The Experiments: Extraordinary

Chapter 16: Andrew

Chapter 16: Andrew 

    My lips are numb for kissing her. I shouldn't have kissed her back. She can’t get attached to me. I have too much baggage and I shouldn't bring her down with me. Hell, I shouldn't have even kissed her that night at her house. But why did I? 

    Because I am a selfish bastard. That’s why. 

    It won’t end well for her if we make it out of this place, I tell myself. But I refuse to listen to my conscious and instead I wrap my arm around her, puller her closer to me as we sit on the floor of the cell we are locked in. 

    “What do you make of the person who carved into these walls? Do you thing the person ever made it out?” Maia finally speaks. With that question that escapes her lips, I decide to tell her. Not everything of course, but most of it. 

    “I think he was locked in this cell for nearly a year with no one to talk to except the occasional conversation he had with the kid who was locked in the cell adjacent to this one. He escaped though. I’m certain of that.” I say, looking forward. Maia shifts in my arms and looks at me.

    “How are you so sure?” She asks.

    “Because I did all the carvings. All forty two letters.” I’m surprised to see that her expression has not changed at all. I raise an eyebrow at her, questioning her calmness.

    “I assumed that you had been here before. Considering you seem to have a personal relationship with nearly everyone outside of these bars. I didn't think it was long…” Her voice trails off.

    “I grew up in Brownsville, a sad little town in Texas, which is probably the reason why I received this mutation. Lived in a little shack with my parents and my older sister. My dad was an ass,  a drunk and basically just a terrible guy who would beat on my mom for no given reason.” I look over at Maia who has a pity look in her eye which is what I was afraid of but I continue anyways. “When I was ten, um, he was killed and I was accused of being his murderer. It wasn't true but there was too much evidence against me to prove me innocent. My idiot lawyer made me pled insane because it would benefit me apparently. So then I was thrown in a government controlled asylum for mentally disturbed kids and stayed there for a few months then one of the doctors noticed the abnormality in my blood so I was taken here to this lovely laboratory in the middle of these Pennsylvanian woods .” I drag out the sarcasm then don’t say anything for while. Maia stays still next to me and I’m afraid to see her reaction to what I just told her. 

    I finally work up the courage to look at her and realize that her eyes are glossy and wide. Her lips are curled in and her hands are clasped together tightly in her lap. “That’s….that’s awful. I’m so sorry. I just don’t know what else to say.” Maia finally speaks but her voice is almost inaudible. I turn myself towards her and remove my arm from her shoulder. 

    “Maia, stop. Please don't give me your pity. I told you because I couldn't keep it anymore. It was destroying me from the inside.”

    “How long did they keep you here?”

    “Eight months. Damian was the only thing that kept me from going completely insane.” I tell her. I already told her what I needed to but I just keep going. I have no idea what it is about her that makes me want to spill out my entire life. This life that I’ve kept from everyone I’ve ever known. 

    “You two were friends? It seemed as if you hate each other.” I knew she would ask the question but I just thought I’d be prepared to answer it.