Taken Away
I lurched forward and grabbed her holding her small body in my arms. I cried on her shoulder and she shushed me trying to calm me down. I looked up at her and kissed her nose. She smiled and kissed mine.
“I watched you die, how are you alive?” she shrugged and held my hands with hers. She walked out of the bathroom holding my hand and I followed. She walked into the living room and sat beside the fireplace. I sat beside her and held her hand in both of mine. Something pounded on the door we both looked up. Terror set in as I stood. I walked to the door and grabbed the handle. Emma shook her head, as I turned the knob. I was knocked over as shiny metal ran past me. I pushed up on my elbows and looked around. There were men in heavy black armor holding large guns. One was kneeled beside Emma and she looked up at him confused. I shot up and ran over to him pushing him away from her. I looked at Emma and she stared at my arm. I glanced down at my arm and a dart stuck out of my bicep. A cold rush ran through my veins and my eye lids fluttered. I fell down on my back and sound was erased all I saw was a blurry image of Emma hovering over me and she seemed to be screaming or yelling. Black shiny armor came into my distorted vision and Emma was pulled away from me then everything went black.
I opened my eyes and looked around in complete darkness. The cold hard cell I was in bounced up and down. I was in a van I felt warm skin beside me.
“Emma.” I whispered blindly. Someone moaned and the warm skin shifted against me. I felt soft hair brush against my cheek and I looked around.
“Kyler.” I heard the whisper come from beside me. I looked to my right and saw a glint of light. Her eyes, I smiled. I rearranged myself facing where I saw the glint and I moved my hands. I looked down and saw the shine of metallic I was handcuffed. We hit a bump and I felt a light small body land on top of me. Emma moaned and sat up off of me. I leaned onto the cold hard wall of the van and sighed. Lips pressed against my cheek. I turned back to my right and took a blind shot aiming for Emma’s lips. We hit another bump and I hit my head on the roof. I moaned in pain and I felt a hand rub my head.
The van came to a stop and the large doors opened letting blinding light shine into our eyes. Men in black armor pulled us out, I landed on pavement and Emma crashed beside me. I pushed up on my wrists and sat on my calves. I was lifted up and pushed through a metal doorway. I fell on a cold metal surface. I pushed myself up and stood. I looked down the hallway it seemed to go on forever. Fluorescent lights curved on the ceiling and led down the hallway. I looked behind me and Emma lay on the floor. I banged my handcuffs against the wall and they snapped open. I threw them to the ground and helped Emma up. I broke her handcuffs and she rubbed her wrists.
“Kyler, where are we?”
“I don’t know.”
We walked down the hallway slowly trying not to be heard but the floor beneath us dinged and made metal clangs. I wiped blood off of her cheek and we came to a door. There was no handle.
“Where are we supposed to go?”
“I’m not sure, Emma.” To my right was another hallway and to my left was another door. Emma walked to the door and kicked it down. Behind the door was another hallway.
“Are you kidding me?” Emma sighed and walked through the doorway and I followed. Halfway down the hallway a man in a long white coat glanced at us. He stopped in front of us and greeted us.
“Good afternoon, Mr. and Miss. I am Professor Charles T. Riggings I am chief executive of the department of genetic alterations. You may have experienced an unreal creature throughout this week. That is my fault I am very sorry for any chaos and mayhem that had caused you two. You will be safe here as long as you follow my instructions. Follow me.” He walked down the hallway and to a door on his left. Emma and I just stood there and watched. He turned around and waved for us to come. Emma stepped forward and looked back at me. I looked down at my dirty sneakers and breathed in,
“How do we know that we can trust him? Didn’t those things escape from here? How do we know it wasn’t an accident?” Emma looked at me.
“You should trust him because I trust him. And you know I only trust you and my father, Kyler.” I looked up. She had a point, Emma doesn’t trust really anyone and like she said if she trusts him I should too. I nodded and walked toward the professor. He held the door open for Emma and me. He shut it behind us after he stepped in. The sound of tumblers tumbling and locks locking filled my ears and soon drifted off. Emma found a seat at a long metal table in the center of the room. I plopped down in a cushioned chair beside her. The professor sat across from me in a large chair that towered three feet above his head and curving around his shoulders. He folded his hands and smiled lightly at both of us. I sneered and looked down.
“You two had successfully killed our experiments, this is impossible to do. We expected anyone in their perimeter to face a painful death. As I see in front of me this small dainty young lady and this mid-sized young man have killed all nine of these experiments.”
“Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying no one else could kill these ‘experiments’?” I looked at Emma as she blurted out. The professor nodded and continued.
“We would like to admit you two in our high tech military. We would have to make some small alterations but otherwise no harm will be done.” I shouted,
“ARE YOU SAYING YOU KIDNAPPED US BROUGHT US HERE AND EXPECT US TO AGREE TO BE ADMITTED INTO SOME MILITARY SHIT THAT WE HAVE NO REAL DETAILS ABOUT?!” the professor breathed in and looked up at me.
“Sir, I do not expect you to agree to this idea or even stay and learn more. But we are in need of admits, our other admits have unfortunately deceased from insanity…” he looked at us gravely and sniffed. Emma spoke with soft words,
“What do you mean by insanity?”
