Theory Five

Chapter 1-The Beast

I looked at the clock on my nightstand one more time before saying "screw it" and getting out of bed. This isn't the first time I've woken up at three am in the morning. I usually don't sleep through the night thanks to the pains that I get.

I don't know when the pains first started all I can remember is being rushed from doctor to doctor to try and figure out where the pain was coming from and why it was there. My parents eventually gave up on finding a cure for my pains. They thought it best to just let the pains be. I walked over to the bathroom mirror and stared at myself.

I had bags under my blue eyes that stood out from my red hair and freckles. I had my mothers figure,hair,and posture. But I had my fathers stubbornness, attitude, and kindness, oh and eyes of course.

"Hey Athena. Are you awake?" My fathers voice rang out.

"Yes." I said walking out of the bathroom and into my room. My father was on the threshold of my bedroom door looking excited, tense, and awkward as he always does before telling me something that he just discovered.

"Theory Five."  Was all he said before rushing out of my doorway. Theory Five was a project my parents have been working on for all my life. It started as a simple experiment at first but after a few test runs they just knew that it was worth discovering further. I followed him  not knowing what else to do.  He was sitting on the couch when I found him.

"What happened?? Did you find a breach in the project? Where's mom?? Shouldn't she be notified by this discovery??" I asked as all the questions rushed out of my mouth before I could stop them.  My father looked at me and then nodded to the security camera screens of the lab that father and mother worked in.

It showed footage of a cage and a woman standing in front of it holding out a clipboard and a pencil. I studied the woman further and realized that it was my mother.  She had her red hair pulled into a bun and her lab coat was stained with different colored stains.

"What's in the cage?" I ask leaning forward hoping to catch a glimpse of a creature or something inside the cage.

"We don't know. All we know is that it isn't human even though it looks like one." My father said standing beside me and looking at the screen. Suddenly something flashes in the corner of my eye and I catch a glimpse of  a pair of green eyes flicker my way.

"Can we go to the lab?? I want to see the thing in person." I said watching the spot where I had saw the green eyes.

"I was hoping you would ask that." He said reaching for 2 keys cards and lab coats. I grabbed my key card and lab coat as adrenaline filled my bones.

We arrived at the lab which was a white building with windows on every side. My father led the way into the building and towards the elevator which's sends us to the lower basement where the temperature is cool.

The elevator dinges open as I step out and walk slowly to the cage. The room is right and for a moment I have to blink so that my eyes can adjust to the lighting. Inside the cage is dark and mysterious. "This could end up bad." I thought. A growl comes from the back of the cage and soon the pair of green eyes from earlier find me and lock on to my blue ones.

"Who is he?" I ask. The growl stops and a figure of a man,no beast steps into the light. The beast has brown hair, green eyes, tan skin and has large muscles that seem like they can crush you in one grip.  My father steps closer to my mother and starts whispering with her.

"We don't know yet." My mother said standing behind me."What is he?" I asked. "We don't know that either. We found him on the far part of the island digging the ground up.The beasts eyes linger on mine for a second longer before disappearing back into the darkness of the cage.

"How did you get him here?" I turned around to face my parents.

"Well, we left him alone at first then he started getting closer to the town so we trapped him and shot him with a sleeping dart."

"A sleeping dart? Huh." I whispered.

"Took quite a few too." My father added.

"Peter,Hera Dr.Rosa needs you in the lobby." The intercom system stated.My parents left,leaving me alone with the beast.

"You're vitals are good and you seem healthy. Which is good of course." I said thinking out loud.

The elevator dinged and the twins Asher and Avery step out. They were both dressed in white lab coats which are required for people to wear when they come down here.

"Hey guys." I said.

"Athena!" Avery said running over to me and tacking me with a hug.

"Ave you're squishing her." Asher said pulling Avery off of me.

"Sorry." She said backing off.

"It's fine. What's up?"

"Well,Asher has something to ask you." Avery said taking steps backward towards the cage.

"What was it?" Asked blushed and looked away.

"I was wondering if you would accompany me to the ball tonight?"

"Yes I would love to." I said.

"Wait,really?" He asked looking surprised.

"Yes."  He pulled me into a hug.

"Thank you." He whispered letting me go.

"Aww. Ahhhhhh!" Avery screamed. I turned just in time to see the beast's arms pull Avery against the cage. She started choking from the lack of air supply.

"Asher get the dart gun." I said hastily. Asher ran to the table with all the computers on it and grabbed the dart gun.  As I reached for the dart gun the beast released Avery and whimpered slipping further into the cage.

"Are you okay?" I asked dropping the dart gun and running to Avery.

"I'm fine." She said coughing.

"Asher take her to the infirmary please."

"I will. Come on Ave. I'll pick you up around 8 okay?" Asher said taking Avery from me.

"Alright." I nodded. Asher and Avery left leaving me alone again with the beast.

"Why would you do that?" I asked the dark cage shaking my head.