Drink

Derrick

I wipe the sweat from my brow as my body shivers once again. The thin blanket I was provided this morning is doing nothing to help me warm up. It barely stretches over my shoulders.

I haven’t slept since I threw the bottle at the wall. A new tingling in my limbs has been giving me anxiety, and my stomach is pitching a fit as well. I’ve kept yesterday’s dinner down so far, but—

The thought of the mashed potatoes and ever-worsening steak makes my body projectile-vomit on the wall opposite me. I fall to my hands and knees, dry-heaving uncontrollably.

“Having fun, 247?” The glass wall to my cell opens and in walks Dr. Fine, escorted by two guards. Her messy bun and large glasses help hide the crazed look in her eye.

“I see the symptoms of your withdrawal have already started.” Dr. Fine writes something on her large clipboard. “Fascinating…”

I growl once my body is done trying to upchuck my spleen. “Get out.”

“247, don’t be like that.” Dr. Fine sighs. “If you want outside privileges, you’ll need to be friendlier to me and drink the beverage served with your food.”

“Fuck your ‘outside privileges.’” My words are cold and full of hate. “And I’m not drinking that disgusting thing you call a beverage. I don’t need either.”

“I suppose you don’t need your mate, either.”

My eyes snap to Dr. Fine, who is showing a cynical smile. She presses her glasses back to the bridge of her nose. The lights overhead reflect off the glass, shielding the doctor’s eyes.

I immediately think of the woman who’s been bringing my food. The need to protect her is instinctive—she has to be the mate this doctor is talking about.

“If you’ve done anything to her, I swear—”

“Careful, 247.” The guards point their guns at me as I move toward Dr. Fine. Our eyes lock.

“Your mate is safe...for now,” she states. “But if you want her to remain that way, you need to abide by our rules.”

I glare at her for a moment, then my shoulders slump.

I won’t risk my mate. And she knows it.

“That means staying on the far wall while we clean up this mess and serve your food to you. And as punishment for this...outburst...I’ll be serving you, instead of your mate.”

Dr. Fine smiles as I follow her instructions. “You’ll see, 247. Cooperation will be your savior here.”

After the mess is cleaned by two young boys wearing the same collar I am, Dr. Fine returns with my tray of food.

“Now, sit, boy,” she teases.

I let out a low, warning growl. It’s clear she’s enjoying this.

“Do I have to remind you of what I just said, 247?”

It takes all my willpower not to rip this woman’s head from her body. I sit slowly, seething all the while. The concrete floor is icy cold against my legs and arms.

Dr. Fine places the tray on the floor in front of me. The drink is in a plastic cup this time. My food is different, though. A large pork chop and a side of macaroni.

“To celebrate our newfound friendship,” Dr. Fine sings.

I roll my eyes and begin to eat, suppressing a moan at the first bite. The meat is soft and moist against my tongue. I swear, I could swallow the entire thing whole.

As I reach for the drink to wash down my food, I pause. Dr. Fine looms over me, the shadows playing across her face making my skin crawl.

“What are you still doing here?” I ask suspiciously.

“I’m here to make sure you drink that entire thing,” she replies. “Can’t have our star patient dying on us, now can we?”

I narrow my eyes at her. “Why would I die from not drinking this?”

Dr. Fine clicks her pen a few times and thinks for a moment. Her breathing becomes jagged and her hair even seems to split at the ends.

“That liquid is a subclass of our serum called Delta B4G7.” She cackles. “Wolves like you can’t be weaned off it when they consume it as often as you have been. If not drunk around the same time every day for the rest of your life, you’ll die.”

“What are you talking about, you crazy bitch?” I growl, rising to my feet, nearly upending the cup of serum. My head feels strangely light all of a sudden.

“Aw, dizzy, are we?” Dr. Fine purses her lips and smirks. “If you don’t drink your serum dose, you’ll die within the next twelve hours. If that happens, we’ll have no need for that mate of yours. She’ll be Feral food by the end of the day.”

I launch myself at the doctor, but the two guards appear out of nowhere, grabbing each of my arms.

Dr. Fine raises an eyebrow. “Remember what I said. You act up, and your mate will be the one to suffer.”

My fists clench as the guards release me. Reluctantly, I pick up the cup and lock eyes with the insane doctor. She gestures for me to drink.

The thick liquid slides down my throat, and my stomach sings with glee. The nausea, sweats, and tingling disappear almost instantly.

“See?” Dr. Fine asks. “All better, aren’t we?”

I turn away, despair filling me as the glass door closes behind her and the guards.

~I’ll never be free of this place.~