“The chemicals that we had fed through their veins didn’t increase muscle mass it increased their brain mass. They thought about things and made assumptions soon they all thought we were hurting them instead of helping. All of them were placed in padded rooms and were left to die. They wouldn’t eat because they thought we poisoned their food.”
“Will that happen to us?” Emma was asking all the questions.
“Most likely not, the chemicals were not tested as they should’ve been. We have made changes and they do work, there is only 1% chance what happened to the other admits will happen to you.”
I took a moment before I spoke,
“Why did those things try and kill us?”
“They were programmed with genetic engineering to kill anything not programmed to protect. To sum it up, you and Emma were not programmed for them to protect so they tried to kill you both.” Emma wiped tears from her eyes. I looked at her bandaged stomach and shook my head.
“Professor we cannot admit into this military I’m sorry for disappointing you and your colleagues, but Emma found out she was pregnant while these creatures had shown up. One of the creatures most likely killed the child…and I don’t think either of us could go through something like that again.”
“I assure you, Mr. Johnson and Ms. Reynolds, that your child is still alive and healthy.” Emma looked up at Professor Riggings.
“Wh-wha-what? How do you know that? Are you lying to me?” she wiped her nose on her sleeve and looked at him with her big blue eyes.
“I do not lie to a mother who has dealt with so much.” I looked at him seriously and he gave me a stare only an honest man could give. I trusted this man for no apparent reason. I breathed in mulling this all over.
“One more question.”
The professor looked at me awaiting my last question.
“What advantages would we have if we did join this military?” he thought for a moment and spoke,
“You will have the opportunity to see what a real science base is like. To experience the thrill of genetics and maybe even get a nit for it yourself. You will also experience the strength you thought you could never have.”
“And that’s supposed to be a great opportunity?” I was becoming uninterested at this point. I didn’t see the real ‘fun’ to this project. Emma was clearly unaware of the dangers involving this predicament. The professor sighed from my hard-headedness.
“Kyler, my dear boy, it’s better than it sounds. I promise you that.” I trusted this man so I trusted and believed in his promise.
“Fine, I admit myself into your military. But on the other hand I don’t want Emma being in it at all. She can help and stay here but I don’t want anything else putting my love in danger.” The professor nodded,
“I understand this decision thank you for admitting yourself.” He stood and Emma and I both looked up at him.
“If you follow me, my assistant will escort you to your new headquarters.” He turned to walk out and I grabbed his shoulder catching him. He turned back to me with a questioning look.
“Will I be separated from Emma?”
“It’s not my decision but I would think not. I do not want you two to be separated I will suggest that to my assistant and we’ll see what her decision is.” I nodded sadly and Emma grabbed my hand. We walked out into the hallway following Professor Riggings. He led us to a dark room where small sparks of neon light came from inside. A light sigh came from the back of the room. Professor Riggings flipped a switch and artificial light filled the room revealing a woman with unnaturally purple eyes. I stared and saw strands of bright pink hair had fallen from her tight bun at the back of her head. Her skin was porcelain white and her black eye makeup made you look twice. This woman was so artificial looking and so characterized. Long fingers snapped in front of my face bringing me back. I shook my head and blinked several times then directing my attention back to the woman. This must’ve been Professor Riggings’ assistant. She smiled bright white teeth and shook my hand.
“I heard you are the new admit to our military. It is a pleasure to meet you young man. Such great potential I see in you.” Her smile broadened. I shook her hand and smiled back. The woman walked back to a chemistry table with bubbling chemicals and black tubes with white labels pasted on them. She looked up at us and jumped.
“Oh! I forgot to mention my name. I apologize for my absent mind-ness. I am Professor Aleksandra Demidov.”
“Demidov? Is that Russian?” Emma asked right after Professor Demidov introduced herself.
“Why yes it is thank you for noticing.” Professor Demidov smiled at Emma and sat behind a desk beside her chemicals and commotion. I stood there for a good five minutes before I asked.
“Professor Demidov, will Emma and I have to be separated?” she looked up from a stack of papers and thought for a minute.
“I don’t think so. I don’t see why you would have to be separated from each other.” I sighed in relief.
“I can take you to your new headquarters if you like.” Emma nodded as Professor Demidov stood and walked over to the exit that we stood in front of. She walked out of the lab and walked down the hall. I followed holding Emma’s hand along the way. Then I was pushed against the hard metal wall to my left. Black armor shined underneath the fluorescent lights. I was constricted between the wall and the soldier’s tight grasp.
“Professor Demidov, help me.”
“Experiment 143 stop!”
Professor Demidov turned around and whipped a syringe out of her lab coat pocket, she stabbed it through the metal of the solider and its armor fell to the ground in a pile of metallic. Emma looked at me then the pile on the ground then Professor Demidov.
“What happened to its body?” Professor Demidov looked at Emma and sighed.
“I’ll explain it later. Follow me a few doors down will be your headquarters.” She started down the hall again towards the last door on the left and stood in front of it. We caught up with her and she typed in a password on the keyboard, she then placed her hand on the plate. A light scanned her hand and the door slid open. Professor Demidov pushed the door open all the way and Emma took the first step inside. I followed her inside scanning the room top to bottom. It was all metal including the floors, it didn’t have any windows and it was cold. My bare feet touched the floor and I shivered. I turned to Professor Demidov and she frowned with the rooms conditions as well.
