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[Cordelia]No phone. No way to let anyone know I'm in trouble. And no way to escape. "This was a terrible idea," I murmur under my breath so that my handler doesn't hear me. As this is my first day, they assigned me someone to help me make it to all of my classes. I think it is probably because I threw a bit of a fit when I realized they weren't going to let me leave. "But I'm a mother, and you took my phone. My son is at home with his grandparents. I need to let them know when I'll be home." I thought the administrators would have let me go until one of them pointed to something on my chart, nudging the others and nodding. "Sorry, Mrs. Steele. We need you to stay here and be 100% focused on your studies." His voice sounds concerned, but his eyes are blank and cold. There is nothing I can say that will sway him. "When you signed the contract, you agreed to our living situation," he explains, "Your admittance counselor surely went over all of this with you beforehand."When I tried
[Cordelia]Instinctually, as any mother would, I reach forward to comfort the child. Her eyes light up with hope as my hands touch her fevered brow. She is so delicate, so frail, with hair so white it is almost transparent and eyes the color of dark coals. "How did you get here, Sweetie?" I ask as I gently pat her hair down on either side of her face. She can't be more than 7 or 8. Seeing her like this makes me think of my own children and how vulnerable they are. Atlas thought he was sending us to safety. Instead we are right in the middle of the flames. The monitors attached to the girl show her heart rate is steady, and the IV in her arm is keeping her hydrated. But why is she in pain, what is the source?"She is in the final stages of leukemia," a voice announces through an intercom speaker placed somewhere overhead. "Her parents denied traditional medical care and decided to try alternative methods. That is where you come in.""How?" I shout at the unseen person. "I don't know
[Cordelia]The cold barrel of a gun presses against my back. They must be bluffing. They can't seriously mean to shoot me. Can they?"Continue to cure the girl, or we will shoot," the man standing behind me demands, his familiar voice no longer giving me hope."Sasha, what are you doing?" I hiss. "How could you...""Shhh," he whispers in my ear. "I'm doing my job. Trust me."Trust him? He's literally holding a gun to my back and he wants me to trust him. "Have you gone mad?"The sound of the safety clicking off is loud, reverberating through the room and I stiffen."Your hands on the patient, Mrs. Steele," the overhead voice urges. "Or my associate will give you something more personal to heal.""And if I refuse?""I'm sorry," is the only warning I get before Sasha fires the gun and I stumble forward, my body expecting the painful impact of the bullet at close range. Whatever he did will leave a bruise, but at least I'm not bleeding. "Close your eyes," he whispers. "I need to make
As soon as I stepped inside the room. I could see why Sasha begged me to be quiet. I had never seen anything as horrifying. The room was a lab of sorts, not very different from the morgue-like room I had been whisked away to before, except it was narrow and thin, curving slightly as it turned around the bend. In the center of the room were beds lined up about 6 feet apart, and on each bed was a child, woman, or man. Some looked like they were sleeping peacefully, others lay quietly, their faces twisted in pain. A few had giant wounds across their midsection, their flesh peeled back, revealing organs that were being monitored by cameras and other devices in a sort of slow study. The little girl was one of those victims, her face finally calm, but the spot where I had touched her sliced open to view. "This is monstrous," I couldn't help but gasp before clasping my hands over my mouth. "Can they feel this torture? How is this...?""The green fluid keeps them sleeping and also serves a
[Cordelia]I never get my husband’s love. He is too busy giving it to others while I’m stuck here watching them, helpless to do anything about it. Keeping the newspaper firmly in front of my face, I try to seem casual as I take a small sip of my cold, bitter coffee, grateful that I grabbed my gym hoodie, sweatpants and a pair of sunglasses from my car as a last-minute disguise. I don’t want anyone to recognize me, especially not him. It’s bad enough that my marriage is a joke to everyone who knows us, I don’t need to make it worse by making myself look like a jealous stalker.She must have said something funny because I hear the faint echo of his laughter from across the cafe. I can’t believe how casually he is flaunting his relationship with this…girl. She can’t be any older than me. He’s always saying I’m such a child and yet here he is with a silly blond at least a decade younger than him. He told me he couldn’t come to my family brunch this morning because of work. I had to end
[Cordelia]I regain my footing quickly and remove my hands from his well-formed chest. He has always been a handsome man with his classic Hollywood cheekbones, prominent chin, and gorgeous smile. My attraction to him has never been a problem between us. “Cordelia,” His brow scrunches in confusion. “Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be at brunch with your parents?”I open my mouth to say something, but I’m not sure where to start. How do you accuse the person you love, the person who is supposed to love you back, of cheating? It would be easier if he were a mess, but he is as impeccably dressed as always, his three-piece suit still looking fresh and pressed even at midday. “Cordelia,” his confusion has been replaced with anger when I remain non-responsive. “I asked you a question and I expect an answer. Why are you here?”“You know why I’m here,” I try to stay strong but my body betrays me. I hate crying in front of him. It shows him that I am weak."Where did you put her? ” I
[Cordelia] I cannot remember most of the drive, but by some miracle, I made it home. April, the family maid, scrunches up her face when I approach. At first, I think she is going to deny me entrance due to my wet, muddy clothing, but then I remember that I live here too and she can’t keep me out in the cold. “Good Evening, April,” I greet her as I gently push past her. Not wanting to bring her body into contact with mine, she moves aside, letting me enter. “Young Miss,” she has never, in 5 years of marriage, ever used my proper name or title as wife of the oldest son and mistress of the house. “Please change before entering the rest of the house.” I know she would rather all of me stay outside. She has never been kind to me, knowing that I am not wanted by Atlas, or anyone else. Why should she be kind to a person out of favor that doesn’t even sign her paychecks? To appease her sensibilities, I take off my shoes and hoodie and let them fall to the floor in a heap near the door
[Cordelia]“Drugged the wine? Why would I do that?” His words stab right through my heart. How could he think so poorly of me? “After your little sob story about needing an heir, you suddenly end up in my bed?” He barks, harsh laughter springing from his lips. “I’m not a fool, Cordelia. Were you even drunk, or was that an act too?”“But I didn’t drug you?” I insist, my voice small. “I only had that wine because I took it from your hotel room,” I remind him as I try to remember the day before. That’s right, this wine came from his hotel room. The room he was in with his secretary…If anyone drugged this wine it must have been her. She was trying to seduce him!“Atlas,” I jump out of bed holding his shirt closed, “I just realized something about yesterday. Your secretary had…”“Save it,” he cuts me off as he moves towards the door. “I don’t know why I keep expecting better from you,” he sighs deeply, looking at me in disappointment. “You’re barely more than a child. I should have known