Weapons

Chapter 7

Don has been gone for 3 days. I haven't seen or heard anything about him since Dr. Morbien took him out of the M room. They sent me back to our suite after he left because I refused to speak another word to Dr. Lancaster. Likewise, I haven't been able to eat or get a good night's sleep. I've been worrying, wondering where he could be and how he's doing.

Could they have moved him home? What if they delivered him to one of the other locations? I hope he knows I haven't stopped thinking about him. I wish he realizes that all I've thought about since he's been gone was seeing him. I just want to know he's okay.

Furthermore, I've been asking to visit him since he left the M room. Everyone's been telling me I can't see him. I've asked Miss. Katherine, every time she comes if she's found out anything. All she ever says is “I hope he's okay” and “I'm sure you'll hear something soon.” It's lonely. All I have to keep me company is my thoughts and regrets.

Miss. Katherine should bring breakfast soon. Hopefully, she's discovered something regarding Don's whereabouts. I shouldn't have stepped away; maybe if I would've stayed, things would be different. I miss him so much, it hurts. The bedroom door opens and Dr. Isaac walks in with Don following behind him.

I stand from my bed and run to Don. He's still wearing the same clothes he wore the day Dr. Morbien took him from the M room. I hug him and hold him tight. “Are you okay” I ask. He says nothing.

Don looks sad and tired. “Good morning, Willow,” Dr. Isaac states. “What happened to Don” I inquire. “They took your brother to the confinement room” Dr. Isaac replies. He doesn't seem enthusiastic as usual.

“What's the confinement room” I plead. “I'll have Don explain it to you. I have to be somewhere in 7 minutes,” he replies as he looks at his pocket watch. Dr. Isaac walks toward the exit just as Miss. Katherine pushes the breakfast cart in. He shuts the door behind. “Welcome back Mr. Don and good morning miss. Willow” Miss. Katherine says.

“Thank you,” Don responds to her. “Good morning” I reply. “Willow and I were worried about you,” she says to him. “How are you” she continues. “I'm starving,” Don replies as Miss. Katherine sets the table.

Miss. Katherine is wearing the same long gray gown as usual. It must be a uniform specific to her because she's the only person who delivers the food to the rooms. I help her move the fried eggs, potatoes, toast, and sausage links to the dinner table. Don immediately sits down and digs in. “Did you not eat while you were away” Miss. Katherine asks.

“No,” Don answers while stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth. “That's awful,” I respond. “You don't deliver to the solitary rooms” I ask, miss. Katherine. “I only deliver to the bedrooms,” she replies. “I didn't know they took children to the solitary rooms” she continues.

She finishes putting the silverware on the table and pushes the cart back toward the door. “I hope you're okay, Don,” she says to him. “Thank you,” he responds. She exits the room, closing the door behind her. I eat a few fried potatoes and a piece of toast.

“What happened,” I ask Don. He's nearly finished with his first plate. He glances up at me, not saying a word. “You look sad. I know something transpired. Please talk to me,” I plead. “I don't want to speak about it right now. I'll tell you one day when the time is right,” he responds.

“You didn't eat at all sense you've been gone,” I ask. “No, I'm starving,” he answers. I don't say anything, instead I eat some eggs. “I haven't eaten much either sense you've been gone,” I comment. “I found one thing out while I was gone,” Don says.

“What's that” I urge. “We're not the only children here,” he responds. “How did you discover that” I continue. He looks up at me and back down at his plate. Deep down, I know something bad happened to him.

I can see the pain in his eyes, I can feel his pain when I look at him. It hurts to know that he's hurt. He's my little brother, I'm supposed to protect him. “I need to bathe” Don says as he stands from the table. Furthermore, I watch as he walks to his dressers to grab a fresh change of clothes.

My eyes follow as he walks to the bathing room carrying his clothes. I'm studying him, if I know what happened, then maybe I can fix it. Perhaps I can make it better somehow if he informs me. He tells me everything, I don't understand why he's won't tell me this. He requires feeling better; I need to make him feel better.

Should I give him space? Potentially he just needs to space to get comfortable, he has been gone for 3 days. I hear the shower cut on. A hot shower will probably make him feel better. I continue to overthink of all the things that could've happened to him.

Likewise, I hurt my feelings by thinking too much. What could be so bad that he can't trust me enough to tell me? Possibly whatever took place was so awful that he can't talk about it right now. The bedroom door opens and Dr. Morbien walks in. “What happened to Don” I ask.

“I'm not in control of the solitary rooms. I couldn't tell you if something did or didn't happen,” he responds. “Well, you took him there didn't you” I comment. “I understand you're upset,” Dr. Morbien says. “Don's absence was necessary for our program. You both needed to be separated for a brief portion of our experiment,” he continues.

“Why did we need to be separated” I ask as I stand from the table and walk over to my bed? “That's for us to worry about,” Dr. Morbien says. “Dr. Lancaster saw it beneficial to separate the 2 of you to better observe the relationship,” he continues. “I don't understand,” I reply. “Her conclusion was exactly what she hypothesized,” he answers.

“I don't know what that means, I'm 9,” I respond frustrated. “Don't worry yourself about what we do here” he replies. “I just wanted to stop by to check on Don,” he continues. “He's in the shower” I counter. “I think you people should leave him alone for a while” I say firmly.

“You're brave for your age. It can be a good and bad thing” he comments. “I don't care what you think of me or my brother, you don't know anything about us” I reply firmly as he exits the room. Dr. Morbien shuts the door behind him, I hear the door lock. I lay back on my bed and wait patiently for Don to get out of the shower.

My mind is making me believe there's a lot more going on here that what meets the eye. It's not possible for all this technology to exist here, but not anywhere else. Is it possible I'm dreaming? This is all just one long bad dream. This can't be real. Reality is finally setting in. Don and I have left home, and we're never going home.

We're stuck here with people who only care about questions, science, and data. I'm not sure if they realize we're human beings. Likewise, I don't feel like a human being anymore. I feel like a question. I'm one big question to them that they're trying to find the answer to.

They're allowed to ask me and Don questions, but we're not allowed to ask questions. I want to go home. I miss Rose. I miss her beautiful little smile and the way she'd run to us when we got home from school if she wasn't locked away in her room. We knew what it felt like to be locked away before we came here. Do all children have locks on the outside of their bedroom doors?

Do all parents lock their children away for whatever reason they choose to? I remember being locked in my room with Rose all day sometimes. It hurt, I remember begging my mother to let me out from inside the room. I remember quietly listening, hoping to hear her footsteps outside the door so she can let us out. Do our parents remember locking us away?

I wonder if they're sorry for what they did and how they treated us. If I hear them apologize, would I believe them? Would I believe that they have remorse for what they did to us? Most likely not. If they felt bad for what they did to us, they wouldn't have done it to begin with. Would I be capable of forgiving them?