A-Z Challenge. Day Two.

Here we are folks. B is for Bells.

Bells

            Every morning, at exactly 6:23, bells rang throughout the compound to wake the subjects. They would wake and dress in the standard grey uniforms, the only identifying feature between them was the number stitched above the heart. In room 23, Carmelina pulled the grey shirt over her head, adjusting it over her shoulders to try and cover them. She was the youngest subject on this floor, only seven years old. The pants dragged on the floor, covering her bare feet. The cold of the tile no longer bothered her. Years of walking around on them have numbed her to the sensation.

            She stepped to her door as another set of bells rang at 6:37. The door slid into the wall and she stepped out into the hallway. On both sides of the hallway, other kids were doing the same. Thirty rooms in total on this floor, the subjects ranging in age from Carmelina’s seven to Averill’s thirteen. None of the subjects made eye contact with each other, instead they turned to head east down the hallway, all falling into single file.

            The doors at the end of the hall slid open and one by one the kids were given a sheet of paper from a lady in a daring red dress; odd for this place, but they were used to the sight and none batted an eye. The room was round and held fifteen elevators. The subjects were separated into pairs and they all stood at the doors to the elevators, waiting.

            At 6:51 more bells rang and the elevators opened. As if sharing a brain the pairs stepped in together. Carmelina stepped in number 7 with Averill. The elevator had 30 floors, the number 20 lit up. There were already 18 people on the elevator, and Carmelina and Averill stepped in and turned around without making eye contact. Every subject kept their eyes averted, as they’d been taught. The subjects in this elevator all looked to be around Averill’s age, all but another young girl who looked to be Carmelina’s age.

            The elevator started its descent, stopping first at floor ten. Averill and another got out. This happened on each floor as it continued down. By the first floor, it was just Carmelina and the other young girl. They both stepped out when the elevator came to a stop.

            “Subject 2023 and 2523,” a man in a green plaid shirt and blue jean overalls said from a few feet in front of them. The room they were in was just like the elevator room from twenty floors up, fifteen elevators and two subjects standing in front of them with a projection of the same man greeting them. “You are to report to room 23,” he said.

            Carmelina and the young girl followed the others as they fell into single file. The doors opened and another hallway just like the one twenty floors up greeted them. They started down the hall, pairs entering their designated rooms as they walked. Carmelina and Subject 2523 entered room 23.

            “Wonderful, wonderful,” a man wearing bright blue board shorts and an open blue Hawaiian shirt said. “Carmelina and Rosabel.”

            The two subjects nodded as he said their names.

            “That won’t do, girls,” he said. “Greet me back.”

            Carmelina furrowed her brows. “Hello,” she said softly.

            An intake of breath from beside her was the only thing Rosabel did.

            The man smiled. “Wonderful. My name is Kilian.”

            “Kilian,” Carmelina said.

            Another intake of breath from Rosabel again.

            “Can you not speak Rosabel?” Kilian asked and stepped forward.

            Rosabel looked down at her bare feet. Just like Carmelina, her pants dragged on the ground. She wiggled her toes.

            “This is problematic,” Kilian said and stroked his stubble chin.

            Carmelina looked up at him quickly before averting her eyes. His green eyes were studying Rosabel with a strange intensity. She took a look around. The room was the same as it’s been since she came here five years ago. Two black leather dentist chairs, restraints dangling from them, stood on either side; a white desk is pushed back against the far wall, a black desk chair in front of it. The computer showed a colourful screensaver, the phone blinked red with messages, and the desk that used to be so orderly was piled with papers. The walls now have posters of the outside world scattered on them but the floor is still the same off-white tile.

            “Well, up on the chairs, ladies,” Kilian gestured to them.

            Carmelina and Rosabel moved at the same time, sat on the chairs, and stared at the ivory ceiling.

            Kilian clicked his tongue. “No need to do that.”

            Carmelina looked at him. He smiled.

            “I do things differently than the others at this place,” he said. He looked over at Rosabel but she kept her gaze on the ceiling. “Now, now, Rosabel,” he started. “Haven’t you been taught to follow orders?”

            Rosabel dragged her lavender eyes from the ceiling and looked at him. He smiled.

            “Good girl,” he said. “Now,” he clapped his hands and a machine came down from the ceiling. He stepped back so it could land on the ground in front of him. Two arms stretched out from its side, one pointing at Rosabel, the other at Carmelina, with a black ball that looked like a camera held in the claws attached to the arm. It was sleek and silver, a keyboard at his waist and a screen at his eye level. He typed something into the machine and the arms moved above the girls and down their bodies.

            “Ah,” he said. “I see what the problem is, Rosabel. You’ve lost your voicebox.”

            Rosabel gave a small nod.

            “My predecessor?” Another nod. “Deary me.” He rubbed his chin. “Well, Carmelina and I will just need to learn sign language with you.”

            Rosabel’s eyes widened.

            “It won’t be hard,” he continued. “Not with our level of intelligence.” He types something into the computer and the arms go straight up, revealing a screen on either side. “Let’s begin.”

***

            At exactly 12:12, bells rang throughout the compound and knocks on the examination room doors followed.

