Dr. Nem escorted them inside, talking warmly about what a pleasant autumn it was. Though he had clearly noticed the tension, he did not act aware of it now.
The double doors opened into a narrow entryway followed by another set of double doors. Beyond that was a waiting area with two doors propped open and an empty reception center. Dr. Nem strode to the right hall.
"The others are in here." Dr. Nem stopped in front of the fourth door.
Kaya paused. This building disturbed her. Everything from the dull cream walls to the uneven cracks in the speckled linoleum told her this would be bad.
She followed Darryl into the next room. It was a tidier friendlier room with two large tables filled with tasty food and another for sitting. There were nine other people in this room. Kaya recognized Brenda and Kwame from their time at Herald’s. She wasn’t sure if that made her feel better or worse.
"These are the other members of the experiment," Dr. Nem said. "Brenda and Kwame you know." Both greeted them warmly. "Then we have Jeremy, Anthony, Terry, Tam, and Chad." Each of the participants acknowledged their names with a nod or a wave, all bearing similar external symptoms: slumped posture, low energy, and reddened eyes.
"And these are my assistants, Jasmine and Ethan." Dr. Nem motioned to two young people, a chubby woman with black nail polish and natural hair and a larger man with the hint of a rainbow tattoo protruding from the collar of his V-neck.
Both smiled warmly.
"And this is Darryl and his wife Kaya." Dr. Nem placed his hand on Darryl’s shoulder. "You all probably know each other through the groups and treatment centers."
"Probably if you shared our usernames that’d make it easier." Darryl put his hand to his chest. "I’m usually CaptainNoSleep."
"Starburstpizza87," Tam said.
Jeremy lifted his hand. "Insomnozombie."
"BLKlotusrider," Brenda offered.
Kaya listened as everyone went around the room. Some semblance of energy rose among them as they realized who they were. Darryl picked up the bowl of spicy skittles and sat between Jeremy and Brenda.
Dr. Nem watched happily
"Is this typical for a sleep study?" Kaya asked pointedly, knowing full well it wasn't. Even if it was a sleep elimination study, which she had not studied anything about those, it should follow certain basic protocol.
"No, but I’m not typical. A patient's humanity must always be remembered. This is a small way to do that."
Kaya glanced about the room again, her grasp tight on her elbows. "Are the rest of the families coming?"
Dr. Nem shifted his weight. "I’m afraid…you’re the only one who came who isn’t actively participating. You’re more than welcome to be here of course. But this sort of ailment puts a tremendous stress on all. Most of these men and women are alone now."
"Oh." A pang of sadness spread through Kaya’s chest. She remembered Paula, Kwame’s wife, and her confession of exhaustion and how she couldn’t take the perpetual stress, his mood swings, and one-sided responsibility. If they didn’t divorce, Paula swore she’d lose her mind. Brenda’s husband, Saul, had burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. Kaya had knelt beside him and tried to console him but there was nothing she could offer except empty words and understanding. Two months later, she and Darryl heard that Saul had driven off an embankment on his way to Detroit. He died on impact.
There were many victims of this struggle, not just the ones who fought it directly.
Kaya’s head began to spin, the bad feeling intensifying. "I need some air."
"Do you need someone to go with you?" Dr. Nem asked.
"I'll be fine." Kaya left. Her heart was pounding, and the wobbly sensation marred her vision and balance. But she soon found her way outside. The crisp September air greeted her with a refreshing blast. She at once crossed the parking lot and climbed one of the hills behind the facility. As she did, the tension and unease slipped away, leaving only her frustration.
Why was Darryl so insistent about this place? There was something wrong in there. Everyone seemed nice enough, but the air, the energy was wrong. It was like their house felt when Darryl finally did fall asleep and woke up screaming and flailing from the nightmares. Except it was seven times worse here and much stronger. Why didn’t anyone else feel it?
