Feel - Tradley AU

2

~Bradley Will Simpson~

Oops. That's it. The only word I can currently think of to describe my situation. Oops. I mean, there are lots of other words too like 'shit' and 'disastrous' but honestly, I'm not that shocked that I've ended up in this situation, so the only word I can use is a half-hearted 'oops'.
The reason why I'm not very surprised that I've gotten myself into a bad situation is because honestly, my life hasn't been that great. Firstly, I was born a Longer, giving the social majority reason to pick on me for the whole of my single life. The majority of the population are Instants, as people are rarely born Longers nowadays, which means that if you're a Longer then you're a part of the social minority. Instants always pick on us, telling us how we don't deserve an instant connection to our soulmate because we're inferior to them, how we're not proper soulmates because our connection isn't as strong as theirs, blah blah blah. Well, for the record, it is as strong but it just takes a bit longer to, you know... connect.
Unfortunately for me, I worked really hard to get into one of the top schools to study music, but they found out I was a Longer, as Longers take longer to form connections with people who aren't their soulmates, too, and I didn't bother to make any friends. I got kicked out, as the school was Instant-exclusive.
The second reason why my life is shit is that my soulmate, whoever they may be, has been in many different near-death situations and it is not fun to experience one. Feeling the adrenaline they have in that moment is like a sharp drop on a rollercoaster, but with intensified fear rather than enjoyment. It is terrifying to experience and always makes me feel sick. I'm glad that my soulmate hasn't managed to nearly die due to an injury, yet, because I'm not sure I'd be able to deal with that amount of pain.
I honestly can't tell if I'm more annoyed at them for making me go through this experience or annoyed that they keep nearly dying and leaving me soulless. The latter would probably be worse, seeing as I'd then be fused when I turn 20 and that would most definitely not be fun.
The third and final reason why I'm not surprised at my current situation is because I always manage to get myself into trouble. It is literally just my luck that I, Bradley Will Simpson, am the latest of a long line of disappearances.
Yes, I got kidnapped. When I saw the kidnappings reported on the news, I thought that they were just trying to stir shit up, but then I actually got kidnapped and well, I can assure you that it's not a lie. I'd love to tell you who kidnapped me or what has been going on since but honestly, it hasn't been very exciting yet - I fell asleep on my sofa in the middle of the day and woke up in a wooden crate, which is sealed. I tried to look through the air holes but the room is pitch black, so I couldn't see anything to give me a clue about where I am or what's going to happen to me. I mean, I'll most likely end up like the others - on the street, no idea what I've been doing for the past few days but safe and back with the family.
I was going to call out to see if there was anybody else in the room with me, but I didn't really see the point - if I did, I'd only be getting to know somebody who I was quickly going to forget.
I've spent most of my time in the crate sleeping and thinking about soulmates. I'll be honest with you, most of those thoughts have been negative, mainly because I'm a negative person but also because my experiences with soulmates have never really been positive.
All of my family are Instants, so me being born a Longer instantly made me an outsider in my own home. Of course, my family don't hate me for it, but it just hurts knowing that I won't be able to share the same stories of instant love that all of my family love to share over the dinner table at family reunions - it's like they have an obsession with listening to them on repeat, like it's their favourite song. Well, unfortunately, I'll never be able to add to their Symphony of soulmate stories. Not sure I want to, either.
At least my soulmate will know what I'm going through. They'll know what it feels like to be the minority, they'll know what it feels like to have to work hard to earn the love which people crave most in the world. I'd spend hours and hours lying with my soulmate to learn everything about them. I'd hold them close and let them whisper stories of their life to me. I'd break down any walls they've built. I'd be their one in a million. Then again, if I was one in a million then there'd be around 7500 other Bradley Will Simpsons in this world and honestly, this world could probably do without. I'm not useful for much.
You know what I really want to ask my soulmate? I want to ask them how the fuck they manage to nearly die almost every week. Like, what's up with that? They must have the worst luck on this planet, because I doubt there is a month which has gone past where I haven't felt that dropping feeling of the rush they get in a fight or flight situation. They should learn to be more careful.
I know I sound really eager to meet them, but honestly? I'm not as eager as I might seem. When Longers meet their soulmates, all they feel is lust. We don't have the luxury of instant love. It's like somebody has been teasing us for hours on end, working us up and letting frustration take us into a frenzy - the only 'getting to know' we'll be doing is getting to know each other's bodies. It'll take us ages to fall in love, because we're too busy being infatuated with them to bother to get to know them, if that makes any sense whatsoever. I'm not looking forward to that, because once I fall in love with them I'll have to face the inevitable guilt of knowing that I didn't want them for them, I only wanted them for their body. It disgusts me that I'll think like that. But, they will too, so should I really feel that guilty?
I don't know and I won't find out until I actually find the person who was damned at birth by being promised to me. I have no idea where they are, and I'm honestly starting to believe that they're dead or somewhere stupidly far away like Australia, seeing as I've never been close to them. I just hope that when I do fall in love with them, they don't change me or my life completely.
I know that I've made it sound like I don't really have much of a life or many friends but honestly, I do. I mean, I help this old woman called Lillian by doing her weekly shopping for her, and I always feed Mr. Morris' dog when he goes on holiday, and I babysit for Candice and - okay, who am I kidding? I'm not particularly special to anybody, apart from my family, but that's not exactly my fault; I was special to somebody, once. His name was Connor, Connor Ball, but he moved away and I never saw him again. In fact, he never even told me he was moving. One day, they were all just... gone. Guess I wasn't really that special then, was I?
Achoo!
'Bless you.' I wasn't really planning on saying that, but it's kind of just a reflex now.
'Thanks.' A girl's voice replied from somewhere in the blackness. 'I thought I was alone in here, your reply kinda made me jump.'
'Same.' I stated, in a rather bored tone. No offense to the girl, but talking isn't my number one priority whilst stuck in a crate.
'I'm Flo, who're you?' 
Now she wants to be friends. Brilliant. Note the sarcasm.
'Brad.'
'You're from Birmingham. I'm from Ireland, if my accent didn't give it away.'
I didn't even notice her accent, if I'm being entirely honest - my brain was scrambled from being kept in the crate for hours on end.
'Cool.'
'Jeez, you don't seem up for much conversation.' Flo stated, scoffing slightly as if I'd just insulted her in a deep, personal way.
'Well if you hadn't noticed, we're both stuck inside wooden crates and have been kidnapped by probable psychos. You'll have to forgive me for not wanting to be BFFLs.'
'I'm not in a crate, I'm handcuffed to a loop on the wall.' I kind of hated her for that - at least she wasn't getting cramp and had fresher air.
'Well good for you,' I stated 'but maybe I get my own crate because I'm so bloody important they want to make sure I'm not damaged in any way.'
'Calm your tits, Bradley,' The Irish girl instructed 'you're obviously just stressed out.'
'Well obviously! As I said a moment ago - we've both been kidnapped by probable psychos.' I spat, already annoyed with the girl who seemed far too happy to be in this situation. She was probably an instant, seeing as she seemed to want to be my best friend straight away. 'And don't call me Bradley, it makes me cringe.'