“Nothing…homier?” Emma asked looking at the clothes lying on the bed.
“I’m sorry. I expected something better than this from seeing my headquarters.” I turned to Emma as she rubbed the cloth on the bed. I walked up beside her and looked at the outfits laid out for us. A small silky black pleated dress with white lace sewed on the hem. Black boots lay on top of the dress Emma would look beautiful in it. I looked next to the dress and a black crew neck shirt was folded and laid on top of black fitted jeans. Beside the outfit was the same pair of boots that laid on top of Emma’s dress just in a larger size.
“I’ll leave you two to get dressed, meet me in the dining room I bet you are both hungry. There’s a map on the nightstand over there.” She pointed to the nightstand and smiled. “Be sure to take it with you so you can find your way.” She said goodbye and left us alone in the metal room. I looked at Emma and kissed her. We hadn’t been left alone since we were taken. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me. Emma threw the boots and clothes on the floor and climbed on the bed. I climbed on her and things started from there.


A New Life
We got dressed in our new clothes and left the room to head off to the dining room where we expected Professor Demidov to be waiting for us. Emma brought the map and we looked around us to see where we were. Our feet stood in the east wing and we needed to be in the west wing, we took a few turns down some halls and ended up in front of two big double doors. A silver plate with the words Dining Room engraved on it hung above the doors.
“You have reached your destination.” Emma said with a slight giggle. I opened the doors for her and she stepped into the large room. Her dress dangled at her knees and swayed with each step she took. I smiled and followed her in. At a large table in the back of the room sat Professor Demidov and Professor Riggings. We walked in their direction and Professor Demidov looked up at us with a smile. We sat down in front of them and I held Emma’s hand under the table. Professor Riggings looked up from his tea and forced a smile that peered through his gray mustache. I gave a sincere smile and turned my attention back to Emma. She kissed my cheek and I kissed her nose. Professor Riggings gave a loud sigh and grunted from Professor Demidov jabbing him in the ribcage with her elbow. Emma giggled lightly under her breath and looked at Professor Demidov, blushing. Professor Riggings broke the non-verbal conversation we were all sharing.
“We’d like to talk about an agreement.”
“Agreement?” Emma questioned Professor Riggings.
“Yes, we have conquered up a document entitling you both to genetic alterations.” He pulled out a packet of papers and placed it on the table in front of us. “These genetic alterations will be given to you as soon as possible, they will be injected into your arm and the chemicals will run through your blood stream. Thus, changing your DNA and giving you avian characteristics. In this project Kyler will be admitted into our military as he promised and this agreement will only last one year. In time, Emma will need to be admitted, of course after the baby is born.”-I slammed my hand against the table and stood up shouting.
“Wait! I told you that I did not want Emma being admitted at all. Especially after being through child labor, I think it should be just me admitted, but if she is admitted also then we leave without argument!” Professor Demidov stopped Professor Riggings from shouting and spoke with her soft voice.
“Kyler, I promise you now that Emma will not be admitted ever, just you. But the genetic alterations are permitted. A lot of our experiments escape and we don’t want her being in the mist of things. With the chemicals she’ll be able to fight for herself and the other experiments will not be able to hurt her because the chemicals build her barriers.” I sat down and thought for a minute or two with my head down and Emma staring at me. I looked up at Professor Demidov and spoke lightly.
“Just promise me she’ll be safer if she does get the injections.”
“Kyler, I give you my word.” I breathed in and squeezed Emma’s hand.
“Okay, can we get some food in us first?” Four waiters with four big silver platters came to our table.
“Does this answer your question?” Professor Demidov said with a smirk as the waiters pulled the silver cover dishes off revealing bowls of creamy chicken soup with some sort of green garnishment on the steaming surface. The smell filled my nostrils and I grabbed my spoon. The waiters walked back into the kitchen in an orderly fashion and Emma and I started eating the soup. Professor Riggings pushed his bowl of soup aside and sipped his tea quietly. Professor Demidov just stirred her soup in silence with her head on her wrist looking as if she was daydreaming. Once I was done with my soup I licked my spoon then took my finger and wiped up the rest of the residue from the broth and licked my finger clean. I looked up and Professor Riggings was staring at me in disgust. I wiped my mouth with the napkin on the red table cloth and held my fist up to my lips to cover a burp. Professor Riggings cringed from my action of trying to show some manners. There was no winning with this guy. His dark gray eyes looked at Emma and he smiled lightly. I directed my attention to her and she had lightly yawned like a child. I smiled and asked,
“Can we get some sleep?”
“Oh, no. We’d like to do the injections as soon as possible remember?” Professor Demidov answered. I nodded as I felt a yawn up rise from the back of my throat. I rested my head on my wrists with my elbows on the red clothed table and closed my eyes. Professor Riggings stood up all of a sudden and smoothed out his lab coat.
“I must go prepare the injections and chemicals for the project. I will see all of you in my laboratory in a short, let’s say…” he pushed up his long white sleeve and glanced at his silver chrome watch and continued, “twenty minutes?” Professor Demidov nodded and Professor Riggings walked out without another word. The second the double doors closed Professor Demidov leaned over the table and apologized for Professor Rigging’s attitude.
