Mutation [ON HOLD]

Chapter 02.

AT THREE AM in the morning, I was bleeding on my bed and my mom was tending me.  She wrapped a bandage around my stomach and sighed.  My mother turned to me and asked with a serious face, "Did you have dreams?"  

"Yeah.  It was very...  Peculiar.  They tried to attack me."  Did they really find a girl in her nightgown and slippers that intimidating?

I told my mother everything that happened in my dream.  Judging from that knowing look she always seemed to have, she would know the answers.  She didn't interrupt one time.  After listening to my nightmare, she just sighed and turned off the light.  

"Stay safe, sweetheart."

At this point, I don't even know what safe means.

+++

I wake up with a start.  There was a slight stain on my bed because of the blood seeping through the clothing.  I lift up the bandage a little to see my wound.  To my surprise, it stopped bleeding.  My skin had turned into an angry red.  My mother must have worked some good medicine on me when I was asleep.

I went outside to the Garden to pick some plants.  It's not really a garden; it's more like an overgrown grassy area.  But there are herbs, vegetables, and lots of food there that you can find.  

I pick a few of the red strawberries that look ripe and delicious.  I gather some dried grass that usually hang over at the corners of the Garden and head back home with a bag full of plants.  I go to the back of the creamery, where all the animals are kept.

We usually only use goat milk to make our products because a cow consumes a lot of the plants we pick and we just don't have enough for them to eat without starving ourselves to the brink of death.  But they produce more than our goats, so we still bought one.  Our only cow, Daisy, swishes her tail around in excitement as she sees the grass. 

"Daisy, you look really excited to see me and only me." I can almost taste the sarcasm dripping off my tongue.

As if she understood, Daisy dropped her excited expression and looked bashfully at the ground.  She looked so cute that I couldn't help but forgive her. "It's okay Daisy.  You are pardoned." I said in a posh voice.  I laughed as she raised her back up to look at me with a hopeful face.  I dropped some of the dried grass and a bucket full of Garden water for her to drink.

I approached the goats and gave them some dried grass as well.  "Sorry guys.  I knew how much you wanted some fresh pasture.  I think a Supernatural saw me and you know I'm not supposed to even be in the Garden."  They just bleated at me and went back to chewing their grass.

I've always had this ability to communicate with animals in a way.  It's just natural for me.  I guess I emit this aura that gets animals to like me.

One more reason to love me.

Taking one last look at the animals, I turn on my heel and head back to the creamery.  It was a hot day, meaning there would be more business.  I'm not allowed to eat any of the ice cream that we produce.  My mom only allows me once a year to take a small spoonful of whatever ice cream I pick and eat it.  Yesterday must have been really special if she let me eat the sundae instead of selling it to someone else.

I go up to a table.  Sensing an air of superiority and a bit of arrogance, I forced myself to plaster a fake smile and professional face.  A Supernatural.

"Good afternoon sir.  What would you like to order?"

The Supernatural, who seemed important judging from his expensive and fashionable suit, looked me up and down.  "It's master to you."  

"Excuse me, sir?" I said, emphasizing on the 'sir'. There was no way I was calling this person my master.

He laughed mockingly, as if I was stupid to not know why he said that.  "I am paying a human for ice cream.  Does this make any sense?"  He sneered at me. The businessman stood on his chair.  All heads, human and Supernatural, young and old, turned to him.  "I go to the so-called best creamery in the entire planet and I have to pay a mere human for their service?"

I forced myself to remain calm.  "This creamery has been here serving both Supernaturals and humans.  We welcome all, unless they are causing a disturbance.  Unfortunately, you are causing a disruption sir.  I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Gladly!"  He threw down his napkin and stormed outside.

"Don't worry dear.  Some are just peachy today. Probably because of the recent shootings and the decline in Supernatural population."  Madge, an elderly and plump lady, patted me on the back.  She is a Supernatural, but she is nice.  Madge is a descendant of a naiad and possesses some control over fresh water.  Her power is not very strong however.

"Thanks Madge.  I hope I can meet more pleasant characters."

"I bet you do."  She hobbles off, carrying her cup of fresh spring water with her.  Honestly, I don't know why she would go to a creamery if all she orders is water.

After three hours of working, I take a break.  I tell my mom that I am going to the Center, which is basically a place that is alive twenty four hours every single day.  The market is there and I really feel the need to socialize with people after being cooped up in the creamery for two days.  I wanted to have an actual conversation with them.

I passed the food section of the market and headed to the area where all the children were.  But all the kids were silent.  A storyteller entranced them with his wonderful tale, telling them about how he battled dragons, fought against ogres, and tried out an exotic drink called coffee.  The children oohed and ahhed at everything.  What a wonderful hero!  What a risky adventure!

When I was little, I used to be just like them.  But here they were, fantasizing about becoming warriors or travelers, when they had to either be Turned or enslaved as soon as they reached the age of seventeen.

I leaned against a stone wall, smiling and reminiscing the memories of me listening to the very same storyteller.  His words were like a web, trapping me into the story.  I battled against the relentless storms, escaped from a band of crafty thieves, and jumped down a cliff to flee from a dictator and his ruthless kingdom.

But alas, it was not true.  I was always sucked back to reality because like everything else, even a story, has an ending.  

"Hello," I say quietly to the storyteller, as he got up.  The children had already dispersed and left to join their parents, probably to inform them on what adventure they took today.  

He smiled, wrinkling his already ancient face.  "Ah, the girl who arrived the earliest and left the latest.  I remember you."

I blushed at his acknowledgement of me.  I didn't think he knew I existed.

"That's me."

He looked like he was going to say something to me, but it was interrupted when someone came shouting down the block.  "They're here!  The rebels are here and they're doing an attack in this market!  Run!"

I looked at the storyteller but he had already disappeared.  Already, I see shootings and war cries.  It was the rebels.  

Head pounding, feet pattering, I raced down the block, desperate to escape the fatal shots of the laser shooter.