Outcasts

Chapter one

(A/N Hey guys this is my first wattpad story. I'm still getting used to the layout here but I'm getting it. I'm doing this story for the Na No Wri Mo challenge so I'll hopefully have the full book published by the end of November 2019. If you see any grammatical errors or just have suggestions just leave me a comment. Thanks for reading!)

I stared at the ceiling, trying to blink the tears out of my eyes. The metal plates that made up most of the support quivered. I could hear my mother in room 205, right next door to me. I cringed as she yelled at my brother, Kile. a red light flashed by my door. I quickly looked down and realized my hand was now a paw. I sighed and morphed back into a human again. I couldn't let my mom see me as a cat. True to the light's warning, a knock came seconds later. You see, for as long as I can remember, I've been able to morph into any living thing. I don't know why. As soon as I could control it, I told my mother. She handed me over to the authorities like I was a saliva-covered bone being given to a dog; like she didn't want to touch me any longer than she had to and she didn't care what happened to me. They ran so many tests on me, and that's pretty much the only thing I remember about my childhood. Finally, two days ago, The scientists wanted to move me closer to them in this apartment complex, since we lived in a place far away from society.

I groaned and sat up, holding my knees to my chest. Tomorrow was my sixteenth birthday. I wished that I could just get rid of my ability and be normal. Of course, the other kids and fellow teens called me "Freak girl" "Weirdo" and "Retarded", but I acted like I didn't really care. They say words can't hurt, but they're wrong.

Finally, a tear leaked out onto my pillow. I quickly wiped it away.

"Brianna?" my mom said from outside.

I groaned and opened the white metallic door to my mother, who stood with her hands on her hips.

"You're not shifting again without telling me, are you?"

I shook my head in defiance.

"Good. Now, Dr. Darrol wants you in office three. Make yourself presentable, for heaven's sake! You look like you got in an attack with a wild dog!" She slammed my door on her way out. Moping across the floor, I pulled off my sweatpants and T-shirt and pulled on some jeans and a white T-shirt with silver stripes on the elbow-length sleeves. I laced up my dirty, banged up converse, and pulled my long, cinnamon-toast hair into a messy ponytail. I fiddled with a piece that had fallen out as I made my way down to the interrogation-looking room with blaring lights, ID scanners, and a big 3 painted on it.

My mom was waiting for me. "Your shoes are disgusting," She told me.

I licked my finger, swiped it past the sensor, letting it scan my DNA, then let it scan my ID chip in my forearm, and shoved past her into the room.

It's crazy how many security measures that room had. You'd think that scanning a chip that was inside me was enough. Not that I minded getting my saliva on any of that doctor's stuff.

Dr. Darrol was waiting for me with the usual crazy look in his eye. He gestured for me to lay down on the all-too-familiar bed and gave me an all-too-familiar sedative pill. I took it willingly, not knowing what else to do.

I was pulled into the same world of pink and sparkles and dancing animals that I always was. Giraffes wearing tutus had a discussion about whether snails or slugs were the slowest. Perfect pink Ostriches talked in Scottish accents about cake. Dolphins jumped out of the perfect, serene lake, and puckered their freshly glossed lips at us, fluttering eyelashes four centimeters long. The clouds were so puffy and white they looked like they had been spun on a cotton-candy spool thingy. My mind started hurting as a colorful peacock (that was for some reason a girl and still colorful) guided me through a full-face makeup tutorial.

Finally, I woke up. The doctor now looked disappointed, as he did after every appointment. Because he couldn't find anything new. Because he had no idea how I worked. The idea made me smug, but also scared. I didn't work like a normal human. Wasn't that bad?

Dr. Darrol dismissed us, and I bolted back to my apartment room before my mother could stop me. I shifted into a cat mid-jump onto my bed and curled up under my covers. I didn't know how I got this ability. I didn't even want it. I mean, It's cool to turn into animals, but what's the use if you don't even get to do it? I buried my muzzle under my paw, enjoying my soft, grey fur.

I realized how easy it was to fall asleep when you're a cat. Apparently a "cat nap" Is a proper expression.

But I willed myself to stay awake.

My mom banged on my door, but I ignored her.

I was glad cats couldn't cry.

After an hour, I got up, shifting back into myself. I looked at my sunken eyes and ratty hair in the mirror and decided that I couldn't go on like this. I wasn't the scientist's chew toy! They didn't get to decide how I lived, locked up and forced to go to an appointment at least twice every day. I pulled a brush out of my still-packed bag and brushed the knots out of my long hair. It fell in billows to my waist. Satisfied, I sat down on my bed. I fidgeted and wove tiny braids into my hair at random like I did when I was nervous. I frantically searched for a way to get myself out of this mess. Of course, they wouldn't just let me leave, and neither would my mother. But I had to! I had to get out of here! I sighed. Then an idea came to me that I never thought would. I thought I was too good for that kind of idea. I was too good of a daughter. But not anymore. I shoved anything I could get from the apartment into my bag, feeling it bulge under the weight. Good thing I didn't have that much stuff. Then I pulled my hair into a messy bun, (I'll have to admit it looked really cool with the tiny braids) and stuck my pocket knife into my pocket. Then I shifted into a hawk, my backpack disappearing like it does. Then I burst out of the window. I was running away.