Overwatch (editing)

Godliness

11

The Overlord takes Kassandra's handguns and shoots her in the back of the head with one of them. Aware of her regeneration, he orders his masked men to impale her with a dozen wooden stakes as he leaves.

They obey.

They laugh and ignite the trees nearby. Kassandra doesn't move, even though a branch falls and lights the grass near her. The last of Overlord's men spits on her before following his master.

Infected had grown curious of the sudden warmth and trundle nearby. Several bushes surround the vanquished vampire. The bushes whisper to one another as ash thickens the air. The bushes are restless. Their leaves fall to the ground, revealing the men they concealed.

"My lady, my lady!" Mr. Wen cries as the jungle caves in and the infected encircle them.

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"Your immune system has almost been cleared, but we can't let you out until we are sure you've completely overcome the infection," the doctor tells me, "Sorry."

I'm literally itching to get out. There is no shower or toilet in the hypersonic chamber because it must be sealed for the treatment to work. This'll be the one and only period in my life I willingly use a litter box.

It's been days since I've seen sunlight or the moon I love so dearly. There isn't much to do in my bubble beside eating and sleeping.

My parents came to see me earlier. I wasn't at all surprised my dad talked excitedly, or that my mom stood by a little bored.

Really, it all feels a little fantastic, to know my parents accept me for who I've chosen to be - Kiersten's Catman. But the chamber's thick glass feels very real to me.

As of last week, I'm banned from participating in the Olympics, my dad tells me, and from playing most international sports because I'm not recognized as a human. My dad sort of says these news with a hidden need to chuckle at the ridiculousness of it all. I smile with him as he tells me more petty, irrelevant things. Whatever keeps him from breaking down in tears. Because if he cries, I will too. My face is dirty enough as it is.

The doctors had many questions as to how and why I exist. Of course, my mom stepped forward and revealed everything.

She pretended not to understand their English at first then insisted, in nervous Spanish, my dad is actually my dad.

You're stronger than you thought you were and just needed your eyes opened, I felt her say. I was completely off-guard because she and my dad were in the middle of refusing the doctors their pee.

I have no doubt in my mind that my dad is my dad. You're playing them all so perfectly, I told my mother. She did not reply and avoided my gaze as she wished me goodbye.

The doctors, disappointed they could not get answers out of either of my parents, request I let them examine me at the end of my hypersonic treatment. I consent on the condition they don't publish their research until either I turn 65 or die (I hope they don't try to murder me).

First they take hundreds of measurements of my human form then thousands of my werecat form. They take X-ray upon X-ray upon X-ray, first as Felix and then as the Night Cat. The doctors dimension every part of my body, including the length of my eyelashes, the maximum angle my arms can extend, and even my hind paws' max pushing force.

The doctors work excitedly, never wasting a more than a minute to jot down some observation about my neck, paws, cat ears, or personality. I talk to them as they work; they are nice people with families and always let me know how amazing I am. They ask me questions I have trouble answering, but I help them the best I can.