Chapter 16

We had arrived. But I wasn’t sure where.

Experiment Varian had kept calling it ‘his area’. Along with being poked and prodded, I’d also been taught many different phrases at the Lab, so I understood that ‘area’ was where Varian lived. But, when he said we’d arrived I couldn’t find his area.

There weren’t any houses around like in the pictures He’d showed me. The houses he’d shown me were made of gritty bricks, shiny windows and an elegant door that awaited its guests. I would touch the picture, wondering if the interior of the house was as stunning as the exterior.

Here, there were gritty bricks, but no elegant doors. There was nothing except for a few shards of glass standing tall where I assumed the windows had once been. Experiment Varian’s area didn’t look near as stunning as the pictures. Once again, I found myself disappointed.

Why did I keep finding myself surprised when something He said happened to be false? In the Lab, He was the one I looked up to and trusted, but on the Outside it was Varian I trusted. Unlike Him, Varian hadn’t shown me false pictures and repeatedly disappointed me. So why should I be disappointed in Him still?

The once blue sky had been turned into a polluted gray and the once stunning houses were nowhere to be seen. Had He lied to me? Were the pictures fake? Had the sky ever been the blue that the pictures held or had He altered the photo?

“Okay.” Varian said, stopping and turning around to face me. I stared back, wondering what Experiment Varian thought about on these walks.

“This place is different than the Lab ang-” He started, but paused when he saw me bristle. “-Arcelia. There aren’t rules here, none at all.” My eyes flickered, finding that hard to believe. How did his area function without rules?

“You need to stay close to me, understand? They won’t talk to you because you’re a stranger, but if you stay by my side they won’t hurt you either.” He explained and I found myself confused and scared. Had I done something worth hurting me for to these strangers?

“This is the one time I’ll be glad we don’t have television.” Varian muttered, and I gave him a curious look but didn’t speak out. He saw my look and explained, “Don’t you remember what the guy at the hardware shop said? He said you were all over the television.”

“Yes.” I replied, nodding my head. I remember the grisly man telling me I was on television before looking amused by my reaction.

“Just stay close to me, okay?” He repeated, staring at me. He seemed to want a verbal answer to show I understood him.

“Okay.” I replied and he nodded to himself. He sighed before his face seemed to clear of emotion, almost becoming as blank as mine. Then, he turned around and started walking towards the nearest building.

I kept close like he said, but made sure I wasn’t so close that I would cause him to stumble. He opened the door and I could hear a chorus of hissing along with people telling others to quiet down. That’s when Varian yelled out, “It’s just me!” Then the hissing stopped and the talking began.

The others started coming forward and I felt Varian push me behind him, out of sight and next to the door. I tried stepping on the tips of my toes to see the others, but Varian’s restricting hand on my arm kept me from doing so.

“Is that you Varian? Hey everybody, it’s Varian!” Someone yelled. They were rewarded with a chorus of cheers and I frowned. The Outside people were unusual.

“What the hell are you wearing? Hey, what’s around your neck?” Someone else called and I could feel Varian’s hand on me tighten before he snorted.

“Didn’t you hear? Lab gowns are the newest style.” He said and everyone but me laughed, seeming to find what he had said amusing. But I didn’t understand which frustrated me.

“Alright, alright. Everyone clear out, now.” Someone commanded. I could hear several groans along with a string of grumbles and protests.

“Come on Leo. Can’t we talk to Varian for a little while before you do your questioning?”

“Did you not hear me or do I need to repeat myself?” Leo said, his voice reminding me of a lab coat. I found myself looking down submissively, my head resting against Varian’s back.

The grumbling and groans slowly disappeared along with any other noise. I felt the muscles in Varian’s back uncoil before he sighed. “I need clothes Leo.” Varian said directly and Leo was the one snorting this time.

“What happened to the gown being the new style?” He asked and there was a silent pause.

“You know exactly what happened to me. Just give me male and female clothes in a bag and I’ll be out of your way.” He said, sounding like the lab coats did when they were discussing new strategies.

