The Lab

Chapter 5

I slowly opened my eyes, my vision blurry. I groaned clutching my side, it stung really bad. I could hear my breath rise and fall slowly. Where was I? On a lab bed? In my cell? I blinked my vision still blurred. My vision finally started to come into focus, but I immediately started to squint because of the blinding light. Oh god, my head. They pain hit me like someone was squishing my brain to look like a pancake. I sat up and held my head in my hands. I took deep breaths it surprisingly, slowly calming down. I sighed which sounded very shaky. I blinked again looking around seeing I was back in the same old place. I looked down seeing I was wearing brand new clothes. It was just a plain white t-shirt, and a pair of jeans. I guess the labbies knew my bland sense of style too. 

I winced lifted my shirt up to see a giant bandage on my side. I tried to remember how that happened again. Right, when Kitsune was in that insane state she had clawed me, bad. I hope she's all right. Wait, where were they. I looked around and spotted Erin asleep on the floor. She had a huge bandage on her arm and was still wearing her same old clothes. I sighed wishing I had never gone into that shop. Wishing she had ran. I looked over to where Kitsune hopefully was too. 

She was sitting in the corner of her cell, hugging her legs staring at the floor. 

"Kitsune." I said quietly. She shifts her eyes toward me, not leaving her corner though. I crawl over and sit down in a corner too. We sit in silence for a long time, not talking to each other. Suddenly, to my surprise Kitsune speaks first. 

"I attacked her, and I attacked you." She said grimly. "I'm sorry Lucy. I couldn't do anything." I turn my head to her knowing how she felt. "Why... why do you think they did that to us?" I ask hoping it's not a bad time to ask. She shrugs and quickly turns her back to me. Yeah, bad timing. I sighed morphing slowly. I yearned so bad to be back out in the open. I've been changed so much. I no longer had to worry about school, what I wanted to do as an adult, silly crushes at school, because that old Lucy died a long time ago. Now it was, what was I going to eat tonight? What would we have to do this winter to survive? Where should we sleep tonight? I sighed laying down on the cold white floor. I curled my head in towards my chest and wrapped my tail around myself. I probably looked like giant gray and blonde furball on the floor. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. 

I had a dream where I was in a warm, soft bed. My hair was clean, and I was clean. I jumped out of my bed wearing a baggy t-shirt and comfy plaid pants. I was back in my old bedroom I realized. Same old loft bedroom, with Mae's bed, mine, our dresser, and other stuff you find in a bedroom I guess. I ran downstairs and immediately the smell of pancakes and bacon hit me. My mouth watered at the smell. I came into the kitchen, sunlight pouring through the window. My dad, my mom and my sister were all waiting for me smiling. I ran up to them tears filling in my eyes, hugging them. We all stood there in a big group hug and smiled glad I was home. 

Suddenly I woke with a start seeing I was back to reality. My face felt wet with tears and I whipped then away quickly. I looked at my hands seeing I had turned human again. I looked over seeing Kitsune was asleep on the floor. 

"Lucy. Are you ok?" I turn my head to see Erin has finally woken up. 

"No. How's your arm" I ask changing the subject. She looks at her bandaged arm and shrugs. "Erin. Are you scared of us now?" I ask nervously. I didn't want to be thought of as a freak or monster, even though I was. 

"W-what? Oh... well. I was scared in the arena. Why.. why did you guys do that?" 

"Whatever they injected into us, if you saw them do that. I had no control of what I did. I couldn't escape whatever they did to me. But when they knocked me out.. I remember one guard saying 'the vaccination wasn't supposed to do that." I don't know what purpose they had planned, but apparently what they had planned backfired. Erin... I'm so so sorry. I would never want to hurt anyone."

"Lucy, it's okay." she said in a calm voice.

"No it's not!" I scream suddenly. "You don't get what's its like being us!" I snarled. I roared launched myself forward toward Erin. She screamed falling back, away from me. I clawed at the glass, snapping wildly at empty air. I glanced over at my hand seeing it hand turned into a furry paw. I back away noticing claw marks along the glass. Erin laid on the ground trembling. My vision grew blurry and laid down on the floor and wept. 

"I'm sorry Erin." I whimpered. "I'm so sorry.. I'm a monster."