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will be used against me. Deciding not to head down that route, I stretch my shoulder pads and pull out their straps. Shoving the rest of my things into the modified bag, I throw the straps over my shoulders and we walk into the elevator.
    “You look much better,” she says with a grin.
    “Whatever.”
    Michelle and I quietly walk into each of the patient’s rooms. The nurses taught me how to read their charts just in case I wanted to monitor Angie’s recovery. I ventured into several students’ rooms already, but haven’t approached the one I want to see the most, the boy with the mask. All night, I’ve felt something calling me to his ward. I’m crazy enough for wanting to check on someone I don’t know, but I can’t help it.
    Eventually, we arrive at the doors leading to the intensive care unit. A light flickers like some horror movie, and Michelle instinctively grabs my shirt.
    I whisper, “I’m starting to think you’re not as manly as you try to make yourself seem.”
    I expect to hear a witty reply, but Michelle simply tightens her grip. She’s seriously scared. I try walking, but she doesn’t budge.
    “Where are we going Spencer?”
    “I’m going to check on the masked student. You can go back home.”
    I think of pulling away, but my legs won’t allow it. She seems shaken by something.
    “Don’t you think the hallways are scary?” Michelle says, sounding like a different person. Soft. Gentle. Delicate.
    “No. Go home if you’re scared.”
    “I’m going with you. Something’s telling me to stay.” Michelle’s tattoos are lighting the hallway more than the lights. She’s using her data to read something that I can’t.
    “Your barcodes. Can they sense stuff like danger or thoughts?”
    “Every barcode can do something special. People don’t talk about it for a reason Spencer. I’d never ask what yours can do so don’t ask me.”
    Besides the superhuman strength that many barcodes provide, they also enhance certain senses. But I don’t know how to use mine properly. It’s embarrassing.
    “Well something’s telling me to go check on him.” I force Michelle to release her tight grip. Then, I do something that shocks me, reassure her. “Don’t be scared. It’ll be okay. I promise.”
    Michelle watches my eyes closely. She nods. Seriously? My words actually mean something to her?
    The eerie stretch through the intensive care unit seems to carry on for a lifetime. The hallways and rooms are darker because of the energy efficient lights. That’s something Professor Gonzales’ creepy family came up with. They might not mind having corridors resemble potential murder scenes, but it’s unnatural for normal people.
    Once we make it to the room of the guy that carried Angie from the crash, I tell Michelle she can wait outside. The fearful look on her face says she’s following me regardless of what I say. But I’m glad she’s here. Like in the hallway, I use the pink light to guide me through the darkness.
    Her steps trail inches behind my own. This time, I definitely sense her breasts, and it feels more intimate than my first experience.
    “Why can I feel your…you know,” I say while pointing towards her chest.
    She’s not in the mood to hear my complaints. Closing her eyes, she quickly blurts, “We both have barcodes connected to our sense of touch. You should always feel people’s presence. Aren’t you used to it by now?” The question was meant to be rhetorical, but I’ve never used my barcodes like that.
    “No. I’m not.”
    “Okay. I’ll teach you how to stop it later, but can we please hurry? Please Spencer.”
    “Why are you so scared?”
    “I’m…” Michelle’s tattoos begin to flicker, creating a pink strobe light.
    “Just tell me. You don’t have to admit you’re scared, but why don’t you want to be here?”
    Michelle shakes her head, “Spencer. I sense something in this room that wants to kill.”
    “Kill what?”
    She corrects me under her