Deanna ran to her room and ducked under her covers. Yanassa got up briskly. She couldn't sleep.
Yes, Deanna has abandoned her and Oliver's friendship for research but at least for a better cause, they still stayed together and to begin with, Deanna wasn't chatty.
Yanassa walked over to Deanna's hammock bed and touched the covers. It was shaking. She was crying...very hard.
"Deedee", she called out to her friend, Deanna peeked from the covers, all Yanassa could see was a blue glow from her eyes, she was confused. Deanna wasn't weak enough to break down by failures, emotional reasons or, "Hold up...Did Oliver drop the question?! I told him to wait.", she pulled back, roughed up her hair. She suddenly stopped and tried straightening it. It took all night for her beauty routine. Deanna froze, blushed and cried again.
Yanassa looked again and met Deanna crying. ''Come on, the Deanna I know won't actually cry. Well, no one knows if you have tear ducts... What's seriously up", she reached into the tightly held blanket. A sharp pain rushed to her head. Pulling away, blood trickled down from her hand. There were huge claw marks that were deep.
Yanassa fell in fear at the monster under the covers, thrown off in panic. Shaking was a natural instinct for such a gruesome scene. Deanna forgot and quickly threw off the covers to help
"Eeek! A beast!! Help!!!", Yanassa yelled at the top of her voice, definitely cracking it.
Deanna was oblivious to the monster present and made her dragonfly aura form a tray and placed water, a makeshift mirror. She only frightened her more. Magic?! She didn't turn back to her human face. Her faint expression just kept getting worse. Deanna had to silence her and sigh
What a stressful day.
Deanna looked disdainful at the naive Yanassa. "You talking like I snuck in", she changed back and released Yanassa's mouth.
"Don't touch me! Where's my DeeDee?", she pointed to a cutter she kept in her pocket at Deanna. She sighed again and crouched in her front. She sent her dragonfly aura to heal her wounds and she was slightly calmer.
"Explain yourself, now", Yanassa demanded. Suddenly, the new day's alarm rang and Deanna broke into a heavy sweat. She rushed to the bathroom and emptied her bowels. The discomfort returned her to her ethereal look.
Yanassa, worried for her friend, ran to pat her back. She felt severe heartache for Deanna...took a while before returning to the room. As if the day couldn't get worse,
*Thunk, thunk, thunk
The ceiling was cracking. Within a second, the vent dropped
"Oliver!", Yanassa gasped, he tried shushing her. 'What the heck is he doing in a girl's dorm...pervert', were probably her thoughts.
Oliver took to his feet and it was obvious he was in a rush. He looked up to talk when he saw Deanna's transformation, but it was red instead of white. Oliver could only say, "Beetroot".
"You've seen this before", he nods. "Why'd I miss the good stuff", she pulled at her hair
"Anyways, on a more deadly note. I've heard the rumors...now confirmed", looked at Deanna to continue, "But I saw the guards secretly moving ammunition. I thought that shit was banned..."
Deanna listened to Oliver's sexy British accent and focus faded till he said, "...They plan to select us tomorrow. It'll be a killing spree. They'll use Dee as a scapegoat", he broke down in tears.
Deanna knew that they had little time but, this was too much.
"What do we do? Most people still don't know about Deedee's plan a-a-and, we still need time to --",
"No need...we proceed by dawn", indifferently, she picked up the vial of the 'shifting' booster and distilled everything. Adding a lot of her magic aura, she moved the gas into the vents. The others were confused but trusting.
Deanna placed her hand on each of their ears and placed her forehead on Oliver's. Oliver turned red, her spring flowers scent filling his head. She definitely made that scent in the lab, the first day he came here.
"So, you can make anything", he spoke under his breath, he casually mentioned that girls usually have a flowery scent.
The heartfelt thinking was dunked in horror, as white as a sheet, he heard screams and cries from all across the dorms, the butterfly-shaped building, splitting boys to the left wing for boys and right for girls.
"It is done. No one will suffer anything. Just pass the word for a meeting at breakfast", they all agreed and put their hands in a circle. As Oliver was leaving, Deanna tugged his pajamas' sleeve cutely and spoke softly, "Stay, it'll help you"
He looked embarrassed and shocked but he still slept in her hammock bed without hesitation. It was big but they ended up swaying to the middle. Like a new couple, they slept.
Oliver went back before the wake up call, and Deanna got to work. Today was for military training, well played.
In this hellhole, words move fast. Deanna went a bit late for breakfast, but it seemed everyone got the message. There was a way out.
