Sparks (unedited)

This is a short story I wrote for my Fiction Writing class. It is not edited yet. Please don’t use it.

Ava woke up, back aching, on a cold hard surface. She lay there for a moment, hands immediately reaching to her face, checking to make sure she was still herself. Two eyes, although she couldn’t see anything; same crooked nose, mouth twisted in fear. She was still there. Still Ava. For now.

 

Slowly, she sat up, heart pounding. Where was she? She was on a floor of stone, sharp and jagged edges pressing into her hands. Or maybe it was glass. It was cold, hard and sharp but it was too dark to see anything. Maybe she was blind? She quickly nixed this thought as waves of anxiety overtook her. Cautiously, she felt her way around. Stone walls closing in around her, just barely giving her enough room to stretch out her arms.

 

The claustrophobia panic was beginning to set in. Ava threw herself at the walls, clawing at the stone, trying to find a door, anything to get out. Stone everywhere, and the smooth surface of a door. Handleless, hingeless, just the faint impression of a narrow rectangle- food, she guessed. She hacked away at it with her fingernails, hoping it would give. It wiggled, ever so slightly, but she could feel that it wouldn’t budge. It was secure. Ava flopped back on the stone, trying to ignore the pain in her back, and the fresh pain in her fingertips. One of her fingernails had ripped off, caught in the edge of the door. Fuck. She could feel the blood trickling out, oozing onto the stone floor. She tore a chunk of her shirtsleeve off and twisted it around the finger, flinching at the stinging pain. She longed for painkillers, or water, but there was nothing.

 

Ava didn’t know how long she lay on the floor for. The pain in her finger had dulled, just a little. She wanted to look at it, but there still wasn’t any light whatsoever. Maybe she had gone blind, after all. Maybe the door had poisoned her.

 

From somewhere, a chime sounded. A voice began to speak, a woman, voice as cold as the floor, sounding bored. The voice came from everywhere, as though oozing from the stone itself.

 

 

Welcome to Rehabilitation.

You have been brought here as part of government efforts to create outstanding citizens in this time of war. Our goal here is to remove the tumors of society, and help them restructure their lives to be outstanding citizens willing to fight for the cause and the country.

You will be kept on a strict schedule with vigorous routines. Meals will be served three times a day, and sunshine breaks will be rewarded to patients with good behavior.

After your Rehabilitation therapy, you will be admitted into treatment for your health and strength.

The Center for Rehabilitation would like to remind you that there will be no smoking, running in the halls, laughing, smiling, or dreaming.

Your treatment begins…now.

 

There was another chime, and the hissing of gas being issued into the cell.

 

Ava woke up some time later, face aching. She could feel something on her finger, covering her missing nail. Her mind processed the pain in her face. She was slow, probably from the drugs. They changed her, she just knew it. Hands shaking, she touched her face, feeling the long scar running down the center. That was it, then. She hadn’t had time to prepare mentally. The doctors here had opened her face. Fixed her eyes so her vision was perfect, implanted a device into her forehead to measure her body signals and brain waves. They had started to keep her under constant watch.They would be able to see when she was afraid.

 

She managed to sleep a little, tossing and turning about as she dreamt of sometime before, something she thought had happened, but maybe it was a dream.

 

She saw him across the room, just like in a fairytale. He was standing there, across the room, staring back at her. She blushed and looked down, and when she looked back at him, he was gone.

Pity.

And then there was a tap on her shoulder, and she spun around to face him. He was smiling, asking for her name. He introduced himself as CJ. Just the initials. He smiled at her, and wrote his number on the back of her hand in a marker.

She called him the next day, hesitant. He wanted to see her, and she reluctantly met up with him. She was shy and awkward; he was dazzling and kind, and he loved her. Love at first sight, he proclaimed. She laughed, and agreed to meet up with him again. Just because.

And the rest was history. He found ways to see her on a daily basis, sneaking into her room when her parents were asleep, giggling as he fell flat on his face after crawling through her window. After time, she came to realize she loved him too. They were inseparable, going to be together forever.

Neither of them ever thought things could go so wrong.

