Specimen

Riley, Riley, Riley.

I keep her face in my mind as I struggle. I get my knees under my chest, but then I have to stop and catch my breath. I look around for something to grab hold of to use to pull myself up, but there is nothing within reach. The closest sapling is seven feet away, and I start shoving myself through the dirt—clawing with my hands until I reach it.

With one hand grasped around the base of the small tree, I lay in the dirt, exhausted as pain shoots through my body like a hail of bullets. My stomach tightens, and I retch. There’s nothing inside of me to vomit, but I keep dry heaving anyway. By the time the spell passes, I can only lie still and focus on breathing.

The night deepens. Small animals venture near me but quickly scamper away. I close my eyes, no longer able to hold them open. I focus on the sound of their tiny feet as they cross over logs and leaves. I can smell the withered contents of the forest floor all around me. I inhale deeply, and another scent wafts toward my nose.

It’s slightly sweet but not flowery. It’s tinged with the smell of sweat and fear but completely unmistakable.

“Riley?”

“I found him! He’s over here!”

Tears pour from my eyes as Riley kneels beside me. As soon as her hand reaches my left arm, the pain begins to subside. My body relaxes into the dirt as her other hand runs over the top of my head.

“It’s all right,” she tells me. “Everything is going to be all right. I’ve got you. I’m going to take you home, Sten.”

Despite the stroke of her fingers on my arm, I tense at the sound of her nickname for me. I’d never considered it before, but now that I know the truth, now that I know my real name, I can’t tolerate the sound of the other one.

I turn my head just enough to glare up at her. Her eyes widen as she meets my gaze.

“My name,” I say with a snarl, “is Galen Michael Braggs.”

Chapter 17

Riley stares at me.

“What did you say?” Her words come in whispered breaths.

“Galen, not Sten.”

Riley’s eyes widen, and her mouth drops open. I hear the footsteps of several people approaching, and Riley glances quickly over her shoulder.

“Shit,” she mutters.

“I know who I am,” I tell her. Speaking is hard, but it’s easier than trying to move.

“Hush now,” she whispers. She places her fingers over my lips. “Do not say that again. In fact, don’t speak at all. Understood?”

“Yes.” I stare at her, trying to reconcile her words and her expression. I expect anger, but I see mostly fear in her eyes.

I want to tell her more, but her order of silence has settled deep inside of me. It’s a comforting feeling to be commanded by her again. I succumb to it even though I know the lies behind it.

“I need to get you back to the center and treated quickly.”

She’s going to take my memories away.

I try to push myself up again and fail in the attempt. My chest hurts. It’s hard to breathe. I feel a pinch in my arm and slowly open my eyes again.

“Hang in there,” Riley says quietly as she runs her fingers over my arm. “I didn’t think I was going to find you alive.”

I see tears in the corners of her eyes, and I want to reach out to brush them away, but I can’t lift my arm. The footsteps reach us, and nine uniformed soldiers with Isaac leading them come around the trees. He jogs to my side and drops to one knee.

“Sten?”

“He’s alive,” Riley says, “but in bad shape. I need to get him back to the facility now.”

“I’ve got him.” Isaac rolls me to my back and slips his arms under my legs and shoulders. He lifts me easily and starts off through the woods.