The artificial light seeped in through the blinds. They began to rotate slowly. The light made artificial shadows of the furniture, which was made of hard gray plastic.

The light marked the beginning of another tedious day. I groaned aloud at the thought. I lied idle in my bed feeling my eyelashes stick together as I tried to open my eyes. I groaned once more while I stretched out across my bed. Sighing as I rubbed my eyes, they opened and adjusted to the light. Then slowly drifted towards the bedside table.

It was gray with two drawers. A lamp and a glass screen sat on top.

5:02 a.m.

Displayed in big green digital numbers that made you squint when you looked at them. I sat up, throwing my legs over the edge of the bed. Propping my elbows on my knees, I sat there with my chin cradled in my hands.

I took a glance at my blurry apartment. I sighed, took my glasses from the bedside table, and stared ahead at my untouched kitchen. Everything was gray, white, or black. The room opposite from the kitchen was the bathroom. There was a white couch in front of my bed, then a thin glass screen on the wall. A lamp was right next to it. It looked like a thin wire attached to a flower-like glass bulb. It lit up at night when it sensed motion. My life seemed so insipid, I really hated it sometimes.

I got up and dragged my feet toward the lavatory. I tripped over my shoes and my face made contact with the gray carpet. I sighed and just lied there for a while. My eyes closed and my palm patted the floor. I just wanted to stay there and go back to sleep. Sighing, I dragged myself to the bathroom, my gray sweats created static with the carpet. When I reached the white tile floor in the bathroom, I hesitantly stood up.

In the mirror I only saw what I saw everyday: the messy russet hair on my head, the pitch black eyes, unlined face, my lips, the top slightly larger than the bottom, and my lanky body leaning over the granite sink. I reached for my toothbrush and turned it on. Smiling into the mirror, I ran it across a line of silver braces.

I got into my jeans that had somewhat lost their color, my loose fitting white long sleeve, and socks. Applying deodorant, I walked toward the shoes I had tripped on which were also white. I grabbed my phone and threw my backpack over my shoulder.

I walked out the door into the busy hallway. Many people simultaneously exited their rooms. Out of the crowd, I distinguished a bobbing red head. I sighed as I spotted Hope Halifax running towards me. I pretended not to notice her as I walked rapidly towards the elevator.

"Chance! Wait for me!" I saw her bouncy red hair through the corner of my eye.

Hope was an ample girl with a round face. Her eyes were a luminous dark green, she had a pair of red sandy eyebrows, and a small turned up nose surrounded by clusters of freckles. Her red ringlets bounced on her shoulders as she rushed towards me. I had known her since freshman year in high school. We were chosen by the United States Genetic Experiment Organization to contribute to the Great Cylinder Experiments. A decision I regretted ever since.

Top students from around the world, under 16, and in perfect health, were randomly selected every four years and offered the opportunity to go. They paid for the career of our choosing as long as it was beneficial to the GCE. That was one of the only reasons why I had agreed.

I stood in line for the elevator pushing my glasses up from the tip of my nose.

Before, I attended one of the best prep schools in the country. Since my father left, we struggled economically and my mother worked too hard to pay the tuition for my two brothers and I. Sometimes, we barely had enough to eat.

I spent free time applying for scholarships, but I was never approved.

Jonathan Blumstein was my best friend since sixth grade. He was smart and liked books, like me. I hadn't seen him since I moved to the Cylinder Experiment, I had no idea what became of him.

Principal Grey came in one morning with two men in modish black suits. Mrs. Grey had been looking rather pleased with herself while she barged into AP Calculus, where Hope and I were with several of the seniors.

"Good Morning, Mrs. Schiferl. I will need to borrow Mr. Davenport and Ms. Halifax."

Mrs. Schiferl nodded and motioned us to go. With inquisitive looks on our faces, Hope and I took our things and walked out of the classroom behind Mrs. Grey. The seniors stared at us with curiosity until we were out of their sight.

Sandra Birne, a haughty looking sophomore, stood outside. Her pale blue eyes were underlined with inky looking eyeliner. She smiled widely revealing shiny argent braces.

Sandra Birne was the biggest bully in the prep school in spite of her straight A's since kindergarten.

"So, I just wanted to ask you to tell your mom that she isn't cleaning my house properly." Sandra whispered in the most wicked voice she had.

My mom cleaned the "rich" people houses, that included the Birnes'.

"She left spots all over the mirrors..." She hissed and I ignored her and looked away.

Mrs. Grey was walking rapidly up ahead with the strange people in the suits. Hope just cleared her throat. I turned to her and saw her bite her lip and clutch her skirt. Hope never spoke up, but then again, neither did I.

In Mrs. Grey's office, the people in black suits were waiting for us. They explained the Cylinder experiments. What was going on with in was confidential and only exposed to those in the USGEO and those who worked in it. We all knew that the Cylinders had given us all our technological innovations; that it was only a select few who got the opportunity to ever see what went on inside. There were four Cylinders. Ballymena, Aeston, Kirukeu, and Aquarine. No one knew their location, but there were all kinds of rumors.

Sandra Birne had agreed instantly.

Hope and I were given three days to discuss with our parents, or in my case, parent.

I really didn't want to leave my mom. My brothers never did much to help her.

Deep inside, I wanted my mom to tell me she hated the idea of me leaving her. Instead she insisted I go.

On the way there, people from the G.E.O. explained that they had been conducting a secret type of experiment for the government having to do with formulation of some type of army.

Sandra was sent to Kirukeu, or well, that's what they told us. Hope and I were sent on a jet to a big stone building with a curved top of glass. We flew for what seemed like hours. The Great Cylinder Experiments looked like what they sounded like. Great and Cylinder. Only the top stuck out from the water. Ballymena.