            “Excellent,” Kilian said and stood up. He opened the door, took the tray from the robotic arm, and shut it again. Three boxed meals sat on the tray. He walked back and sat down, handing each girl her meal and set the tray on his lap. “Bon appetite.”

            Carmelina giggled and opened her box, taking out the sandwich.

            “That was an eventful morning,” Kilian said. “Sign language learned, yes?”

            Carmelina nodded and Rosabel signed ‘yes’.

            “Excellent.” He took a bite of his sandwich. “This afternoon will be something neither of you have done before, I’m sure.”

            Rosabel tilted her head as she took a bite.

            “We’re going to destroy this compound.”

            Carmelina gasped. Rosabel’s mouth dropped open.

            Kilian grinned. “You girls are becoming more human as the day goes along.”

            Carmelina furrowed her brows again. “We are human.”

            “Yes, but here they have you become nothing more than subjects to be tested on. I, nor my superiors, agree with this. This compound is the last one standing. Also the hardest to destroy,” Kilian took a bite. “That’s why I needed to get in.”

            “How long have you been here?” Carmelina asked.

            “Three years,” Kilian answered. “It took me three years to become your examiner and in that time all of my research has led me to one conclusion: you two are the only ones worth saving.”

            ‘Why?’ Rosabel signed.

            “You better finish up,” Kilian said, ignoring Rosabel. “Our mission begins when the next set of bells ring.” He waved to the screens and watched as they both turned to look at them.

            The girls’ eyes ran across the screen as they read the information, eating their sandwiches as an after thought. They turned to look at him at the same time.

            “You understand your roles?” Kilian asked and took their empty boxes.

            They both nodded.

            Kilian stood up and motioned for them to do the same with the tray. “Wonderful.”

            He walked forward towards the door as the bells rang throughout the compound at 12:42. A knock followed the bell and Kilian opened the door to give the tray to the robotic arm. The arm disappeared into the floor with the empty tray and Kilian stepped out of the room, Rosabel and Carmelina following. He gave a nod and each girl took off to opposite ends of the hallway. He followed Rosabel west which led to the main lobby.

            Carmelina joined him and Rosabel two minutes later, confirming the cameras had been shut off on her end.

            “Excellent,” Kilian said and swiped his employee ID next to the door at the end of the hall. It swished open and the two girls darted forward, shutting off those cameras too. The room they entered was empty, only two cameras pointed to either side of the room and another door at the other end. Again Kilian swiped his ID next to the door and it opened. The girls darted forward and got rid of the four guards in the room.

            “A weapon for each of you,” Kilian said as he grabbed the two guns off the two guards that stood just inside the door. He straightened and watched as the girls swung the guns over their shoulders, carrying it as if they had their entire lives. “The next room is much heavier secured.” He said as bells started ringing through the compound. “We’ll need to break this door.”

            Carmelina nodded and turned to it, shooting the panel beside it. It smoked and clicked open, the door sliding into the wall. Rosabel immediately began shooting into the room, killing the guards that stood in there to capture them. The receptionist screamed and ducked behind the counter.

            Kilian stepped into the room first and grinned. “Excellent, Rosabel.”

            Rosabel and Carmelina stepped up beside him.

            “You two guard the front door, shoot any you see coming. I’ll get this compound ready to blow,” Kilian said. He walked over to the desk as the girls followed his orders. “Hello dear,” Kilian said, leaning over the desk. “You don’t think anyone is coming, do you?”

            She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. “The head office will send backup.”

            Kilian grinned. “Head office is currently out of commission.”

            She gasped.

            “Took them out two months ago. So why don’t you go ahead and hit the self-destruct button.”

            “There is no such button,” she whispered.

            Kilian raised an eyebrow. “Really? There were at all the other compounds.”

            She just shook her head as the bells started getting louder.

            “For heaven’s sake, shut off those damn bells.”

            “They’ll keep ringing until the boss enters his code,” she said.

            Kilian groaned. He straightened and walked around the desk.

“What are you doing?” She scurried backwards on her butt.

“Finding the self-destruct,” he said and started poking around her desk.

“There isn’t one,” she said only to gasp when he found a compartment underneath it that revealed a small black button, the words ‘emergency use only’ written beside it.

“There isn’t one, eh?” He said and pressed the button. A fire alarm started blaring then as he casually walked to the entrance. He turned around as she stood up. “Sorry doll,” he said and shot her, the bullet hitting her forehead dead centre.

“Kilian?” Carmelina asked once he stepped outside. “How do we leave?”

Kilian grinned and started leading them down the beautifully designed driveway. “Our ride is waiting outside the gate.”

Rosabel turned back to the compound as an explosion sounded through the air. The back of the place was lit up in flames and screams echoed through her ears.

“Better start running, girls,” Kilian said and started to jog.

The girls looked at each other and smiled before sprinting to the front gate that was starting to open, a bright green van pulling up to the entrance. Kilian laughed as they passed him and he picked up speed, another explosion sounding from behind him.

“You sure make a spectacle,” the man in the van said as the girls opened the back and got in, Kilian sliding in the passenger seat.

“You know me,” Kilian said as the man turned the van around and started back down the country road. “I live for the fire.”