Post by Alice on Sept 14, 2012 6:19:31 GMT 2
I didn't think she was interested. I asked anyway.
Connor: "Would you like...to go out...side?"
She didn't answer right away. Then again, being our first meeting, I didn't expect her to. Plus, I'd heard rumors she was deaf and mute. Of course, I'd taken the time to learn sign language before I offered. I knew we'd be here for months, if not the rest of our lives; what's a couple weeks of intense study to someone who will likely spend years in this...hospital?
The rumors had been true. She started signing a few seconds later.
Meg, Signing: "What? I didn't understand you."
Connor, Signing: "I asked if you would like to go outside."
Meg, Signing: "Outside? Why? It's..."
She hesitated. I still think she was just trying to see how much I wanted it.
Meg, Signing: "...not all that interesting."
I felt my heart sink. Then when I was about to walk away, she grabbed my elbow and turned me back.
Meg, Signing: "I didn't say no."
She had the most beautiful smile. I wasn't accustomed to seeing smiles here except from the little ones around Christmas. I took her hand and started to pull, but she pulled back. She let go when I turned back to her. Her face was threateningly serious. She started to walk and kept her pace up so I could never get ahead of her. When we went outside, one of my nurses caught me.
Nurse: "Nuh uh. You can't go out there. You know the rules."
Connor: "But she's-- Get her back in here, then! It took me almost a month to talk to her!"
I could see Meg turn around to say something to me and not see me by her. When she saw me being held by my nurse, she ran back.
Connor, Signing: "I'm not allowed outside in this."
She looks very confused."
Connor, Signing: "You know that ward next to the cancer ward? The one they don't let people into? It's just my sisters and I there."
Meg nods with a very curious, and very confused, expression.
Connor, Signing: "I'll tell you...soon. When I don't have a nurse so close."
I'm sure my face showed how much doubt I had they'd ever let me be alone with anyone. They had good reason, of course. The drugs they pumped into me could make me snap. And those same drugs were what made my sisters and me dangerous. Meg looked almost sad. I tried to smile, and hoped she could see it was something I didn't want to talk about.
Meg, Signing: "I'll take that as a promise."
My nurse pulled me back to my room. I could see Meg when I looked back. She looked unsure of where to go."
Nurse: "You're lucky I'm letting you out. Change."
I changed into my red shirt and jeans. Since it was sunny out, I also had to wear my trenchcoat, driving gloves, sunglasses, scarf, and hat. One of the great wonders of my treatments was strong sensitivity to sunlight. My nurse directed me back to the common room, where Meg was still waiting.
Well, to be more precise, she was moping by a window.
Nurse: "There you go. I'll be nearby, remember."
I walked back over to Meg to get her attention. She looked confused.
Meg, Signing: "It's not cold out."
I motioned with my head toward the door. She ran to it and waited for me. When I got near, she went through it. I stepped outside onto the plant-covered balcony. Dr. St. James always said this was her Garden of Eden. Then again, she also said that the meds were for my benefit.
Connor, Signing: "You're probably not going to believe me, but I'm an unwilling test subject in Dr. St. James' experiments."
Meg, Signing: "I heard they wanted to shut down her research. What experiment is it?"
Connor, Signing: "If I tell this to you, you're definitely not going to believe me."
Meg, Signing: "Try me."
She smiled and put her hand over her mouth like she was laughing while I tried to think of a way to not make myself sound completely insane."
Connor, Signing: "In addition to being addicted to Dr. St. James' medication, I'm strong, fast, burn in sunlight, and crave blood."
Meg's smile faded.
Meg, Signing: "You're right. I don't believe you. Are you serious?"
I nodded.
Meg, Signing: "You're a vampire?"
I couldn't tell if it was disbelief or curiosity in her eyes.
Connor, Signing: "I hope this doesn't make you hate me...Or worse, I hope you're not a rabid fangirl."
She mimicked a laugh again.
Meg, Signing: "Of course not. As long as you don't hate me for..."
She pointed to her throat, then ears.
Connor, Signing: "Why would I hate you for that? It's not like we can't talk like this. Why are you here, though?"
Meg, Signing: "I'm...another experiment. Not that one. Tonight, if they let us both out."