“It’s fine, we’ve gotten used to it.” Emma replied and yawned lightly.
“He’s just worked up over the fact we have an admit.” Professor Demidov glanced at me and smiled. I smiled back and asked if we could have a tour of the base.
“Maybe later, I have things to do anyways and I’m sure Professor Riggings will need me to assist him any moment now. I’d love to show you around myself…I have someone who might be able to, hold on a moment.” She stood and walked to a door at the opposite side of the room and closed it behind her. A few moments later she came out with a young maybe eighteen or nineteen year old boy by her side. His dark purple hair framed his face while his silver eyes shined through the thick purple locks. A name tag with the name, Demetrius Demidov, was pinned to his shirt causing the fabric to dip down a bit. Professor Demidov introduced him,
“This is my son, Demetrius. He is volunteering here for a few more months. He already knows where everything is from only being here for a week. He has a special gift, photographic memory and telepathy.” She smiled broadly showing off her mutant son. You could tell he was her pride and joy, as all parents wish their children to be. He looked down at his sneakers and sniffed.
“Excuse his shyness; he’s recovering the death of a very close friend.” Professor Demidov patted her son’s back lightly and kissed his forehead. Jealously came upon me, I wish I had a mother to comfort me in my darkest moments, but I did have Emma. I rested my hand on Demetrius’ shoulder and he looked up, he was about my height a little shorter. I nodded to him, and he nodded back with a slight smile. I could tell me and him were going to be good friends.
Demetrius led Emma and me out of the dining room and down flight eight down some hallways and into a big dark room. He flipped a switch and light illuminated the room uncovering the desks and charts and hospital beds scattered throughout room.
“This is the room where my mother and Professor Riggings will do the project on you two.” Demetrius said in a voice barely loud enough to hear. I nodded and scanned the room.
“What other experiments have your mother and other professors done?”
Emma asked and Demetrius immediately replied back,
“Umm, only a few successful experiments, one with fish DNA, one with my DNA, and another with tiger DNA. Those, I’m guessing have been terminated, since I haven’t heard any other information from overhearing my mother and father talking about the base’s experiments. You both are going to be the first to be injected with avian DNA though, don’t be worried, my mother has studied this project for many years. She’s excited for it to finally come true.”
I nodded and sat down on one of the hospital beds. Emma sat down on the bed opposite of me and sighed.
“You two alright?” Demetrius asked in a light voice.
“Uh, yeah, we’re fine…may I ask you something?” Emma tilted her head in Demetrius’ direction.
“Anything.” He stood leaning against the doorframe and fiddling with some metal contraption in his hands.
“What happened to your friend?” there was a long pause and the sound of an uncomfortable choke down of tears. I knew that sound well.
“He died in an accident here at the base. He was also an assistant as my mother is. An experiment went on a rampage and threw a heavy door at him as he was walking down one of these many hallways. He was smothered under the heavy metal, crushed and bleeding heavily. This place has seen many hardships, but it has improved almost in a way to be seen as unrecognizable.” There was a short pause as he wiped his eyes and looked back at us. “He was a very good friend of mine, one I could never forget.” I heard a sniff from Emma’s direction and looked to see if she was crying but just saw her eyes a little red and irritated. I looked back at Demetrius and he was holding a pendent around his neck that I had not seen before. It must have been hidden beneath his shirt. It was a small vile, with some sort of liquid inside of it. It was a dark red blackish color. It was strung on a silver chain that matched his eyes. I arched my eyebrow and Demetrius looked down at the pendent with a surprised look on his face. As if he didn’t realize he was grasping it in his hands.
“I’d love to see some pictures of your dear friend. What was his name?” Emma asked sweetly.
“Ali.” He smiled lightly then dropped back into his sad expression. There was a very long pause that seemed to last forever before I broke the silence.
“Can you show us where our headquarters are? I’m sure Emma and I have both forgotten.”
“Oh, sure of course, Room 24,356.” Emma and I followed him out of the room. We stood in the hallway as he let the plate on the wall outside of the door scan his hand and the door closed slowly. He stared at it for a moment and turned down the hallway to where I guessed to be the direction of our headquarters. We followed him silently until he spoke.
“Where are you two from?”
“Syracuse, New York.” Emma answered.
“That’s a very small town isn’t it?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“I’ve never heard of it that’s why.” He laughed lightly as we approached our headquarters door. He let the light scan his hand and the door opened. Emma and I stepped inside and Demetrius said his goodbyes. The door shut loudly and Emma sat on the bed quietly.
“There’s nothing to do here…” I said trying to break the silence.
“I know it’s boring.” I nodded and sat beside her. There really was nothing to do. We were cut off from the outside world, I wonder if Emma’s father is worrying about her. I wonder if he knows where we are. Minutes passed and then a hour went by and something banged on our door. I pushed up on my knees and walked to the door. I pushed in on it and it slid open toward me. Professor Demidov stood outside with the regular smile on her face. She greeted us and told us she and Professor Riggings were both ready for us to be injected with the avian DNA. Emma and I stepped out of our headquarters and walked down the long narrow hallway behind Professor Demidov. We followed her into the big room Demetrius had shown us earlier.