 

She was awakened by a loud BANG! and harsh light pouring into her chamber. Ava recoiled and shielded her eyes, blinded. Her motions were slow and heavy- they had probably gassed her again while she was asleep. Strong hands were grabbing her, dragging her of the cold darkness.

 

After a minute her eyes adjusted enough for her to squint at her surroundings. She was being dragged down a hallway. The hall was lined with heavy metal doors, and painted a sickly green color. Ava could only guess that others like her lay behind the other doors, before she was dragged into a lift at the end of the hall.

 

She twisted around a little to see her captors. Two blank-faced men in white lab coats, staring straight ahead. She squirmed, and they didn’t look at her, just tightened their grip on her arms. The elevator stopped several floors down, and she was dragged through another green hallway, and deposited in the middle of a green room. There was a metal table and one wooden chair in the center. The door closed behind her, and she was left alone.

 

Please be seated.

 

Ava hauled herself over to the chair, half expecting to find handcuffs or bonds. She looked around. No cameras that she could see, no people. Nothing but the desk, her, and the solitary light hanging from the ceiling.

 

We would like to welcome you once again to Rehabilitation. You have been selected due to your part in the anti-war movement. Your drive and dedication shows us you have what it takes to be part of our ranks.

Your will however may take time to deteriorate. We have altered your schedule. Each day you will submit to questioning so we can better judge your personality. Next week we will add testing to your schedule.

Questioning begins…now.

Question one. Why did you decide to join the anit-war movement?

 

Ava just shook her head, refusing to answer. She didn’t want any of this

Please answer the question.

 

Ava stared straight ahead, imitating the men in the lab coats.

 

Please answer the question or we will force you to.

 

They couldn’t. There was no way into her head unless they-they wouldn’t! They couldn’t do-

Sharp pain shot through Ava’s head. She screamed and collapsed onto the floor, feeling like her skull was being split in half. Little lights danced in front of her eyes from the intensity of the pain. It felt as though there was a spike driving between her eyes. Things were swimming through her brain, beyond her control. Memories surfaced before she could stop them.

 

The announcement had been plastered all over the news. The government had declared war on the rest of the world. Their reasons why changed on a regular basis- foreign countries had ruined their economy with trade, too many people being forced to immigrate to here, unfair treatment on the World Counsel… the talk of the people was that the government just wanted absolute takeover. The army was dispatched, but quickly eliminated. The government was turning to the people, asking them to join and “fight for the cause!”

 

But the people wouldn’t have it.

 

The anti-war movement swept the country. Nobody would stand for this. You lost your entire military, why would you create another? Ava and CJ dove right in, leading protests and raid. The dynamic duo, recognized nationally for their efforts, hoping the government would hear their voices.

 

And then the disappearances started

 

Ava sat up, gasping. The pain in her head had dulled, leaving her dizzy, the world out of focus.

 

Very good. This would be easier if you cooperated. Question two. Where are you from?

And so it went. Hundreds of questions were asked; some trivial, some logical, some not related to her life in the slightest. She fought as hard as she could, trying to protect her life from these monsters. Each time, they got into her brain, ripping each memory or thought from her brain, leaving her on the floor cold and shaking and in agony. By the time the men in the lab coats returned, she could hardly stand or see. They dragged her through more puke green walls, leaving her in a new room. It had stone walls and a stone floor, although not nearly as sharp as her previous cell. There was a cot in the corner with well used blankets; along with a mirror, toilet and sink. The men left her alone. She had a room to herself. She scanned the walls- no sign of a cameras, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t watch her anyways. Probably could see through her eyes.

 

The food was drugged, she was sure of it. Each meal pushed through into her hole of darkness had the faint tang of something slightly metallic. At first, she just pushed it around her plate, then shoved it back through the slot. She wasn’t about to let them take over her. After a while, the effects of the gas treatment began to get to her empty stomach, so she had no choice. She ate as little and as slowly as possible, trying not to let them get into her system; but no matter what she did, she could feel it in her blood, making her lethargic.

