I did not stand up to greet them. I stared unbelievingly at the two figures in jumpsuits, nervously standing before me.

"Your parents, Flora. Aren't you pleased?" The bald man repeated to emphasise that I should... interact with them. He looked at me as if I should be pleased.

How could I have been pleased? I had been marginalised for 9 years of my life because of my 'impertinence'- and on top of that I was given no information from my parents that 'everything will be all right' or 'we love you'. I didn't even have any information to hear that my parents missed me or that they would come back for me!

I had no words to express my anger. I stood in front of the trio and glared with intimidation. I glared as if to make it crystal clear I did not approve of their magically wonderful reappearance.

"Now Flora. We only did what was best for you, and because of this we forbade any communications from your parents. It has come to our attention that you have reached the age where you don't need to stay here any more."

I resembled a fish breathing under water.

"Yes, you are most definitely leaving- and with your parents too!" His face lit up as he gave me this news. His mouth twitched slightly into a smile and his eyebrows rose with glee. He looked pained. "Before you go however, I think it would be rather considerate of you to get to know your parents."

My parents took a seat opposite me without any objection and the bald man sat next to me.

"Mr and Mrs James, Flora. Flora, your parents." He gave me a look that said 'be polite.'.

"Hello my darling, it has been such a long time! You have grown so much." My mother had tears in her eyes already. She had a soft, timid voice and tended to smile with her eyes more than her mouth.
She was a very pretty woman. She had auburn hair that fell in waves to her shoulders, a defined face with rosy cheeks, and amber hazel eyes. She wore a brown jump suit- identical to my father's.
"My name is Valerie, and this is Eric."

Valerie... the name seemed familiar.

"The day has come at last. At long last, we can take you home."  My father on the other hand, was strong and confident and he had dirty blonde hair in a buzzcut style; matched with an intellectual look to his face. Although he was trying to seem 'outgoing', when he smiled it seemed to be forced.

"Why couldn't you before?" I said with accusation.

"Flora. That is really not necessary at this point in time." The bald man answered for them. It was as if  he was there for reassurance because my parents looked lost and bewildered.

"Mr and Mrs James," he restarted, "why don't you tell young Flora what will happen when she leaves this place?" With a new topic starter available,  they immediately launched into explanations of the world outside; each of them taking it in turns to describe the important details. I tried hard to ignore the bald man's use of 'young'.

"It is a marvellous world out there and there is so much to learn," mother began, "And everywhere you look there is a smile on someone's face." Father finished, almost scriptedly... they were very odd parents, was the bald man sure they were mine?

"It's instinct you know, to smile at someone because we believe in the art of respect and consideration for we were all created with a purpose!"

This is getting uncomfortable. I shifted in my seat.

"Ahem." The bald man glowered at them and it was their turn to shift uncomfortably in their seats. I raised my eyebrow in question and the bald man answered, "Everyone wants to be a great example for the children of course."

"Children? What children?" My brow furrowed in confusion. How could there have been young children in the outside world? I had always believed that the only children there were, were in the snug room...

It was as if the bald man had read my mind for he laughed an unusually hearty laugh,
"You surely didn't think the only children there are, are in the snug room?" He laughed again and again, louder and louder, which made my face warm for I must have looked like an idiot in front of my parents.

"Oh no, not to worry dear; there is a lot of explaining to do but it can't be done right now. Everything will make sense soon enough I assure you." My mother smiled at me. This time it wasn't a constrained smile but a sincere one that expressed sympathy.

"Now, Flora. We have some questions to ask you. After all, we haven't seen you in 9 years!" Father leaned towards me and put his hand on my knee. They were extremely formal... a little too formal.

I gasped because father's hand was rigid and gaunt as if he had done a lot of fighting; and his voice sounded as if it had a hint of anger to it. He seemed like someone not to argue with.

"Sure..." I half-smiled at him. He leant back in his seat and crossed his left leg over his right.

