A Rooted Reality [OSC story]

Chapter 8: mourning

I emerged from the portal and the room was slightly lit. I looked around and saw darkness but there was one person who shone in it.

"Ah, you finally came back. And I see your bracelet has been broken." Mr. Winn looked me up and down with a sour expression.

"Oh! sir, hello. I'm not late am I?" I muttered.

He started chuckling, "what did you do with the bracelet?" Completely ignoring my concern.

"It.. well uh- broke? Got bitten off-" I stammered half telling the truth.

"Hm, is our machinery weak compared to them..? I wonder how they could've done that." He mumbled to himself.

I stood there rocking on my heels, nervous what would come out of his mouth next. It's crazy how my mood flipped when I came back; he scared me. His power over me.. what was his goal for this? Why treat me like dirt! He took everything away from me, my body, my decisions, my privacy, whats next?

"Sir?.." I tried to get his attention to me.

"Ah yes; forgot you were here for a moment." He groaned. "Noelle!" He shouted sternly.

Noelle rushed in the room barely carrying the books in her hands.

"I'm here! What do you need sir?" She asked and glanced around the room. Her face dropped when she saw me.

"Can you take it to the greenhouse? Thank you." Mr. Winn sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Uhm, I thought I wouldn't be near it anymore- the thing tried to attack me!" She worried and looked at me in fear.

"Just do it! You were the closest near. And I wasn't asking, It's an order. I don't have time for this.." he grumbled and walked out of the room standing straight.

We kept looking at each other until I spoke up. I never got to finish my conversation from last time. I walked closer to her and she backed away slowly clicking her heels on the ground.

"What happened to you? I guess you treat me just like him. Attacked you? I didn't do anything to you; just spinning the story to make me look bad. Do you not care what they do to me? I'm not some.. some toy to play around with! I'm a person. I have thoughts, feelings, and.. and a family.. my family.." I teared up at the thought of the last bit.

I realized they probably didn't know what was happening, no one tried to call me- well not that I know of. Are they ok? Without me..? If they saw me like this would they treat me like them.

"Your not a person anymore. Your not anything." Noelle spoke, put down her books then grabbed me by my pot.

She held me in her hands like a cat, slowly walking out of the room. My mind was numb and I couldn't think, I'm not anything? What does she mean by that.. We soon arrived at the greenhouse. There was apparently a small room attached at the front closed off from the plants; it had a small bed, a table stand, and a barely working television. Ram was asleep in the bed, snoring with his foot off the bed.

Noelle set me down on the ground and left immediately saying nothing. I sat down and started sobbing, covering my mouth so I didn't make too much noise. I felt little prickling of my short fur going against my face, it made me feel alien. In a way she was right, I'm not a person. I'm a freak.

After a couple of minutes I noticed my suitcase by the door. It was open and a few belongings were took out, but I weakly smiled at the site of it. I decided to lay down in it; my old clothes now just used for cushioning. I sighed and gripped on the cloth; slowly falling asleep.

—

I felt slight nudges when I woke up. It was Ram, he was telling me to get up.

"Hey, Hey Oscar. Wake up, I think you might wanna see this." He worried.

I opened my eyes and yawned. "What's so important?" I groaned.

Ram's hand gestured to the television. What I saw made me choke.

"Oscar Cecil, intern for Stellar corp. has been confirmed as dead. The young engineer apparently had a heart attack while working, passing away in front of fellow Stellar corp. employees..." the television boomed.

Something then and there made me just snap. I started zoning out the other things they were saying and just staring at the images they put across the screen. I started sobbing and I fell to my knees. I wasn't dead! This didn't happen at all!

My younger sister appeared on the screen, along with my parents. They looked devastated that their son died. But I didn't.. I'm right here! I wanted to call them, all I could think of is just calling my parents. Them of all people, why tell them I'm dead? I don't care what you say but don't tell them I'm dead. Hell, tell them the truth! Tell them what happened to me!

Ram's arms wrapped around me for a hug. I just stood there with tears streaming down my face.

"I'm so sorry. You don't deserve this." He whispered in my ear softly.

"Why do things keep getting worse.. why are they doing this, it's insane!" I choked in between sobs.

Ram nodded agreeing with me. He soon got up and grabbed the old phone on the wall. I looked up at him in shock.

"I don't care if I get fired for this. What they are doing to you is wrong! Your parents at least deserve to know." He handed me the phone slowly.

"No, I can't let you risk your job just for me! Maybe it's better off them thinking i'm dead." I sighed.

"Shut up and use the damn phone, you deserve it more then any of us." He grabbed my small hand and put the phone in it.

I smiled and wiped my tears away. I shakily entered the numbers on the device and entered call. A ringing sound repeated, it tried to get to the other line. Please, someone answer.

"Hello?" A voice answered from the phone. It was my mom.

I choked to find the right words, "mom? Is that you?"

There was silence on the other end for a couple seconds till she replied "is this some sort of sick joke?"

"No! mom, please it's me, Oscar. I'm alive I'm not dead! What they said about me was faked.. they have me locked up in this place. I probably will never be able to see you again, I just want to tell you I love you. I miss you so much." I whimpered fidgeting with the phone cord.

"this can't be possible.. your alive? How?" She said in shock on the other line.

"Stellar Corp. they changed me, they made me enter some machine they made and it.. it.. made me become something. A creature from another planet; it changed my body.. They have been treating me like some sort of item. They didn't want anyone to know so they covered it up with me dying. I cant get out of here, please.. just don't tell anyone." I mumbled in fear glancing at the door like someone would walk in at any moment.

"Oscar, sweetie, calm down. Your gonna be alright." My mom said comfortably.

"It's not though. It's getting worse, every day they take something from me; they took you away from me. I miss you, mom." I told her.

"Stellar corp. told me to come by on the weekend, to pick up your belongings. If you can somehow get to the front maybe I can see you." I could hear her choking up on the other end.

"I don't think you would want to see me, you'll think I'm some sort of freak. I look unrecognizable, even if you saw me I don't think you would know it even is me.." I mumbled ashamed, looking down at my strange feet.

"I don't care how you look! Your my son, just knowing your alive is something for me.." she assured.

I smiled and cried, this time in joy. I was going to hopefully see my mom, for one last time.