Company

It started with the sound of the door clanging shut. The rattle of metal on metal, tinkling steel playing against itself before clicking in place. Two, three, four, five times. The light scrape of leather against stone, footfall leading away and on down the hall. Rounding the corner, before fading away into the numb near silence again. The scratching, the scrabbling, the sound of things once human trying to comfort themselves, that never left. But others? That came and went.

Still, I couldn't help but feel my lips tugged apart in a grin. Here in the middle of the darkness there was some small measure of comfort, always signaled by the clanging of those doors. Today no different than.... how many has it been? That thought lingered too long, the numb near silence falling once more before I moved. The great rattle of chains, the cool stones against the side of my face as I pressed against the frame of the door. Not too much though. Never too much.

"Someone new... or just you again?" My voice rasped out. It still felt... wrong. Too thin, too long, to strained. Still, without this, I doubt I would be speaking at all.

"No such luck. Just me again. " His voice was a balmy, smooth and flowing one, calling back out in turn. "Psych eval. Apparently I'm still too "Volatile around Unknown Elements" so back again."

Growling in turn, I barked back, "Ha! That's rich. Wonder why that might be? Gourmet food, luxurious housing, all the space in the world, clearly you must be mad."

"Obviously! Ah, tell me though, you slept since we last spoke? I tell you, I could use a dream or two these days."

Dreams. Little more than passing fancies most days, but here in these little cells? They were the only respite one could get. Barring that, lies would do. "Pffft, of course! Hell, if I'm not shooting the shit with you, 'm off in la la land. You know how it goes." Quips were launched when we could, but conversation mainly revolved about dreams, "Sorry to say though, nothing too original."

"Hey, I ain't looking for originality. Just some little escape. What was it this time?"

"The diner on fourth. The old little place that had the best hashbrowns. Sitting around, listening to that greasy oil bubble and pop, some hashbrowns and a fairly sized omelette, a little bit of cheese and chives. A tall glass of cold sweet tea and a some Elvis on the radio. You know the station, that always has a little bit too much static to make out the words, but the tune works just fine. Just sitting in on the breakfast rush you know?"

"Ah, I thought that little place had a jukebox though?"

"Did it? Ah, I think I remember that... The blue light was out, right?."

"Nope. The yellow one." Memory. Always one of the rougher parts after a time. Day and night hidden away, and with a warped sense of time and scale, the days can blur. Memory can fade bit by bit and eventually little things start to change. Even dreams warp those imaginings too, but even a wrong memory is better than no memory.

"Well, It was a good tune playing. Bouncing and bobbing along before someone came in. Got to chat them up, talk about some of the weird stones they were working with. Dream logic, you know how it goes, someone talks about something green and glowy, and suddenly everyone knows what it is." Clawed hand twirled, trying to spool together those thoughts and dreams into something more sensible, "Think it was something about the gunk getting in someone's building. Construction worker was griping up and down about it, claiming it was all sorts of a hazard to clean up."

"Well, that sounds like a good dream then. I'm gonna say... Fake though?"

"Bingo!" The clatter of scales given, a measured applause given. "Nah, haven't slept since I saw you last. Either that, or if I did, no dreams to speak of. Sorry man, sleep's hard to come by."

There was a bit of quiet there, broken in short quips and rambling notes as we sat there. Our conversations had few rules and we never mentioned them, but they were practically engraved on our hearts. Don't mention what happened, we get locked into dealing with that enough on our own. Don't mention your names, they might use that against you. And most importantly...

"They are moving me tomorrow."

Don't talk about the future.

I stiffened at that. We both knew what it meant. People who were moved didn't come back. Those who did were... different. Wrong. They stopped talking, they stopped responding. And eventually they stopped needing to be locked up. Sometimes, being in chains is the safer option. If I was here because I attempted to escape, those who were let roam free...

"... Any idea why?"

"Dunno. Said they weren't making progress, so trying something more... potent. Transfer crew is coming in tomorrow. "

"Damn dude... I'm... sorry."

"... It's fine"

Another lie.

We lapsed into silence, only the scraping of my scales against the ground, that still same swirling nudging that always seemed to surround him heard. This... this wouldn't do. Even if I could sleep, I wouldn't be able to now. And knowing that? I doubt he could either. What could I say? Something. Anything...

"What's your name?"

I asked it before I even really realized it. Rules are there for a reason and this is a dangerous place. But... when the worst's already come to past...

"... Call me Reggie. If I'm going to vanish anyway.... Who are you?"

"Daisy. My name is Daisy."

He shifted, that twisting and turning about heard as he moved in another room. A loud wet chuckle sounding,

"Really? Daisy? You certainly don't sound like a Daisy."

"Hey, Screw you too buddy. I'm under a lot of stress you know?"

"Ha, don't I know it."

"... Sorry"

"Nah. We both know this was gonna happen eventually. Only three ways out of here. You die. You get turned. You escape. That's the only options we have anymore. Escaping... well, didn't you try that last time?"

"Yeah. Still healing up from that disaster."

