My Dragon Mate

0.5| A Scientific Way Out

Anna's pov

I stared open mouth at the so called team mates of mine.

"What? T - Toilet cleaning?" I tried not to gag at the images forming in my head. I couldn't feel the disgust even now when I was not doing the work.

I personally don't think any job is low. A job is a job, whatever it may be. I'm just not used to working in the cleaning field, I'm good at chemical reactions and research work.

"That's the only thing left in the list. And because you came last, that's what you get. Let's start before the warden is unleashed on us." Riz said waving the card in my face. Suzy snatched the card from her sister's hand and dragged her away, Brook didn't stay behind either. With a nasty scowl I mentally cursed them for being like this.

I tried to think of worse situations that could've happened to me but then again, what could be worse than cleaning a publically used toilet and scrub the floor of a prison?

My teammates could be human eating dragons or other species that feast on blood and flesh, as if these were better. Scoffing at my pathetic self, I left the hall. I first collected all the necessary equipment and went to the toilets, the most difficult had to go first.

With a bucket in one hand and the brush in other, I stared at the cubicles like I would my enemies.

"I'll kill all of you." I pointed the brush before me and made an arc as a killing notion. "You germs don't stand a chance against me!"

I started cleaning at the speed of storm. Or so I thought. By the time I was on the second cubicle, all my bravado had been flushed along with the disinfectant.

Once I was given the punishment to clean the toilets back home. Mom had been mad because I was out all night in the lab working on the thesis rather than taking rest after exams.

Thinking of the old times only made me homesick. So I eliminated those thoughts and kept scrubbing the bowls and flushed. I lost track of time, I was truly indulged in my work as a sincere inmate.

After I was done, I gladly threw away the gloves and the other equipment in the store room from where I picked them. I was in a desperate need of shower because I smelled of soap and disinfectant. But fortunately it was also lunch time.

So I made a bee line towards the canteen that one of the inmates kindly pointed out. I wanted to skip my way there but that would only make me look weird. My eyes skid over the crowd of imprisoned criminals who looked like small ants from where I stood.

Shaking my head I went towards the lunch line and grabbed my plate like the one's before me. I soon learnt that not everyone got everything good. And I certainly didn't get anything good.

The first thing the lady asked me was what work I did and whether I finished my work or not. Like a good inmate I recited my duties to her and she took my plate from me.

Behind me I could hear a familiar voice talking rather loudly, "Did you hear? The cubicle that Anna was assigned to clean exploded!"

I turned to look at Riz and Suzy walking past me with their own plated in hand. The passed me and threw me a mean smirk.

The lady looked like an old grandma but unlike other grandma's who stuff their children with nutritional food, she pushed back my plate at me, now filled with weird looking stuff.

"Work properly next time if you want good food!" She snapped at me and the person behind me pushed me lightly to move me out of their way. I could only gaped at them in shock.

Why did the toilet explode? As far as I know I had only cleaned it and not plant a bomb in it.

Chucking aside the thoughts I stared at my plate in disgust. I couldn't possibly distinguish what was what. The three different things looked like different coloured goo. And I had a feeling that it would only harm my body rather than doing any good.

So I threw the plate in the nearby dustbin and went back to work. I had to redo the cubicles and then mop the floor on the second and third floor. I was in heaven when I found that there were others who were assigned to other floors.

At the end of the day every muscle in my body screamed at me for putting myself in such a position. Cracking my knuckles I entered my solo cell and found an odd comfort in it. Isolation felt good after such a long day among inmates. From the little grilled window at the top, I caught a glimpse of shimmering stars.

The thought of earth immediately invaded the peace of my mind. My eyes watered thinking of mom and dad, they must be having a hard time coping there without me. I just hope Adam was with them as much as he could.

I sighed and cleared my eyes of tears. I did some stretching and relieved my muscles. While roling my neck my eyes caught something shimmery on the cot. My head instantly recognised the product and I excitedly grabbed it. The chocolate bar was of a good quality and the one I've been eating growing up. It's shining golden package was unforgettable.

A note was attached to it that said to look below the cot. I bend down, tuning out the protest of my back, and found a little bottle full of something light brown liquid. It had another note on it.

'This will give you the required energy and nutrition that you need. Don't starve yourself.'

There was no name or signature or it but the drink didn't smell suspicious and neither did the chocolate. So I gladly satisfied my hunger with it and as the note said, it really energised me like a new machine.

That night I slept peacefully, not happily but peacefully.

A few days passed like that. I worked my ass off everyday only for it to be ruined in any possible way. I avoided lunch completely and the chocolates and mysterious drink would be placed in my cell anonymously.

I happily munched and drank, occasionally thinking of the 'Who' behind the action.

................

I had just finished my afternoon work and due to my exhausted state, the officer gave me permission to rest for an hour. Jealous eyes followed me out the door. Today I was on field work of picking out precious stones out of ordinary ones. So my hands were I a pretty rugged condition.

I skipped my way towards my cell happily. When I neared the hallway where my cell was located, I saw a dark figure besides the doors of my cell. The familiar dark coat and long shoulder length hair gave away his identity from a long distance.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed and stomped my way towards him. He looked startled and froze in his place.

