The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments)

by Jacqueline Druga

  Slumping, Ivan looked up. “So who’s next? Obviously it isn’t Graison.”

  Arrogantly Stewart answered. “Cal. It has to be. He took her out once and she’s a woman.”

  “Get the fuck out of here,” Aldo shouted. “She’s tougher than any of those men up there. It’s not going to be Cal.”

  “We don’t think so either,” Dr. Jefferson said. “The observer’s poll has someone picked and we the scientists have to agree with them. We believe the next participant to meet their fate at the hands of the Stasis will be . . . Rickie.”

  Douglass dropped his head.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

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

  December 24 - 10:30 P.M.

  Jake had given it a lot thought over the past couple of days. It stayed forward in his mind along with the creature Jake hoped had met its demise. It had been quiet since the wolf incident. He hadn’t heard the thing cry out in that taunting manner it normally did. Jake was starting to feel secure in the fact that perhaps he and the others may have actually brought it down. A part of him though, would not give in to that belief.

  He stood there half dressed, the top drawer to his dresser open, staring down at what he held in his hand. The grey velvet covered box, no larger than two inches by three, fit almost hidden in the palm of his large hand. He let his fingers caress the softness of it as he debated in his mind on what he should do.

  Jake really wanted to give it to Cal. A part of him wanted to give her something, something that showed her how he felt. And what he held in that box summed it up more than any words he could say and would had a hard time telling her anyway. It would be so easy if circumstance were different. He could just give her it. But with it being Christmas, he didn’t want what was in that box to be taken out of context. Jake didn’t want Cal to feel that he just wanted to hand her something. That wasn’t it at all. Jake wanted Cal to have it, and since it was Christmas, he now had an excuse to give it to her, not a just a reason.

  The silencing of the blow dryer told Jake that Cal would be stepping from the bathroom soon. Quickly he placed the box back in his drawer and shut it. He could hear Carlos and Rickie’s laughter coming from the next room. He guessed Carlos laughed at Rickie, even Jake had to admit to himself that Rickie’s singing was funny. And it helped some with the unexplained nervousness he was feeling.

  “Can you hear that?” Cal stepped out of the bathroom pointing back with her thumb. “Rickie’s making up words to Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”

  Jake stepped away from the dresser to listen to Rickie singing badly, ‘Mark and Harold made me sing, boring tunes about dumb things—come on Carlos play the right notes.’ Jake shook his head and laughed. “Sometimes, and I hate to admit it, he really makes me laugh.”

  “Why don’t you go join them, Jake?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I’m staying with you.”

  “I got all the glue out of my hair . . . finally.” Cal set her brush on her dresser and Jake moved it over three inches to a more appropriate place. Opting not to yell at him, Cal grabbed his hand and put it to her hair. “It’s soft now, just like you like it.”

  Jake’s fingers ran through it. “It’s getting long.”

  “Not all of us have the convenience of being our own barber. Why don’t you let your hair grow some?”

  “Oh, I hate my hair long. It’s way too curly.”

  “You have curly hair?” Cal reached up to rub the buzz.

  “It’s really curly hair.”

  “Jake . . .” She moved to him.

  Rickie knocked once and stepped in. “Sarge, Cal.” He cleared his throat. “You two are cordially invited to attend a most bodacious Christmas celebration in the other room. Carlos and I would like very much if you guys would join us. We’re going to do a little concert, exchange gifts, and . . . enjoy the sparkling tree we made.” He looked to Jake who watched Cal. “Cal-babe, what do you say?”

  “I’m sorry, Rickie.” Cal shook her head. “I just don’t celebrate Christmas.”

  “Why, are you Jewish?”

  A smile broke on Cal’s face. “No . . .”

  “Jehovah’s Witness?”

  “No, I . . .”

  “Atheist,” Rickie continued.

  “Rickie, it’s not that. It’s just I . . .”

  “Cal-babe, come on and enjoy and celebrate the birth of our savior.” He placed his hand on his chest and lowered his head. “Besides, I worked really hard on that tree. Carlos and I ran outside real fast to pull out of that bush in front of the door.”

