The green illuminated room was a horror house for me. I went near the door to try and hear what was going on beyond the bolted door but alas, every room here is soundproofed.
I then stared at the vessel I carried before Deanna switched the lights on. I've placed it on the drawer I found here. I began thinking of what to do when it occurred to me that Deanna knows more since she was awoken first. She had been here before.
"Dee -", she was enjoying the time of her life on the water bed of this horror room's owner, tucked in the l corner of the lab. She was jumping, rolling across the bed and even tried bursting it. Weirdly, she had a straight face despite her immature quirks. I stood there, expressionless. I was too surprised to act in time.
She sat up and stared, wordless at me. I was also wordless, the silence felt like hours.
Deanna sighed and got to her feet...she sighs a lot.
I read a lot of crime novels to know that the most auspicious person in the scene is always the prime suspect. And, the best way to make such a person confess is...
I glared at her, keeping my disdainful eyes boring buckle holes in her. She didn't break a sweat instead, she raised r eyebrows very slowly .
"Don't assume shit...", she spoke "I didn't plan shit either. I was following them after I woke up from their anesthesia and then you, yes, YOU blew my cover!".
Deanna stomped on the waterbed, breaking it.
I broke into a cold sweat. She could be saying the truth or...she could have read about me! Was I obvious?
She sighed, again. She sighs too much
"Fine, I'll tell you what I found out so far...", she spoke as though forced. That was easy. "They are trying to breed superhumans by merging their DNA with the extraterrestrials they've caught...", she was judging my reaction so I'd do what any great detective would do, I'll show no emotion.
She continued, "There's a particular DNA that managed to survive and merge after 24 years of research. So like, now they're mass producing a superhuman army... using us", she started coughing blood and I saw her transform into...something
Her vibrant skin turned dark skin, with pretty white marks appearing round her eyes and neck. Her ears spread out up and down, like a swimming flipper. She also grew skinny and taller.
"They want to use me to perfect the transformation because I'm one of those", pointing to the large petrification vessels.
I couldn't hold back and yelled "Why?" with tears welling up. "Man's normal reaction to a bigger force is to treat it like a threat", she shrugged, malicious nonchalance spread on her face.
I wanted to feel angry, but I felt bad. These bad guys are taking children off the street and parents are letting them, the government is sponsoring this...all to take advantage of beings that didn't even try. I remember seeing a consent form in my mum's study before they took me from right in front of my house. I'm sure it was about this. They took failures, thugs, delinquents but also, people that have talent.
But, I can't imagine how they treated her, a Trueborn extraterrestrial. I just noticed she was wearing a hospital gown. "Wait, were you..." "Yes, I was detained here. I awoke as a strong mental-type tamer so, the 'Boss of Deuce' felt that I was stronger"
It was actually obvious. The several needle holes, the old blood stains, the rust marks on the dress. Come to think of it, I didn't see her name in the list of detainees
"Did they remove you from the list because you've 'awoken'?" I air quoted that, and she nodded to approve.
"First, permit me", she came closer and rubbed my cheeks in a round motion. She started chanting a different language and a faint trail of light flew from her to me, a dragonfly trailing that light. They grew in number and started swirling around.
The light soon faded and I felt high, energetic. My body was on fire
Suddenly, my senses heightened up, I had goosebumps all over and I knew from my gut that staying here wasn't safe anymore.
"Deanna, we need to move", I turned back to her. She then sighed and transformed again, swapping the colours between her marks and skin tone.
"What do you suggest?"she spoke definitely. I thought hard but, nothing "...I don't know...", I soon panicked. Maybe it's the boost she gave me but, I calmed down fast, me that is used to having panic attacks, "Okay, let's try to get us a headstart", We nodded to agree and I knew we were thinking the same, well more like she's reading my mind.
I ran across the room and started tapping, knocking the walls, looking for a hollow space while Deanna checked the floor. I was about to give up when someone banged the door angrily. They then drilled a small hole which they sent a tiny voice box through.
"Open up!". They were whispering at the door, at least 5 of them"Hey T48, release the tamer and we'll let you go home", another said. I was going to speak, even though Deanna held my shoulder to stop when I heard what should either be a rammer or a sledgehammer.
It banged with a ring. The door got dented
I shrieked and began fumbling around, breaking stuff, and my head hit a part of the wall, which instantly caved in and I couldn't stop
"Kay, stop. Focus on an exit"
I ignored her. I needed to panic. I tripped and I accidentally opened the wall I was about falling through.
