The Arliss

by Ann Bakshis

  “Brea take those down to the lab and put them through a full panel spectrum,” Nex says to the nurse as she’s placing a bandage on my arm where the needle left its mark. “Sara, why don’t you get comfortable while I talk to Wavern outside.”

  The three slip from the room. The glass isolation door slides into place and locks as a curtain swings in front of it, blocking my view of Wavern and Nex’s conversation. I have no intention of getting comfortable, and instead get down from the bed and go over to the screen displaying my life. I first look at the pictures. I’m grinning and laughing in a few with Keegan, Jules, Cody, and another man who looks to be the same age as Keegan. All the photos look to have been taken here in Rinku because none show the sun or anything outside, only carved stone or metallic walls. The pictures only go back eight years, so there isn’t anything of when I was younger. I tap on my medical files next. All show I’ve had routine physicals, immunizations, and I’ve never had any major illnesses or surgeries. Oh, and I have a small tattoo of a butterfly on the right side of my lower back.

  Glad to know that I’m physically healthy… at least, I was.

  My military background shows I’ve been in Wavern’s squad for the eight years I’ve been in Rinku, which means he recruited me when I was fifteen and probably around the time of the last bombing. At least that’s what the math says when I deduct my current age, which is listed in my medical file. I show high marks in tactical training, weapons handling, and physical endurance. I’ve never been reprimanded or punished, and my current ranking is just below Jules which places me third in line for command of our squad, Wavern being first.

  I close that file and select the one for familial relations. What appears is simply a family tree with only a few names and even fewer pictures. My parents are listed, but there are no photos. I glance down at my picture and notice that there’s a green square around it. I tap the image and the file swings to the left while another one shows on the right, and in between the two is a picture of myself and Keegan, linked together as husband and wife.

  Well, that explains why he was reluctant to leave the decontamination chamber with the others.

  The chart that appears for him is almost identical to mine, with his parents’ names listed, but no corresponding photos. I close the file just as the door opens. I’m leaning against the bed when Nex and Wavern enter, both with puzzled expressions on their faces.

  “I need to take some scans of your skeletal structure, Sara, before I can release you back into general population,” Nex says, gesturing for me to get back into bed.

  “What for?” I ask, annoyed.

  “It’s procedure,” Wavern replies, a little too casually.

  I begrudgingly get back onto the bed. Wavern says he’ll return in a while, as he needs to check in with the rest of the squad, and then leaves. The door closes behind him, leaving just Nex and myself. She pulls a machine out of the wall behind my head and settles it a few inches above my body.

  “This will only take a few minutes,” she says, patting my shoulder.

  She steps towards the shower stall, pulls a heavy curtain out from behind the opening in the wall, and begins to push a series of buttons. The Roentgen machine moves up and down as it takes images of my insides then displays them on the screen next to me, adding them to my medical file. The machine stops when Nex exits from the radiation guard and puts everything back in its place. Next, she steps over to the display and scrolls through the images. I’m not sure what exactly she’s looking for and she’s not saying anything.

  “Hmm,” she finally utters before the silence becomes too unbearable.

  “What?”

  “Everything appears normal. You don’t have any broken bones, which is odd considering you were supposedly in a bomb blast. No scarring on your muscles, and your blood work came back clean.”

  “Then I was lucky,” I respond, swinging my legs out over the side of the bed.

  “No, Sara, you weren’t.” Nex turns to face me but keeps her distance. “The blood on your boots and those human remains that you found, and Cody collected, were consistent with those coming from a victim of the bombing, but I can’t explain how it could be possible.”

  “Whose are they?”

  “Yours.”

  “How the hell can that be?” I practically scream at her. “I’m right here. You said so yourself that there isn’t anything wrong with me. How can I be missing pieces of my body if everything is here?” I gesture to my arms and legs. “You have to be mistaken in your identification.”

  “We ran the print from the finger collected and it’s yours. I had a tissue sample extracted from the remains as well as pulp from the tooth and ran them through our DNA database, which also came back as a perfect match to you.”

