Cosmic Girl Rising Up

by R S J Gregory

  They grab the man’s dead body and drag it outside, as we each grab a bowl and plastic cup.

  I eat mine slowly and take small sips of water in-between mouthfuls. Paul devours his in seconds, then drinks his water and sets his bowl and cup back on the tray. After everyone has finished, we set our bowls and cups back on the metal trays.

  They then back away as the men unlock the cage door and come in to collect them. They leave the room with the trays through the usual door, it clicks behind them. The overhead light is then switched off from somewhere, throwing the whole room into inky darkness.

  “Do you think our parents are looking for us?” Mitchell asks quietly after a while.

  I sigh. “I hope so.”

  Four

  The experiments continue over the next few days. But when people return to the cage this time, they look different. They seem visibly shaken as usual, but now look at each other with a confused expression. I try to find out what’s going on.

  “Some big machine and a weird looking rock.” One of the adults says.

  “I think they’re using radiation.” Stuart says as we all huddle together.

  “What was the rock?” I ask.

  “Never seen anything like it before.” Stuart replies. “It was big, with weird crystals sticking out of it.”

  “What? Crystals?” Mitchell asks.

  “You’ll see.” Stuart says and then walks away as he begins to cough.

  I’m curious now. What’s the rock, and why the radiation, if it’s true?

  Stuart’s a brain. The smartest kid in my physics class, so I don’t doubt him.

  I don’t have to wait long.

  The gunmen point at me. I nod and hold out my arms to them to make it easier. The usual guy picks me up and carries me outside. I’m not afraid anymore. I merely hang there in his big rubber-smelling arms and wait for what is going to happen next. We head straight down the corridor across from the cage room, then turn left three doors down and enter a large room. Sure enough, there’s a big machine attached to one wall. It’s white, metallic, round and much bigger than I am. I’m five foot three, so the machine is at least two feet taller than me. It occupies the entire wall on my right. In the middle of the room is a large metal table.

  On the table is a boulder. It’s the size of a washing machine. I see some pale blue crystals jutting out of it at odd angles here and there. The stone itself is almost black, but as it catches the light, it glimmers and changes color. The rock is also peppered with small globs of what looks like silver. The little silver egg-shaped indentations catch the light, but it’s the pale blue crystals which draws my eyes.

  They’re pretty. What is this?

  There’s a chair waiting for me. When my captor sets me down, I smile up at him.

  “Thank you.” I say.

  Truly grateful that I don’t have to sit on the cold concrete. He stops and looks at me, with his reflective visor staring right at me only a few inches away. He nods and then backs away and leaves the room.

  I hear the click as the door is locked. There’s just the rock and the machine in the room with me. I notice a security camera, like in the other rooms. It’s perched in the corner of the room near the door, close to the ceiling.

  There are two lights above the door. One is green, which is lit, the other is red, which is off. As I watch, the green light goes off, then the red one comes on. The overhead light is switched off and the room is plunged into darkness. The red light above the door pulses on and off. It’s creepy.

  Then I hear a motor begin to whine as something is switched on. I can just about make out the machine across the room from me in the red gloom. It begins to move forward on a mechanical arm. The main round face of it is beginning to rotate. Slowly at first, then it gathers speed. The whine of the machine grows louder. As it reaches a high pitch wail, another light begins to come on. The pale blue crystals in the rock are beginning to glow and pulse. As I gaze at the pulsing blue crystals, a strange feeling begins to nibble at my fingers. My fingertips begin to tingle, then the feeling spreads up my fingers to my hands and forearms. I look down at my hands and move my fingers. They tickle.

  I laugh nervously. The blue crystals stop pulsing and begin to glow brighter and brighter. In the dark room, the light is blinding. It feels like I’m being hosed down with warm water as the light envelopes me. I notice a strange smell in the air, like wet paint.

  Then something amazing happens. My toes begin to tickle and tingle. The feeling creeps up my legs, as tears begin to trickle from my amazed eyes. I begin to laugh. I look down at my legs and move my toes.

  Holy guacamole! My toes moved.

  It’s been over ten years since I last saw that happen.

  “Oh my god!” I blurt out.

  Am I dreaming?

  I place my feet down on to the floor and gasp when I feel the cold concrete under my feet. This is really happening. I can feel the muscles in my legs move as I twirl my feet in small circles. Tears are in freefall now as I make fists with my toes. The desire to stand is intense. I need to test this. I lean forward and ready myself. Well, okay, here goes nothing.

  I brace my hands on either side of the chair and take a deep breath. I push down with my arms and stand up. I’m a little shaky, but I’m upright. I spread my arms wide and cry as the blue light bathes me in its warmth.

  Why couldn’t they have done this sooner? This is amazing. I feel giddy.

  The machine begins to wind down and the whining dies. The blue light fades, the crystals pulse a few times and then the room turns to red as their light is extinguished.

  “Aww.” I moan. I was enjoying that.

