Animal

Reborn and Better Than New

Every part of my being boils with agony. It feels as if my body has changed, only God can say what they've done to me. I want to open my eyes, but they won't obey me anymore, I want to see what they were doing to me. I scream a lot and when I can't scream anymore, I escape, in the only way I can. Inside of my own head, I try desperately anyway.

"No, no, you don't, Amelia," Kevin Anderson whispers into my ear with heavy, warm breath that smelled overwhelming like mint and meat, pulling me back. Something had been beeping crazily, sound pushing against my scull creating a painful headache, and is calming down now. "You don't do nothing without my say so from now on. Up the medication, now!"

Another needle is placed under my skin and something else is inserted inside of me. The pain is worse than before. The pain is always worse than before.

I find out I can scream some more, after all.

* * *

Kevin Anderson brings me back with a jolt of electricity sparking from the collar. My eyes spring open and I sit straight up but my arms are held down at my sides my metal cuffs. Latonya Adams watches me with studious, but empty brown eyes. I had never noticed how empty she seemed until now. She doesn't care about the amount of pain I am in. She simply doesn't care and that pisses me off. I lunge at her anyway and like an animal in a cage my restraints keep me at bay.

I want to kill her. I want to kill her and Kevin Anderson more then I've ever wanted to do anything. A growl builds up in my chest, deep and rumbling. Unable to get to her, my hands drop and instead I clench the white sheet placed over my lap wishing I could pound her into an unrecognizable, bloody mess. I hear the fabric of the sheet tarring and I look down. I see the long jagged tares running up the fabric, and a moment later I see the claws.

Long and sharp, and without a doubt anything but human. I stare and I stare some more, anger building up inside me like an pulsing, inflamed lava-rock. A growl builds up right on with it, and I realize how animal like it sounds. The claws and the growl. I fight not to feel any of the horror sinking its claws into me.

"What have you done to me?" I growl breathlessly. I can hear her subtle sigh, I can hear the nurses' whispers outside in the door. I can hear everything it feels like. The hum from the air conditioner and air purifier, the steady buzz coming from my collar. "What did you do to me?"

"The hostility you are feeling is likely because of the SPGA serum effecting your hormones, its temporary." Oh, that's not it, I hiss mentally. Ms. Adams cocks her head to one side and sighs. "Then again, maybe not. Have I ever told you how I see myself inside of you, Scrappy." I growl at her, and ignore the pain in my chest. I'm not anything like her! She holds up her hand to silence me. "Its true, when I first say you, it was like seeing a younger me. You have so much potential... now, you're going to be greater than I ever could be." She hesitates before she slides one of her legs out straight in front of her and rolls up the pants leg of her suit, revealing a perfectly normal looking leg, that is, until she pops off her knee cap to reveal a mess of shiny, blue wires and black buttons. "It happened right before I was suppose to get my SPGA surgery." She sighs, looking truly saddened. My lips curl in disgust.

"You're insane..." I hiss through a pant.

The woman shrugs, "Maybe. I mean, you can't be a Fighter and stay completely sane." She leans towards me, but not close enough to be in danger. Smart woman. "Do you see yourself as sane, Miss Armstrong."

Her words startle me for some reason. Was I sane? How could I be? I keep my face twisted in its furious scowl. I don't give away what I'm thinking to this woman, I've learned my lesson. She watches me for a long time until she realizes I'm not going to say anything. She shrugs again.