Complete Trust in Complete Strangers
“Lay down on those beds.” She pointed to two hospital beds about ten feet away from each other. I climbed onto the one closest to me and Emma climbed onto the other one. The back reclined a bit as I laid my head down. Professor Riggings walked in with a tea cup in his left hand and a briefcase by his side. I watched as he walked towards me, with his head down. His gray black hair bounced with each step. He lifted his head and looked at both me and Emma. A chill went down my spine from glancing at his expression. It was a grim smile showing equal dread in his eyes.
“Ready to be transformed into amazing creatures?” his grim smile faded replaced by a honest grin. I nodded lightly wondering what exactly it would be like to be an ‘amazing creature’. Anything could go wrong, the DNA infects me, attacks my blood cells, drives me insane. We’re having complete trust in them to do some scientific experiment that we don’t even understand. Complete trust in complete strangers. “Well here we go.” I thought as Professor Demidov pushed my sleeve up and wiped my arm with a cool liquid. Probably cleaning alcohol. A chill went up my arm as she finished wiping my skin, I leaned my head back trying to calm down. I hated shots this wouldn’t be any easier. I braced myself as Professor Demidov tapped the needle letting the liquid bubble a little at the top. She flipped my arm over so the inside of my wrist was facing up. She brought the needle down and stabbed me in the vein, I yelped in pain, it hurt way more than any shot I had ever gotten. A warm rush ran through my body causing me to break a sweat. I felt the most uncomfortable feeling and let my eyes close.
Professor Demidov injected me with the entire avian DNA and pulled the needle out fast trying to lessen the pain but sadly failing. She put pressure on the open mark in my wrist with a piece of white cloth. Blood soaked it quickly and she pulled it away getting my blood all over her arm. She gasped at the sight and dropped the cloth on the floor. Professor Riggings looked over and saw that Professor Demidov was having trouble. He walked over with another piece of cloth and put a lot of pressure on the open wound. I moaned in pain and tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let go and he wouldn’t lessen any pressure. Emma was watching intently trying to fixate on me as I moved around struggling. I couldn’t tell if she’d already been injected or not.
I struggled more and more knocking things over and breaking test tubes. A sharp pain went down my leg and I stopped fidgeting and just laid there on the hospital bed. I forced my eyes to stay open but they just got heavier and heavier. Soon I couldn’t hold them open at all. I slowly passed out.
I heard muffled voices and saw blurry figures passing by me so fast. Everything was going so fast compared to me. Where was I? I slowly moved my head side to side looking at my surroundings. I watched closer squinting my eyes and getting a fuzzy picture of Professor Demidov talking to Emma. My hearing was too stifled for me to understand. Emma’s face went blank from something Professor Demidov had said and she didn’t return the conversation. Instead, she walked toward me and sat at the end of the hospital bed I had been laying on. My vision slowly became sharper and clearer. There was a sign hanging outside of my room. Recovery. I was in recovery, recovery from what? Emma turned to me as I sat up propping myself up on my pillows. She smiled lightly and sighed in relief.
“What happened?” I asked quietly not realizing how dry my mouth was.
“You had an allergic reaction to the injection. You’ll be fine though.” I nodded. I didn’t know I was allergic to birds. I never was when I ate it when I was younger. Can you develop an allergy towards something when you grow older? I didn’t think you could, maybe you can.
“Will we have to call off the agreement about me being in their military?”
“No, they can’t get the injection out. It’s already gotten into your bloodstream. And your body’s supposedly adjusting to the changes quickly. Or so says the scientists here…” Something was wrong Emma was being too dreary and quiet. I leaned forward and rested my hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me and mouthed “I love you.” I smiled and mouthed it back.
Demetrius came to visit us after I was stable enough to leave. He greeted us outside of our headquarters and informed us that it had been three days since we had been ‘enrolled’ in this government base. We were really kidnapped but I didn’t want to argue with this new friend we had made. He brought us to the dining room where we had eaten dinner with Professor Demidov and Professor Riggings. He told us that they wouldn’t be joining us tonight that it would be just Emma, him, and me. I was fine with that after the incident with the injection I didn’t want to acknowledge Professor Riggings. But I did want the comfort Professor Demidov’s personality gave me. She was much like my mother in terms of personality and kindness, not the pink hair and purple eyes. Experiments probably had done that but I wonder about her son. Demetrius always kept his purple hair nice and neat not one time had I seen his hair sticking up in odd places like mine. Or his clothes wrinkled or bunched at awkward places. I wonder what gave him such striking features. He’s the type you can’t help but stare at. Even if you don’t favor those types it’s almost impossible to look away.
We sat at a long table in the middle of the dining room and waiters brought us champagne in tall wine glasses. Emma declined the beverage and took water instead. I took a sip of the champagne and it was tart and tangy. Even if Emma wasn’t pregnant, she wouldn’t care for this drink. My black outfit had smudges of gray and the boots were pretty scuffed up. Only wearing it for a day or two and it’s practically ruined. I’ve always treated my belongings harshly. If they didn’t stick through it all then it was goodbye. If they did it was a big surprise.