Scanning the round tables, she saw people seated in groups of 6; one seemed the strongest, another the smartest, with no deadweights in any. The strengths were even. She walked to the farthest table, expecting to be alone, but she met Oliver, Yanassa, Kayla, Sumi, and a guy called Kristen at the table. They scooted away to give her space at the centre.
She smirked and sat there. Close to when the serums were brought in, Deanna transformed and bolted to the front. She began fighting the incoming drones and knocking out the cameras in hard swings, Sumi and the other students got up to tackle the others with their food trays. Three guards rushed in and like an old trap, threw students bonked them out instantly.
After, Deanna then went to the menu board and brought out markers. Drawing with quick strokes, she tried to make out the known grounds of the facility. Yanassa smiled and whispered to Deanna,
"No one can see your drawing, Dee",
Deanna sluggishly gave Yanassa the markers and explained everything to her, playfully plunging punches on her. The mood was quite high since they've just defeated the guys that made them prisoner. Who wouldn't feel good?
"Okay people, keep all ears up...and here's the gist...", Deanna hoisted her short self on a table, "...It is true. Most of us will die but, I have granted you a solution...please", she bowed at 90°, and without speaking out, everyone agreed.
Yanassa then yelled instructions to" organize the groups who screamed yesterday to the left and the rest on the right". Some groups had to fall apart as they were rearranged with 3 'pain-bearers' and 3 'noobs'. Then without wasting time, the groups were holding each other, round their new table. They were given numbers and a flag that will follow the weakest member overhead.
"Here's how it goes", Deanna commanded, behaving like other groups."I have turned you all into monsters...to create the chance to escape in one full piece.
It is true, I can change my form. They were turning us into monsters. Either way, you. are. broken.
Yet, you became special, you became stronger, and some can you magic -- all of you can now though. I also have the power using this light to bend as a container for my magic to work. If
There are 59 groups with 59 flags. There's a name behind it. The vial you all took beforehand was used to awaken you as "Outsiders" or "Tamers" like they call it. I will take your magic to teleport you out of the facility and into the woods. If you go left, no matter what you heard, you will cross into the Otherside. If you go right, you will make it back to civilization.
However, your choice won't change the fact that you have become an abomination. There's a signature scar round your birthmark to prove that.
When Oliver calls your number, all the names behind Do note, whatever happens outside, I can't help you
Are...you...ready?"
Everyone stayed silent.
"She sighed and continued, "If you want to stay, leave your group and stand alone"
Nobody dared to move, holding each other tighter.
"You have exactly 7hrs to make it either side or else, you will grow unconscious. Nobody left behind and nobody fell behind. Understood?"
"Yes sir!!!", everyone hollered
Deanna smiled in relief,
"I promise you that not only will those who cross be revered but you will be given a home made just for you. You will be home, with treatment even better than here.
Deanna sniffled, everyone wide-eyed
"I may not look the most emotional but, I'm glad no one hates me. If we make it, you will immediately be cared for and the knowledge of your abilities will be given to you", she said and cried silently.
All were moved, Sumi spoke out first,
"Dee... it's an honour to be your friend, sir!", all followed suit. Like soldiers, they saluted her.
"It's an honour to be your friend, sir!"
Deanna hugged her friends. Everyone laughed and shared hugs across their holdings, everyone asked for one big bag in advance. Some took photos and numbers.
"Hey, hey, if they didn't cross, you can't reach them", Oliver rebuked but no one cared. The moment was too precious. Soon, everyone went back and held tighter than ever.
There were truly sad but truly happy
"Okay, ready?", he held Deanna's hand tight.
1, " Callum", the first group yelled and a huge ball of cyan light appeared from the flag and covered them.
2, "Igilo", the same happened to them
3, "Raygan"
4, "Sida"
5, "Dilena"
Any pronunciation worked, their voices in one accord
10, "Tigra"
11, "Viseko"
12, "Aria"
...
20, "Monteru"
21, "Pupa"
22, "Zinnie"
23, "...Geta"
24, "Vahil"
25, "Nissu"
...
55, "Menji"
56, "Hakoto"
57, "Cena"
58, "Lemme"
Deanna held tight, looking around. She shut her eyes tight. She broke her voice and spoke softly
59
"Es...su...te"
|• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• ||• |
At dusk, a certain set of children appeared like a dark cloud, into a clearing in the middle of nowhere.
"Eek. It's d-d-d-dark and s-scar-ry a-a-and. Oh no!", a girl hunched over her knees. A flag on a cute, faint glowy ball hovered over her head. The writings, "Sida", are inscribed at its back.
"Stop yapping, wud ya", a girl sat up and rubbed her belly.
