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A recording device was clicked on. It was a cassette tape recorder, she noticed, and a new one at that. She watched it wind for a second before she really registered what the person in front of her had said. “Dr. Reed, could you please describe your experience with the anomaly for us one more time? I’m sorry, I know this is painful for you. We just need it for the record.”
She shook her curls out and nodded, clearing her throat.[font color=purple] “It’s okay, I understand the need for documentation. I can… I can do it.”[/font color]
The agent across from her nodded in return. She had pretty red hair and a face dusted in freckles.“We thank you for your amazing cooperation on this.”
Kallie bit her lower lip before speaking.[font color=purple] “Well, as I said before, I ordered the turntable from an antique catalog. My husband liked to collect antiques. I thought the turntable would be a nice addition to his collection. It arrived, and I went about setting it up for him. It was while I was doing so that someone tapped my shoulder. I went to turn around when I saw the well-dressed man. He was wearing a suit with an ascot and had thick dark hair. I don’t remember much else I’m afraid. I was frozen the entire day. I couldn’t move at all.”[/font color]
The woman shifted in her seat, crossing her legs. Kallie couldn’t remember her name, even though she had just told her it. All she could remember was the way the blood had sprayed across the ground, and she looked down at her shoes, it was still on her shoes, the blood was still– “And what happened that made it so you could move again?”
Kallie was shocked out of the flashback and a sob was wretched from her throat. She wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed openly. [font color=purple] “I’m sorry, I just. What happened was Carter came home from work. He walked into the house calling for me. I found myself compelled to turn around and face the doorway. He walked into the room and… I’m sorry, can I have a moment?”[/font color]
“Take your time, honey.” The agent clicked the machine off, and then leaned forward, offering her a handkerchief. Kallie accepted it and wiped her eyes dry. Her loose curls fell down around her face, and for not the first time in recent memory, she wished she had just cut them off when she wanted to. Sure Carter liked them but– No, he had liked them. He was dead now. The agent reached out and took Kallie’s free hand. “I know this is hard. You’re doing an amazing job, Kallie. You really are. Are you good to go again? We can take as long of a break as you need.”
[font color=purple] “I’m okay now. We can continue.”[/font color] She finished drying off her face and took in a deep breath as the agent restarted the machine. She nodded to her for her to continue. Kallie’s voice drifted as she spoke, gradually becoming softer and fainter. [font color=purple] “He walked into the room. The well-dressed man appeared behind him. He grasped my husband’s head in both of his hands and twisted it completely off. Severed all the muscles, tendons, arteries, the spine, everything. He ripped his head completely off. The blood splattered everywhere. It got on my shoes.”[/font color]
Kallie looked back down at her shoes, which over the last few hours she still hadn’t been able to take off. There was a dark red crust across the toes.“Stay focused, doctor. I know this is difficult.”
She looked up, breaking free from the daze that had started to settle in. [font color=purple] “Right. I was able to move again after this happened. The man disappeared. Then a few minutes later, one of your tactical teams showed up, and now I’m sitting here, talking to you. You said you're the Welcoming Committee, right?”[/font color]
“We are. We’d like to offer you a choice. We can either give you amnestics, and you’ll forget everything that happened. Or you can come and work for us and help to keep things like this from happening to other people. We know you have a double major in psychiatry and biology. We’d really like to have you work for–”
Kallie shook her head and cut off the agent. She knew what her answer would be the moment they had told her the options.[font color=purple] “I’ll do it. Whatever you want me to do. I’ll come to work for you.”[/font color]
“That’s excellent. We’ll end the recording there.” The agent clicked off the device and then turned a sad smile to Kallie. “You did great, girl. We’ll get someone out here later this week to help you move. I’m sorry that this has had to happen for us to find you. The psychology department at L-14 is going to be so grateful to have you.”
[font color=purple] “L-14?”[/font color]
“I’m sorry, Location 14. It’s where we’re sending you. Their psychology department has been suffering from a recent string of retirements. They’re very short-staffed right now. Of course, I noticed you just finished your second degree in internal medicine. You could always go to that department instead if you–”
Kallie shook her head again. The curls bounced around her face like springs. Furiously she pushed them back behind her face.[font color=purple] “I’ve been a psychiatrist for the last eight years. I will stay one until there’s no longer a need for me to be one. And that won’t be until someone who can do it better comes along. So the psychology department will do just fine. Thank you.”[/font color]\
The agent gave her a once over and nodded, a genuine smile on her face. “You’re gonna be just fine now, Kallie. We’re going to treat you real good at the ACF.”