  Cal felt bad. “Rickie, I just don’t want to celebrate Christmas since Jessie is gone.”

  “Why? Didn’t she like Christmas?” Rickie asked.

  “She loved it.”

  “So why did you stop having it for her?”

  “Rickie,” she whispered. “She’s not with me.”

  “Babe, that is not true. She’s like, always here. So like, why don’t you and the big guy come on over to the wish gift exchange and you can shower your kid with gifts.” Rickie nodded as if saying, so there.

  There was no more hesitation in Cal.

  ^^^^

  Jake didn’t sit on the floor with them; he stood leaning against the wall, arms folded, watching and listening.

  “And finally . . .” Carlos said. “Because I’m being the generous guy this year, I’m giving you, Rickie, the entire video collector’s edition of Scooby-Doo.”

  “Dude.” Rickie smiled. “That rules. Thanks. Now it’s my turn.” He cleared his throat as his hands moved out with pretend gifts. “Ah, yes, this is for Carlos.” He extended his hand to Carlos. “It’s strings for your guitar, a small case of them.”

  Carlos smiled. “Thanks.”

  “I’m the sensible shopper, guy. Cal-Babe, I got you a tee shirt.”

  Cal pretended to take the package. “What kind?”

  “It’s black with a skeleton evil looking thing, a cool one. And this is for you, Sarge.” Pretending, Rickie tossed an ‘air’ gift Jake’s way. “Sarge, you’re supposed to catch it. It’s a hat to cover up that bald thing you got going on with your head. And finally. . .” Rickie turned to the empty spot next to Cal. “Jessie-Babe, for you I give you a dozen CD’s that will drive your mother nuts.” Rickie looked up to Jake. “Sarge, it’s your turn.”

  Jake walked into the room. “I’m not the gift giving guy, so basically, Carlos and Rickie . . . you are screwed. But Cal . . .” He moved to her and crouched down beside her. He extended the grey Velvet box and flipped the lid. “I got this five years ago for saving Chuck’s life. I always carry it. You’ve saved my life more than once up here and I want you to have it.”

  Cal stared at it, speechless, and the room was quiet, but only briefly.

  “Sarge,” Rickie spoke up. “That’s got to be like, the sappiest thing I ever saw. Weren’t you like, embarrassed to do that in front of us?”

  Jake’s head lowered and he gave a groan of frustration.

  ^^^^

  Something was up. Wrong. Jake knew it. After returning to their room, Cal sat at the desk, the medal before her, just staring at it. She hadn’t said anything to him at all. After waiting long enough for the silence to break, Jake approached her. “Hey?” He stopped before her.

  “Why did you give this to me?”

  “I never had someone special to share Christmas with. I wanted to do this. You know, Cal, I was thinking, what I wouldn’t give to had been rampaging around the crowded malls with all those rude people, just to shower you with gifts. That is something I’ve never gotten to do. I would have given you this eventually. It’s just that Christmas seemed like a good time.” He watched her lift the lid.

  “Jake,” Cal spoke soft and lifted the small gold medal from the box. “How can I put this . . . I can’t . . . I can’t take this from you.”

  “Yeah, you can.” He cupped her hand around it. “It would mean a lot to me. No one, with everything you�
�ve been through, deserves this more than.”

  Cal was speechless. Words wouldn’t even come from her mouth. She moved her lips to mouth the words ‘thank you’ and softly she kissed Jake. “It’s a great gift.” With a gentle smile she placed the medal back in the box and closed the lid. She grabbed Jake’s hand and laid the box in it. “Thank you for it.”

  “What are you doing?” He looked down at it.

  “Jake, I cannot take this from you. It wouldn’t be right or fair.” She cupped her hands over his. “The thought of you wanting me to have this is gift enough for me. It means so much.”

