knotted to help.”

  “Jake, you don’t have to bait me into this. I can climb. You go first.”

  “All right,” Jake said and leaped up and climbed the fifteen feet quickly. He lifted himself to the ‘V’ in the tree and called down. “Come on. I’ll help you when you get here.”

  Speaking softly, Cal gripped the rope. “I have to be nuts.” She began to climb, something her small body had done many times in her life. Something she actually did well.

  Jake, standing, braced himself in the ‘V’ of the tree, watching impressed as Cal climbed up to him. The rope barely moved or swayed. He squatted down when she neared him, and reached out his hand, grabbing hers. “Good job.”

  “Thanks.” With his help, she lifted herself up. “Since there’s hardly any room, I’m taking it we’re sitting.” She held on to the tree and Jake. “Fearful of the ridicule, I’m afraid I’m going to fall.”

  Jake shook his head. “I won’t let you. I’ll sit first.” Pulling away from the hand she gripped, he sat down within the ‘V’. His legs straddled the branch as he leaned back in against the larger part of the tree. “Come on.” He spoke assuredly to her, showing her the palm of his hand, his face sincere. “Sit with your back to me.”

  Nervous, and trying not to look down, Cal awkwardly maneuvered her legs over the thick branch and sat. Her hands held tightly to the tree, her body leaned forward.

  “No, don’t, slide back.” Jake placed his hand on her hip. “Slide into me. I won’t let you fall. I promise.”

  Cal, using her hands to push, slowly moved back. “Jake I don’t . . .”

  “I won’t bite, closer.” He helped her until she was right up against him.

  Feeling his chest behind her was reassuring. She leaned back, relaxing, using his chest as her back support. Feeling Jake’s hand on her hip wasn’t good enough at the height, so Cal grabbed it, sliding it against her waist and harnessing herself to him. “Don’t let go.” She spoke quickly. “Please.”

  Jake smiled. With his other hand he reached around her, lifted her chin, and pointed. “Take a look.” He pressed his head against her, letting her feel secure enough in his holding her that she could take in the view that was before them.

  “Whoa.” Cal took a shivering breath. She realized at that moment how high above everything they were. Not only were they embedded in this tree, but the towering tree sat on top of a hill, overlooking what Cal would describe in her mind as the most breathtaking view. The mountain range lay not far to the east of them, the river flowing freely down toward them. Cal could even see Rickie and Jennifer walking around the outside of the complex picking wild flowers.

  “See.” Jake rested his head back against the tree. He liked the fact that Cal’s body followed his. “This is nice.” Jake closed his eyes, getting lost in thought. “This is real nice.”

  “What is?” Cal asked.

  “Uh . . .” Jake’s eyes popped open. “This whole view thing.”

  “So tell me, Major Graison, why can’t we talk in our rooms?”

  “Because what I have to talk to you about has to be between you and me. Got that?”

  “Jake . . . who else will it be between? You seem to make sure I’m not buddy-buddy with anyone.”

  “I do that because I’m just watching out for you, Cal, that’s all.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Truth?” Jake felt her nod. “I knew
there was something about you before I even met you.”

  “You thought I scored higher on the mental evaluations.”

  “That and . . . you and I . . . we’re a lot alike, we’re different than everyone here. Just like any guy I’d be with in the field, I’d trust you to watch my back. I don’t say that about just anyone. So I want to watch yours.”

  “Just like any guy in the field, huh? Would you hold him like this in a tree?”

  Jake laughed and shook his head, closing his eyes. “No. That’s where the female part of you comes into play. I . . .” Jake stopped, afraid of possibly coming off as too attracted to her. “There’s just something so strong about you, and I respect that. I don’t think I’ve ever met a female that came across so strong and yet as sad as you do.”

  “Female?” Cal asked. “Do you refer to every woman you meet as female?”

  “Pretty much so.”

  “Explains why you were never married or engaged.”