 

The second week in, her testing began. After her morning questions, she was served her lunch, and dragged to a new room; beige. It was completely empty. The lab-coated men deposited her on a square outline and left her alone.

 

These tests were designed to build up your intelligence, critical thinking, logic, and stamina. You are required to complete four a day; you will not be allowed to eat or sleep until you have done so. Your testing begins…now.

There was a buzzer, and Eva was dropped down into another beige room. It was a maze, she could see that. It only took her a few minutes to solve it. Something above her dinged, indicating the completion. The lab-coated men came through the door and escorted her to the next chamber. Slightly more difficult, but manageable. Ava was bored with the ordeal.

The routine established itself within days. Food, questions, food, testing, food, sleep. In her free time, Ava worked out, so she could be better prepared for the tests. They varied, from mazes to military courses. Once they left her in a locked room with only a few odd household bits, and told her to get out. That one took her the majority of the afternoon. She didn’t mind the length of the tests. Anything to distract her from the memories.

 

Dreams came in the night, plaguing her, memories of her past like her life flashing before her eyes. She would wake up every night, clutching at the ratty blanket, gasping into the darkness, feeling sick to her core. The memories were worse than nightmares, gnawing at her all day long. The gas they used to make her more vulnerable before her questioning was a sweet relief, those few minutes of bliss before they attacked her brain. She fought them harder and harder, the pain increasing until she was passing out. They woke her up each time, and started the process over again. By the end of the fourth week, Ava could barely think straight. The tests were taking longer to complete. One day she was trapped in a basic maze for two days. She finally stumbled out on complete accident, and collapsed.

 

He came in from one of the revolution meetings looking grim. There was a new breakthrough in the government process. The disappearances had been increasing rapidly over the weeks. He had discovered what was happening. The government was kidnapping people, mostly the revolutionaries, and putting them into facilities to brainwash them. It wasn’t right- and he wanted to put a stop to it. He wanted to sneak into their and put a stop to this. He could fight the brainwashing, trick them into letting him into the military, He could take them down from the inside.

Ava just stared at him in horror, He couldn’t leave her like this. She cried and pleaded with him, but he wouldn’t budge. He loved her, he really did, but he couldn’t be with her in a country so dangerous. So let’s run away, she said.

He looked at her, and she could see it was over. He took her in his arms and told her he would be back for her, He would never leave her. He would always be there to protect her, no matter what. Always.

 

When Ava woke up, she wasn’t alone.

 

At first, she could feel it, the extra presence in the room. A little throbbing in the front of her head; not pain, just a pulsing. She sat up and peered out into the darkness, wondering if all the probing in her brain had finally pushed her to her limit. Maybe she was dying.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. Turning her head, she saw them- little glowing, floating specks. Tiny sparks, pinpoints in the darkness. They floated around, dancing closer to her. She sat up in her bed and reached out, and they floated closer, following her movements. For some reason, they made her feel…safe. She fell back asleep, for the first time, not afraid. Strangely.

 

They were there when she woke up. They hovered around, never leaving her line of sight. She smiled for what felt like the first time in forever. She ate her breakfast and was gassed for morning testing. She was curious to find out if anyone else could see them.

 

But the men in lab coats didn’t seem to notice, even though they hovered in front of their faces, dancing on their noses. Ava suppressed a giggle. They couldn’t see anything. She was deposited in the questioning room, and left alone. More or less.

 

The questions were brutal. She barely had time to think before they were plunging into her brain, extracting all the information the wanted. She blacked out within seconds.

 

When she awoke, there were more sparks dancing around her head. They grouped around her, comforting in their own way.

 

You have answered enough questions. Please return to your chamber.

Ava blinked in surprise. They were done questioning her? Had they found what they wanted from her? The men in white came to get her, and the sparks followed, glowing brighter than before.

As she ate her lunch, Ava watched the sparks dance around her tray, and wondered about them. They had brought her luck with questions. Maybe they weren’t sparks? They seemed to only be in her head, nobody else could see them. Unless they picked them up through the implant in her brain. That could explain the end to the questioning.

But what did they mean?

