Chapter 1: Exposition (S.D.U)

New novel opening 😃 They meet earlier. (This is still set several centuries in the future so not everything is the same as our world)

Wanted to try a dream sequence opening but I think this is better structured. The chapter should be longer but I want to know if its working first. Any thoughts?
***
"Doctor." Silence.

"Doctor," I called out, again.

The man looked behind him. Empty beds lined the ward akin to a dormitory. We were the only ones here. Not even a nurse was in sight.

"...Yes?"

"What will happen?"

"Pardon?" he looked up from the monitor to face me. The air conditioning was so chilly, the blanket was the only reason I haven't shivered yet. Then, my stomach lurched in hunger.

"What will happen after the transplant?"

I've been at the hospital for three days to have checkups and medical tests for the transplant. The core transplant, that is. Of course, all selected soldiers go through the same thing. Just that I was the last to enter the surgery room.

He looked quizzically at my question.

"I wasn't told. I don't know what this is for, much less what it will do," I said.

"Oh."
He gripped his clipboard with this realisation. He glanced around, as if in search of anyone at all. Anyone but himself.

"Ah, I'm only an intern, I shouldn't..."

"This surgery,I know I can't escape it, I've tried. At least... at least I want to know what it does." I subconsciously gripped the blanket.

"Still, wouldn't it be better if you didn't know, sir? None of the others before you knew."

Ignorance... wasn't bliss for me. I'd rather live with the horrid truth than die because of something I never attempted to understand. And wondered where it all went wrong. I stared at my hand, where an IV drip snaked out, light blue was the liquid.

"... Please."

The man pursed his lips as he tapped the clipboard. He read the records under his breath. Maybe he cursed me, too. I couldn't hear him while I sat on the hospital bed.

He glanced at me. Perhaps I couldn't control my face right now because he groaned and moved a stool in front of the ward door. What was that for?

He looked at the ceiling before sitting on another stool next to my bed. He bent forward.

"Look, if anyone finds out I told you anything about the transplant, I might as well forget about being a doctor," his voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm only telling you to help your nerves. So, do I have your silence?"

I nodded. He blinked expectantly. I forced myself to speak despite the lump in my throat. "...You do."

I was more nervous than I thought. This was my first surgery, no, my first time at a hospital, after all. I never needed to visit, before.
"Good, it's basically like this. A small metal ball about 4 cm in diameter will be planted, in place of some of your tissue. The placement can vary from patient to patient, so long as it doesn't hinder your movement."

"What does it do?"

"I'm getting there. It acts as a heat absorber and an electrolyte filter to filter this." He pointed at the IV bag. I have no idea what that is.

"This would allow the liquid in your blood to be more electric conductive which in turn—" he stopped after he looked at my face.

"It stops your body from being fried if you're electrocuted."

Ahh, got it.

"But that's the older version. I heard this one can quicken the immunity and impulse travel time of the patient, which is already fast compared to years ago."

He meant the mandatory supplements.

"The downsides haven't been fully verified yet, I'm afraid."

"So, this is a research project," I said finally. Anything can go wrong.

He looked a bit guilty as he heard that. "Are you one of the researchers?"

"Uh, no. I'm not."

"Then how do you know about it?"

"I read the papers while I transported them." He pushed his glasses back.

"Even when you're not supposed to...?"

"They should've done the filing themselves if they wanted to keep it a secret," he shrugged.

"Plus, I shouldn't be talking to you either."

The monitor beeped rhythmically in the background.

"Well, don't worry. So far there haven't been any complications with the procedure. If it's not suitable for you then they'll just remove it."

"Also, since the core is a very good heat absorber, you may need to eat 'hot' foods more often than cooling ones. Warmer clothes also help with the chill. Just, listen closely to the post-mortem analysis and you'll be fine. Though most people ignore that..." he muttered the last part.

"That's about it."

Well, I did feel better.

"Thank you."

Thunk. Crash!

The intern jumped out of his seat at the sound.
"Wha— who put a stool here?!"

While the person picked up the stool, the intern swiftly moved his stool and picked up his clipboard.

"Was it you, intern?!"

By the time the doctor addressed the intern, he stood as he did before I talked to him. Cunning.

"Doctor, Halim! I'm so sorry, I must've forgotten to remove it while rearranging—"

"Ha, you interns are all the same! So young but forgetful. How do you even expect to complete your internship like this?!"

The intern looked at the ground apologetically. The doctor opened his mouth again when someone tapped his shoulder.

"That's enough, Halim. There's a patient here."

Dr. Halim kept quiet. Dr. Kamarul, as his tag wrote, approached me. He smiled.

"Good afternoon. I hope you are feeling well, Mister..."

The intern quickly passed the clipboard to him.

"Thank you. Mr. Rasheed Iskandar, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, good." He flipped through the papers.

"It looks like you're healthy with no complications, so we will move on with the surgery. You'll be given bius in a few hours and the surgery will take no more than 6 hours. Recovery should be around a week for you...

Do you have something to say?"

Oh, I zoned out for a bit. Sure, I wanted to ask why. The intern glared at me from behind the doctors.

"No. No, sir."
***
The last thing I remember was I passed out due to the sedation. The few days after were a blur. That was 7 years ago. Wind blew south as I walked north. I have somewhere to be today.