Free All Light Will Fall by Almney King

way. It was Dr. Hailey, followed by her armed subordinates.
She approached the table with a smile. It was a tense smile. She was anxious of
something.
    “Good afternoon, Celeste. If you could come with me please.”
    I stood up and followed her without sparing a glance at the
table. We ended up leaving Pilot and returning to the humanization facility. I
wanted to turn back. The humanization facility, it was full of horrors. I could
still feel the drilling machines and the sting of steel cutting through my
flesh.
    Dr. Hailey led me into a waiting area just outside the
examination room. “Why am I here?” I asked. My voice was thick and the question
came out more like an order.
    She lifted her halo-pad. I watched the screen. It was a
recording of me in my quarters, asleep. I glanced up at her in shock. I had
guessed, but I never actually knew if I was being watched. I looked at the
screen again. I watched myself leave the bed. My feet dragged across the floor
to the other side of the room. I looked hypnotized. I was still asleep. Then it
happened. I beat my head into the wall. I did it again and again and never once
woke up.
    “It continues for another thirty minutes. That’s why you’re
here. You’ve been taking unapproved dosages of halos. Your case is empty when
it should be more than half full.”
    “What of it?”
    Dr. Hailey sighed. “It’s called genasis, a form of dementia
caused by Gene-Nome 1.”
    I gave her a hard look. “What is Gene-Nome 1? I thought
Proloxy 7...”
    “Proloxy 7 is what we used on our ordinary recruits, but
you’re not an ordinary recruit. Are you, Celeste?”
    I took a breath. “No... I’m not.”
    Dr. Hailey smiled. “So immodest,” she said. “It will take
you far.”
    The door suddenly slid open. Another mw and his attendant
entered the room. The man looked familiar. Of course, he was the same man who
shot that woman upon my escape. He was also the same man who flashed light in
my eyes the moment before I entered the humanization chamber.
    “Dr. Gerald. We weren’t expecting you here today,” Dr.
Hailey said.
    The man ignored her and looked straight at me. His eyes were
gleaming. He looked hungry. “I’ll overlook it this time, Eva,” Dr. Gerald said,
“but don’t ever conduct testing on 2102 behind my back again.”
    Dr. Gerald stepped forward. He stopped when Dr. Hailey
grabbed him by the arm. Never before had I seen her look so desperate, so weak.
There was something between them. I could tell. And when I looked at her hand
on him, I saw the silver of her ring flash in the light.
    Dr. Gerald ripped his arm away and came to me. He placed his
hands on my shoulders and stared. There was amazement in his eyes and maybe
even a little bit of adoration. He was so close I could feel his breath fanning
over my face. “You are under my care now,” he said. “Dr. Marshall, he couldn’t
tame you. It’s best that you killed him. That way he can remember his mistakes
even beyond the grave.”
    The memory was quick to return. I remembered his screams as
I bit into his throat. I remembered the taste of blood in my mouth and the beat
of his heart. It was so slow at first and then it was nothing. I felt power in
that moment, so much power.
    “You are the beginning, 2102,” Dr. Gerald said. He caressed
my face. “You and I, we’ll make more than history. We’ll make the future of
heaven.”
    This man was a savage. He was mad, and when I thought he
couldn’t be any more disturbed, he leaned in and touched me with his lips,
right on the corner of my mouth. I was so angry I could hardly move. I wanted
to rip his throat out.
    Dr. Gerald took a step back. He turned to Dr. Hailey. She
looked horrified. Her body went limp. She trembled and the words she tried to
say fell numb on her lips. Dr. Gerald approached her, placing a hand on her
shoulder. “Take good care of her,” he said. Then he left.
    There was silence. When Dr. Hailey