The sparks followed her around every day though her testing. Ava stopped questioning them. They made her feel less alone. Someone to follow her through her tests. Someone to talk to when she got lonely at night. A distraction from her past.

One afternoon while testing, she was stuck in a particularly nasty test. She was exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to sleep. She was dozing off a little. There was a bright flash, and she woke with a start. The sparks were swarming around her face, brighter than ever before. They moved left, bringing her eyes with them. That was all she needed. She flipped backwards, just as the guns fired. A sneak attach she had almost missed. She ran through the rest of the test, following the sparks where they led her. She couldn’t get back to her room fast enough. She had to think.

The sparks were like her guardian angels. They had saved her from the questioning, she just knew it, and had helped her survive the test. What were they? Who sent them? Were they just another test?

They couldn’t be. They made her feel so warm inside. They were…friendly. They were good. They had to be. Something or somebody had sent them to her. To keep her alive.

Who?

I will never leave you.

That night, she let the past catch up with her.

 

The news of his death came one bright and sunny day. His mother was standing on her porch. That was all she needed. She didn’t wait to hear the news, she just ran off down the block, her face and shirt soaked with tears. She had been dreading this. She stayed out for three days, hiding in the woods. The cops found her and brought her home. Her mother sat her down and talked to her- he had made it to the ranks after all, but was caught and shot. She barely listened. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t lead the resistance. She couldn’t do anything. He had broken his promise to her. She was lethargic and wandered though the streets aimlessly, until one day, they took her in. They had recognized her from the news reports on the protests. They wanted to make her one of them.

 

Good. Let them.

 

Sometimes at night, Ava thought she could hear the sparks whispering to her, in their little chiming voices. Escape, was their favorite word. It built up like a tumor inside her brain, bouncing inside her skull day in and day out, until it was the only thing she could think of. She had to get out of here.

 

It was almost too easy, escaping. The men in their white lab coats stumbled and shouted as she kicked free from their grip and barreled down the hallway. She ran into the walls a bit, still foggy on her drugs, but managed to find the sign labeled STAIRS. Behind her were yells, and heavy footsteps. Shit. They had called in reinforcements. Her brain screamed for her to go faster, but her legs were heavy, and she tripped on the steps. One of the heavy-booted military men caught her ankle. She screamed and kicked frantically. She felt her shoe connect with the flesh of his nose, felt the nose snap. Blood squirted onto her leg, and his grip vanished as both hands flew to his face. He cried out in agony, stumbling back and sliding down the stairs.

 

GO! RUN! The sparks were back, dancing in front of her eyes. Her head cleared just enough to push faster. Stairs flew underneath her. More guards came up in front of her, but she pushed them out of the way, charging all the way to the top level.

 

Don’t stop! At the top of the stairs there was a door. She slammed through it, out into the brilliant sunlight of the rooftop. For a moment, Ava was startled by how bright and warm it was, but the footsteps on the stairs prevented her from hesitating. She sprinted past the happy patients on their sunshine breaks, and to the edge of the roof.

 

It was a long way down. She was balanced precariously on the edge. The guards were on her tail. There was no choice. She couldn’t go on like this. She needed the ultimate freedom. Closing her eyes, she jumped.

 

Her feet hit a hard surface.

 

Startled, Ava opened her eyes. It looked as though she were standing on a sheet of glass, being held so many stories high over the street. NO! screamed her brain. She was so close. She could taste the glorious freedom waiting for her. She would see CJ again…

 

But the glass wouldn’t give way. Ava stumbled forward, hitting more glass. It was fake. There was no outside, she was still trapped in the facility. She fell forward, tears hot on her face. It was over.

 

The guards caught up with her, and picked up by her armpits. She was dragged back inside, where she was met by the cool female voice.

 

Prisoner, your recent actions leave us no choice. It is time for your full immersion cleansing. When it is over, you may join the ranks. Prisoner, are you ready?

 

Ava stared up at the ceiling, watching the bright fluorescent lights glide over her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the sparks dancing. I will never leave you. There was nothing left to do.

 

“Yes. I’m ready.”