I gently creeped through the endless stalks of corn. I heard the distant trample of human, perhaps, footsteps. But after what I'd seen, I still wasn't sure. My breath caught in my throat. I heard shouts come closer, I could feel their dark presence. I willed myself to run, my lungs burned as I pushed myself way over my limits. Soon the footsteps were so close, I could hear the inhuman words mingling with a broken language, overlapped by snarling and growling. I forced myself faster as they closed in. I screamed, the sound of my pitiful voice echoing in the darkness. My face was bleeding badly, the salty, metallic tasting blood mingling with the hot tears, blurring my vision. Suddenly my back felt hot and wet, and searing pain lashed through my body. They'd caught me. I heard the steps approach, hot breath breathing on my my neck. I heard a snap, and a yelp. The sound of boots crunching in the grainy dirt of the clearing. A hand pulled my hair forcing me to look up. A fierce faced man, one with scars lining his jaw line, bent down onto one knee was staring into my eyes with those horrible, unnatural red eyes. He spat in my face. "You thought you could escape little one. But you can never escape." his words english, his accent unknown. He tilted my face back further and caressed my cheek with a black leather gloved hand. Hate surged through my body, blocking the pain. "I will escape...one day...one day I will kill you...a slow painful death awaits you." I whispered, meaning every word as my skull pounded painfully, I saw the thing behind him. It was doglike, but massive. It's ears were flat against it's head, its body hunched low and submissive. It's light blue eyes met my eyes. It snapped at me, unwillingly giving me a taste of it's soul. The man snorted and let my face fall. It landed with a thud, and I finally gave in, passing out.
one year later Imprisonment. Something I'd been since I was a kid. Why? For being different. A freak of experimentation if you will. Charelston's Academy for the Unique. Basically, we aren't normal. We have abnormalities. We weren't born different. We were made different. We were lab rats. Guinea pigs for sick, sick mad scientists. We were genetically enhanced with elements. Literally monsters. Real life were wolves, vampires, mermaids, you name it. And those were the lucky ones. Others ended up mindless beasts that could never be returned back to their natural states. Me? I'm um...a lizard. I look human though. Except...you know...the eyes. Messed up right? Like the movies suggest, we had the ability to hide what we were with the Ring. Each one of us had a ring, each different. When removed we were crazy, mindless monsters. I surveyed my surroundings. Everything was a plain white. Kids sat around, walking talking, trapped. I sighed and ran a hand through my brown hair. I had known most of these people while we were still in diapers. The room was just a blank canvas dotted with colors of heads and hair. There were 20 some kids. My friend, Adele, trotted over to me. It really amazed me how sane she was. She was wearing the standard, dull, white t-shirt and white jeans. My other friend, Michelle, walked over gracefully. These two were like my sisters. "Sup twerp?" Michelle said playfully "oh you know same old same old..." "Drooling over Charlie again?" "I DO NOT DROOL!!" "Um...you kind of do." We'd had this conversation before. "you do know I'm standing right here." Charlie said, stifling a laugh. I punched Michelle in the arm. "No, I did not know that" my face bright red. I'm a fuckin lizard for crying out loud. And I get tongue tied over a boy. Classic
"Honestly, I'd take boredom any day, being observed by those pervert scientist is better than being dissected." Michelle shivered. "I agree." Adele said quietly. A figure walked behind me and poked my shoulder. I yelped and fell over. Strong arms caught me. "Jesus Cody you're going to give me a flipping heart attack." I grumbled indignantly. He was pretty much my brother. The only exception, his eyes were ice blue, giving him the nickname, ice, (of course). Michelle giggled. It was peep show time. Or, you know shower time. InThe large common like area where we were allowed to socialize, a door appeared out of nowhere leading down a would you guess it, white corridor. "Man...one day, one day I'm getting out of this place. One day..." Cody murmured, his grip on my arm tightening, a cold sensation as ice crystals began to form on my skin. "OUCH CODY!!" I yelled and he snapped out of it. "Oh god I'm sorry...are you okay?!?" he yelped. I gasped. "Where's your ring?!?" I mumbled, startled. "Shhh...I took it off." he whispered "I can control myself. I'm not like you, I don't have other animal genetics." he said firmly. "besides, I practiced and I'm getting the hang of it." he said triumphantly. To prove his point, he held up his left hand. Quickly ice crystals formed on his palm. As soon as it appeared, it had melted into his skin. "Woah...cool." I mumbled as we walked down the corridor behind the others. Sophie waved, her smile normal as it seemed. As all of us, she looked perfectly human. And again looks are deceiving. A girl named Jennifer stuck to the shadows. She was a real life "vampire" buy she really wasn't that bad. She could walk in the sun, (tested), eat garlic just fine, (tested), can withstand holy water, tested, and had the radar sharp hearing of a bat. Did I mention it was a fruit bat? Sophie came to a trot beside her. I stared down at my dark emerald green ring. If removed I was a monster. I knew this. But I felt a burning to escape, escape from the madness. To live. To be freed. And very, oh so very soon, my goal will be achieved.