Evolution

Chapter 1: Fear... Is Only the Beginning

Pain.

It pulsed through my back with each breath. Wiping my eyes, I placed my head against the wall and tried not to move. I noticed the eight white lines my claws had scraped into the cement floor.

Stupid savage. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the voice. Disgusting hybrid. The crack of a whip sounded in my mind.

The alarm sounding in the hallway jolted me from my thoughts. My claws slipped back into the slits between my fingers as I turned toward the door. I wanted to escape my mind but worse things laid outside.

Pulling my legs to my chest, I felt the resistance in my joints from the claws between my toes grated across the floor. I slowly rose to my feet and clutched the iron bed frame to give my sore muscles time to adjust. A stained mattress laid askew across a rusty metal-frame bed. I couldn't remember the last time I had used it. The metal springs dug into my skin and only made it worse.

Taking a deep breath, I walked to the door that had slid open. In the hallway, the other Haydeans lined the narrow corridor. Bowing my head, I tugged at my t-shirt. Blood could clearly be seen on the white fabric.

Sucking in my lips, I started down the white-tiled hallway toward the exit. Their whispers followed me as I passed. I tried to cover up some of the bruises on my arms when a hand landed on my shoulder. I flinched and prepared to run.

"It's just me, Alex." Jacob put a protective arm around me. He led me to the exit where his little sister, Sarah, was waiting.

She finished tying off her waist long hair and tossed the dark brown braid over her shoulder. "Alex." Sarah reached out a hand.

I avoided it. I didn't feel like being touched at that moment.

Worry filled her warm brown eyes as she examined my arms. "Are you alright?"

I nodded.

"Are you sure?"

I didn't reply.

"You're not going to get anything out of him this early," said Jacob, squeezing my shoulder.

I winced at the pain and pulled away from him.

He removed his hand. "Sorry."

The light above the exit turned green. Sarah led the way through the thick steel door that sealed off the housing unit to the elevator across the hall. Jacob positioned himself between the other Haydeans and me. The elevator doors parted and we filed inside. I stood into the corner and let out a sigh. We started to move.

The elevator stopped, soon after, and the doors separated on the tenth floor. The human guards were waiting. They stepped in line behind us and followed the group into the cafeteria. The three of us went to our regular table. I took the seat closest to the window while Jacob pulled out a metal chair beside me and Sarah took the spot across from us.

Resting my head against the glass, I looked out over the vast desert that surrounded the White City. Its towering buildings and factories remained safe behind its solid stone wall. My eyes passed over them to the small speck of green that sat on the horizon. It had always been a reminder of how life could be away from the Tower.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Sarah asked as a human served us breakfast.

I shook my head. She looked at Jacob, who only shrugged and started eating. Avoiding her gaze, I quickly ate and returned to my original position. I could feel her eyes digging into the side of my head. I didn't like talking to her about these sort of things. It just made her worry more.