'Sorry, Brad. There isn't any reason to be stressed out - we'll probably both end up on the streets with no recollection of any of this-'

'Or each other, precisely why you should stop talking to me; don't want to feel the empty space in my heart once you're gone.'
'Awh, how adorable, I'm touched. Really.'

'Oh shut-' I heard a clunk and instantly shut my mouth, recognising the sounds of heavy industrial doors being unlocked and opened. I guessed that we were in some sort of warehouse room, seeing as it was cold and our words echoed off of the walls.
I head heavy footsteps of people, I guessed two or three, walking into the room and stopping. There were a few more clunks and some words exchanged, something about taking somebody for phase one.
'Take the Longer.' And shit, they wanted me.
See what I mean about the bad luck? It's just my luck that I got kidnapped and am now being taken for phase one. What even is phase one?! Phase one of experimenting? Phase one of having my mind wiped and being put back where I belong? Phase one of being killed? It could be anything. What if they torture me? What if their experiments are inhumane and deform me? What if what if what if, God my brain is going into overdrive. Then again, I think my irrational thinking is justifiable in this situation.
'Take him to Doctor Exleburg, lab 206.'
Doctor. Lab. This does not sound good.
Well, RIP Bradley, you were good whilst you lasted. God, my soulmate is probably going to hate me after this.
Soulmate, whoever you are, I'm very sorry for having shit luck and getting kidnapped, and I hope that they don't bring me to death and revive me again loads of times so you don't have to have the horrid near-death feeling which you give me so very often. And hey, if you feel me getting close to death and fancy just busting in and saving me then please, feel free.
'Patient 238 for you, Doctor.'
'Thank you, leave it over there.'
It?! It?! I'll have you know that I'm a human being, thank you very much. In fact, let me out of this damn crate. Humans should not be shoved into crates. This is illegal! Let me the fuck out of here!
'Now, let's see what we have to work with here.'
On second thoughts, you don't sound like somebody I want to meet.
As I said, RIP Bradley, you were good (well, debatable) before Doctor Exlebastard got his hands on you. You will be dearly missed.
Oh who am I kidding? They probably don't even know you're gone...

~

Hey! Sorry it took me forever to update, I got locked out of both this account and my email account whoops -_-

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the update! Please vote and comment, it would mean a lot! Also come and chat to me if you're up for it, I'd love to get to know some people on here!

- Tam x