A reverberating engine throbbed down the road and turned into the parking lot. Kaya turned. A man with spiky platinum hair and a massive blue velvet cloak rode in on a Harley. He dismounted at once and strode through the double doors, striking them back with an air of authority, chin lifted high, cloak trailing behind him.
Kaya raised her eyebrows. "I bet his username is Mr. Fabulous."
She resumed her climb. Once she reached the top, she stared out toward the city. It was a dark and dismal sight. Much like her own life.
The sunlight faded faster now, the growing darkness swallowing up details and muddying her sight. The cold seeped in as well. She shivered.
Deep down she knew why Darryl had done this, but the fear remained. Things could always get worse. They’d proved that often over the past years. And Darryl was right. They had to do something or else…she’d lose him forever. And what other options were there that offered even a sliver of hope? He spoke more frequently about wanting her to have a life if anything ever happened to him. Sometimes he even suggested she’d be better off without him, but she refused to even tolerate those thoughts. She couldn’t remember or imagine life without him. His condition hadn't started until four months after their wedding. At the start, it had been relatively small and only inconvenient. But then, night by night, week by week, it had grown until both were devoured.
The sun had disappeared entirely now. The street lamps hummed.
Slowly Kaya stood, brushed the dirt and grass from her jeans, then strode down the hill. Since she came back down at an angle, she reached the backdoor first. The single metal door was stiff but creaked open when she tugged harder.
The fluorescent lights flickered and that horrible feeling washed over her. Being alone was unnerving, but as she passed through the third set of doors and continued down the hall, she noted flickering lights behind two fishbowl doors.
Though she knew she needed to return to Darryl so she could at least hug him and reassure him, she found the lights alluring. She pressed her hand on the door. Though heavy, the doors still gave a little. She pressed them open the rest of the way.
Inside was a large observational area with three desks put together to hold a number of monitors, computers, and other devices she didn’t recognize. Large silver cylinders lined the back wall. One lay on the ground, its sealed mouth dented. Tall silver-grey lockers lined the other wall. At the end of the room was an enormous window that looked into a massive room. 'It’s like a science-fiction mad scientist’s laboratory, complete with one-way looking glass,' she thought.
Kaya popped another piece of gum in her mouth, hoping the mint would help calm her stomach. The sealed room had ten beds made up with crisp white sheets, small tables beside, a half-enclosed shower alcove and toilet area, a bookshelf of magazines and books, and then a few board games. Brown gas masks hung from the steel bedposts, a jarring reminder that something wasn’t right.
Kaya’s discomfort intensified. Being alone suddenly felt like the worst fate in the world. The heaviness in the air was palpable. It was as if something watched her, something malevolent.
She backed toward the door, her eyes darting from the ceiling to the wall. There was a faint scent. Something she couldn’t place.
Her skin prickled. She had to get out.
She bolted into the hall and past the next two doors. This facility was bigger than she thought! When she struck another set of double doors, she heard the faint hum of conversation and the doors before her opened as Dr. Nem strode through, the patients behind.
"Ah! Kaya." Dr. Nem stopped short. "I wondered if you were about to join us."
Darryl crossed over to her. "You all right?"
Kaya gripped his hands. "I was just going by there…" she pointed back toward the control room, "and I walked into the experiment room. There’s something wrong in there."
"Wrong?" Dr. Nem frowned. Surprised murmurs rippled through the group. "What do you mean? What happened?"
"It feels wrong here. Everywhere actually. But especially in there. And there was this strange smell."
Dr. Nem hurried out. Jasmine approached her. "Do you need to sit? You’re flushed."
"I’m fine. But…" Kaya turned back to Darryl, her previous resolutions weak. "Baby, I’m so scared for you. Please. I don’t think this is a good idea. Everyone seems so nice, but something bad’s going to happen."
"She’s right," said a baritone in the back. "Everyone should leave before this becomes any worse."
Brenda sighed. "Listen, doomsayer, we agreed you could be here to protect us if anything goes wrong like supernaturally or alien speaking, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep talking." The others agreed, some more cautious. Tam clenched and rubbed her hands.
