New beginnings

Chapter 1

The last thing I remember before this lab is a memory of my mother and her delicious beef stew. The night I was abducted from my home my mom had spent the whole day preparing the stew. This time she let me help her prepare by cutting up some of the vegetables and getting things from the cabinets. I remember the smile on her face as we joked around in the kitchen: God I wish I could see her smile again. The stew was done around eight o'clock and we were set down at the table by eight-thirty. My mom stared at me until I took the first bite. She always did this when we ate. She would tell me it's to make sure I still liked her cooking; she was silly in that way.

After we finished dinner, I helped her clean up the kitchen. By this time, it was time for me to go to bed. So, mom ushered me off to my room and tucked me in. Before she left my room, she kissed my forehead and told me she loved me. Not too long after I was fast asleep. But when I awoke, I wasn't in my room anymore. I woke up to bright lights, blaring in my face with my arms and legs strapped down to a table. I began looking around frantically and calling for my mom, but she never came. Instead, a tall bald lanky man appeared in the room. He had gloves on his hands, and he was flicking a long needle. He looked up from the needle and said, "There's no use in calling for your mom, she won't be coming for you." Then he began laughing as he approached me with the needle. I began screaming for help but to no avail, it never came.

That was 12 years ago now and I'm approaching my twenty-first birthday now. Every year at least once a month the same man would strap me to that same table and inject me with something. At first, there were no effects, which made the man terribly angry sometimes. Until one day I began to feel this intense pain in my shoulders. The man thought I was just fooling around so I could trick him. That is until hours passed by of me crying in agony. So, he finally took me out of my room to examine me. While he dragged me down the hall to the examination room the pain only intensified. We were not even halfway there when I crumpled to the ground practically howling in pain. Then it happened, giant six feet wings erupted from my back and sprawled across the floor. The last thing I remember from that day is the man happily shouting, "It worked, it finally worked!"

Over the years he's brought on more subjects, but they never made it. Well at least until last year when he brought Jules in. I think, she made it because she was so stubborn. When she first came in, she would constantly try and break away from the guards and that lanky man. Always crashing into things yelling and kicking. At first, I only saw her through the window in my door. Then after a few months, they allowed us to eat our meals together in a different room of the lab. For at least a week of that she would not say anything to me while we ate, she just glared at me as if I were the reason she was there. Then one day out of nowhere she looks up at me and says, "So, I'm guessing you weren't born with those huh?" I was taken aback and choked on my food. Which I guess, she thought was funny because I caught a slight grin across her face. Once I gathered myself, I replied, "Nope, got these from them and whatever the hell they've been injecting me with." It's quiet for a bit before she says, "Did it hurt... You know when they started coming in?" I looked down at my plate and pushed my food around with my fork before answering. "It felt like I was going to die, I was in pain for hours until finally they just shot out of my back." I paused to get a look at her face to try and see what she was thinking before continuing. "Every time I've had a growth spurt—." I was cut off by the bell that tells us mealtime is over and the guards rushing in to haul us off to our duties.

My first duty of the day was hand to hand combat with this guy named ralph. I know I probably shouldn't think this but ralph is cool. Whenever I have hand to hand, he always slips in a joke or two to lighten things up. Plus, he's not as rigid as the other workers here, I guess he seems more human you could say. Although today I wasn't as focused on my duty and Ralph could tell. In fact, I was so distracted that he was able to knock me off my feet in one swift hit. Once I was on my feet, he began to ask me what was going on.

"So kid, what's got you off your game? You're usually able to keep up with me." He says this as he picks up a bottle of water. I stare at him for a second before replying, "It's the new girl Jules. She's the only one besides me to last this long and we've started talking at mealtime. It's just I'm worried when I get used to her is when she'll be gone." Ralph looks at me with this long look of empathy. A look on him that I've never seen before (yep, human). As he sets his water down, he says, "Well kid, best I can say is don't let yourself get too attached to anyone here. Not even myself, I've learned that over the years working here and it's for the best."

After my talk with Ralph, it was time for my other duties of the day. They all droned on just like the first one did. I just couldn't get her out of my mind, the thought of her going through what I didn't sit right with me. But soon enough mealtime was here and even though I was worn out from today I still managed to have some excitement to see Jules.

As usual, the guards came and lead me to our meal room, and another worker brought my food to the table. A few minutes had passed after that, and I began to worry about her until I remembered what Ralph said. So, I focused on my meal and let myself relax. Clang! I look up startled, low and behold it's her with a big ole grin on her face. "Ha, you should have seen the look on your face! You looked so scared." She said as she sat down abruptly and at once started scarfing her food. I smiled at her and continued to eat my dinner. I guess she noticed something was off because she says, "What's up with you, get your ass kicked in hand to hand or something?" I shake my head and look up, "Uh, no that's not it." She nudges my arm and says, "Well go on then tell me what's got you turned all inside out." I look at her funny, "I was just thinking about how aside from me you're the only one who's lasted this long. If what they're giving you is anything like they've given me, it should be kicking in anytime now. I'm just worried about what it'll do to you." She's quiet for a moment and her eyes dart around the room before she replies. "Hey, what are you worrying about me for? Do you see me? I can handle what they throw at me times ten, you've got nothing to worry about." She looks me up and down and then says, "Well except for those, there's no way you could hide those in the real world."

I let out a heavy laugh, something I haven't done in a long time. I go to say something back but before I could that damn bell goes off like clockwork and our lovely escorts come in. As they're leading us out, I manage to get out, "Until tomorrow?" and without hesitation, I hear Jules yelling down the hallway, "Without a doubt dude!"

For those of you who were wondering the name's Aaron. Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself in the beginning. But hey at least you know now. Anywho, all I could think about that night as you may have guessed already was Jules. She's made it this far so maybe she'll actually be another one of the scientists' successes (the very few he does have). Well, I bid you adieu until next time.