  Jake partially closed his eyes and his tilted his head. “Cal, I need you to know how much it means to me for you to have this. I want you to take this. Please.” He extended the box. Cal just looked into his eyes but didn’t reach for it. With lowered eyes, Jake stepped back. “I apologize for putting you on the spot with this at the gift exchange. I shouldn’t have done that.” He turned his back to her and took the box back to his dresser. He opened the drawer and stared at the box gripped so tightly in his hand he could have crushed it. Jake took a deep breath and swallowed deeply before returning it to its spot. He was wrong in his thinking that giving the gift to Cal would be hard to do. Having her not take it was even harder. But that wouldn’t be for long, Jake knew. And as if it were a game, he would win, he vowed that Cal would end up with the medal whether she wanted it or not.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

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

  January 1 - 4:40 P.M.

  The gathering room wasn’t Jake’s choice of the place to sit. But it was where he had to be. Rickie, Carlos and Cal wanted to get out of the bedrooms. Cal shocked him by wanting to be with them. Jake guessed shooting those ten wolves earlier wasn’t as much excitement for her as Carlos playing his guitar. Jake sat in a chair close to them, rifle across his lap.

  Carlos threw his head back and stopped playing so he could laugh. His guitar was propped on his leg and his foot rested on Cal’s chair. It was the same foot that Jake kept knocking off because of its placement too near to Cal’s body. But Carlos kept putting it back. And Jake eventually gave up, figuring that Carlos was just trying to irk him. And he had to admit, he was doing just that.

  Carlos laughed harder, shaking his head. “Damn.” He ran his pick down his strings roughly. “I cannot believe I’ve been here five months and have not written one decent song.”

  “Sure you have,” Cal said as she indulged in a chocolate pudding cup. “What’s that one that Rickie sings? He does a really good job with it. Oh, I know, it’s about the girl next door.”

  Carlos nodded. “That’s not bad. It’s about you.”

  “Me?” Cal asked.

  “Cal?” Jake sprang forward. “Why are you writing songs about Cal?”

  “She inspires me.” Carlos smiled widely and leaned closer to Cal. “You have pudding . . . right there.” He reached his index finger up and wiped the pudding from the corner of her mouth.

  Jake’s eyebrow twitched. “What the hell was that?”

  Carlos smirked. “Lighten up, Jake.”

  “Carlos!” Jake calmed himself down. “Don’t. I don’t joke around.”

  “Never?”

  “Nope.”

  “OK.” Carlos started playing again and looked to Cal. “You’re not actually considering staying with this guy after this experiment, are you?”

  “Well.” Cal started to answer, noticing that Jake was waiting to hear what she was going to say.

  “Fun, Cal. Fun,” Carlos continued. “He doesn’t joke around. When will you have fun?”

  “I didn’t think of that.” Cal joked looking at Jake through the corner of her eye.

  “I am not finding any of this amusing,” Jake stated. “None of it.” He stood up. “And Cal, you know you won’t eat. This is what, your fourth pudding?”

  “Second.” Cal stuck a spoon in her mouth.

  “Still.” Jake took it from her. “You need real food.”

  “Hey!” Cal reached for the pudding but Jake had walked away with it.

  Carlos motioned his head to Jake. “See, Cal. Forget the Ho-Ho’s if you end up living with this guy. You’re going to have to come to New York to see my band. Hopefully I’ll still be with them.”

  “Sarge,” Rickie called, grabbing an irritated Jake’s attention. “Did Carlos tell you? I’m joining his band. I’m going be the new front guy. I’ll be cool. The babes will love me.”

  Jake shook his head. “No you’re not, Rickie.”

  “I’m not?”

  “Nope, you’re going into the service.”

  “OK.” Rickie shrugged. “And whose turn is it to start the food? I’m feeling third world here.”

  Carlos lifted his guitar over his head. “It’s mine. And I’m hungry, too.” He handed the guitar to Cal. “Practice those chords.” He stepped away. “I’ll be back.”

  Jake saw Cal set the guitar on her lap. He knew what that meant. “Cal, no.” He reached down for it. “Spare . . .” He sniffed dramatically and then cringed. “What is that smell?”

  Rickie held his hands up. “Don’t look at me. Smelt it, dealt it, dude.”

