Part 2

Staring up at the green-tinged fluorescent lighting, I dug my free hand in the warm stew called me. One hand, gently holding the remaining organs aside, the other slid the key along my spine. I’d have to get it lower to grab it.

Removing my gallbladder a month ago must have been in preparation for this. Although it is messed up to be thankful for anything in this predicament, them starting to remove my intestines had really helped. Once someone does the first step, I can finish the rest. In school, dissecting in Biology class had been the same. If my lab partner could make the first cut I could do everything else.

The key was in the place my guts should be. Placing the organs back in place, I grabbed the key with both hands and lifted it out. Laying it on my chest, I felt around for my intestines. The smell of blood and sweat was mixed with disinfectant. That was a favor too, although I suppose it was in their best interest. No reason to have me get an infection and die from something so innocuous. They had bigger plans for me.

The ropes didn’t seem to fit back in. I crammed the extra ten feet into my gut and placed the skin flap back over it. Holding my stomach in place, hate to lose anything on the way, I kicked my legs. Finding purchase on a spot of the floor that wasn’t covered in my blood and other bodily fluids, I scooted myself to the door. Getting there wasn’t so much of a problem. How was I going to sit up and reach the keyhole?

The sucking noise of my movements made this a bit too real for me. I needed something to distract me from the noise. I really must’ve been on some sort of Disney kick because “It’s a Small World” came out of my mouth. Maybe just the thought of the world being small made the distance to the door seem shorter.
The door hit the back of my head as I propelled myself forward one last time. Biting down on the warm, bloody, tissue-covered key, I used both hands and feet to prop myself up against the wall next to the door. Some of my guts spilled out of my stomach. It was unavoidable; I’d have to get it fixed later.

The key had too much stuff on it to slide in easily. Biting off the excess and spitting it on the floor, the key fit. I forced it in and turned. The door fell open. Standing there waiting for me was the Boss.

“Well done, Jamie.” He always called me by my first name. It pretended an intimacy between the two of us that just wasn’t there. He knew everything about me. I knew not a damn thing about him.

“We’ll get you cleaned up and then brief you on your first assignment.”

I should’ve been relieved and excited at the prospect of my first assignment, but emotion was conditioned out of me.

“May I ask what my first assignment is?”

“You’ll be undercover for this one.”

“As?”

“A daycare provider.”