Hybrid: The Prologue (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter Seven, Back

Chapter Seven, Back

At least my neck doesn’t swell up anymore. I softly caress my neck. There are only

the fang marks. But nothing hurts.

“Hey, Xena! We need to hurry up! We’re leaving in two minutes.” Byron calls out

from the other room.

I stop feeling my neck and get on with packing. The only things I put in my small backpack are some cheeseburgers , a black leather jacket and Raze’s phone. Her phone might come in handy. Raze hasn’t woken up yet. Her soft brown hair is getting tangled so Avalon brushes it. It’s only been a day since she’s been knocked out. I sit in the room that she once gave me. I walk to the mirror and look at myself. My first outfit is a little dirty but ill keep it on for Raze. I walk to the closet and try to pick a newer outfit. I look through the shelves and hangers. Then a box from a shelf falls as I move the clothes on top of it. It’s a black, mini suitcase. I cautiously open the box. Inside the gold lining of the box, there’s a black suit. I drop the box and take out the suit. It has a gold insignia on the chest. A sitting striped-cat with folded wings embroidered in gold silk. It’s inside a circle and under the circle; I can’t read it. It’s in some different language. Like in some different writing. But the insignia looks familiar. From somewhere in my childhood. I can’t . . . cant remember.

I take the suit and stuff it in my bag. I take the bag over my shoulder and head for the door. I look back to the room I never slept in, but called home for less than three hours. As I said. It was temporary paradise. I walked to the hallway. Byron was there beside the stairs, waiting for me. As soon as he saw me, he came closer. I can see his distraught face.

“That girl down there isn’t my sister.”

My eyes widen.

“Of course she’s not. She’s your half.”

Byron shakes his head.

“I meant . . .that’s not Raze.”

We stare for a second and I run down to the TV room where she was lying down. I looked on the seat. There’s a mask on the table and I look up at the person. The impostor. She had black straight hair with black eyes. She’s beautiful but she is the enemy. She looks a bit older than sixteen. She looks solemn but in a way, happy.

I grab her by the collar and take my claws out. My eyes turn silver, the way they are when I use my ability.

“Where’s the real Raze!?”

The girl looked me in the eyes and smirked.

“Well, that wasn’t the way to introduce yourself.” The girl says happily. “I’m Kelly.”

I harden my eyes on her. I just want to know where Raze is.

“I don’t care! Where’s Raze?!”

My eyes start to tear up. I hold her higher and make my claws longer.

“Xena.” I look at Avalon “That’s enough.” Avalon looks at me quietly and sadly.

Raze was the first person, ever, to accept us. My own parents left me alone to die.

“She’s at the lab. Safe and sound. Now could you please put me down? This position is very uncomfortable.”

Kelly complained.

I take a deep breath. My eyes turn back to blue and my claws go back inside my hands. I threw Kelly back on the sofa.

She smiled. Then suddenly, people come blasting in from the windows and doors. They all have guns and are wearing black, bulletproof suits. One of them comes from he stairs and has Byron bided. The tiger stripes are appearing on the sides of his face again. He still can’t break through the special, metallic rope. I grab Avalon and put her to my arms. We’re all the same age, but Avalon always got frightened easily.