"Mhmm. Death is is more likely. But... Just because the injections didn't work-"

"Don't. "

Silence once more. It's easy when the others vanished. If they didn't talk, if they didn't say anything. it's easy to let them... go away. Fade away into just another cell that used to contain scratching. Become another roaming monster in the world, on the leash for this nightmare agency. It's easier when they just go away quietly. But now? He was going to go away. Just, a snap of fingers and... gone.

"So what are you going to do? Lay down and let them take you over? Win you over bit by bit? Say you fought a good fight and just-"

"Girl, I've been here way longer than you have, don't go ther-"

"That doesn't Matter! Just because you've been here for Ages and it's been-"

"I Don't Even Know! I don't even know how long I've been here! I've not seen the sun in so long it's driving me crazy! Nothing but stale air and cold floors and that damn quiet nothing! Don't you know tha-"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU TRY TO ESCAPE?!"

I was yelling. I don't even remember when I raised my voice, but here I was, screaming at a wall. Screaming at the man beyond it.

"Why didn't you try to escape! You've been here forever and what have you done? Roll over and wait for them? You've been here for longer than anyone else here, and what have you done?! NOTHING! Three weeks and I broke down and nearly died trying to escape! You've done, What? Lived? Managed to survive? Congrats! Your prize is to lose all the same!"

Silence met my words, but I couldn't stop. So much... everything there.

"FIGHT! TOOTH AND CLAW, TEAR YOUR WAY FREE AND MAKE A WAY FOR YOURSELF! GONNA SIT BACK AND HOPE THEY GO EASY ON YOU? HOW MANY HAVE THEY KILLED? HOW MANY DID YOU KNOW?"

"... You don't-"

"YOU WON'T!"

There was fire in my voice and a glowering glow in my throat as I hated,

"You gave up! The only thing Lucky about you is that you didn't keel over from the injections! How Can You Give Up?!"

The words hurt. I shouldn't say them. I knew it then and I know it now. But I just... Excuses. I wish his voice didn't inflame it though

"... You don't mean that. Your mind is probably just messed up! You don't-"

"I Don't Care! You just... You... Fine. If you want to give up. If you want to go out and forget it and move on... Fine! But doing nothing and just hoping to hang on isn't going to do anything. It hasn't done it so far, and it sure as hell won't help now."

"Well what do you expect me to do? Break out and free myself?"

"Anything. Everything. Fight your way to freedom, break them and make them pay, I don't care. Just... Don't die. ... Don't go... And find me."

"... Find you?"

"I'm going to break out of here. Somehow. Someway. Either that or die trying. I'm scared out of my wits at that, but if I don't do something I'm going to tear out my scales! Skin. Whatever. Just... Just sitting here is going to kill me, or break me down enough to be damn near the same! So find me when I get out of here."

There was silence between us. It wasn't the first time I snapped at him, and it wasn't the first silence between us. But it was longer. Darker. It cut and hurt. An hour passed before I heard him murmur. Words I don't think I was supposed to hear.

"... I will."







That was last night.

I can hear him still, the pace of his breathing slower now. Sounds like he's drooling in his sleep again too. Wish I could do the same, but my heart wouldn't let me sleep even if my head would. Stupid. Why did I have to be so stupid? Here he is breaking all the rules and I'm just.... yelling at him. Damn it. DAMN IT! What's wrong with me?! He's freaked out! He's gonna be moved off and.... and here I am complaining and griping and... I don't even know if he's strong enough to escape. Could he escape? Would he be able to? He might not be able to move...

Breath girl. Calm down and don't... The least you can do is give him a good night's rest.

Okay.... Okay. I'm good. Beating myself up won't help. You can do this. You're a strong dr-you. A strong you. Come on. Gotta think of something to cheer him up tomorrow. Something with my brother? Maybe. No... no. Better not. Tech would just have him thinking about the actual tech. Damn it.... Come on. You can do this. Be strong for him. Don't shit all over him again. He's got enough going...

Wait...

... No, it's too early. Way too early! Why would they...

NO! It's...

"Reggie... REGGIE!"

"Gugh?! I'm, I'm up! I'm up. What's-"

"Remember alright? Promise You'll Remember! "

"I... What? What do y-"

"BLUE WAVE. YOU WILL COME WITH US."

"Wait, what? But I tho-"

"PREPARE YOURSELF FOR INSPECTION."

"Damn, okay. I'm up. I'm up. "

No, No, No, NO! This wasn't how this was supposed to happen! He was supposed to get some time to rest, his meal, maybe a checkup! Why did- No, The doors! I can still-

"LIVE AMMUNITION AUTHORIZED. SUBJECT 2317 WILL MOVE TO THE BACK OF ITS CELL."

Damn these Chains! Damn it, Damn it, DAMN IT! Stupid guns and the stupid goons and the stupid bullets!

"Woah there girl, relax! It's... Relax. I'm gonna be okay, remember? Relax."

"... Find me, okay?"

"Okay. I'll remember"

"BLUE WAVE. FOLLOW US."

"Aright, I'm coming. I'm coming."

... Damn it