Project Mortal

Part 1

"Grandfather?" I attempt to say, the word slipping out of my mouth at merely a whisper.

"Why can't I remember anything grandfather?" I mumble, my eyes closed and a rag held to my bleeding temple.

"Shhhhh" is all he says, putting his hand over my eyes. I know my grandfather's hands, they have a gentle touch, so soft they could catch a butterfly. These hands belong to someone else.

"Wait who are you?" I stammer, my heart starting to race. The rag drops to the floor as I sit up and pushing the hand away. My eyes adjust to the dim light, my heart jumps into my throat as I see a figure right in front of me. I look harder and realize that it's me, I am looking into a mirror. My body thin, the skin sickly pale, cheeks sunken in and hair a dead brown color. I touch my hair; my fingers coming away wet with blood. I slowly turn my head in, looking in the mirror I see a gaping hole in the side of my temple, blood still dripping out the side of it. Out of sheer terror I let out a scream. I look around and see that the whole room is made up of mirrors, the dim light reflecting off some of them making it hard to see. I swing my legs over the side of the hospital bed and rest my bear feet in the cement floor. I hear a cabinet door creek behind me, before I can find out what it is, I am pulled backwards off the bed by my neck. I struggle to relive the pressure, kicking my feet up. Gasping for air. I hear a man grunt and feel the palm of a warm hand on my forehead, then in one swift move I feel a crack, pain shooting down my spine resonating in my feet. The pressure is removed from my neck and I involuntarily take a breath. My vision darkens as I hear another pair of footsteps enter the room.

"I told you to be gentle." A man's voice echoed off the glass, smooth but scolding.

"She kicked me." Was the replay from a gruff voice.

"Humm..." is all I hear before I fight to lift my arms to stop the black cloth form being placed over my eyes. My body feels weightless, my limbs numb and I have the sensation that I am afloat in a pool of water. I try to move but nothing responds, I hear the familiar creek of a door although I don't know why it is familiar. My heart nearly pounds out of my chest as the floating sensation stops, I am suddenly still, blinded to the outside world, the only thing I can feel is my own hot blood dripping down my face.

"Athena?" I blink as the black cloth is taken away. I look up to see a middle aged man looking down at me, his face expressionless.

"How you doing sweetie, you did quite a number on yourself." He says brushing the side of my face where the hole is.

"Who are you? And what are you talking about?" I say struggling to push the words out.

"I told you, but once again you did not believe me... now I have to rededicate you for the fifth time. This is getting old Athena." The man says, putting a hand on his chin, smearing my blood across it.

"You're crazy... please just let me go."

"My name is Kaine, and like I said before this is fifth time we have had this conversation. You my dear, are my number one subject of project mortal, or at least you where until you put a gun to your head and the doctor was forced to break your neck." He stops abruptly. The look of sheer terror that has taken up residence on my face must of gave him a start.

"Oh, don't do that. You'll be fine, you always are." Kaine says.

"Where is my grandfather?" I whisper. My eyes starting to blur with tears.

"He is in custody...and will be dealt with shortly...It's interesting, out of all the things you could have remembered, you remember that crotchety old man." Kaine says, looking up at spot in the ceiling.