First Pains

The world can be cruel.

"Look at his brain. It's incredible. Even tranquilized, he's responding to everything! That's fascinating. He'll be a quick study for sure. We should let him sleep this off and start fresh in the morning." Ileana stood as the 3D image of Josh’s brain continued to show firing activity and went into the room where Josh's eyes were darting around the room with each noise the machine made despite how often they would droop. "You did so good, darling! I did not expect that so soon! You've earned a nice, warm bed."

 

She grinned as she began taking the electrodes from his head and he simply stared nattering.

 

"You know what I'd be thinking if I were him right now?" Rafe stood by her side and followed Josh's line of sight to her small breasts. "Boobies!"

 

"He has no idea what they are!" She rolled her eyes and unstrapped one of Josh's hands. It went immediately to her stomach and laid flat upon it. She stared down at him as his grunt-like babblings grew louder and sounded more curious by the second. He arched his hand as though he were cupping an imaginary ball against her stomach and looked into her eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

 

Josh frowned deeply and poked her stomach eagerly before once again making a half-moon shape over it.

 

"I think he's asking if I'm pregnant." She frowned at Rafe who only shrugged. "Were any of the females pregnant?"

 

"No. I don't think so. You got him? I can go check real quick."

 

"Yeah. Shouldn't be a problem." She helped Josh stand as he became more fixated upon her flat waist. Rafe left the room and Ileana helped Josh back to the steel gurney. "We have a bed that's much more comfortable for you and warmer too."

 

He did nothing but stare up at her with soft grunts and curious eyes as she wheeled him to the elevator. He liked being inside the small shaft. It felt cave-like to him but warmer and safer. Being exposed to the rest of the cool building aggravated him to the point of giving howls while writhing on the gurney and shuddering.

 

"Hey, you're alright. You're alright. You're tired, I'll bet." She turned the gurney and pushed the door open with her back. "Here we go: your own room and a nice big bed."

She turned all but one of the lights off so that it was dark enough for him to sleep but light enough for her to see. She helped him into the bed and pulled the covers over his shoulders before tucking him in. His eyes fell shut even as his mind fired with curiosity with his hands feeling the covers while he enjoyed the warmth that enveloped him.

 

"Relax, there's a lot of time to explore." She took his large hand in hers and allowed him to grip her hair in the other. She smirked and stroked his brow and waited patiently until he was asleep before leaving the room.

 

“All but one of the females appeared to be preggers.” Rafe came jogging down the hallway as she straightened her hair.

 

“Incredible.” She rested her hands on her hips as they walked down the hall. “It must have been normal for a woman to be constantly pregnant once she reached childbearing age.”

 

“Ah, Ileana!” Kenneth came striding towards them, clapping his hands before him as they stopped in the hall. “I need… what was his name again? Josh? Was that it? I’ll need him for a quick procedure.”

 

“He’s sleeping right now. What procedure?”

 

“It’s minimally invasive. I’m sure he wouldn’t even feel it.” He inhaled sharply when her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms. “It’s a simple blood test to see if there are any preexisting conditions we should be aware of.”

 

A moment passed slowly as she stared at him with blurring eyes. When his face refused to break and he consistently held her gaze she nodded. “I need to eat. He’s very tired and a little aggravated so you might want to give him a small bit of tranquilizer. He doesn’t like being cold so please be sure he’s warm. I made some chicken. Do you want some?”

 

“I would, thank you.” Kenneth nodded to her and brushed past them as Ileana and Rafe continued down the hallway. He slipped into Josh’s room and watched the younger man’s chest rise and fall rhythmically as he slept. He took up a hypodermic needle filled with a mild tranquilizer and slid it into Josh’s arm. Instantly, the man bolted awake with a loud bellow. Kenneth wanted to discourage the behavior but knew it would be futile and chose to stand and wait for the medication to go into effect. Soon, Josh became subdued and allowed Kenneth to move him back on to the steel gurney. He pushed the gurney into an examination room that had already been prepared. Kenneth turned Josh on to his side and pulled the robe he wore back enough to gain access to his spine.

He strapped Josh to the gurney so that his knees were drawn up to his chest and ensured his hands were bound tightly before he took up the needle. Kenneth held Josh’s skin taught in one hand and inserted the needle in between the two lower vertebrae until it pierced the spinal canal. A scream of pain ripped out of the pit of Josh’s stomach as tears streamed down his face.

 

 

Nearly 20 minutes had passed since they had last seen Kenneth.

 

“What’s taking him so long?” Ileana finished her meal and put her plate in the sink. “He did say that it was a quick procedure, didn’t he?”

 

“He said it was a blood test. Maybe he wanted to get the samples run while they were still fresh.” Rafe shrugged and served himself another chicken breast. “I’m sure everything’s fine.”

 

“It shouldn’t take this long to get a sample and get it to a technician.” She tapped her fingers on her hips. “I’m just gonna go make sure everything’s okay. Just for a little bit of peace of mind. I’ll be back in a few.”

 

Rafe shrugged as she left and made her way to Josh’s room only to find it empty. Her heart thundered as she imagined the handsome young man finding enough strength to make his way out of the mortuary but stopped when he heard a gut-wrenching scream.

 

“Josh?” She turned, listening to pinpoint the location it came from. She made her way down the hallway, breaking into a run when the screams became louder. “Josh! I’m coming.”

 

She burst into the examination room to find Josh’s face buried into the steel gurney as he writhed on the table against the restraints as Kenneth watched the clear fluid fill the needle. Josh looked to her with a groan and pleading, bloodshot eyes. “What the hell are you doing?”

 

“There’s new research about benefits of cerebrospinal fluid for cancer patients. I need to test it.”

 

“You’re crazy and you’re hurting him! Stop it now.” She waited for a moment as Kenneth stubbornly ignored her. She pulled out her collapsible baton and flicked it to its full length. “I’m giving you ten seconds to cease and desist or I will make you stop.”

 

“You wouldn’t hit me.” He shook his head as he detached the filled vial and attached a new one.

 

With a simple flick of her wrist, Ileana struck Kenneth’s shoulder with a painful crack of the baton. “I said ‘you will stop’. You didn’t even give him any anesthetic! Leave now!”

 

With a numb arm, Kenneth smirked at her before standing and leaving the room.

Having watched the woman overpower the man, Josh realized the woman was in charge. She was the leader of his new tribe. He whined in pain as she came over and carefully pulled the needle from his back and bandaging it.

 

“You’re gonna be okay, honey. I know it hurts. Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. I know you don’t understand me, but I am so sorry.” She squeezed his arm before she undid the restraints. In a child-like movement, Josh took her hand and held it firmly as his eyes searched the room in a vain attempt to comprehend what was happening and why a member of his tribe had hurt him so. She cupped his cheek with apologetic eyes, hoping he understood then went back around him even as he refused to let her hand go. She took up a needle filled with a painkiller and eased it as carefully as she could into his arm. He made no noise and she sighed, content that she hadn’t hurt him. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

 

She wheeled him back into his room and eased him into the bed, urging him to lie on his back.

 

“I know it hurts but the headache you could get would be worse.” She smoothed her hand over his head. “You’re gonna be okay. I won’t let him hurt you again, okay?”

 

He watched her for a moment with quiet eyes and looked away as she covered him back up and rested her hand on his chest.

 

“I’ll stay here and watch over you all night and then Rafe will take over so I can get some sleep. Just rest now. You’re safe."