Chimera

Prelude
Emptiness. An oblivion of lost hope. That is what I feel every time I look at her. Giving up, yet holding on. Needing something to cling to, even though it scorches my fingertips. She's a lost cause, but there's no way I'm giving up on her. Scouring over ideologies about this, needing something. A single response, is all I need... but that one thing, I'm not getting. No jumping heart rate, no out of order breath. Nothing. The phone trills it's angry voice. I pick up, knowing exactly who it is. Before even a greeting was said, the words across the other line were "Are you sure you want to bring him in? This may be traumatizing for him."
I sighed as I stared at the wall, reminiscing of what used to be. With a heavy heart I replied "He's all we've got."

Chapter 1

The dry, yellow dust sweeps through yet again, A Greyhound bus that carried Freedom Riders burns after being set ablaze by Ku Klux Klan into the auburn, scraggly pit. I stop to catch my breath, finally hidden in the cover of the trees. The standing poles of bark and leaves have always acted as my protectors, but on this particular evening, I feel more alone than ever. Although I suppose I always have been.
My name is Talia, I'm sixteen, and that is all I know.
I've been running my whole life, and I've been to many different places. Not by my choosing of course; I never control where I go. It's kind of hard to explain. I don't just bounce around from places on earth, I bounce from planet to planet, past to present, present to future, human to alien and anywhere in between. Something always triggers my "bouncing", as I like to call it, but I can never remember what. All I know is the last place I was excruciatingly painful, and I'd rather not remember it, but I need to remember them, otherwise I fear I'll lose my mind.
The last place I was was in Germany, 1944, in one of the most brutal Nazi concentration camps on the planet. I was a French spy, a field agent, in charge of finding information that could be of use to the U.S. or Great Britain. We were cornered one night, trying to get a glimpse of any weaknesses that the Germans may have had in their defenses towards concentration camps. It wasn't a solo mission, I was with a girl named Belle. We weren't careful enough while climbing into a tree. The spotlight was shone directly on us, and Belle was shot instantly. I don't know why they didn't take me; now I wish they would have.
That's another thing about my "adventures", someone always dies. Always. And the funny thing is, I can always tell who it's going to be seconds after I meet them. That's why this time I am determined to stay away from people, or any life forms. If hiding out in the woods every night and nearly starving to death means that someone will live to see another day, you can bet your ass I'll do it. But somehow I can't stay far enough away. Even a planet isn't far enough away. It's like I'm magnetically attracted to them. They always find me.
I can never keep them alive.
Sleep overpowers me, although being strapped to a tree is certainly not the most comfortable of beds. With the birds serenading me, I close my eyes, giving in to the exhaustion. Hoping, as always, that it will have all been just a dream.

* * *

I dash into the room, I knew that they would call. And I see the body.
Beautiful.
I walk to the bed and it gasps. Just like it does everytime I come. It's nothing different, but it's the closest thing to movement they've seen. That's all it does. It gasps once, then nothing. Complete silence. Almost like it dies. But I know it hasn't. And it never will, if I have any say in it.

* * *

I wake up to an odd noise, my heart still pounding from the nightmare that had revived itself from deep in my memory, I look down, still unsure of my surroundings. And then I see them. Wolves, or what appear to be wolves, sitting at the bottom of my tree, growling up at me. Food for the picking, if they could just get it to come down. I know I'm trapped. I look across the way, gazing at a branch that maybe I could reach if I stretched for it. Looking down, I see the wolves, glistening teeth and amber eyes, relying on me to be their next meal. And without taking another moment to think, I leap for the branch. Not having time to contemplate the jump, as I snag the branch I realize that it isn't strong enough to hold me. I plummet down with the branch still in my grasp. Barely missing the wolves, I hit the ground and roll out of the plummet bursting into a run.
Instantly, they are on my tail. I duck under branches, dodge trees, leap over streams, but no matter what I do, they are still right there. Adrenaline can only take you so far, and I started to realize it as my legs slowed. Feeling their breath on my back, I beg my legs to propel faster. But I know it's no use. I gasp and feel one nip at my calf. And in that second, I'm down. Flashing teeth and vicious claws consume me. I kick and claw as best I can, but I'm vastly outnumbered.
Suddenly, I'm yanked out from behind. I hear a deafening boom, and abruptly I'm dragged to my feet. Half stumbling half sprinting for my life, I look back to see a wolf laying on the ground writhing in pain. I skid, slamming my feet into the ground to stop. All the wolves have stopped their pursuit, circling the wounded wolf. Whimpering silently, I could see the pain in it's eyes. They seemed to look straight through me, and I watch without a sound as the glorious life in it's eyes leave and never return.