“Female? I didn’t know you’d decided to take up cross dressing.” Leo said, confusing me further while Varian just gave a tight laugh.

“I have someone with me.” He said before he gently guided me to his side.

What surprised me the most about Leo was his appearance. He looked more like Varian than me with his simple brown hair and his dull, brown eyes. His clothes reminded me of Dimitri’s. They were exotic. Why did they both dress so oddly? Were they trying to stand out or scare people away? In the Lab everyone wore some type of white, but Leo wasn’t wearing a trace of white. He wore a tattered red shirt and shorts that looked a little too big.

Leo blinked before a slow grin appeared on his face. His mouth started to open, but Varian interrupted him.

“Don’t even think about it.” He snapped and I glanced up at him to see his jaw clench and his face color with annoyance and anger.

“Alright, calm down Killer.” Leo said, his smile still on me. Was he waiting for me to smile back?

“Just give me the damn clothes Leo.” Varian said tensely and Leo smirked.

“You know nothing’s free here, not even for you.” He replied. He reminded me of the snake the Lab had once had. They’d tried extracting its venom and had done so successfully. They put small amounts in an experiment to try and make him immune, but they hadn’t predicted how strong the venom was. They’d come back in for the next round only to find a stiff, swollen, lifeless experiment.

“What do you want?” Varian asked and Leo tilted his head upwards, stroking his chin.

“What do I want? Many things.” Leo started, his eyes glancing at me again but they skittered away when Varian growled. “But I’ll just take your books.”

“No, forget it.” Varian snapped, making me frown. Why was Varian so keen to keep books? They weren’t of any value, not with the new technology that had crushed the paper book industry. You were only thought of as unusual if you were caught with a paper book.

“Fine, then go somewhere else. But I doubt anyone else is going to let you in with that shocker.” Leo said, nodding towards Varian’s neck and Varian stiffened.

“That’s right, I know what it is. I also know who she is. She’s their prized pet. I hope you aren’t fooling around with her…” Leo started casually, drifting off and leaving his sentence unfinished.

“Fine, take them. Just give me the clothes.” Varian said tightly, his body coiled again. It wasn’t good for someone to coil and uncoil their body like that. I thought about telling him, but decided against it. I didn’t want him to yell at me too.

“I’ll be right back.” Leo said before he strolled off. Varian sighed loudly, rubbing his temple with his fingers.

“I forgot how this place operated.” Varian muttered and I just blinked, knowing he was talking to himself. He looked up finally, his eyes finding mine.

“I’m sorry for my temper angel.” He said softly, waiting for my response.

“I’m not angel. I’m Arcelia.” I replied, watching the ghost of a smile appeared on his face before his laughed quietly.

“Okay Arcelia. I’m sorry about my temper.” He said, changing his words around.

I hesitated before saying, “I thought he was your…” I paused, looking for the right word. But Varian beat me to it.

“Friend? No. Out here, in the real world, you don’t have friends. Only people that live with you. The second things get tough you’re on your own.” He said bitterly.

“That sounds bad.” I replied, wondering why Varian had escaped the Lab. Why would he leave a place that had offered protection from the harsh Outside? The Lab had been helping him by bringing him there, not hurting him.

“You learn to live with it.” He said, his voice disappearing as Leo appeared again.

“I packed clothes for both of you and some money. When I come back you and your little experiment better be gone.” Leo warned before disappearing.

“Money.” Varian spat, picking up the bag and holding the door open for me. “Money’s useless here. I don’t know why he packed it.” He muttered.

“Why’s it useless?” I asked, following behind Varian who started looking around.

“Because people prefer a different kind of payment.” He said after a few minutes.

“What kind?” I asked and watched Varian’s body tense again.

“Leave it alone Arcelia.” He snapped and I found my eyes averting themselves down to the gray floor, hurt surging through me. “Let’s find somewhere to change and get this damn shocker off.” He said before storming off with me following behind.