  The overhead light comes on after a few seconds. The red one is switched off and the green light comes back on. I totter towards the rock to take a closer look. I reach out and touch the meteorite. The rocky surface feels cold to the touch, but the crystals feel warm and a little sharp.

  You wonderful hunk of space rock.

  “Thank you.” I say and pat it.

  I cut my palm on one of the sharp blue crystals. I smile and massage my injured hand.

  I step back as the door is unlocked. As it opens, my usual captor enters and stops. He looks at me for several seconds as I stand near the rock. Then he holds out his white gloved-hand to me. I lurch forward slowly and take his hand. He looks down at me and leads me outside. He turns left and walks towards the black door. He points to a room on our right after several feet.

  The door is already open, a table and chair has been placed in the center of the room. There’s no one here, just a huge mirror on the right wall in front of the table. I enter and hobble towards the table and sit down in the chair. It feels weird now that I can feel my butt again. I chuckle as I squirm in the chair. My butt feels cold. My captor enters after a few seconds carrying a jug of orange juice and a tall glass. He sets it down on the table and looks up at the wall length mirror, then leaves.

  I hear the lock click once the door is closed.

  I notice a strange metallic taste in my mouth, so I pour myself a glass of orange juice. I drain the whole glass in seconds. I’m so thirsty. I pour myself a second glass and then I hear the strange voice.

  “Hello, Forty-Two.” A deep mechanical voice booms from hidden speakers.

  Five

  The voice is emanating from the huge mirror.

  “How do you feel?” The strange mechanical voice booms.

  “Hmm, let me think? I feel….KIDNAPPED!” I reply as I glare at the mirror.

  “Where are we, and why are you doing this to us?” I demand.

  “That’s not important.” The strange voice replies. Geez, it’s loud. Can’t they turn down the volume?

  “It is to me. Who the hell are you, and why are we here?”

  “Just answer the question.”

  I fold my arms. “Why should I?”

  A small television that hangs from the wall near the door suddenly flares to life.

  “Watch what hap
pens to those who don’t cooperate.”

  I look up at the screen as grey static hisses, then the static disappears and is replaced by an image. It’s of this room.

  The view is looking down at an angle at the very spot I‘m sitting in. The chair is empty.

  I turn my head and look behind me. I see a security camera attached to the wall near the ceiling. Its black lens is looking right at me. I turn back. The chair is still empty on the television.

  “Keep watching.” The voice booms.

  Then a woman comes into view, followed by one of the goons in the hazmat suits. The woman sits down and looks around. I recognize her instantly.

  “Miss Wheeler?”

  “You knew her?” The voice booms.

  “She’s my teacher.” I reply.

  “Keep watching.”

  There’s no sound, but I can see Miss Wheeler fold her arms and shake her head. Then she gets up from the chair and walks to the mirror. She bangs on it with her fists.

  Then she turns toward the door. The man in the hazmat suit enters. I can just make out the top of his shoulder and his arm. He’s holding a gun.

  “No.” I mutter. My heart hammers in my chest as I watch. Please, no.

  I see Miss Wheeler raise her right hand.

  The gun is fired. There are two flashes and then she topples over backward with two bullet holes in her forehead.

  “You monster!” I scream.

  “Temper, temper.” The booming voice mocks.

  “She never hurt anyone.” I shout.

  I stand up from the chair, seething in anger.

  “Sit down. Or shall I call him back?” The voice booms menacingly.

  “No.” I reply quickly.

  I glance down by the mirror and notice some dark spots on the concrete floor.

  I sit down again quickly. I glare at the mirror as the television is switched off.

  “Now. First of all, how long were you in a wheelchair?”

  “Over ten years.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Sixteen.” I reply.

  “How did the light make you feel?”

  “Like hitting your funny bone. Tingling, ticklish feeling.”

  “Did you feel anything in your spine?”

  “Oh.” I try to remember, but I was so distracted by the ticklish feeling, that I had overlooked something. “I felt warm all over.” I add.

  “Did you have any strange thoughts?”

  “Stranger than normal?”

  “Anything unusual? Any visions?”

  “No.”

  “How do your legs feel now?”

  “To tell the truth, it feels really weird.”

  “It’s been a long time?”

  “Yeah. I guess having feeling back in them so quickly, it’s weird.” I look down at my legs and then I look up at the huge mirror. “What did you do? What is that rock?”

  “That is all, Forty-Two.”

  “Wait. Who are you?” I called out.

  But I get no reply. I hear a click as the door is unlocked.

  I drain my orange juice before the door is opened. My silent captor comes in and stands waiting at the door. The metallic taste in my mouth still lingers as I get up and walk towards him. Geez, he’s big. I feel like a Hobbit standing next to him.

  He gestures back down the hallway and I walk ahead of him, as we make our way back to the cage room. I cough a couple of times as we walk, then I stop in front of the door and wait for him to unlock it. Once open, I walk inside and head towards the cage. Mitchell and Paul both do a double take as they see me walking towards them. The cage door is unlocked and I walk inside.

