Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 47525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
“Oh, I figured you’d make a special exception for us.” The brunette glares right back at him. “Especially since the audio team had a few issues during your breakfast this morning. Strange how these glitches keep happening, isn’t it?”
“Very strange.” Dr. Weiss’s voice is cold.
The room remains icily silent for several seconds, until the brunette walks over to me and extends her hand.
“My name is Robin Schreiner, Miss Pretty.” She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “I usually assist Dr. Weiss and Mr. Sheldon during the very extensive and intrusive truth serum part of this experiment.”
“Robin Schreiner…” I say softly, shaking her hand, taking in her picture. I’ve always wondered what the woman who dedicated an entire summer to telling my story via deep-dive podcast looked like, and I expected more of an evil high-heeled fashionista.
She looks like a schoolteacher.
“We figured we’d camp out on Dr. Weiss’s patio for the next few nights since we have quite a bit of work to do on your case.” She looks away from me, then at Dr. Weiss. “The legal team has just submitted some incredible findings to the appeals court, so we should go ahead and start the truth serum within the hour.”
“You could’ve called me.” Dr. Weiss clenches his jaw. “This isn’t how I like to do things.”
“Oh, I know, Dr. Weiss.” Her voice is tight. “No use in trying to stick to the usual plan now though, right?”
“Right.” His face reddens and he pushes up his sleeves. “As a matter of fact—”
“We won’t get in the way of the remaining sessions.” Mr. Sheldon rushes over, desperate to cut through the thick tension. “Outside of the truth serum exams, you’ll never even know we’re here.”
“I highly fucking doubt that, Sheldon.” Dr. Weiss hisses, but he backs down. “I’ll get Miss Pretty ready for the first test.”
Robin looks tempted to have the last word, like she suspects that there’s something going on between me and Dr. Weiss, but she holds back.
She and Sheldon head to the other side of the cabin without another word, and I know that the chances of me ever being alone with Ethan again are slim to none.
And maybe that’s what they’re here for—to make sure it never happens again…
26
SADIE
Night Nine
(Truth Serum)
The truth serum part of the experiment is finally here.
Even though Dr. Weiss has walked me through it daily—explained each stage, each reaction, each possible side effect—it still feels too soon.
There are too many people in the room, too…
I’ve counted six so far—including my new lawyer, who seems marginally better than the last, but still smells like doubt and desperation. A full row of cameras blink from the ceiling. No one’s even pretending to be discreet.
Just say the right things, Sadie. Say the right things.
The examination room is drenched in stark, sterile white. Like a morgue lit by surgical cruelty. I’m its unwilling centerpiece—strapped to a surgical bed, arms and legs pinned tight. My fingers are already numb, and something thick and synthetic presses over my mouth.
“Miss Pretty,” a soft voice to my left murmurs. “We’ll be injecting you with one of four serums over the next five minutes. The first one is the only one you’ll feel.”
I try to nod, but the restraints won’t let me move. Whatever they gave me minutes before is fogging up my thoughts already, blurring the edges of my vision into a soft white bleed.
“Administering serum one…”
The needle pierces deep—too deep—into my right arm. My gasp is muffled beneath the mask, and tears slip free before I can stop them.
“It’s alright, Miss Pretty.” The voice is calm. “The worst of it is over now.”
But it isn’t. Not even close.
“Administering serum two… three… four…”
The bed tilts forward. Then back. Flashing lights slice through my vision like a knife, and suddenly the entire room floods with brightness.
I can see masked faces above me. Three. Maybe four. But I’d know those eyes anywhere. One pair isn’t masked at all.
Dr. Weiss.
His stare holds mine through the chaos, steady and unreadable. But there’s tension in his jaw. That familiar tick.
“Miss Pretty,” says a voice to the right—Robin. “You’re currently under an elevated level of sedation, far beyond what’s typically allowed, but it’s necessary. We mean no harm.”
“...I can still feel pain in my arm.” My voice is thick, sluggish. “It’s not getting better.”
“It will,” she says. Stern this time. “Give it time. As the serums circulate, we’ll monitor your responses. All you have to do is tell the truth. We’ll handle the next phase of your behavioral study from there.”
“I can’t concentrate.” I try to look at Dr. Weiss, beg him to make this stop. “Please…”
Be patient, Sadie. He answers with his eyes, but it isn’t enough.
“Let’s start with some simple, off-the-record questions,” Robin says, shining a penlight into my pupils. “When’s the last time you had sex?”