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A recording device was clicked on. It was a cassette tape recorder, she noticed, and a new one at that. She watched it wind for a second before she really registered what the person in front of her had said. “Dr. Reed, could you please describe your experience with the anomaly for us one more time? I’m sorry, I know this is painful for you. We just need it for the record.”
She shook her curls out and nodded, clearing her throat.[font color=purple] “It’s okay, I understand the need for documentation. I can… I can do it.”[/font color]
The agent across from her nodded in return. She had pretty red hair and a face dusted in freckles.“We thank you for your amazing cooperation on this.”
Kallie bit her lower lip before speaking.[font color=purple] “Well, as I said before, I ordered the turntable from an antique catalog. My husband liked to collect antiques. I thought the turntable would be a nice addition to his collection. It arrived, and I went about setting it up for him. It was while I was doing so that someone tapped my shoulder. I went to turn around when I saw the well-dressed man. He was wearing a suit with an ascot and had thick dark hair. I don’t remember much else I’m afraid. I was frozen the entire day. I couldn’t move at all.”[/font color]
The woman shifted in her seat, crossing her legs. Kallie couldn’t remember her name, even though she had just told her it. All she could remember was the way the blood had sprayed across the ground, and she looked down at her shoes, it was still on her shoes, the blood was still– “And what happened that made it so you could move again?”
Kallie was shocked out of the flashback and a sob was wretched from her throat. She wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed openly. [font color=purple] “I’m sorry, I just. What happened was Carter came home from work. He walked into the house calling for me. I found myself compelled to turn around and face the doorway. He walked into the room and… I’m sorry, can I have a moment?”[/font color]
“Take your time, honey.” The agent clicked the machine off, and then leaned forward, offering her a handkerchief. Kallie accepted it and wiped her eyes dry. Her loose curls fell down around her face, and for not the first time in recent memory, she wished she had just cut them off when she wanted to. Sure Carter liked them but– No, he had liked them. He was dead now. The agent reached out and took Kallie’s free hand. “I know this is hard. You’re doing an amazing job, Kallie. You really are. Are you good to go again? We can take as long of a break as you need.”
[font color=purple] “I’m okay now. We can continue.”[/font color] She finished drying off her face and took in a deep breath as the agent restarted the machine. She nodded to her for her to continue. Kallie’s voice drifted as she spoke, gradually becoming softer and fainter. [font color=purple] “He walked into the room. The well-dressed man appeared behind him. He grasped my husband’s head in both of his hands and twisted it completely off. Severed all the muscles, tendons, arteries, the spine, everything. He ripped his head completely off. The blood splattered everywhere. It got on my shoes.”[/font color]
Kallie looked back down at her shoes, which over the last few hours she still hadn’t been able to take off. There was a dark red crust across the toes.“Stay focused, doctor. I know this is difficult.”
She looked up, breaking free from the daze that had started to settle in. [font color=purple] “Right. I was able to move again after this happened. The man disappeared. Then a few minutes later, one of your tactical teams showed up, and now I’m sitting here, talking to you. You said you're the Welcoming Committee, right?”[/font color]
“We are. We’d like to offer you a choice. We can either give you amnestics, and you’ll forget everything that happened. Or you can come and work for us and help to keep things like this from happening to other people. We know you have a double major in psychiatry and biology. We’d really like to have you work for–”
Kallie shook her head and cut off the agent. She knew what her answer would be the moment they had told her the options.[font color=purple] “I’ll do it. Whatever you want me to do. I’ll come to work for you.”[/font color]
“That’s excellent. We’ll end the recording there.” The agent clicked off the device and then turned a sad smile to Kallie. “You did great, girl. We’ll get someone out here later this week to help you move. I’m sorry that this has had to happen for us to find you. The psychology department at L-14 is going to be so grateful to have you.”
[font color=purple] “L-14?”[/font color]
“I’m sorry, Location 14. It’s where we’re sending you. Their psychology department has been suffering from a recent string of retirements. They’re very short-staffed right now. Of course, I noticed you just finished your second degree in internal medicine. You could always go to that department instead if you–”
Kallie shook her head again. The curls bounced around her face like springs. Furiously she pushed them back behind her face.[font color=purple] “I’ve been a psychiatrist for the last eight years. I will stay one until there’s no longer a need for me to be one. And that won’t be until someone who can do it better comes along. So the psychology department will do just fine. Thank you.”[/font color]\
The agent gave her a once over and nodded, a genuine smile on her face. “You’re gonna be just fine now, Kallie. We’re going to treat you real good at the ACF.”
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