Variant

Chapter 1

QOFC: If you could be anyone of Sage's science lab mates, which would you be, even if you don't know them yet?

Hint: Here's your choices:

Raven

Swift

Allen

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        I sit in my dog crate. There is no possible way to get comfortable. Bars are everywhere, you can't aviod them.

        It was pitch black in the science lab. Swift fell asleep somehow, but Raven and I stayed awake. I looked over at Raven. I could make out his silhouette made with the small light from the lightly opened door. I never knew why the hallway lights were on. He sat in a ball, one arm close to his chest, the other arm stretched out on top of one of his legs. He was probably doing the same thing I was. Getting used to the feeling of the dog crate bars jabbing into your skin.

        But I found this out: you can't get used to it. He's been sitting awake in the same position if he was anywhere else he'd be comfortable. And yet he still stays awake. Then maybe I wondered if he thinks of anything else. Does he actually think of his parents or what it will be like to have some?

        I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Why am I so nervous to ask him what he has on his mind. We've been friends since we met. And that was when I wasn't a techical baby yet. I was still growing and being given chemicals to keep me alive.

        He turned his head towards me, I automatically look away. I can hear his cage creak. I know he's moving towards me. I give a deep breath. Why am I so nervous? Is it because it's a personal question? Or is it because it might reveal a side of Raven I don't want to see?

        "Can't sleep?" he whispered, so he can't be heard and he doesn't wake Swift.

        I shake my head, "No."

        We are silent for a while. I hate it when there's silence between the both of us. It becomes awkward, and makes me feel like I don't know him anymore. Like he's a stranger, sitting in the dog crate next to me. My eyes glance to the right to find that Raven is still staring at me.

        Raven gives a face, "What's with the face? What are you thinking?"

        I then realize that he's mocking me, and finally have the guts to ask him, since he asked me, "I'm always thinking about something. What about you? You were a shadow, but I can still tell you were thinking about something."

        Raven pauses, for too long, "What gave it away?"

        "Your stillness," I reply, "You stayed still for longer than you usually do."

        Raven pauses again, "What's my usual?"

        "A few hours, this was 6," I say, then realizing, "Hey! Don't change the subject! What were you thinking?"

        Raven jumps at me snapping at him and Swift stirrs.

        "Sorry," I whisper, "Please. You know you can tell me."

        Raven sighed and nodded, "I know. I was thinking, what if we..."

        "We, what?" I asked.

        Raven leaned in close to me and said the word so quietly I could barely hear him, "Escape."

        I almost jump. The guy who has lost hope is thinking about escaping, "But you said don't even try just the other day!"

        "I know what I said," Raven said, "But I got it figured out."

        I smirked, "I thought I would be the one to figure it out."

        "You snooze you lose," Raven said with no hesitation whats so ever.

        I frown, "What's your plan?"

        He paused again and glanced over to Swift, as if she was sleep-listening. I await patiently, but he doesn't say a word. I start giving an impatient look and then he finally says something.

        "You know when they let us out without having to expierment?" he asked.

        "I don't understand," I said.

        "When we need to go," he said.

        "But we have scheduled times for that," I say. I'm just being a little brat. I wanted to figure out a plan, not him. I'm usually the brains of this trio. Before it was Allen, but now its me. Once I die, it goes to Raven, but I'm not leaving any time soon.

        "I mean if we give the excuse that we're about to burst our bladders open," he said, "One of us could fake it, and when they let us out, we put our muscles to good use."

        The three of us did have big muscles. Raven's were probably the biggest after Allen. Maybe he should be the one to take it. Swift definietly shoudn't do it. She had spagetti arms. Raven and I were the strong one, she was the dare devil.

        "Ok I suggest not spagetti over there," I said. Raven smiled. I knew he'd like that.

        "Ok," he said, "So who should do it? You or me?"

        I think, "Yes. Just kidding, we both know you should you have muscles the size of grapefruit."

        Raven gave me a look, "Sage, this is serious, stop cracking jokes."

        I've never seen him be serious his whole life, "Alright."

        One thought went through my head. I can't believe I could think of Raven in that way! It said...do I dare think it again?

        I just hope he frees us too, and doesn't leave us behind...

        And there it is. I can't believe I thought so lowly of Raven. He wouldn't do that. Would he?

        "Alright, so I go and trick the guard, beat them up," Raven said, "Free you, and find a way to get out of here."

        Thank god. He said free me. Wait, what about Swift? I hope he meant her too.

        He could be tricking me...        

        Why do I think so low of him? Why would that enter my mind? I can't believe it. I can't believe myself. Why is my mind turning on Raven. He os 100% innocent of every evil thought in his mind, and if he does think of one he disguards it.

        Raven crawls back into the position he was before he mentioned escaping. He eventually fell to sleep. I couldn't sleep. I kept wondering on how I could think so low about Raven. Was my mind warning me? Or was it playing games with me? How was I supposed to know?

        What was I to do? Trust my mind, or my memories? My mind, or my gut? People usually say go with your gut, but what if your gut is starting to go with your mind? How could I think of Raven like he's a lemon, or honey. One is bitter, the other is sweet. Which should I see him as. Should I trust him as the friend I knew my whole pre-life and life, or as my mind thinks of him as?