Chapter 07

Sebastian

It’s been a couple of days since me and Donovan had our talk. He hasn’t shown up for work either, but I could understand why that is. His life’s been tide down to an extremely dangerous person who shows no signs of stopping his experimentation on people. Luckily he didn’t get the worse option. Being the errand boy for Mr. Plague isn’t as terrible as living with a skinless face, or being stuck behind a mirror until the concept of time ends, but it’s still terrible. Recruiting innocent people to do his bidding is very crippling to your well-being. I lost count at how many people I had to unfortunately meet. Being a bearer of bad news to random people requires a lot of disconnect towards the recipient. It makes it easier but it can also desensitize you over time. Any kind of tragic news you receive or give just becomes a norm. I could never become a doctor, no matter the amount of fake smiles I give out.

I got up from my chair, grabbed my coat and scanned the office before leaving. Only a few people stay overnight to get paper work done so they can have a jump start the next morning. That’s something I’ve been meaning to tell Donovan to do for the longest. Seeing his desk smothered in paperwork every day somehow makes me feel disorganized too. It’s surprising he can even find paperwork in there to begin with.

Before I headed out, I noticed the familiar jolt coursing up my spine. I would love for this moment to happen any other time but now. It’s the worse feeling to finish work and expect to lounge around your home afterwards, only to be called in to something else. I’ve never liked going back to that cabin. Nothing good ever comes out of it and I want nothing to do with it anymore…but that’s impossible. I know, and he knows, if I want out before my contract is up, I’ll be dead…but sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth it to keep doing this.

I sped-walk to our nearest bathroom and noticed some remaining coworkers look up at me in confusion, I’d do the same. I quickly shut the door and closed my eyes. A chilling sensation traveled from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet as every limb, every hair, every molecule that makes up my physical being, slowly dissipates. At first, it can be a very uncomfortable experience for anyone. Though, over the years of traveling back and forth, I’ve managed to come to terms with it. It actually feels as if I’m ceasing to exist; erased for a simpler term. Maybe that’s why I don’t mind it, because there might be a small chance that I’ll deteriorate and not come back together. I can only hope for such relief.

Within a few seconds of darkness and my atoms sporadically being stretched and thrown across areas I can’t comprehend, I suddenly feel that cold but sinister breeze again. I’m here. I slowly open my eyes and see everyone waiting. It must be something important to discuss if even the gnome is in here. Braxton also didn’t express his signature smile. I learned that from him actually. To keep a smile on in any given situation has taught me that it can give a comforting feeling to anyone nearby. But his facial expression shows none of that, and that worries me like no other. His right hand woman, or mistress, stood with her arms folded behind her back. The stance she gives off really emphasizes her physique, but that’s what she’s supposed to do. Distract the patient; keep their minds off of what’s important. He’s a very crafty guy to develop her like the way she is. I never figured out what her story was before she got her experimentation.

“Hello Sebastian.” A hand gently landed on my right shoulder. Its touch was calm and serene but my senses scream immediate danger. The voice didn’t help either. It’s somehow faint and analytical and that’s never a good sign to notice when someone is talking to you.

I turn my head slightly. “Hey Mr. Plague. You’re looking frightful as always.”

“Hohoho, thank you…thank you. How have you been?”

Hmm, I don’t like this question. He’s known to probe quickly without you ever really noticing it. He’s definitely been watching me, it was too straight forward. “I’ve been pretty good. There’s this slight pain on the back of my neck. I think I need to go to a chiropractor.”

“I can fix it for you.”

“No thank you. I wouldn’t want to dig myself deeper into contracts now.”

“Hmmm, you’ve come a long way Sebastian. You’re beginning to understand my tendencies every time you step into this cabin.” He says that as if I willingly come in here.

“That’s not good, huh?”

“No, no it is not. I would prefer to remain an enigma in most cases. Telling Donavan about me goes against that.”

The gnome intervened. “You’re in deep shit bub!” The best method when it comes to this little guy is not to feed into its attention. No matter how annoying it can be sometimes.

Yet, I retorted. “Yeah, I can get the vibe in here, thanks.”

Mr. Plague continued. “Now Sebastian, I understand you want to look out for your friend, but you were coming too close to telling him things you don’t need to say. You haven’t forgotten what will happen if you do…right?”

I damn well haven’t, but death doesn’t seem that bad of an option anymore compared to this. “No…I understand. I just want to make sure he doesn’t get himself into more trouble than he already is.” That’s coming from the bottom of my heart. I know I won’t be by his side every time he’s called back into this, but I at least need to tell him something. Even though the trust between us has dwindled, I feel I can at least get him to listen to what I have to say. The evident proof of seeing Mr. Plague and all his experiments should be enough reason to listen to what I have to say. “I need to go to the restroom.”

I turned and walked towards the ludicrously heavy door. Braxton swiveled whatever he can out of his half glued body towards me and gave a troubling look. I took the hint, and opened the door. It was still as cold as ever in here. My guess is that he likes to keep it as unwelcoming as possible for any unfortunate guess, or to also have them leave quickly so Sam wouldn’t have the time to talk to them…poor thing.

“Well, well, well…look at what we have here. Can I help you stranger?” Speak of the devil. Sam doesn’t skip a beat when it comes to saying hi to me.

“Hahaha come on, I know I haven’t paid you a visit in a while but I’ve been busy.”

“Yeah, whatever…I met a newbie recently.”

“Donavan?”

“Yeah, I think so. Black guy, kinda lanky, bald head…clinically depressed look in his eyes?”

“Hahaha, yeah that’s him.” She never ceases to get a laugh out of me. “He’s a co-worker of mine. Did you give him the gist of everything?”

“Not that I can remember. He was more flustered than anything. Telling him anymore would’ve thrown him overboard.”

“You’re not wrong.”

“You’ve told him of what’s gonna happen and the kinds of people he’s gotta meet?”

“Yeah.”

“Now Mr. Plague called you in because of that?”

“Yeah…”

“I don’t get why you keep putting yourself in trouble. You know what’s going to happen, right?” My eyes peered down, breaking eye contact. “You want to die, don’t you?”

“I’ve lived long enough. If it were to take my life to save another, then so be it.”

“You’re the same as ever, always putting others before you. I can’t do that.”

I looked back up to her with a convincing smile. “I know you don’t want me to go, but I need to get out of here. I need to end all this madness.” I turned on the faucet and began to wash my face. There was a slight moment of silence until Sam broke it.

“Also…there was someone else who came in some time after him.”

I began to dry my face with the surprisingly fancy towels laid besides the sink. “Oh really, did they give a name?”

“No…he just stood there…and smiled.”

“What?”

“Yeah, it was super weird. He was dressed in all white like some 1950’s milk-man uniform and didn’t utter a single word. His eyes were so squinted I couldn’t make out the color of it. He just stood there and smiled at me for a good five minutes.”

I dried off and set the towel back down. It went from damped to dry in a manner of seconds. The thing even managed to fold itself back up neatly too. “What the hell. When did he get another patient?”

“I don’t know. You know time in here is all mangled up.”

“Yeah…yeah. Alright, I gotta go now. Some things need to be cleared up. I’ll be back soon.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

I walked back towards the door still thinking about what she had just told me. I need to find out who this person is. Part of me thinks I should help them, but from how she describes this person, makes me think otherwise.