Kaya couldn’t see the speaker as Darryl cupped his hand around her cheek. "Honey, I know you’re scared. So am I, but this is all we’ve got. I promise, there’s all kinds of safety measures involved. We’ve even got that guy back there who claims to know about supernatural dangers to help us in case things get really freaky or aliens come."
Kaya hugged Darryl tight. Her heart raged against his. "I don’t care how long you’re sick or hurting, I’ll stand with you forever. I promise. But please, let’s find something else."
Darryl hugged her tight. "I know I’ve asked a lot of you, KayKay, but now I’ve got to ask a little more. I have to do this."
The doors swung open as Dr. Nem returned. "One of the cylinders was leaking," he said. "There was a small druano leak."
"Druano?" Kaya echoed, clinging to Darryl. "What’s that?"
"It’s the primary component in the infusion we’ll be pumping into the isolation chamber." Dr. Nem held a small mask and tank in his hand. "You have an excellent nose. Most people can’t smell it at all. In some, it can increase sensations of panic and mistrust. And given all you and your husband have been through, it’s little wonder you’re on edge."
Jasmine glanced at Kaya suspiciously. "How did it fall over? No one else has been in there."
"Probably a few rats still in the building," Dr. Nem said. "From the amount of druano leaked, it fell a couple hours ago." He shifted his attention back to Kaya. "Depending on how sensitive you are, you might actually have been aware since the time you entered."
"And this is what you’re going to have them breathe?" Kaya asked.
"Everyone has been briefed on possible side effects, but that’s also why we have this." Dr. Nem held up the tank and mask. "This is the countermeasure until acclimation. You weren’t exposed to much so there shouldn’t be an ongoing problem, but this will help counter some of the initial discomfort"
Kaya shook her head, not sure she trusted that countermeasure.
"Well, now that that’s settled, let’s continue." Dr. Nem departed cheerfully. The patients, flanked by Jasmine and Ethan, followed.
Darryl kissed her cheek. "It’s gonna be all right, KayKay. You’ll see."
"How long are you going to be in there?" Kaya whispered.
"Probably close to a month, but you can stay as much as you want. You’ll be able to talk to me through the glass and everything. And if anything goes wrong, they’ll get us out. Dr. Nem is a good man." Darryl glanced at the doors as they swung back and forth, Jeremy being the last to go through. "Now I’ve got to go. You come whenever you’re ready."
Kaya wiped the tears away. Nothing she said was going to stop him. "I need to get some tissues."
"Bathroom’s down there." Darryl pointed to the left of the intersecting hall. "I’ll see you soon. This time there is a light at the end of the tunnel."
Kaya longed to believe that, but she froze when she realized that not everyone had left.
The blue-cloaked stranger stood by the plastic chairs, his gaze cutting into her.
"You’re the one who said I was right?" Kaya guessed.
The man removed a small pack of Kleenex from inside his cloak. He offered them to her. "Yes."
"I don’t even know where to start." Kaya accepted the Kleenexes, blew her nose, and then, with a fresh tissue, wiped away the tears. "What’s going on here? Why won’t they listen?"
"Few do when there’s so much to be won." Though he was still, an almost frantic energy pulsed within the man. He was handsome or would have been if it weren't for his peridot eyes. Their bright ever-shifting movement was too much for his carved cheekbones and perfect bow lips to compensate. "Those in search of healing and those who long to heal them are often the easiest targets."
A thousand questions brimmed within Kaya. "So what’s going to happen? What do we do? And who are you?"
"I’m Janis. I see things others don’t, and I’d guess that you too have a similar gift. I was aware of the druano as soon as I entered. It is one of the altered elements from the other sleep eliminating experiments."
"There’ve been others?"
"Several."
Kaya’s insides clenched. "What happened?"
Sorrow twisted Janis’s face. "Everyone died."