Watchers in the Woods

Chapter 2: The genesis of chaos

Dear reader, my name is Rachel Zane. who am i really? Well, I am the daughter of Richard Zane, the CEO of T.R.R.O.W - The Resistance's Reign On the World. Here's a little taste of what my dad's association does, or well, more of what they did, that caused the world to abhor them.

It was 5 years ago, in the year 2067 when we, humans, realised that animals could outsmart us. They've always strategised and planned their hunts on their preys giving almost zero chance of failure. while we, on the other hand, have been strategising for practically everything but not having much success.

When this realisation reached my dad, he gathered a few of his scientist friends to join him on a quest to find the secret to why and how animals were smarter than us. Initially, when the public knew about this, they were extremely supportive of my dad and his team.

They did experiments on animals of all species, from the kings of the jungle, to the mere beetles that thrive in their shadows. However, my dad took a special liking to wolfs. Yes, wolves. My dad seemed to worship them. He admired their ability to work together harmoniously and the extent of their loyalty that they were willing to die for another in their pack.

Somehow, he managed to persuade the government to hand him 10 wolf pups to experiment on. He started to draw their blood and looking into their genes and DNAs. He did all sorts of experiments on them. Some would even call it illegal.

I would lay in bed as a child, listening to the constant howls of wolves that were clearly in pain. I got used to them.

During that time, I was 12 years of age. I had always been the top of my class, a straight A student. Had a typical crush on a hot guy, had a nerd as a best friend and was living my life. Then, disaster struck...

Mysteriously, my dad disappeared for a week. No one heard from him , no one knew his whereabouts. Two Weeks after, my Dad came back, battered and bruised.

I still remember our first and final conversation after his reappearance...

I was finishing up on some homework at home, when the door literally flew open and in came my dad.

I was struck with shock, anger, hope and I felt like color had been brought back into my life.

He stumbled across the living room like a drunken man, with no chance of being sober anytime soon.

I was already up on my feet running as fast as my 14 year old legs could take me. he collapsed midway and I grabbed ahold of him.

It was then I realized that he was short of breath, like he's been running, running away from a hunter...

His face was tainted with blood that I soon knew came from a cut from his forehead. It was fresh, I could tell.

He reeked of alcohol and chemicals. Definitely from his lab... But he'd been out of the house?

" Rach, i'm so sorry, i did something terrible, it was an accident. Now they're evolved, they can imitate humans. Beware."

"Beware of what dad?"

"Sweetie,listen to me very carefully, they're gonna come after you, after all of you. You have to find the reverse formula to change them back to what they were before"

"who?"

My father ignored my incessant questions, which bothered me a little.

"you're gonna have to find my lab. Remember our old house, in the woods?"

"yea" I nodded.

"Head there and go the basement, there'll be a door..."

He started to lose consciousness and started to shake.

"Dad! what's happening, are u okay?!" I was panicking, I was frantic. Fear gripped me.

oh no, am i gonna lose my dad?

I pushed that thought aside.

"Do not trust ANYONE. Do not tell anybody of this formula. Once u get it, multiply it . Everything that you need will be in my Lab."

He coughed and desperately gasped for some air.

"Find the... formula. Inject it ... into every one of them... Now Run, rach... Run."

He was silent. He was dead.

As if in order by his death, Wolves started barging into the house as soon as our conversation ended. I had no time to grieve and so I hid in a storeroom next to the fireplace till they were gone.

My best friend, Sean, was the first to find me in that storeroom that day. I was shaken beyond disbelief. My eyes could shed no more tears. I felt as if the whole world was against me. Why? I've just gotten my dad back, and now he's gone.

Oh was I pissed. At what? At everything. Despite that voice in my head saying , Remember, dad said not to trust anyone ,I spilled everything to Sean and that was when we decided to fulfil my father's dying wish.

Get the reverse formula and save Mankind.