Mutations

Mutations: ~ Chapter Thirteen ~

Mutations:

~ Chapter Thirteen ~

It turned out that "As soon as possible" meant the next morning.   

Eric woke me up extra early that day, and I was all but herded out of my bed like a sheep, and into what I thought would be my normal routine.

I was surprised when I came out from the shower to see new clothes folded on my bed. They had a new smell to them, instantly giving away that they weren't taken from my wardrobe. The fabric was smooth to touch, and unlike the usual material I was given to wear.

And the clothes were all black, not like my royal blue.

The pants glued themselves to me like a second skin, I could tell by the way that they instantly projected warmth that they were fashioned out of an advanced thermal fabric. The material had a leather like shine to it, and I decided that I liked the smooth silkiness of it against my skin.

The zip up sweater was designed with the same material. I didn't need to wear one of my own camisoles beneath it, I knew I would be warm enough without one, but I was feeling sentiment.

I wanted to take something from home with me.

My brows rose when I realized they had even gone as far as prepping me with a new pair of boots. I hated breaking in new boots. They looked like winter ones, and made out of a heavy leather with strong nylon laces. They went above my ankle and immediately bathed my feet in a warmth that made me squirm.

God this felt awful.

Even as I brushed the knots out of my curling hair, I could feel a sinking dread at the bottom of my stomach. Pain filled me as my eyes glazed over the contents of my room nostalgically. Five was right, it was kind of bare.

But it had been my room for as long as I could remember, leaving it behind felt like I was abandoning a part of myself. It made my mood drop, as worry, and sadness, panged through me.

What if I didn't settle in the new place? Or, what if they don't accept me for who I am?

Nevertheless, there was a certain degree of excitement that bubbled somewhere inside me. For the first time, I would be leaving the compound, and seeing a different view instead of these glass walls, and modeled gardens.

The more I thought about it, the more overjoyed I became. My imagination took me dangerous places as I pictured where we would be taken. I wondered if I would be able to see human civilization where I was going, maybe even interact with them! Or if it was a building where I could at least see out into somewhere, anywhere!

This compound we were based in the middle of nowhere, and although I loved nature, I had nothing but digital pictures to compare it to.

"Six, are you ready yet?" Eric pressed, stepping back into my room just as I slipped the old bottle cap into my pocket. I don't even remember keeping it, but it must have been important if I did it, "It's nearly time to leave. You have to eat something beforehand, so move it along."

Something in Eric's behaviour had changed but I put it down to stress, this must be hard on him too. I finished tucking my hair into place, and followed him out, giddy with excitement.

Surprise swelled through me, when Eric cupped my small hand in his large one. He hadn't done that since I was a little girl, I didn't realize how much I'd missed it.

His hands were calloused from all of the years of work he had done but I found them warm, and comforting. I smiled up at him but he didn't look at me, dark eyes trained ahead of us as we walked.