I frowned and looked at his hands. His fingers closed over the little things and he bore his blue story eyes into me.

"What are those?" I asked suspiciously. I was still afraid of him, but that didn't lessen my hate for him. I still despised him with every cell in my body.

"Nothing of your concern." He answer cool and collected.

"You are standing by my door! Show me!" I attacked his fist and like a cat, scratched at them to open them. He hissed at the sudden action and his fingers snapped open to reveal several little lenses.

"Cameras?" I whispered to myself. My anger flared a thousand fold and I glared at him with all of the hate I had for him.

"You still are the same! You peeping herk!" I caught him by the nape of his black jacket and pushed him back. Which took a lot of my strength considering he was almost double my size.

I hit his hand until all the camera's dropped on the floor and stomped on them. They crushed like bugs under my leg. Satisfied I looked at him and gave him a disgusted look. Who knows how many cameras he had watching me.

"Anna, listen to me first. I can explain."

"I don't want to listen! Shut up!"

He opened his mouth to say something again, but I didn't give him a chance. I went back into my cell and closed the door shut at his face. I was still fuming and my one hour of rest was utilised in controlling myself.

Once I cooled down, I went back to work. Hoping I would never run into him again.

.............................

A few days passed since that incident and I was back at my daily routine. The chocolate bars and bottles of nutritional drinks keep coming everyday for which I was grateful to the person who kept them.

I was on toilet duty again and I was almost done with my work when I heard the bathroom door open and close and my hands stopped. Frowning, I stood up to see who entered because I remember putting up a sign saying that the cubicles were being cleaned. Anyone who reads would understand.

"Excuse me?" I asked when I spotted three men looking around the empty bathroom. I successfully grabbed their attention, as they all snapped their gaze towards me. I must admit that I wasn't in my best attire, rubber gloves and checkered apron doesn't look that dope on me but they seemed to be a little too interested in my appearance.

"Just what we were looking for." One of them said and the other two chuckled in agreement. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention at the creepiness of their tone. They were your local gangsters who roam around in vulgar clothes and pass comments on girls as they pass by.

I hate such men.

Honestly, they did scare me a little. But I was also scared on my first day of lab experiment with Dr. Smith. What we are actually scared of is not the process but the start of it. And I was scared and I knew that won't last long.

"Can you step out? Cleaning is in process." I snapped at them, trying to come out more intimidating than I really was.

"No can do. We were looking for some good time, guess you will have to do."

They advanced towards me, step by step. Their dirty intentions shone through their filthy expressions. With every step they took forward I took two back. I clutched the brush tighter in my hand and took deep breaths, this won't do!

"Don't come forward! I'm warning you!" I said pointing the dirty dripping brush in front of me to keep them away, it disgusted them and had them stop for a moment. Soon my backing came to an end and my back hit the wall between the cubicle doors. I took the chance and dashed into the cubicle I was cleaning and locked the door before they even came to realise what happened.

As expected, they were slow witted dumb inmates and only after a good ten seconds the banging started. I grew a bit anxious. The possibility of me getting out of here unharmed was extremely slim. I looked around the little cubicle desperately, anything! Anything that could help me. I rubbed the back of my neck and tuned out the loud banging to focus.

Wasn't anyone listening to the constant banging? Didn't anyone find it suspicious? The scared part of my brain trembled.

There was no time to rely on anyone's help! I had to get out on my own.

My eyes locked on the cleaning liquid lying on the floor in the bottle and then at then at the disinfectant in a spray bottle right beside it. My scientific brain ran at the speed of a bullet train to find a solution.

Composition of the toilet cleaning liquid: HCL.

Composition of 84 disinfectant: NaCLO 

2HCl+NaClO=NaCl+H2O+Cl2↑  toxic chlorine gas.

I smirked in victory and set out on the mission. I grabbed the disinfectant and unscrewed the spray nozzle, then I poured a little of the cleaning liquid in it. I tightly capped the spray bottle and shook it as fast as I could. My hands were aching only after a minute of shaking but I continued until the weight of the bottle changed.

A crunching sound was heard behind me and I gasped. The door wasn't going to hold up any longer, cracks were already littered all over it and a little more push would cause it to break.

As expected, one more bang and the door flung open and broke in half. The three men stood before the now ruined door and they looked very angry. My shaky hands tightly held the spray bottle as if my life depended on it, which actually did.

"We would have been gentle if you played along, girl." One of the sidekicks said. I was going to roll my eyes ag the pathetic dialogue but held my eye balls in place to not make my situation worse.

The middle guy reached out to grab me and right when he was close enough, I covered my nose and sprayed the toxic gas all over his face. His screams made me swell with pride and I sprayed over the other two. Soon the three of them were withering on the bathroom floor and eventually passed out. I waited until the gas settled and disappeared and then released a breath of relief.

"Uh! Horrible people!" I kicked each one of them several times. This had to be the most unlucky place for me! First that freak Warden and now these criminals! Was anyone normal here?!

I turned to leave as there was no way I was doing anymore work here until and unless the officers looked at the situation. I screamed and dropped the spray bottle in surprise when I saw him standing by the door, shock written all over his face.