  “I was never married or engaged because I never had time to meet the right person.” Jake reached up and played with the leaves on the tree as he talked, picking them off, rolling them in his hand and letting the squashed remains fall. “With what I do, emotional attachments can be detrimental. Besides I can honestly say, you’re the first female . . . I mean woman . . .” He laughed. “That actually has spent more than an hour in the same room with me. I think I’ve spent more alone time with you in this past week than with every woman I’ve ever tried to be personal with, combined. You tolerate me, Cal. I think that’s a hard thing to do.”

  “I have news for you, Jake. It is.”

  Jake tossed down another leaf. “I’m pretty bad, huh?”

  “You’re holding me up in a tree. You want me to be honest?” Cal didn’t give him time to respond. “No, you’re not that bad at all, Major Graison.”

  He was about to say thank you, but stopped himself. “All right,” he said and took a breath. “I haven’t brought this up, because I didn’t want to hear you make that sound.”

  Cal whined. “The manuscripts again?”

  “That’s the sound,” Jake said. “And yes. I’m telling you, Cal. I was right before. Why would Rickie’s manuscript be exactly the same as ours up except for the detail about Griff?”

  “Because it’s Rickie’s and they know he has a big mouth. They probably counted on him spreading it around that Griff was in a mental institute. They just didn’t count on him not reading it. And why do their backgrounds and who they are concern you so much? It’s not like you’re spending any time with them.” Cal was confused. “Your survival through this should be what’s important.”

  “That’s right. So what happens if one or more of them break? We should know what they are capable of, shouldn’t we? Just like Griff.”

  “That was a lie for Rickie. Griff is too stable.”

  “You would believe that. You think Carlos is safe.” Jake’s hand hurriedly slid to her mouth before she could say anything. “OK, my point in all this is . . . even if I’m wrong, which I doubt, let’s get all the books. Let’s compare. If they’re different, we’ll note the differences. If they’re all the same, we had fun.”

  “Fun?” Cal asked. “By asking them if we can read their manuscripts? Oh, joy, Jake, I bet you’re a blast on a date.”

  “Ha-ha-ha, you’re very funny. No. I don’t want to ask for them. I want to . . . borrow, yeah, but without them knowing. Make it a game, a challenge. It’ll be fun, and add another thing to do. What do you say?”

  Cal shrugged. “What the hell. I’m game. So why did we have to come up here to discuss this?”

  “Because I wanted it to be between you and me and I don’t want any of the scientists to know what we’re doing. Not yet. And they will. Our rooms . . . are bugged, microphones and cameras.”

  “How . . .” Cal tried to turn her head back to him but stopped, she didn’t want to chance losing her balance. “Wait. They said they only observed the dining room and gathering room.”

  “They lied.” Jake shook his head. “I suspected as much, started really looking last night. You know the smoke detector in the corner of the room? Bingo. I lifted the cover, a camera embedded in the wall. If there’s a camera, there’s a bug somewhere too. I couldn’t find it.”

  “Did you pull it out?” Cal asked.

  “No, besides the fact it’s in the wall, we agreed to be observed. Hey, if I’m here, I might as well take the money, right? I’ll check your room today.”

  “Good.” Cal was relieved. “I guess we have to watch what we say or do in our rooms then, right?”

  “Especially anything obscene.”

  “There goes inviting Carlos over,” Cal joked.

  “Funny.” Jake paused. “Now that we’ve talked, want to go eat?”

  “Yes, I’m starved.” Cal looked down. “Let me go first, all right?”

  “I’ll help you.” Jake kept hold of her in every step she took as she lifted herself from the branch and grabbed for the rope. Hoping she didn’t fall, he watched her climb down with ease.

  Cal felt the safety of the grassy ground. She shielded her eyes and looked up at Jake as he took the rope.

  “Whoa, babe,” Rickie’s voice was right behind her. “That was really cool.”

  “Rickie?” Cal turned around to see that both he and Jennifer stood there. “What are you guys doing up here?”

  Jennifer looked up at Jake as he got closer to the ground. “We saw you up there from below. Going to breakfast yet?”

  “On our way,” Cal answered and then turned back as Jake dropped down right beside her.

  “Dude.” Rickie smiled as he looked toward Jake. “We were walking around down there and we thought we saw you in the tree. Man, I’d never think of a tree to be a make out spot. Cool thinking. Way to not be interrupted.” He lifted his hand and gave a flower to Cal. “A beautiful flower for a beautiful babe.”