It had been four years now. I quickly finished high school and majored in Biotechnology by the end of the second year.

Hope was carrying a tablet in her hands. She ran her hand through her curly red hair, I was surprised it didn't tangle up. It was much longer than when we left home. She finally grew out of her 'Annie' haircut. She was also wearing a white long-sleeve. Dress code.

"How was your morning, Chance?" She asked me as we arrived in front of the elevator. Hope wore glasses like me. She was a great deal shorter than I, but almost everyone was. I was like a mutant.

I sighed and pressed my thumb on the elevator's scan pad. After a beep, the glass elevator doors slid open. We stepped inside.

"Crappy as always." I responded as I pressed the button with white number reading '3'.

Hope frowned as she reached in front of me and pressed '5'.

"Yeah," Hope sighed too. I guessed she was also as stressed as I was. We both had tedious jobs.

The human experiments are all kept track with a neutralizing bracelet. It shocked them when the brain activity got to a certain point, immobilizing them until the brain activity normalized. I knew them very well because I helped design the newest models.

It all started back 400 years ago when the USGEO wanted to create an "enhanced" human. They injected a couple of volunteers with altered DNA. Some rejected the transplant and died, others had no noticeable change.

The next ten seconds were an awkward silence as the elevator made its way from level 78 to 5.

Hope waved and stepped out with a grim smile. I nodded just as the doors slid closed and in a second they slid open again and I stepped out. I yawned and walked down the hallway my footsteps echoing.

The hall was too bright and too white. It always made me squint. I reached a door that read 'Lab 57' and stood In front of the scanner. "Chance Miles Davenport." I spoke into the microphone and after a beep the door slid open. I stepped in and saw a dark skinned man sitting on a chair with wheels. His name was Rhett Holloway. He turned to me and smiled a bright white smile.

"Good morning, Davenport," he said then returned to the screen in front of him.

"Morning, Holloway." I replied blandly as I reached for my lab coat hung next to the door. Then, I threw my backpack next to Rhett's.

Most labs were round. Like this one. Three doors, one we came in and the others opposite from each other. There were three stations, Rhett's which was next to the entrance, and mine which was to the left. The other was empty next to the third door across from mine. In the center was a giant screen.

The third station was empty because the person who worked there had passed away. James Bass, was his name. He was an old man about in his 50's. I had only known him a few weeks. All his work was passed off to me after his death.

I heard the squeaking of Rhett's chair turning. "Davenport, Adelaide sent an email that you are assigned to directly monitor an experiment." Rhett told me without looking away from the screen. "She also said you should stop ignoring her emails." He handed me a thin glass card with a lifted eyebrow.

I sighed and leaned back in the chair.. "I just want a break."

"We all do." Rhett sighed, too. "You're the only one who can get away with ignoring the boss, how do you do it?"

I shrugged lazily.

He chuckled and shook his head, but quickly became serious again. "I'll be taking over your current assignments."

I froze a little. "You said this is direct monitoring?" I asked nervously as I reached for the card.

EXP 01024

The engraved letters were somehow taunting.

He typed something on the tablet next to him. Then turned his chair to me. "I guess she thinks your ready for a promotion, anyway, experiment 01024 is just a few weeks from being released." He turned to me before shrugging, "A very easy Job if you ask me. Nothing to worry about." He half smiled and returned to his screen. "Adelaide has always had a liking towards you."

I ignored his last comment as I returned to my station, sat down, pushed up my glasses, and ran my thumb over the engraved letters of the glass card. I sighed then put it into the slot at the edge of my tablet. A scanner screen popped up. I placed my thumb in the middle and the file opened up.

Experiment 01024

Subject: Thompson, Julietta

Age: 15

Sex: Female

Birthdate: November 8, 2416

Origin: Chicago, IL.

Ability Codes: PsyK TK TP LV TelP

Listed: December 23, 2121

Release Date: November 9, 2431

Hazard code: 100-789

"Hazard code 100-789?" I read out loud. Panicked. "That's a high hazard code!"

Rhett turned in my direction and frowned. "I noticed that, too. I don't understand why they are releasing and experiment like that." He turned back to his screen. "I even checked with Adelaide, but she said it's not a mistake." /

"I thought those were never released..." I looked at the ceiling. "Maybe they're trying something new..." I suggested, trying to find logic in the decision.

"Maybe, or maybe it's an error in the system." Rhett sighed at his screen. "But Adelaide is seldom wrong, you know how calculating that woman is."

I nodded and leaned back in my chair. I looked at the rest of the file. Most of the observation notes said the experiment was very uncooperative.

Rhett was around his mid twenties. I couldn't remember his exact age. He was one of the only people I socialized with. He was as tall as I. Except he was sort of buff.

"Davenport you look really tired, I think you should go out." He laughed jokingly as his bald head reflected the lights above.

I forced a laugh. "Um, I think I'll pass." We kept walking.

Rhett shook his head. "You should at least try and find a girl."

When I was in 8th grade I liked a girl named Louise. She was petite, blonde and pretty. I was surprised to know she had a crush on me, too. When I tried to talk to her, I got all sweaty and ran to the bathroom and threw up. Well on my way to the bathroom... She was obviously grossed out and told everyone I was a freak. That was what consisted of my love life.

"Dude! You have spent your whole life with your head between books and computers... Get out! Do something!" He used his hands to exclaim. "What are you, 25 now?"

I cleared my throat awkwardly and pushed my glasses up the tip of my nose. "I'm 19."

Rhett's eyebrows raised. "With those bags under your eyes, you look 30, I was being nice."

I shrugged and took out my tablet. Looks weren't important to me.