Soon, waiters with heavy looking platters filed out of the saloon doors from the kitchen. The fragrance of each and every dish swirled around in the room making our stomachs rumble. I ate myself sick with the delicacies and licking almost every plate clean. Demetrius scowled at my manners a few times but didn’t say any unwanted comments. He was a cross between his mother and Professor Riggings. I wonder if he’s Professor Riggings’ son. No, probably not. But it’s not impossible considering Demetrius’ personality.
About a hour or two later we were walking back to our headquarters. Slowly and tiredly making our way back with Demetrius, Emma looked so pale and clearly was having trouble walking. I helped her by wrapping her arm around my shoulders and wrapping my arm around her waist. She had a better time with that, but not so much that I could let go. We reached the hall our headquarters was on and walked down it. We approached the door and Demetrius placed his hand on the plate outside of the large metallic door. There was a click I hadn’t noticed before and the door slide open. Emma and I walked inside taking our time and leaving Demetrius behind. I closed the door once I had set Emma on the bed. There was another click and it was closed. I sat beside Emma on the bed and sighed.
“There’s no going back now…” Emma said quietly.
“I know…I hope this works out.”
“Me too.” After that little conversation we both started drifting off in each others’ arms.


Xanthus
I woke up and Emma was gone. I looked around there was a big dent in the middle of the metal wall in from of me. I found broken glass scattered on the floor. I watched where I stepped and made it to the door. I pushed on it and it opened slowly and I quietly looked out the door. There was no one in the hall. I tiptoed my way out and made my way down the hall. There seemed to be no one in the whole building from the quiet. I heard a voice and saw a light coming from a room a few doors down on my left. I walked to it quietly and heard Professor Demidov and her son talking in hushed voices. I placed my hands on the doorframe and looked inside the room. I watched Professor Demidov’s expression go from cheerful to a slight disappointed. Demetrius frowned and said he should go. He started to walk towards the door and I panicked. I flew down the hallway with my steps light and quiet. I ran behind my headquarters door and watched through a small crack in between the door and the wall. Demetrius walked past my door cussing under his breath saying that he should’ve kept it to himself. What should’ve he kept to himself? As he made his way to the end of the hall and made a left I opened my door and walked back to the room where Professor Demidov was. I slowly slipped in and she sat on a desk with her legs crossed and her flats hanging from her toes.
“Is everything alright?” I asked quietly. Professor Demidov looked up from her hands and at me. She smiled lightly and stood. I looked down at her and watched her come towards me. She spoke lightly with kindness.
“Everything is perfect. Thank you for asking.” I smiled lightly trying not to show that I saw what happened and heard some of the conversation. I decided to change the subject.
“Where’s Emma?”
“Oh she’s outside with our experimental horses.” I smiled, Emma liked strange creatures, and maybe this would be a good place to be for a while.
“Where is the stable?”
“I’ll show you. Follow me.” She walked out the room and I trailed behind her. We came to an exit door I had never seen before. Like all the other doors there was a hand print plate outside of it beside the knob. She placed her hand on it, a blue light scanned her hand and the door slide open letting a pale light come in from outside. She pushed the door open and I stepped outside after her. I closed the door and followed her as she walked across a field of emerald green grass. I saw the stable and ran past Professor Demidov towards it. I tripped and fell but got right back up. I pried the stable doors open and looked around. I stood in front of a big blonde horse it was at least eight feet tall. Its coat was thick and soft. I smoothed it out gently with the palm of my hand when I heard Professor Riggings yell.
“You stupid boy! Get away from Xanthus!” As he shouted the horse kicked at the stable door. Nails snapped and the wood split and the door was soon mangled wood. The horse ran out of the stable and out onto the plain. Professor Demidov and Professor Riggings ran after the horse I couldn’t help but laugh. I covered my mouth to hide my smile and to muffle my laughter. I heard a shuffle behind me and turned around quickly. Emma stood there in a white dress that dangled just below her knees. It had black lace around the bottom of both sleeves and was sewed along the hem. I smiled, these dresses she wore suited her in every way. She looked up from her boots and smiled at me.
“I really like these horses…especially Xanthus.” I smiled and straightened my shirt out. I gazed out onto the plain watching Professor Demidov chase after Xanthus. Professor Riggings was nowhere in sight. He probably went inside the base to get a tranquilizer gun. Xanthus jumped a gate and ran past a forest far away that’s when Professor Demidov stopped trying to catch him.
She came back to us breathless and panting. No sweat was pouring out of her skin and she didn’t look like she had run around trying to catch a horse. Probably effects from her experimenting on herself over the years.
“That horse is fast for seven years of age.” Emma giggled lightly with her hand over her mouth. I smiled at her and saw Xanthus ran across the plain.
“I’ll get him.” I jumped over the fence of the stable and ran after the horse.
“No! He’s aggressive! He’ll only trample you!” Professor Demidov shouted but I barley heard her over the clomping of Xanthus’ hooves. I ran beside of him with my hair blowing back out of my face. I got a grip on the side of his saddle and hoisted myself up onto his back. My legs pounded on the sides of his lower back. I held on tight as he charged through a fence.
