Free Feeding Dragons by Catherine Rose Page A

heartbreaking cry of fear seemed to
ooze in from the very walls themselves. I froze. The weirdness
factor just got cranked up to a whole new level. The freak show
element of the sound radiated through my bones. My chest grew so
tight it felt like a belt was squeezing the air from my lungs. I
pushed it down into my gut and tried to pretend I hadn’t heard some
poor animal in pain.
    I feel like it violates my soul knowing
that some experiments are conducted solely on the premise of ‘what
if’ and for so-called consumer safety. I don’t think it takes a
genius to realize one shouldn’t drink shampoo but every time
something is altered they use animals to test it…add a new pretty
fragrance? Bring out the bunnies and the beagles.
    Kobayashi seemed immune to the sounds for he made no mention
of them but gravely said, “We have high hopes of you so please
remember that you were especially chosen for this task. Your first
step will be to undergo decontamination to ensure no outside
microbes are introduced to the area. We cannot afford
cross-contamination.”
    My heart ached for whatever poor beast
had issued that mournful cry. I knew that without fail unspeakable
inevitable horrors arise from irresponsible research. I wondered
but did not ask what type of dark science was going on here as I
knew there was nothing I could do. So I shut my ears and my heart
and nodded at him with downcast eyes. What else could I say? Gee
thanks for that vote of confidence but while I’m here could you
stop torturing poor furry animals so as not to distract me from my
job?
    Then I began to wonder why they would
go to such lengths suiting me up unless there was something else
here. Something deadly that remained hundreds of feet below ground
that they were keeping secret. Containment level four protocol
required multiple stage showers at each level, a vacuum room, an
ultraviolet room, a positive pressure suit with a segregated air
supply and finally after all that I would be deep inside the
facility subject to continuous negative pressure in case of a leak.
Perhaps the only way to get to the inspection site was to pass
through an area that may have been previously exposed by a virus of
some sort? That made sense.
    “You are to begin now.”
    Nodding my head in understanding I
waited until the panel to the right of the door cycled up; changing
color until it hit green. I heard the door unlock and sketched a
wave at them before stepping through the entrance.
    Glancing around quickly I saw nothing
but cold white tiles covering the walls and ceiling with grayish
blue tiles on the floor that made me think of decomposing flesh.
Wow-that was a happy thought….floor covering made of repurposed
corpses…the latest in environmentally conscious up-cycling. Wishing
once again I had some brain bleach to keep my mind from seeing
everything through a twisted lens caused by years of watching
horror movies I decided it was best to keep my opinions to myself.
I was jerked out of my musing as the locks on the door behind me
engaged with a sound no less final than the metal clang of a jail
house door.
    “A bench that you see before has
sterile surgical scrubs in a variety of sizes please take the ones
that you think will fit best but do not remove them from the sealed
plastic. You are to enter the next room to begin the
decontamination process and then if you please put on the garments
when instructed and all will be well. You’ll be joined shortly
thereafter and the test will begin.”
    I nodded to the monitor mounted near
the ceiling and walked to the table glancing at the cold steel on
which lay square plastic bags each with a single label and at least
these labels I understand. I grabbed the one marked XL given that I
was quite tall. I was tense but without hesitation I walked to the
far side door and waited just a moment for the locks to disengage
allowing me to enter. I stepped over the threshold into the air
lock. There was no going back now. One hour