  Irked at Rickie’s remark, Jake moved his head in the direction the scent seemed to be coming from. He saw Carlos walk into the hall leading to the dining area. Jake’s mouth dropped open and he raised his rifle yelling, “Carlos! Watch out!’

  The Stasis gave its warning cry. Two heavy charging thumps of his feet and he swiped an unsuspecting Carlos up from where he stood. Using Carlos as his shield, gripping him by his head and chest, the Stasis carried him to the door. Shaking his head with a snarl, saliva dripping from his jaws, he glared at Jake who aimed at him. He reached for the front door and pulled it open, two by fours and all.

  “Jake!” Cal cried out, watching the creature carry a screaming Carlos with him. “Do something.”

  Jake, with one eye closed, followed the beast with his rifle high. “I can’t get a good shot.”

  “Fuck that.” Quickly, and without thought Cal grabbed the revolver from the back of Jake’s belt and charged out into the snow after the beast.

  Carlos, feeling the pressure of the beast’s hand to his forehead, saw Cal. “No, Cal. No!”

  She ran closer to the moving beast, extending her arms, fighting the snow that blocked her. She fired, once, twice, three times. All three shots slammed the Stasis in the forehead. All three shots failed to do anything but anger him.

  With a furious bellow he twisted Carlos, snapping his neck loudly and dropped him. Stepping toward her, he knocked the gun from Cal’s hand, grabbed her and hurled her fifteen feet through the air. She landed hard to the ground.

  Jake screamed and opened fire at the creature as he tried to make it past him to reach a motionless Cal. The shooting of the beast stirred more than emotions. It stirred the sleeping wolves and they charged forth.

  At the same time that Jake began to fire, Rickie didn’t think. Racing outward straight to the beast, he did his best baseball slide, gliding his small body through the open legs of the Stasis and landing an arm’s reach from Cal. He scooped her up and stood facing the wall of wolves headed his way. Perhaps it was his size that allowed Rickie to carry Cal easily by the beast whose groping arms missed him by mere inches. He ran past a shooting Jake straight into the building.

  Jake saw the wolves that were so close and the Stasis standing before him looking as if he didn’t know where to go. When Jake heard the frightening sound of an empty chamber, he raced backwards into the building, slammed the door and with everything he had held it closed.

  He expected and prepared himself for the door to start to shake but it never happened. The wolves failed to throw themselves against the building. They had their prey outside. The Stasis screamed, his cries growing faint as if he were running away. The occasionally painful yelping of the wolves told Jake it would be back again.

  “Rickie.” Jake breathed heav
ily as he saw him lay Cal on the couch. “How is she?”

  “She’s fine. She’s coming to.”

  Jake bolted the door. “Board this back up. The supplies are in the corner.” He walked quickly to the couch. “Thank you for what you did.”

  Rickie didn’t know what to say, how to respond. He gave a half smile and walked past Jake to do what was requested of him.

  “Cal.” Jake slid to his knees, dropping the rifle to the floor. “Hey.” He ran his hand down her wet face.

  “Jake.” Cal tried to lift her head. “Is Carlos dead?”

  “Yes.” Jake closed his eyes and tilted his head, the frustration over what happened hitting him. “What were you thinking?” He raised his voice. “Cal, you could have been killed. Don’t ever do something like that again. How can I protect you when you do stupid shit like that?”

  “Don’t yell at me.” She closed her eyes.

  “I’m sorry.” Jake kissed her. “God, my whole body shook when I saw him throw you. Does anything feel broken?”

  Cal, eyes still closed, shook her head, covering her face with her hand.

  “Come on.” Jake saw she was upset. “Let me get you back to the room.” Gently he tucked his arms under her and lifted her as he stood. “You tried your best. I’m proud of you.”

  Cal rolled her body inward to him, burying her face in his chest. “You’re mad at me.”

  “That, too.” Jake walked with her. “But still proud.”

  ^^^^

  “Jake, really, I’m fine.” Cal pushed him away as she leaned against the bathroom sink. She stood there wearing only a pair of sweat pants and a bra.