The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments) by Jacqueline Druga Read Free Book Online

and Cal only had fifteen minutes to put her stuff away. She decided to put the ‘vitals’ away first and the rest could wait. She had seven months.
    Vital is what she classified the first thing she pulled out of her bag, photographs of Jessie. She set them up on her desk. Though they said they provided them with enough bathroom and female supplies, Cal brought some along, just in case. Taking her supplies with her she walked into the bathroom and set the little bag on the back of the toilet. The bathroom was clean and large enough. No tub, only a shower. She turned to the sink cabinet to put her things away and as she began to bend down she heard the click of the other bathroom door. She saw the man from the waist down and knew immediately who it was. “Oh, no,” she said as she stood up.
    He held his own things in his hand and his stride slowed when he saw her. “So you’re my latrine buddy.”
    “Yes, I am, Major Graison.” She grabbed her tooth paste and toothbrush and reached for the medicine cabinet.
    “Look,” he stepped closer to her, “about the plane. You can call me . . .” the mirror opened, nearly slamming him in the face, “. . . what you just did.” He shut it on her.
    “I’m not done yet.” She opened the mirror back up and added a few more things. “I’ll stay on the left side.”
    “Why don’t you just take the top shelf and I’ll take the bottom.” He reached from behind her and placed his things in the cabinet.
    “Whatever makes your life easier—Major.” She shut the mirror and grabbed her other things that set on the toilet.
    “That’s the spirit.” He watched her put away her belongings.
    “What are you doing?” She noticed him just towering over her as she squatted on the floor in front of the cabinet under the sink.
    “Could you hurry along? I have to use the bathroom.”
    “Well, you’re going to have to wait. I’m almost done.”
    “I’d appreciate it if you’d finish up, after I’m done.”
    Trying to pay him no mind, Cal continued on with what she was doing. And she did it slowly. “You’ll have to wait. I’ll be finished in a moment.”
    “Look, if you don’t leave now, I’m just going to go. I have no modesty.”
    “If you’re going to try to throw me into some sort of appalling frenzy—don’t bother. Go right ahead and go.” She heard him unzip his pants as he stood before the toilet.
    “Are you sure?” He smiled arrogantly at her.
    “You know what, Major.” Cal brushed her hands together, shut the cabinet, and stood up. “I’ll let you have your privacy. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.” She winked holding up two fingers an inch apart. “I know what they say about you big guys.” She brushed by him out of the bathroom, closing the door to her side behind her.

    ^^^^

    Eight chairs were set in a circle when Jake walked into the room with the others who all seemed to have finished putting away their things at the same time. To Jake, everyone but his Nemesis, seemed to be settling into their chairs wearing the happy looks of anticipation as if off for vacation. Why was that? Did they not take this seriously? Though he himself was having fun, at Cal’s expense, the seriousness of the experiment was forefront in his mind. Jake took his seat, the only seat available, which was next to Rickie.
    Rickie’s nail biting caused Jake to shift his eyes in annoyance at him as they waited for someone to start. Jake just wanted to grab the skinny kid and make him sit up straight instead of slumping forward.
    “Dude,” Rickie called to him
    Dude? Did he just call me dude? Jake turned his head sharply to look at him.
    “Are you like really going to like dress that way the whole time we’re here?” Rickie asked seriously, not joking around.
    Jake didn’t answer him. He just stared at him wondering what the hell the kid was thinking.
    “Cause like, you’re going to really stick out.”
    Jake’s eyebrow raised as he kept staring to the boy who