"W-would you b-blame me?! W-e're in t-the midd-dle of now-w-where! A-and-d it does-sn't hurt you, a-at all?!"
"Oi, shut it. We 'greed to it earlier. Stop ya whining if you don't wanna be left behind"
"I h-have the f-flag so, you can't"
"Yeah, it'd never be that hard to take it off ya"
"B-bethany!!!", Willow said. She also sat up. Her shut-looking eyes were actually too wide right now. She saw that she was the last to wake, the other 3 guys held back from entering the banter. Taking off the flag? Hmm
*Cough, cough
"Can anyone hear me?", Deanna was heard like a whisper to the group. It was coming from the flag so all inched closer. The ball grew bigger
"Once you stop hearing me, your 7hrs starts. The flag has a compass on it.
As a group, you decide to either move east or west. Any stop you make, won't change anything. All for one, 'kay?"
They agreed and the ball shrunk, she wasn't heard from again.
"Now, we can 'gree to get rid of Willow?"
"How dare you say that?! She said 'no one left behind', remember"
"Oh now, you speak normally"
The bickering continued neverending
The shut-eyed girl tugged at the shirt of one guy bearing the brawn of the group; Nath. She spoke alluringly to entice his male side,
"Hello, I'm Jeanette. Let's get along to the Otherside together". In a heartbeat, he agreed and got up with her
"Hey, where are you guys going?", a dark-skinned guy; Redée was whispering loudly. Nath just waved his hand to follow and he did.
At Deanna's spot, Deanna collapsed in Oliver's arms. She felt flushed but sounded as naturally indifferent as she could.
"Sumi, lead", Sumi was forced to learn geography since was a delinquent. She held Kayla; the flag bearer, by the shoulders lightly and pushed her towards the West, the Otherside.
Deanna got up and like bad karma, blood ran down her nose. Oliver panicked and rushed to carry her. She pushed him away, cleaning it up and walking normally.
6:28 mins left
They were walking calmly. Deanna shuffled back and ran behind a dark tree. She vomited blood again, she's lost track. Oliver saw her from a glance and confronted her.
He stood in front to narrow her escape. Deanna wearingly looked up and never for once did she understand his miscellaneous care. She got up and turned away, he blocked her path with his slim, well built arms. She broke into a cold sweat.
"Talk, did you overdo the magic?", she said nothing.
"Did you? Say it yourself!" "Yes", she said quietly,
Yanassa, Kayla, Sumi and Kristen noticed Oliver's raised voice and stayed far enough to hear.
"Why? Have you ever cared for yourself?? Did you care about making everyone...ME worry???", Deanna was genuinely confused.
"No, I don't" "..."
He let out a sarcastic laugh and scattered his neatly styled hair. His blonde thin hair narrowly rests on his shoulders. He stared into her plain eyes and noticed her purple iris. How didn't he see this hidden gem?!
"Look, Ol, we're losing time so, vanish", he didn't budge a bit.
"Did you even try to notice my honesty or how did you even brush off me being inches from you?! Never did I think that you'd be emotionally dense after all the dating advice you gave out like candy, I'm madly stuck to you", closing the distance. He took in her breath, scent, eyes and all of her as he leaned in a bit, brushing her lips. She didn't break a sweat nor run away, she reached over and embraced his lips.
Most of them are almost high school graduates, rounding the final years so, love was a full moon.
Yanassa's squeal broke them apart and the air grew awkward.
Deanna grabbed him, placing her hands hooked on his neck, his head tapped hers, "She can wait. I'll take care of others so, take care of me", she pecked him and met the others in an unbothered manner, her body denied her. They teased her but continued to walk.
Bethany noticed that it was wretchedly quiet and absorbed her environment and no one else was with them.
"Oi twerp, shut it already and look, we've been abandoned, innit" "W-what?! What d-do you mean?"
She looked and truly, they were alone in the clear gathering. Bethany tried hard to think where they'd gone.
They won't go far from us so they should be really nearby and they should have heard the stopped bickering,
Bethany started a small fire and Willow covered herself with a quilt.
"Hi guys, you're done", Jeannette walked back to them. She looked roughly arranged while the guys were a disheveled mess.
Bethany couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. They were suspicious. But whatever. What got worse was Bethany's impression on Jeannette. She looked slutty
"While you were bickering, the others agreed to make me the leader",
"The heck, man", Bethany's Irish accent got the best of her. Willow was just as deranged. She actually looked happy and said nothing.
"Nath here will lead us to the East of this place, we're heading back into civilization" "Hold up, slutty. We're all to agree before anyone moves. I wanna go to the Otherside"
"Wasn't that what we told Deanna, the girl who did everything possible to get us here?!"
...