  “But I’m not dead, obviously. Something has to be wrong with your database.”

  “I thought that, too, so the lab technician compared the blood we drew today to that in the database. It’s also a match to the remains. Those are pieces of you out there, not anyone else’s.”

  “Then how am I still here?”

  Panic grips me and I choke on the sobs forming. I can’t get air in and the room starts to spin. The nightmare slams back into my head as I realize it was a memory, and that I was mutilated and then incinerated in the blast. In my hysterics, I catch glimpses of Nex rushing over to the cabinet and removing an injector, which she places against my neck. A warm fluid enters my body, and I begin to relax before drifting off to sleep.

  The stone steps are slippery, so I’m forced to place my hand against the wall for balance as I slowly descend. The surface is hot and dry, but down here it’s damp and much cooler. No wonder he likes to hide down here while the rest of us suffer. I only have a few minutes to search his quarters and I have no idea what exactly I’m looking for. I just need something, anything that’ll prove I’m right about his lies, especially before he sends me to the conversion room like he has everyone else he’s turned into his slave. If I become his, I’ll be lost forever.

  The light is scarce, so my eyes have to adjust to the darkness. My feet hit an even plane and the wall gives way to open space. I stand still and wait for my eyes to adapt to my new surroundings. The chamber I’m in is small and contains two stalls on my right, both with chicken wire covered by wood planks being used as doorways. The first stall has a broken couch by the back wall, egg-sized pieces of green glass dangling from strings across the top of the doorway, and various cabinets haphazardly placed. The second stall has a bed covered in stained sheets, flat pillows, and a bedspread with small tufts of stuffing sticking out from holes that are probably years old. I don’t know what I expected to find down here, but definitely not these few things.

  I decide to go through the cabinet drawers, but there isn’t anything of significance in them from what I can tell. As I move from one cabinet to another, the sound of scuffing feet catches my attention. I slink towards the back of the stall, hoping it’s not him returning. I thought he’d be gone longer because he was in the process of turning someone and that can take time. The person must’ve given in quickly, which means I’m probably next.

  But it’s him and he isn’t alone. I’ve not been able to see his face—not yet anyway, as his entire body is covered in a long black cloak with a heavy hood. Dust gets kicked up as he walks, clinging to the edges of the garment. His companion is the female he took to the conversion room. She’s about my age, barefooted, wearing tattered rags, and her strawberry-blond hair is medium in length. She’s laughing as they descend the stairs but I can’t quite hear what he’s saying, as he mumbles a lot when he talks.

  The two pass me and enter the second stall, the woman discarding her clothes as they go. I assume he takes the cloak off when he’s claiming his prize, but I have yet to actually experience this myself. I’ve only heard rumors. I need to find a way out before this happens to me, but I have no clue as to where I am or even how to get the hell out of here. I have no idea as to the exact length
of time I’ve been down here as there’s no way to tell as the sun will only rise in this dominion when new followers decide to join his collective, which hasn’t happened in what feels like a few days. We’re not permitted to wander too far off the trails that circle his lair, or we’ll be eaten by his predators… or so we’ve been told. I’ve yet to see that happen.

  The noises from the next stall hit a climatic pitch then fall silent. The cramping in my legs gets worse the longer I squat, but I don’t dare move in case one or both of them is awake. The woman moans as they go at it again, only this time he prolongs her pleasure to the point where she’s begging for him to stop… screaming, actually, as she sounds like she’s in pain. He howls with delight and keeps going. Her cries pierce the stale air, followed by his laughter. I try to cover my ears, but I’m using my hands to keep my balance so I wind up falling over and knocking into one of the cabinets. All noises stop and the only thing I hear is the breath escaping my lips. I don’t dare move, especially when I feel him close by. I can’t see him, but I know he’s there. I close my eyes and try to calm myself, but I sense him looming over me… watching me… wanting me… coming for me.

