Waiting for Amber Skyy

Chapter 10

CW // Drowning

I never had the experience of drowning before. Not even from old, past events I tried to remember. So this was new for me.

I thrashed around in the tank, screaming to only let more water into my lungs. I felt a tingling sensation at my feet. They were going numb. The sensation started traveling up my body and I closed my eyes, begging to stay alive. When I opened them, the corners of my vision were turning black, ready to envelop me. I was going to die. There was no use of me. They didn't care. They never cared. The tingling sensation reached my finger tips and my chest, almost to my neck. The beating slowed to nothing; it was over. I was done.

I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes.

...

...

Badump.

...

...

Hold on.

...

...

Badump.

...

Is that... my heart beating?

I peeled one eye open and slowly put a hand to my chest. My heart was beating. I was alive. Wait, am I? I opened both eyes and stared around me.    

I was still in the tank.

I was still in the water.

And I was alive.

I saw the people outside nod and write down on their clipboards. A pair of them exchanged high fives. I could see some of their mouths moving excitedly. What is going on? How am I alive? In water? With no air- oh god. Oh god oh god.

I could breathe underwater.

That was their intention all along. It made sense, considering the odd bruise like things on my body. They weren't bruises, they were scales. It was like I was part fish. They made me part fish. This was their doing, and as much as I hated them for turning me into a freak, it was quite awesome. I closed my eyes and focused on how exactly I was breathing. How was the water getting out of my body? I needed to know before they do this to me again!

Before I could think of ideas, I felt a gush of wind by my feet and looked down then up. They were draining the tank. Well crap. Maybe breathing in through my nose- I gagged. I coughed. Once the tank completely drained, I curled up on the floor coughing my guts out. The door opened but I didn't bother to look up.

"Swallow this."

I glanced up, my body shaking as one of the scientists handed me a glass of water. I narrowed my eyes at him, pressing my body against the tank. He sighed and called over the wolf guy. He pulled me out and pinned my arms behind my back. Shakily standing outside, drenched to the bone, the white coat opened my mouth and got me to swallow while pinching my nose. I thought I was going to gag again, but I heard small splashes of water land on the floor by my feet. Wha-huh?

"I see, they come out of her neck," a person said and I blinked in wonder. Say what now? The guy in front of me stepped back as a female scientist reached over towards my neck. I snapped at her, she retreated, but the wolf guy yanked my head back quickly. I lightly whimpered as the lady ran her fingers around my neck.

"There's no holes that I feel, they must be microscopic. Imagine that! A hybrid like this being able to do that," she said with a smile.

"And imagine, once her wings develop," another grinned. They all gathered around me as I shook from the endeavor and the cold. They looked at me like I was a trophy or a prized possession to have. Hah! I was a freak, and they were grinning at me like the psychos they really were. If only they could've told me what I had to do, maybe I wouldn't have almost drowned! But now I knew how, but I had a feeling of what was to come next.

I shakily crawled back into my cage, tugging the soaked gown around me to try and keep warm. Before they closed the cage, though, a thick towel landed at my feet. I dove into it, rolling myself in it in happiness. Well, they weren't that bad. At least they didn't want me to freeze to death. I closed my eyes as they rolled me back to the prison room. I rubbed my face against the fabric, bringing back a memory of when I was a kid and would snuggle up next to my parents in their bed during a lightning storm. I could manage the thunder, but the bright flashes of light scared the hell out of me. Their blanket felt similar to the fabric of the towel, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Amber?" I heard Leon say next to me. His tone sounded like he was confused as hell to why I was smiling, soaking, and had a towel on me. "Amber... what... what happened to you?"

I couldn't stifle my chuckle and looked at him with a newfound hope in my eyes, "I can breathe underwater!"