[And then, the rest of the story. I don't want to spoil the plot and introduce Dr. Arvizu to you, yet~!]
Connor: "Would you like...to go out...side?"
She didn't answer right away. Then again, being our first meeting, I didn't expect her to. Plus, I'd heard rumors she was deaf and mute. Of course, I'd taken the time to learn sign language before I offered. I knew we'd be here for months, if not the rest of our lives; what's a couple weeks of intense study to someone who will likely spend years in this...hospital?
The rumors had been true. She started signing a few seconds later.
Meg, Signing: "What? I didn't understand you."
Connor, Signing: "I asked if you would like to go outside."
Meg, Signing: "Outside? Why? It's..."
She hesitated. I still think she was just trying to see how much I wanted it.
Meg, Signing: "...not all that interesting."
I felt my heart sink. Then when I was about to walk away, she grabbed my elbow and turned me back.
Meg, Signing: "I didn't say no."
She had the most beautiful smile. I wasn't accustomed to seeing smiles here except from the little ones around Christmas. I took her hand and started to pull, but she pulled back. She let go when I turned back to her. Her face was threateningly serious. She started to walk and kept her pace up so I could never get ahead of her. When we went outside, one of my nurses caught me.
Nurse: "Nuh uh. You can't go out there. You know the rules."
Connor: "But she's-- Get her back in here, then! It took me almost a month to talk to her!"
I could see Meg turn around to say something to me and not see me by her. When she saw me being held by my nurse, she ran back.
Connor, Signing: "I'm not allowed outside in this."
She looks very confused."
Connor, Signing: "You know that ward next to the cancer ward? The one they don't let people into? It's just my sisters and I there."
Meg nods with a very curious, and very confused, expression.
Connor, Signing: "I'll tell you...soon. When I don't have a nurse so close."
I'm sure my face showed how much doubt I had they'd ever let me be alone with anyone. They had good reason, of course. The drugs they pumped into me could make me snap. And those same drugs were what made my sisters and me dangerous. Meg looked almost sad. I tried to smile, and hoped she could see it was something I didn't want to talk about.
Meg, Signing: "I'll take that as a promise."
My nurse pulled me back to my room. I could see Meg when I looked back. She looked unsure of where to go."
Nurse: "You're lucky I'm letting you out. Change."
I changed into my red shirt and jeans. Since it was sunny out, I also had to wear my trenchcoat, driving gloves, sunglasses, scarf, and hat. One of the great wonders of my treatments was strong sensitivity to sunlight. My nurse directed me back to the common room, where Meg was still waiting.
Well, to be more precise, she was moping by a window.
Nurse: "There you go. I'll be nearby, remember."
I walked back over to Meg to get her attention. She looked confused.
Meg, Signing: "It's not cold out."
I motioned with my head toward the door. She ran to it and waited for me. When I got near, she went through it. I stepped outside onto the plant-covered balcony. Dr. St. James always said this was her Garden of Eden. Then again, she also said that the meds were for my benefit.
Connor, Signing: "You're probably not going to believe me, but I'm an unwilling test subject in Dr. St. James' experiments."
Meg, Signing: "I heard they wanted to shut down her research. What experiment is it?"
Connor, Signing: "If I tell this to you, you're definitely not going to believe me."
Meg, Signing: "Try me."
She smiled and put her hand over her mouth like she was laughing while I tried to think of a way to not make myself sound completely insane."
Connor, Signing: "In addition to being addicted to Dr. St. James' medication, I'm strong, fast, burn in sunlight, and crave blood."
Meg's smile faded.
Meg, Signing: "You're right. I don't believe you. Are you serious?"
I nodded.
Meg, Signing: "You're a vampire?"
I couldn't tell if it was disbelief or curiosity in her eyes.
Connor, Signing: "I hope this doesn't make you hate me...Or worse, I hope you're not a rabid fangirl."
She mimicked a laugh again.
Meg, Signing: "Of course not. As long as you don't hate me for..."
She pointed to her throat, then ears.
Connor, Signing: "Why would I hate you for that? It's not like we can't talk like this. Why are you here, though?"
Meg, Signing: "I'm...another experiment. Not that one. Tonight, if they let us both out."
[And then, the rest of the story. I don't want to spoil the plot and introduce Dr. Arvizu to you, yet~!]