  Three

  “I don’t care, Wavern. I’m not allowing you to keep her trapped in isolation like a rat,” Keegan’s voice penetrates the fog that I’m slowly coming out of.

  “We need to get to the bottom of this,” Wavern says, his face reddened in anger.

  “I don’t care what the database says, that wasn’t Sara we scooped up in Lymont.”

  “I know you must have a lot of questions,” Nex says, trying to diffuse the tense situation.

  “The only question I have is when are you going to release my wife?”

  “Not until at least tomorrow,” Nex answers. “There are a few more tests I need to conduct just to make sure.”

  “To make sure of what? That she’s Sara? You already did that. The only thing different about her is that insignificant mark on her left wrist, which could’ve come from anything she was touching when the bomb ignited.”

  “He has a point,” one of the nurses from earlier says.

  “You’re not helping, Macom,” Nex says, scolding the young woman. “We need to do this for the protection of the compound. I’ve sent everything over to Andra, and until she’s satisfied Sara stays here.”

  “This is fucking bullshit!” Keegan shouts. “I want my wife!”

  “She’s not going anywhere without Andra’s approval!” Wavern yells back. “Don’t make me confine you to quarters. I need you in the control center later today since it’s our shift again.”

  “I’m not done with this,” Keegan says, pointing a finger in Wavern’s face. “You’re not going to keep me away from her.”

  Wavern gets close to Keegan, their noses almost touching. “You listen here, soldier. Sara’s health and safety is top priority. She’s here until Andra says otherwise. Disagree with it all you want, but that’s the order I’m giving.”

  Keegan storms out, a vein bulging in his neck and his hands balled into fists. He’s probably leaving before getting himself into real trouble, since his temper has always done him in no matter who it’s aimed at.

  Wait, am I starting to remember? God, I hope so.

  “I’ll return once the change in rotation has ended,” Wavern says, then leaves.

  Macom goes to one of the cabinets and removes a thin razor and glass dish. She comes over to the left side of the bed, adjusts my arm so the spider tattoo is showing, and gently scrapes a few cells from it. The whole process takes mere seconds, is painless, and doesn’t alter any portion of the image.

  “Is that for your other tests?” I ask Nex once the nurse has left.

  “Yes, it is. I’d like to know what type of pigment was used, which might help us to narrow down where it came from.”

  “So, you don’t buy Keegan’s reasoning?”

  Nex looks up from her tablet. “You heard that?”

  I nod.

  “Well, no, I don’t agree with his statement, and I’ll tell you why.” Nex drops her arms to her side as she approaches my bed. “First, Lymont has been abandoned for so long that there wouldn’t be anything with fresh paint on it to stain you. Second, the bomb would’ve burned it off, not into your skin. And third, I have pieces of you in a chill box down in the lab and yet here you are very much alive, well, and whole.”

  But without an intact memory. Was that a memory rising to the surface while I slept, or was it simply another nightmare? I wish there was an easy way to distinguish between the two.

  “You sound almost resentful that I’m here,” I say. “Did you not want me to return from Lymont?”

  “You weren’t supposed to be there, Sara, and now you’re being ridiculous,” she says sternly. “I’m just struggling with what could’ve happened to you. If only you could remember, it would solve everything.” She steps back, takes a deep breath, and regains her composure. “I just want to make sure that you’re you and not someone else, which at this point seems to be an impossibility. I have more tests running in the lab now, but won’t have those results until tomorrow.” She heads towards the door then stops. “I’ll have a food tray brought to you within the hour.” She exits, leaving the door open behind her.

  I lie there, staring up at the ceiling and trying to recall anything about myself, but it’s like it’s all been wiped clean. Instead of wallowing in my despair, I get down from the bed and go over to the display. I spend the next several hours carefully reading my history and memorizing the faces in the photos, as well as watching several videos that were taken during my wedding to Keegan.