  “Oh my god.” Mitchell mutters as he walks over.

  “Nice to see you, too.” I say as he laughs.

  A crowd starts to form as people notice me standing.

  “Britney?” Beth says.

  I turn and see her coffee-colored face staring at me with wide eyes.

  “Hey, Beth.” I step forward and give her a hug.

  “How?” She asks as she gapes at me. I’ve never seen her so surprised.

  “I don’t know. A weird piece of rock with blue crystals.” I say and shrug.

  “A rock did this?” Paul asks.

  I nod and smile. “It was pretty. It reminded me of a meteorite. You know, like in Superman, with the Kryptonite.” I say.

  “What? It’s from space?” Paul asks.

  “Meteorites hit the Earth all the time. It’s the first I’ve heard of one with blue crystals embedded in it.” Stuart says.

  Then we notice our silent captor is still standing there.

  He’s leaning against the cage door, as if waiting. We all look at him, then he steps away and points at Stuart.

  “I just found out something else.” I say and they all turn to face me, as Stuart obeys our jailor and steps forward.

  “Miss Wheeler’s dead. They killed her.” I say.

  For the next seven days, people went one by one, to be zapped with the meteorite and the machine, I presume. On the eighth day, they came back for me.

  I follow him into the same room where the last experiment happened. Only this time the meteorite looks different. It’s a pale orange color, with deep purple circular crystals embedded in it. The size is different too, this rock is only as big as a bowling ball. I sit in the chair left for me and the man leaves the room and locks the door. I wait for the red light to come on and pulse. I ready myself for the unknown.

  What is this meteorite going to do to me?

  The overhead light is switched off and then the machine begins to whine as it’s switched on from somewhere. The machine moves closer to the table that holds the chunk of space rock and begins to rotate. The purple crystals begin to pulse gently as the machine begins to whine louder. Then as the machine reaches its loudest high-pitched wail, the purple crystals flare to life. They bathe me in a pale purple light.

  Instantly, I feel freezing cold, like someone’s switched on an icemaker and has pointed it right at me. I’m cold to the bone in seconds. I wrap my arms around my chest and shiver as I sit in the icy blast of purple light. Even my eyes feel cold. I’m too scared to blink, in-case my eyes freeze shut. I get up and begin to stamp my feet. I try and hop up and down to generate any kind of heat.

  After several minutes, I’m so cold that I can’t even feel my feet, or the ground beneath me anymore. All I can think of is just how unbelievably cold I am. There’s also a faint smell of ozone in the air, like the smell before a thunderstorm.

  Then the machine begins to whine down and the cold purple light fades. My teeth are chattering as I stand in my hospital gown. The overhead light comes on. I look down at my arms, expecting to see goose bumps, but my arms and legs look normal. But I’m so cold my head hurts, like a really bad ice cream headache.

  The door is unlocked and my silent guard stands waiting.

  I quickly walk out and stand in the hallway, stamping my feet and shivering. He leads me into the same interrogation room with the huge mirror as before. On the table is a steaming mug of hot chocolate. It smells amazing. I rush forward and grab the hot mug in my freezing cold hands. I dimly feel the warmth in my hands as I hold it up and take a sip. Oh, it’s good. It feels wonderful as it warms me on the inside.

  “Th..th..th..an..ksss.” I stammer to him before he leaves.

  “Hello again, Forty-Two.” The strange mechanical voice booms as I sip the hot chocolate.

  “H..h..h..el..ll..o.” I stammer as I sit in the chair and shiver.

  “Cold, was it?”

  “Fa..fa..fre..eez..ing.” I complain, as I wrap both hands around the mug of hot chocolate.

  “Hmm. Other than being cold, how did it make you feel?”

  “W..we..ird. L..l..l..ight.”

  “Light headed?”

  “N..n..no. J..j..ust f..f..elt l..l..ight.”

  “And now?”

  “F..f..f..ree..eez..ing.”

  “Drink up. That should help.”
>
  “Mm..mm..mm.” I agree and drink some more.

  It burns my throat a little, but the warmth is welcoming.

  “Did you experience any visions, or hear anything?”

  “N..n..no. J..u..u..st….h..h..eard..th..the…ma..ma..chine.” I stammer while my teeth chatter uncontrollably.

  “I see. Thank you, Forty-Two.” The strange mechanical voice booms out.

  Then the door is unlocked.

  I quickly drink the rest of my hot chocolate, get up and shuffle towards my silent captor. He holds a large white cotton blanket out to me, which I accept gratefully. I wrap it around my shoulders as he leads me back to the cage room. As we pass by one room, I can hear that bell ringing again, very faintly.

  I again wait as he unlocks the door and walk towards the cage. Once inside, I shuffle over to where Paul and Mitchell are talking. They turn as I approach, wrapped in my white blanket.

  “You okay?” Mitchell asks

  I shiver and pull the blanket tighter. “C..c.o..ld.” I say and stamp my feet again.

  “You’re shivering.” Mitchell wraps his big arms around me and pulls me to his chest.