Project: HYBRID

[2] Spiral [2]

Exhausted, afraid and mourning Nari stumbled down the other side of the hill, trying to hold herself together. The men had stopped their pursuit of her, now all she had to do was make it the rest of the way in the winter storm. She wanted her sister back, he heart ached more than it ever had before. The last time she felt this hurt was when her mother went off with the men in the black suits and never returned, even though she said she would.

The wind and harshness were only getting worse, Nari was struggling to move forward, and the pain was starting to catch up as the adrenaline began wearing off. Nausea crept in, her vision was slowly becoming more blurred and her eyes burned with loss and despair. ''No.. Please just a little more'' she whispered out to anyone and no one. She was alone, for the first time, and she thought her heart might shatter into a million pieces. It throbbed, and ached, she felt her stomach twist threatening to make her throw up.

She saw buildings ahead, with small little lights and tall posts. But the world began spinning like she was on some sickening ride. Her body gave out and she dropped. Nothing to break the fall as she quickly went down the steep hill crashing into shrubs and rocks. Too weak to stop herself. An inevitable downward spiral of destruction. She cried out weakly but no one would hear.

Then the world around her became black.

-

Nari was back in the institute, running around with all of her siblings happily chasing each other. Rina was there, healthy, happy and most importantly alive, with everyone. A great huge grin on her face exposing one of her canines. Their siblings still sometimes confused the two so Rina had her hair cut to a shorter length whilst Nari could keep hers a lot longer. ''This way no one can mistake us!'' Rina cheered and ran into her arms with pure excitement and glee. She giggled in response, nothing else mattered right now.

Everything shifted and she was now back with Rina watching one of their brothers being shot down, they saw him again after a couple of days. He was different. Monotone, expressionless and he no longer laughed and made jokes. Rina could never understand what happened. But more and more of their brothers and sisters were taken away and came back similar. Soon they were all tested regularly and had blood taken from them. Sometimes they were injected with strange things. When Nari tried to ask questions the adult would brush her off and warn her not to ask too many.

But recently some were having reactions, good and bad reactions to whatever they were being given. She saw flashes of different test labs and rooms. Walking past bays with others with tubes in their arms. Some thrashed around but were quickly put out again. Then she remembered the side effects of the substance. At first, it was dull nausea, and sickness and her bones felt weak. But the strangest thing was when she was around others, she no longer felt the energy to mingle with the others and simply watched Rina play. But now and then someone would come over and go ''Rina I thought you were somewhere else'' But her hair was different.

When she would go to check the mirror her vision was always a little fuzzy, but then she would see her normal reflection. Confusion overwhelmed her, she didn't look that similar to her sister anymore. Nari hid whatever side effects she felt, this was because those who she had seen have outbursts were quickly swept away by the men. Another flash went by when she witnessed one of the girls having a severe episode of the effects. She was crying and throwing her body to the ground in anger. When she raised her head and made eye contact with Nari, she lunged forward. This time her eyes had turned black, and there were strange crooked horns on her head that pointed to the sky. Only small ones but enough to see them coming through. Out of fear, she threw her hands out in front, she felt a surge of energy go through her. The girl in front had collapsed onto the floor, Nari felt her body become lighter and a little stronger but she was in complete shock.

She couldn't tell them the truth, lying was the only way that was going to keep her from being mauled by needles and equipment. So she kept quiet, waking up and avoiding contact with the adults as much as possible. Another flash went by and everything darkened.

''This will work won't it sis?'' Rina asked with trembling hands. ''Of course, we will go to paradise together don't you worry'' She grinned back. She was ready to leave and find help to rescue the others. But another flash happened straight after, the men in black suits armed and firing at their siblings as they all rushed to the exit. Some made it past and managed to run, some had their own injuries and wouldn't survive long out there. Nari and Rina snuck past and dashed towards the mountains and screams and shouts filled the air around them. Chaos, utter chaos. Rina tripped over her brothers and sisters lying on the floor scraping her knee.

Rina turned back to see others falling and being dragged back, a catastrophic failure. Nari pulled her along and told her to face forward. They were out. ''We did it, sis!'' Rina called out in glee. ''Not yet we need to get over the mountain, then we are free, we will both be free Ri'' They both grinned. Nari looked down at her sister and shock overwhelmed her. ''Ri we need to get you help, your knee looks bad''.

''It's okay sis, truly I am so happy right now it doesn't even hurt'' Rina giggled back. That was a lie and Nari knew it. Then she saw her sister's face as she lay on the icy snow, tears falling but a weak smile to reassure her. It was all her fault, she was the reason Rina was no longer here.

-

Nari's eyes snapped open, she jolted awake and sat up quickly in panic. Making her wince in pain with the wounds over her body. She had no idea where she was. 

But she was not alone.