The Dome [O L D]

Chapter 8

Location: Unknown, US

Subject: Ash Hise

Date: April 9

I awaken on a hard mattress, two girls staring at me.

One has black hair and bright green eyes, and the other dark red hair and piercing gray eyes. They're both avians.

Like me.

Startled, I sit up and hit my head on the bottom of the top bunk.

The red headed girl immediately reaches forward slightly and asks, "Are you okay?" Her reaction seems forced, and both of their wings twitch.

I raise an eyebrow and wince slightly, watching as her hand jerks backward.

The other girl slowly reaches her hand out to mine. I take it. "I'm Clove," she mumbles. "What's your name?"

"Um... Ash. Ash Hise."

Clove nods and points to the person standing next to her. "This is Cameron. We've already had the introduction speech from the soldiers. You'll need to ask them for it. Anyway, we heard you killed your dad?"

I lower my gaze and whisper, "I'm not talking about it."

Taking the hint, the girls turn from me and speak softly to each other. I can only hear bits and pieces of their conversation, but even that's enough for me to know they're talking about me.

Sighing, I stand up and swing open the black curtains. Clove and Cameron glance at me for a moment, seemingly trying to figure me out, but their eyes return to each other.

The moonlight creates a long, gray shadow on the light-colored floor. Stars wink in the distance and everything is dark. Then I notice everything else.

Floodlights litter the land, and smog covers some of the sky. A barbed-wire fence gleams with inward pointed spikes a few feet away. Everything outside the fence is overgrown with trees. A small animal, bathed in darkness, sits just outside the fence, the only distinguishable feature the long white claws on furry fingers.

They reach out, and after a sharp zap, the creature slumps to the ground.

Terrified, I rip the door open and run out of the room, straight into someone's chest.

That someone also happens to be holding a gun, which is now pointed at my head.

Great.