“Kyler!” Emma shouted, but I couldn’t answer I was breathless. Xanthus stood on his hind legs and threw me off. I fell to the ground with shards of wood sticking my arms and back. I heard a scream and horse whines followed with a loud thud and the ground shook. I sat up on my elbows and looked forward. Xanthus lied on the ground knocked out. Professor Riggings walked toward him and pulled out a large needle from his thigh. I looked directly into Professor Riggings’ eyes and they were stone cold. He was much more different when we first met a few days ago. Now, he had changed and I had slowly developed a deep loathing for this man. Everything he did made me furious and I no longer thought of him as a man I could trust but a man where I must be careful around.
“Charles, why’d you do that?!” Professor Demidov shouted at him waving her arms around in frustration. He shook his head with a slight smile. I questioned this, he never smiled really only at Professor Demidov and I had never seen him around Demetrius. I still wondered about if he were Demetrius’ father. I gave a little shake of my head clearing my head of this thought. I looked up at Emma who was now kneeling down beside me in the grass. She smoothed out the bottom of her dress and smiled at me the way my mother used to.
“You alright? You took a pretty hard fall when Xanthus threw you off.” I nodded lightly ignoring the headache I had now. Emma glanced at Professor Demidov and Professor Riggings who were now talking in hushed voices.
“Do you ever feel like they’re always talking about us?” Emma asked looking away from them and focusing on me.
“Sometimes, but most of the time I think they’re secret lovers. And Demetrius is their love child.” Emma laughed and stood. I pushed up on my left knee and stood a little wobbly and dizzy. I held onto a stack of hay off to my right. When the world stopped spinning I let go and walked up to Xanthus who was still lying in the grass. He was calmer and sweet now that he was woozy from whatever Professor Riggings had injected him with. I wonder if they do this to a lot of ‘experiments’. I thought about this for a while.
Xanthus started to wake up slowly and pushed up with his strong thick legs. His legs wiggled and his muscles throbbed. I stepped closer and unbuckled the saddle from around his back. He looked back at me and that was the first time I noticed his green eyes, greener than mine. His long mane swayed when he turned away from me. It was curly and thick, probably very hard to comb through. He was a Clydesdale horse, strongest I’ve ever seen. Professor Demidov looked at me with a scared expression.
“Kyler…be careful.” I nodded and climbed onto Xanthus’ back. Emma looked up at me and I held my hand out. She smiled and grabbed it lightly, and I pulled her up. She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her cheek against my back. Xanthus was calm and collected, thank god. One slight kick on his stomach and he was moving. He strolled past Professor Demidov and Professor Riggings. They stared like they had never seen someone ride a horse before-maybe no one had ever touched Xanthus.
Xanthus galloped around the border of the fence and came to a stop at the gate. I kicked his side lightly; he backed up slowly, and walked back to the stable. I swung my leg to the side rejoining with my other leg and sliding down Xanthus’ side. My feet hit the ground and I stood. Emma swung her legs to one side and jumped down. She smoothed out her dress and Xanthus walked into his pen. I closed and latched the gate and Professor Demidov turned to look at Emma and me. Her expression left me grave as she walked off. I looked to Emma and she flinched.
“I want to go inside now, please?” I nodded and we walked after Professor Demidov. Emma walked beside me with a little skip to her walk. I smiled and looked at Professor Demidov from behind. Her hair was bouncing up and down and curls brushed the back of her neck. The back of her flats were scuffed and gray under the black leather. Her lab coat had grass stains on the back with hay and dirt covering the back. We walked in after her through the exit door we came out of.


No Longer Human
The door slammed shut and clicked behind us. Emma slightly flinched from the door slamming. We followed Professor Demidov down the narrow hallway and into a dark room. She flipped a switch and a yellowish light flooded the room’s walls and gathered in the center of the tiled floor. Professor Demidov spoke softly,
“It’s about time I see how you two are doing with the injections.” There was a long pause before she instructed us to sit down on the hospital beds to her right. She tapped the end of a syringe and stabbed it through my left arm, I gasped and the last thing I saw was Professor Riggings entering my vision.
I woke up about I’m guessing a hour later. I shook my head back and forth with my vision blurry. I squinted hard and saw Emma on a bed across from me on the other side of the room. I jolted forward from a sharp pain running through my left arm. Sirens went off and lights flashed as volunteers and scientists ran into the room. Something hit me in the face and liquid spilled all over me. I wiped my mouth and looked around confused. A young girl, maybe fourteen, reached across me grabbing a strap and pulling it across my waist. She buckled me down and I began to struggle. What’s happening?! I heard screaming and smashes from fallen hospital supplies. I realized the screams were coming from my own mouth. I slammed my head down hard against the wall behind me, knocking me out.
Another hour had passed and I was now in a sterile white room and something constricted my chest. I looked down and saw I was wrapped in a stray jacket. That’s when I lost it. I jumped up and banged against the place where I knew was a door. I pressed my back hard against it and kicked the floor giving me traction. I slid down the door and breathed in the fabric tied around my mouth. Why would they put me in here? I looked up at the ceiling and saw a camera. Great. I thought. They’re watching me too…wait…who’s they? WHERE THE HELL AM I?! I slammed my elbow into the wall beside me. I mumbled swear words to myself under the bandana.
