The Monster

Chapter 11

I sat up in the sleeping bag and stared up at the huge tree in the middle of the dirty glass dome. I brushed my hair out of my face. I yawned, scaring a few colorful birds. They squawked and flew out of a hole from a missing glass pane. I looked over at Andrew who was still fast asleep in his sleeping bag. I shimmied out of my sleeping bag and looked at the pack of feral dogs huddled in the corner. At the abandoned glass dome, animals were everywhere. There was no escaping them, but if we didn't bother them, they wouldn't bother us.

It's been a week since I had been shot and the wound was almost gone. Andrew and I found this place after retrieving all of Xavier's leftover money from a safe in the laboratory. That and a few self-defense and wrestling books. We have been practicing hand-to-hand combat for hours at a time along with gun practice. We snuck into a gun store in the middle of the night and stole an array of weapons. After hearing about a battle that the corporation that rented me out, Monster Manufacture Corp, declared, Andrew and I have been preparing in any way possible. I walked into the old bathroom in the dome.

Apparently, this place had been some research facility for animals and plant life. I looked at the tarnished mirror. My hair had been cut from butt-length to shoulder length. I was stronger and my muscles were more apparent. I turned on the water and washed my face and wet my hair a little bit. I took a dirty hair tie and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. I walked back out to where Andrew and I slept to eat breakfast. I turned on the camping stove and heated up some curry and rice. I put them together in a blue plastic camping bowl and ate my breakfast with a plastic fork. I heard Andrew wake up.

"Morning," I said. He groaned.

"What time is it?" he asked. I looked at the watch on my wrist.

"About eight."

"It's so early."

"Get breakfast. We should practice wrestling today," I said. I finished my breakfast and changed into shorts and a tank-top. Andrew got some of the rice and curry. Once he finished, he walked outside into the field in just his sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I got in my wrestling stance, low to the ground with my legs staggered and my elbows in. Andrew got in the stance. I eyed him, thinking all of the possibilities of taking him down. I lunged at him and grabbed the back of his neck. I shoved my arm under his and ducked under. I clasped my hands in front of him as he tried to escape. I fell backward with Andrew and tossed him to the side. I hurriedly laid on top of him and grabbed onto his wrists. I rolled them under him and shoved my arm through the hole his arm made and placed my hand on his neck. I scampered to his side and rolled him on his back. All the while, he'd been struggling. I successfully pinned him on his back. I sat on my heels. Andrew sat up rubbing the back of his neck.

"I regret everything," he said breathing heavily. I laughed.

"I don't. You want to do target practice later?" I asked.

"Yeah, I could use a little archery and gun and sword practice." I heard something come from the trees a few feet away. I stood up immediately and sniffed. I saw a familiar face.

"Oliver!" I cried. I ran to the big man and gave him a bear hug.

"Novia, how are you?" he asked. Oliver was pretty tall and very muscular. He had tan skin, black hair and eyes so dark they were black. I missed him. To other people, he was a scary guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. To me, he was a big guy who had a soft spot for small, fluffy animal- scratch that, he had a soft spot for animals in general. He also had a soft spot for me.

"I'm doing good," I said. I saw Andrew walk over.

"Andrew, this is Oliver. He's the guy who lived with me and Xavier," I said.

"Xavier and I," Oliver corrected. I laughed and gave him another hug.

"I missed you so much. Where have you been?" I asked.

"I've been planning in a dark apartment, trying to find a way to get you out of prison successfully without alerting the authorities." I smiled.

"It's nice to meet you," Andrew said shaking Oliver's hand. They seemed to get along nicely.

"What have you two being doing?" Oliver asked.

"Well, it all started when I escaped from the business that took me and..." I told Oliver everything. He nodded approvingly at Andrew.

"Thank you for taking care of Novia," he said.

"I have to show you the dome!" I cried. I ran around the entire dome like a small child, showing Oliver everything.