"Easy there" Deanna calmed me, saved me by my foot. She hoisted me up and said, "Sat you'll give me to them" "What?! Are you nuts?!", I couldn't guess what she was thinking.
"Do it and give us a headstart", she said. I was flabbergasted. 'She wanted me to hand her back to those psychos...to give us a headstart' were my thoughts on replay?! Wait, give us, not me so...
"Oh. I get it", I was happy now.
Placing myself against the door since, apparently, it's soundproof, I spoke to the receiver
"Okay okay, I'll let her go but I don't know how to open the door. It locked by itself" "No worries T48, we'll open it for you"
I gave Deanna a thumbs-up, making her roll her eyes at me.
I stepped back and she yanked me abruptly to her lips. She whispered to me, "Your number...They've estimated your awakening." I wanted to talk but she covered my lips with her palm.
"Calm down, the number is the order. Which has an interval I've estimated to be 2 months". I was doomed. I've already become a freak. If I get home, no one will want me.
I fell to my knees and cried as I grazed my face with my newly done nails. Deanna slapped me and yanked me from my armpits, into the slide tunnel I found. Without warning she shoved me in. Deanna covered the hole and followed after me.
I could hear the breaking down of the door yet, all I could think of was the abomination I have become.
...
We ended up towards another part of the building, which resembled the exoskeleton. It had dirty white walls and a 'forgotten world' look. She was yanking me from my left arm, searching for an exit. I can't comprehend anything now.
It seems that I lost track of time because, before you know it, the guards found us and they shot her and tasered her with a high-voltage. I looked around frantically to see that we were hiding in another room. The enemy's footsteps not far.
"Dee! Dee!!", I tried to shake her conscious, to no avail. There was a girl with us, out cold. I saw the 3rd degree burns, holes and deep cuts on her fair skin, from getting me here. I'm supposed to be a world class detective in future, I can't be that puny now.
I switched the lights on to see an ammunition room. In the corner was a blueprint meshed into the camo wall design. I had to give us a headstart, if I read correctly, that map was our ticket to freedom.
I picked a bunch of round eggs and a tiny mech gun and ran to the door. Looking back, I held on a bit before slinging Deanna on my shoulder. I pulled her to the open headway and set the round eggs to trip anyone.
I threw one in the hollow wall I found.
I threw one in the opposite direction, giving us leeway to pass. I have never ran the way I did in my life. The eggs went off, like booms in a beat. It was almost deadening to see those eggs blow through the roof, attracting rubble their way.
Barely escaping, they limped their way to the man-made exit and headed through the trees. Kayla placed the grenades in special locations in the same room so that once they blew, we'd pass through the first one closest to the outside, but others would be chasing them further inside and the rubble would cover the evidence. Such a great plan for a headstart.
It wasn't a foolproof one but now they're out of the lab building, Kayla has tried to ask but Deanna has confirmed her suspicion that the facility entrance was connected to that horror building.
Kayla carried Deanna all the way and soon started losing strength, they collapsed onto a tree's stalk, when she spoke
*Cough, cough, retches
"Up...into the tree, hurry", Deanna said, mustering might and reaching for a hole before pulling up into the big tree. Kayla, understanding supported her footing and was pulled in too.
They were catching their breath like winter in their lungs. They didn't hear or see anyone for miles
Putting their minds on the puff of visible air, they grew calm. Deanna started making shapes with it by holding her nostrils, exciting Kayla.
"You're really talented. 'Genius baby' teach me", she smiled very widely.
Soon the fun was over and they headed down the tree. Kayla reached up to help her when she saw the blood from her stomach, through the shirt, it was getting worse.
"Ah, nooo", Kayla began shaking. Oh no! She's been losing blood since. Raising her shirt up, she saw that light and peaceful aura surrounding the wound. It sealed itself.
She breathed a sigh of satisfaction. It's truly lucky to be an 'Outsider', like Deanna, no, a 'Tamer' like the association called them.
She jumped down and picked me up. She felt a bit flustered, but definitely not gay. Deanna chuckled and jabbed her finger at a spot on her back. Instead of laughing, she felt a burst of pain, like a geyser in all its glory.
Kayla was injured, seriously, a wound that'd have a scar. Deanna changed from her human form to her white form.
"How do you do that? Can all the tamers do it? Will I do it?", eyes dilated with curiosity and innocence. Deanna sighed and placed her down.