  “Ah.” Cal sniffed it. “Thank you, Rickie.”

  “No problem, look, I gave some to Jennifer, too.”

  Cal knew at that point that Rickie’s compliment to her was minuscule, meaningless, and polite. “Gee, Jennifer has a bouquet.”

  Jennifer held up the multitudes of flowers. “Isn’t he sweet, Cal? He thinks I’m beautiful.” She grabbed hold of Rickie’s arm. “Come on, Richard, let’s head down to breakfast.” She tilted her head back to Cal and Jake. “We’ll meet you down there.”

  Cal glanced down at her single flower, then at the two who trotted down the hill. The petals of Jennifer’s bouquet bounced as she walked. Not meaning to come off a little jealous, she shook her one lonely flower and said to herself in a whisper. “She got a bouquet.” Cal started to walk.

  “Hey.” With a smile, Jake grabbed Cal’s hand that held the single flower that was supposed to be Cal’s compliment. He lifted her hand and whispered as they moved. “Rickie just wants to get laid.”

  Caldwell Research Institute, Atlanta, GA

  August 9 - 8:45 A.M.

  Dr. Jefferson, wearing what seemed to be a brand new lab coat, its whiteness almost fluorescent, walked quickly around the observation room. His secretary trailed him--tablet in and--like a puppy. He ran his fingertips across each of the furnishings as he passed them. “Get the cleaning crew up here, Carol. I want another once over before the Holding Event this afternoon.”

  “Yes, Doctor.” She made a note.

  “And coffee, freshly brewed should be ready, a fully stocked bar. And have the appropriate luncheon arrangements been made?”

  “Yes. Calabria’s will deliver at three.”

  “Excellent.” Dr. Jefferson stopped, standing next to Tina. He placed his hands on his hips holding back his jacket as he stared at the screens. “Carol, note for the cleaning crew to clean every monitor. I want them to shine.”

  “Will do,” She said and jotted it down.

  “Tina and Barb, I want this cork board hidden away some . . .” He turned his head to the ‘ah’s’ that came f
rom the two observing women. “What?” he asked as he saw them looking toward the monitor.

  Tina, smiling, pointed up. “Look. Isn’t that sweet?”

  Throwing his hands up in the air, Dr. Jefferson charged to the door. “This isn’t a soap opera, ladies.” He opened the door, waited for his secretary and walked out. The holding event was starting in a few hours. Dr. Jefferson had better things to worry about than what was happening in Cal’s room.

  I-S.E. Twelve - Seal River Complex, Manitoba, Canada

  August 9 - 9:05 A.M.

  Once again, Cal picked at her breakfast. Never being a cereal eater, she chose granola every day, and every day, she barely touched it. In fact, she barely touched anything placed out to eat despite Jake’s nagging. She pretended, but the choices of food were limited, and she supposed she would have to make herself eat it or wither away.

  Cal was glad it was her day to cook. Though the others chose to just pick from the bin and heat and serve, Cal intended to make it a time consuming project. The shelves were stocked with miscellaneous items and she was going to make use out of them. She wanted to eat, and she wanted something she knew would be at least semi-good. Preparing a meal somewhat from scratch would ensure that.

  A long hot shower was what Cal took, longer than usual. She was hoping Jake--who was waiting his turn--wouldn’t complain too much when the hot water ran out. Cal stayed in the bathroom a little longer to give the water heater time to catch up.

  Hair blown dried, Cal knocked on Jake’s side. “Sorry I took so long. I’m done now.” She heard his ‘thank you’ and before she heard anything else she slipped into her room. The smell caught her attention right away. She wondered as she stepped further into her bedroom what it was. The answer came to her as she slid to a stop. On her bed was a virtual blanket of wild flowers. Her mouth dropped open. Quickly her head swung to the bathroom and she ran to the door, knocking once. “Jake, are you decent?”

  “For me, yeah, come on in.”

  Cal opened the door just as he was pulling his shirt over his head. “Jake. Can you come with me for a second?” She wiggled her index finger to him.