  No matter how many times I read over the information, nothing is jogging my memory. That one snippet about Keegan managed to float its way back in, so I’m not sure why nothing else has. I move over to Keegan’s file to find out as much about him as I can. He’s an only child like me, and his parents are deceased as well. His military background practically mirrors my own, though my scores are much higher. We’ve been married for just a few months, but apparently have known each other since I was recruited by Wavern. Keegan is three years older than I am and came to Rinku at the age of eighteen. Both of our records start when we arrived in the compound. There isn’t anything from before then, which seems odd.

  I begin to wonder where we came from before being sent to Rinku. If the cities have been abandoned for a long time, it’s obvious we didn’t originate from them. Could we have come from Demos?

  I’m just about done reading Keegan’s medical file when food is brought to me. Macom tells me it’s dinner and that I slept through lunch. I didn’t think I was out that long from when Nex injected me. I remove the cover and am surprised to find fresh vegetables, bread, and chicken on my plate. I’m not sure what I was expecting, mashed-up food preserves perhaps, but nothing like this. I clean my plate, washing it all down with a tall glass of lemonade. Macom returns a few minutes later and removes the tray. I feel completely bored and utterly useless lying in bed doing nothing, but I’m not alone for long. A tall older woman with shoulder-length silver hair enters my room, slowly closing the door behind her.

  “How are you feeling, Sara?” she asks as she cautiously approaches the foot of my bed.

  “I’m all right.”

  Her cheeks crinkle as she smiles. “That’s good to hear, especially since you’ve been through quite an ordeal.”

  I keep my mouth closed since I’m sure she’s waiting for a specific reaction from me.

  “My name is Andra and I’m the leader for this compound.” She takes a few more steps then stops. “Nex has advised me of your condition and I’ve told those who found you not to speak about it to anyone. We don’t need the whole compound up in arms over this. That would be dangerous… for you.”

  “So, what lie are we going with?” I ask, sarcasm dripping from my tongue.

  “It appears your attitude towards me hasn’t changed, which is saying something.” She clears her throat, adjusts the sta
rched collar around her thin neck, and grazes my blanket with the tips of her thin fingers. “As far as everyone else is aware, you were able to find shelter before the blast but received a severe concussion when debris fell on you. This will explain your lack of memory and why you aren’t significantly injured.”

  “But it doesn’t explain why I was in Lymont to begin with.”

  She smiles thinly. “True, but I’m sure you can come up with something plausible.”

  I detest this woman.

  “When do I get out of here?” I ask as the air between us becomes increasingly hostile.

  “Once the majority of the soldiers are back in their section of the barracks I’ll have Wavern come and collect you. I am going to restrict you for the next few days as to what your duties will be. Normally, each squad is responsible for the daily functions of this compound, but until I can fully trust you, that right won’t be afforded to you.”

  “So, I’m sort of under house arrest.”

  “You can think of it that way if you want, but I view it as a safety precaution.” She steps back towards the door, then pauses. “Do you remember anything about why you fled from here and into Lymont?” she asks over her shoulder.

  “No. I wish I did.”

  With that, she opens the door and leaves. I flop back down onto my pillow and stare at the ceiling once again. I feel like I’m being punished for something I had no control over. I still say the tests and database are wrong. Those remains aren’t mine… they can’t be.

  But what if they are?

  My head begins to pound the more I think about it, so I close my eyes and begin to drift off. I’m really not that tired, but I’m emotionally exhausted.

  A woman’s screams of pain fill the darkness around me. I try to go and help, but it’s almost like I’m cemented in place. The space around me is dark and cold, and no matter what I do I can’t move. Once my eyes have focused, I look up and notice I’m suspended by my arms by ropes. My legs dangle below me by chains that dig into my flesh, and are secured to a bolt in the floor. Every muscle aches more the longer I’m dangling, escalating to a point where I pray for my limbs to rip from my body. The cold air is slowly replaced by hot, moist breath that seems to be coming from all around me. I want to struggle, but I become weaker the longer I hang. I sense someone’s eyes on me, measuring me. One touch of him against my skin and I burn, my body ignites into a candle, and I fall from the tethers and into his vault.