"Most can change to different forms. Their tests showed that I have 8 as the Trueborn from the spider species. You might have fewer forms but all of you will transform...or die changing. It's the blessing and curse of the light" She wanted to know. What is the blessing of the light? Deanna picked her before she spoke and bolted into the woods. She moved like an elf, dashing like an athlete but delicate on the floor. It left no trace.
She kept running and moving zigzag across the trees, not daring to go higher. Kayla assumed she was using her headstart to rub traces everywhere. As they raced through the forest, a guard dog saw them and began chasing them. She manoeuvres her steps back and to its left, a blind spot. She stood away but in line with the dog and her eyes and spot marks began glowing. They were still running when a huge shot of light went through the dog, it let out a yelp, then a whimper before dying immediately.
After a few minutes, they made it to the back of the dorms. Placing her and Michelle down, Deanna began digging. Kayla knew not to talk and just waited. A door was at the bottom of the digging. Deanna put her on the trap entrance and sat there herself.
A gust of wind took to Kayla's shorts and Michelle vanished. She raised her shirt and a keyring was hooked to her navel ring. Kayla was shocked. From this, there was a key fitting this door, she leaned to unlock it and to Kayla's surprise and Deanna's, a gust of wind lifted them up. For a few seconds, they felt like skydivers. But they fell immediately, into another swirly tube. It took a while before landing on a huge bed in a room that smelled like laces and mint. Kayla saw a scientist room with all the latest tech. She knew they won't give such a room to a threat under their control, she began to admire Deanna
This was Deanna's condition to join the research. She wanted to save us.
Handing me a vial healing liquid"Thanks for everything, Kay. Now gather people discreetly and tell them what I told you...and what I'll tell you. Let's use your headstart to save all of us".
I nodded with determination and chugged down the small vial, it was sweet. She gave me another and said."This is a secret but its content...", shaking it vigorously "...can transform you today instead of spending 8yrs here to transform into the monster they are waiting for. I can't return you to normal, but I can help you live well somewhere else", put on the spot Kayla spoke,
"Somewhere...You don't mean the Other side, do you? Touching it alone killed a careless candidate once."
"It only allows the Outsiders to pass so, this vial will help..."
"...So, when you tell them, ask them to choose to go back the way they are or to cross successfully."
"Are you in?"
Kayla sighed to strengthen her resolve. She took the vial and drank it down. Her eyes lit up and she was surrounded by The Northern lights, her favorite. She saw all her memories flash in her head, even the baby ones she shouldn't know. She saw the sufferings of her being a failure, how her parents hated her dreams but...she didn't feel pain
Envy and greed fled from her dream, Strong and poised, she was born anew.
She heard Deanna's voice in her head
"Return, oh child of Daisy. Through the blessing of light, I congratulate you on becoming a child of the Fae", she came back to reality. She ran to the huge techy mirror hanging on the wall and saw herself.
She had smooth skin, her eyes turned green, her fingers and toes, her ears became thinner and wider, unlike Deanna, life a fan, her chubby cheeks reduced, all her body fat went to her thighs built for the type of running that Deanna did, her eyes curled together and became short and frizzy. She loved her appearance. She looked at Deanna, in her human form and thought to herself, "the Outsiders are pretty" to be
During break, Kayla used her detective skills to maneuver herself to mingle with many people. In 2 weeks, she was the most popular person. She visited the lab to help Deanna make more as people agreed to join them. Some even came to the lab and helped. During free times, Deanna would talk about things from the Otherside"
One fulfilling day, Deanna stretched her hand, she checked her watch. It was almost midnight. She's about to miss curfew. She takes the secret passage that she, Yanassa and Oliver took from under her bed in the dorms.
She transformed, liking the fact of not hiding it. Looking and behaving humane to monsters is emotionally stressful. She bolted up the passage stairs.
The passage links to other places too. She was about to open the door when she heard someone enter her lab,she snuck back and peeped to see three guys in beaver, pig and tiger masks respectively.
'They entered from another entrance which means', she grabbed her laptop from the sling bag and tapped into her security system, recording everything. They were seeing the vial she made to awaken them early. She didn't need to hear much
"...I don't really know *oink*. The boss said we should wait for them to try and cross *snort, oink*. Right, Colonel?" The pig spoke to the tiger. The tiger was the head of surveillance and from that one statement, they've been waiting for Deanna to start.
Deanna held her mouth in fear, held her laptop and ran at lightning speed to her room. They didn't give themselves a headstart. They gave it to them!!!