I followed a cord from the camera into the ceiling under a tile. I smirked and stood. I walked under the camera where whoever’s watching me now can’t possibly see me and sat underneath it. Now if I can get out of this stray jacket I could climb up these poorly built bricks and tug the cord out and bite it disconnecting it from the user. If Emma were here she’d tell me it was stupid and that it’s risky. Always thinking pessimistically. Whatever, I’d rather take the chance of electrocuting myself then staying here and letting random creepers poke me with needles and experiment on me. I’ve had enough of the abuse. I rubbed the back of the stray jacket against the wall behind me and figured out there were three buckles on the back preventing me from having my arms free. I thought for a moment and rubbed harder. I sighed from my hopes being diminished, finding out there was lace running down the back of the jacket. I shook my head side to side rapidly causing the bandana to slide down my cheeks and almost past my mouth. I opened my mouth wide and bit the top of the bandana pulling it down around my neck. I noticed the fabric had became shredded with threads sticking out and some in-between my teeth. I licked my lips and tilted my head back bumping the top of my skull against brick.
I sighed, God if I had only listened when my dad told me how Houdini escaped from that stray jacket trick. I banged my head thinking I could jog my memory with a concussion. Then it came to me.
Kyler, Houdini was a genius. When he was being tied into the stray jacket he would fill his chest with as much air as he could and he’d flex his muscles so that when he was about to “attempt” to escape the jacket he had enough wiggle room to loosen his arms and reach out of the neck opening and unbuckle the buckles and undo the straps. I thought for a moment of another way I could possibly escape since I wasn’t conscious when I was being tied into this damn stray jacket. Another way was that he’d dislocate his shoulders and slide them out of the sleeves and reach up out of the jacket and then pop them back in and undo all the buckles. I winced at the idea but it seemed to be my only other choice right now…but I don’t know how to dislocate my shoulders. I then shouted and cussed but then caught myself because I wasn’t sure that they had me under audio or not. I sat there for a good ten minutes until I started to doze off. That’s the last thing you want to do, Kyler, sleep. Emma’s voice pounded in my head along with my father’s and mother’s. Kyler, you’re clever just figure out a way. You can do anything…because you’re my son. Sweetie anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Silent tears slid down my cheeks and melted into the tattered bandanna around my throat. What evil demonic sadistic person would to this to me…could it be someone I knew? No, the people I knew are the people I love; they wouldn’t hurt me like this.
A sharp shock dug into my spine and I closed my eyes tight from the blinding pain. I felt my hands tremble under the stray jacket’s thick stiff fabric. I made fists and held the scream inside my throat instead of releasing it into the air. Excruciating pain filled my entire spinal cord and I had to let the scream roar out of me. The scream pounded in my ear drums as something sharp was stabbing through my shoulder blades. Warm liquid ran down my back and I heard the clang of metallic on metallic. I felt a release from being trapped in the stray jacket. The fabric fell down past my shoulders and I wiggled out. Blood slicked my arms and the wall behind me. I pushed up on my hands and knees and teetered back and forth. Something pulled me down from behind and I fell back on a bed of feathers. I spat out some and they floated into the air. I sat up pushing up on my elbows and my hands slipped in blood. I stood keeping my balance by putting all my weight towards the floor. I walked around the room waking up my legs and seeing the reflection off the lens of the camera. I stopped and stared in shock. The experiment worked…
I couldn’t believe it…it worked. I’m a bird hybrid, a freak, a monster, like no other…and I hated it. I don’t want to go through with this anymore. I have to talk to Professor Demidov. I have to find my way to Emma; to reality…I need to get out now.
Something banged on the wall separating me from the outside. I panicked, and jumped up and climbed along a pipe on the ceiling. I held on tight awaiting the people who took me to walk right in…they didn’t. I waited longer and still nothing came. I was sweating from holding on, I had to let go, and I did. I landed on my feet and my palms, leaning forward. That’s when the wall broke down. Masked faces pulled on my arms and legs carrying me out of the room. I struggled and fought back kicking one of the men down and causing the rest of them to drop me. I stood, caught balance and ran down the hallway. I heard heavy footsteps behind me and I fastened my pace. My hair flying back out of my face was soaked in sweat and blood. I knew I wouldn’t make it out and back to Emma or anybody so I ran for my dear life. I saw an exit and ran faster towards it, it seemed no matter how long I ran or how fast it never got closer. I screamed as something pulled me back smashing my head into concrete. I moaned in pain trying to focus on the masked man. My vision was blurry and this was all I could make out: knee high black leather boots with chains dangling from the laces, black thick maybe even bulletproof fitted pants, dark gray trench coat with silver buttons, black Kevlar vest, and then the black mask hiding his face. I bet he’s smirking at my pain, wishing he could do away with me himself. I now realized why I was here, why I’m not with Emma, why I see no one but masked men. I’ve been kidnapped again but not by people who will take care of me…by people who want me dead.
The masked man placed both his gloved hands on either side of my skull and he pressed in hard. I grabbed his hands and tried to pull them away when I heard that deafening scream I always hear escaping my lips. I finally pried his hands away from my head when I heard another scream, not mine, but of a female…

Impressum

Texte: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or material, including photocopying recording or by any information storage retrieval system without the permission of the author.
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 31.12.2011

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
One very important person who helped inspire this book...you know who you are.