"First of all, we wish you a very Happy Birthday!" Mother almost cheered.

"Ahh. So you've remembered." I scoffed,

They both blinked reproachfully and a stunned silence followed- but father shortly replied, "Of course we remembered your birthday! How could we forget the greatest day of our lives?" Mother nodded fervently alongside her husband. They really knew their flattery, didn't they? I made a sound of despair and boredom.

"I know this must be incredibly overwhelming for you Flora, but we are so sorry we couldn't reveal ourselves sooner than this. We argued with much clamour that we should at least get to send you a birthday card- even if it had an anonymous sender. With this in mind... some were less willing than others." Father looked side long at the bald man who had a look of contempt on his greasy face.

"Excuse me?" I murmured under my breath. Ohhh no, I was getting angry.

"Pardon?" My parents queried. Oh how I wished they'd just taken me away right then.

"Are you telling me that he knew you were alive for 9 years without telling me?" My voice rose in anger and my hands clenched into fists. I could already feel my hands going white as my talons extracted to release my anger. There was a long hushed silence while everyone held bated breath, until the bald man spoke. He above all knew the shortness of my anger. It was like a dormant volcano being awoken.

"It was all for the best you know, there was nothing I could do!" He almost pleaded,

"Nothing you could do. Are you telling me, " I paused to control my anger. Nope. Too late. "that I was locked up in your little prison overrun by lab rats when I had a family? When I could've gone home? Do you know how much you abused me and humiliated me?"

"Yes, but-" he foolishly admitted his mistake.

"WHY DO YOU THINK I ACTED LIKE AN IMBECILE?"

"I..." The bald man faltered.

"I HAD NO ONE. THAT'S WHY. I HAD NO ONE."

"Well... you had Noah..." He was right but I ignored the truth and continued,

"I COULD'VE DIED OF HUNGER AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE NOTICED. THAT IS HOW BAD MY LIFE WAS." Okay, my anger was starting to become over exaggerated, I realise that. Either way I felt my nails dig into my fists and it took all my will power to stop myself from lashing out at this man. Nine years of anger were able to spill out on him and there was nothing he could do about it.

"WHY DO YOU THINK I TRIED TO RUN? WHY DO YOU THINK NOAH TRIED TO MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT FOR LETTING SLIP ABOUT HIS PARENTS?"

One of my parents gasped. Once again I ignored them.

"That was simply a mistake! One of the scientists must have been speaking to a colleague of mine and therefore Noah must have overhead. It was all an accident you see, my life can get rather stressful." He stood up and wrung his hands with fear.

"I DON'T CARE." I screamed. "I DON'T BLOODY CARE IF YOUR LIFE WAS STRESSFUL! MINE WAS UTTER HELL!"  At this, the bald man stood up to confront me.

"I think it's time you leave now Flora. You have failed to show some recognition that we were only trying to protect you, no matter how hard you may have found it."

"Protect me? How the-" he motioned for my parents to escort me away. They accepted the bald man's request and idly shuffled forward to push me away from my sworn enemy.

"You will die. I will make sure of that." I must admit, that was a little dark but I wanted him to feel threatened for once, not me.

The bald man pursed his lips as if deep in thought as he formed his next words in his mind. He tilted his head back and sneered, "I am quite sure you will regret living and seeing the world."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I said through gritted teeth.

"I wouldn't want to spoil anything... where would be the fun in that?" He grinned malevolently and turned on his heel.

"You're the biggest kiss-ass coward I've ever had the misfortune to meet."

He stopped instantaneously but did not turn to face me. "I think that you will come to find that you are the coward; not I."

"And when do you presume I will 'come to find' that?" I was cheeky and it felt good.

"Oh very soon I assure you. Very soon indeed. Why, it might even be when you open the Steel Doors." He half said to himself. The bald man then opened the door leading to the Lab and called over his shoulder, "Why attempt when you can't achieve?"

For the first time, I thought about what he had just said to me. I joined my parents who were waiting at the Steel Doors.