The Experiment With No Name

Hitchhiker

E couldn't believe what she was doing as she walked back to camp and started packing her things. It was an extremely quick task as she didn't have much with her. 'Maybe we should just stay here and wait it out.' She reasoned with Andria as she began walking with her single bag slung over her shoulder.

'There is no waiting it out. We have one option; kill. We tried to run away from it but we can't.' Her tone was strict with little room for argument.

'I don't want to be a murderer.' There were wet spots forming on the inner corners of E's eyes.

'You already are.' Andria reminder her. 'You've watched the life drain out of a man's eyes and you enjoyed it. You loved the satisfaction and adrenaline and you became a giddy child in those moments. You can't deny that a piece of you isn't excited to feel that rush again.'

The Experiment responded with nothing as she knew that Andria was right. A hideous anticipation had risen inside of her and she barely even bothered to try and smother it. 

'I know you're trying to reason that you don't want to do this because you are trying so hard not to be the monster they wanted and that's admirable but it is a fate we cannot escape.'

'I wish I didn't exist.' E whispered lightly.

Andria replied darkly, 'I do too.'

***

Night had fallen when E found the edge of her forest. The trees and undergrowth were harshly cut by a paved road that was completely empty and washed in an increasing darkness.

E fell to her knees in exhaustion. 'I can't go any further. I have walked through the entire day and I'm only just touching a corner of civilization.'

'Go just a few miles up the road to see if there's anything nearby.' Andria suggested. E followed the girl's advice, standing back on her feet with weak knees that now were covered in pinprick beads of blood. Her legs, covered a few inches above the knees by shorts, were torn with gashes that dripped blood. The cuts were a new, few minutes old at most, and were already beginning to seal with new, regenerated skin. E was used to the sting and itch of the healing as she had had the luck of it many times in her 15 years of solitude. She'd nearly ripped limbs from her body from treacherous falls and accidents but her body looked completely unscathed and perfect as it had when she still lived at the facility. As her body grow more exhausted and unenergized though it took longer to mend her wounds.

'I need to eat, to rest or I will fall over in hunger and sleep before we reach the next town.' E claimed after another 5-mile hike on the stretch of freeway.

'I don't remember bringing any food with us and there won't be any animals this close to the road.' Andria complained. 'We may as well just keep walking until we find a market and a hotel.' She continued to push.

'We must have brought some food.' E said with doubtful hope as she sat with her back on a tree. She sighed in relief at the chance of rest and then started searching through her bag. To her gleeful surprise, she found a small wrap filled with berries and a few nuts. Some of the fruits had been crushed but most of them were still well-preserved and ripe.

With ravenous hunger, E spilled the food into her mouth. She chewed with delight until she felt a heavy wave of nausea. She leaned away from herself and vomited the food that had barely been eaten much less digested. With sudden sorrow, the girl screamed at her misfortune. She was still left thirsty, hungry, and tired with little chance of finding a solution to all of the issues. Her mouth and throat were coated with the bitter sting of bile and she knew that she would be stuck with the taste until she found a drink with did not seem likely.

With resignation the girl laid down, ignoring the voice in her head that continued to tell her to keep walking.

E was just drifting to sleep when she heard the rumble of a truck. Quickly she sat up and there she saw distant head lights illuminating the darkness. They were approaching at unnaturally high speeds but E didn't care. All she thought of was the opportunity to find refuge by dawn.

The girl jumped to her feet and started waving her arms panicked that the driver would ignore her obvious attempts to stop them. To her luck, the driver didn't.

As the young man grew closer he began slowing down seeing the woman jumping around on the side of the road. Nearly at a stop, he pulled off and killed the car but left the head lights on. He stepped out curiously. By the light of the car, E saw a man, not older than 25, with shaggy blonde hair walk towards her.

"Are you okay?" He asked with a heavy accent that E was unable to place.

"No..." E trailed off thinking of a common, believable lie. "I was hiking around here but I got lost. I only just found the road again but I'm honestly not sure where I am. Can you take me to the closest town?" E could see a lust in the man's brown eyes and hoped that he was distracted enough to not dwell on her story.

"Yeah, of course," He said with a kind smile. Despite his attraction E felt little fear of being attacked and even if she was , it would wouldn't be an issue.

"Thank you so much." E sighed and grabbed her bag. She walked to the truck, jumped in, and was quickly being taken by the young man.