Future of Mutation

Wait, What?

It was dark. It was dusty. And it was hard to see.

I sat up and looked around, my vision blurry and hazy. I placed a hand on my head, I think? I pulled my hand down to look at it, and was shocked. I think it was my hand? I couldn't really tell, it was...odd. My hand looked like a reptiles, covered in maroony pink-ish scales, and claws coming from the tips of my fingers, like messed up fingernails.

I suddenly felt a buzz in my pocket, quickly fiddling my hands around until I found it in my purple hoodie, and pulled it out. The phone was cracked with a hello kitty case- gross. I opened the phone up to see a message by a contact labeled 'Mom'...she seemed worried.

'Ardel Winston answer me for gods sake! It's almost midnight!'

I titled my head slightly and looked through my contacts, only seeing around fifteen..I finally recognized a name...

Carmen.

I took a breath and pressed the call button, the phone ringing for a moment before I heard a tired voice on the other side.

"Ugh, Ardel? What the hell my guy it's like- midnight or some shit."

I suddenly felt a wave of fear and anxiety wash over me, my voice coming out shaky and nervous.

"C-Carmen..something happened- I have no idea where I am and I'm scared- I can't remember anything and-and-"

"Woah! Little dude calm down, I'll be there in a second, aren't you at the shop?"

..Shop?..the pet shop. Of course! Duh!

"O-Oh! Yeah-yeah! Please hurry!"

Then she hung up. Leaving me alone...

I found my way out of the broken building and looked around, large apartments and businesses all around...no people though. I looked back at the shop, and let out a small gasp. The shop had a large truck bashed through the front, weird blue and black goo splattered on the ground..I decided to sit down and wait for my friend.

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Carmen made it to the shop about thirty minutes after our call, leaving me to ponder about what happened. She showed up wearing some skates and her usual camo backpack strapped across one of her shoulders. The girl was pale faced with freckles, and reddish-Brown hair pulled to one side, the other side of her head shaved. At the moment she was wearing sweatpants and a jean jacket that belonged to her dad...how did I know that?

She stopped a few feet away from me and gasped in shock, covering her mouth and staring for a solid minute before asking quietly.

"..What happened?"

I looked at her, tears starting to grow in my eyes as I realized...I don't know. I don't.

She sighed in understanding and walked over to me, hugging me gently. As she touched me pain shot through my body and I pushed her away, covering my head and trembling.

She stared at me again, shocked for..some reason, before getting a determined look and standing, holding out her hand.

"Follow me, I think I know someone who can fix this." She turned around and headed down the street. I was hesitant, then quickly ran up to her side. She seemed calm, like... unnaturally calm. And I couldn't help but ask. "Why are you so calm about this?"

She glanced at me, then up at the street signs. "Not the weirdest thing I've seen. Probably not like this, but still not the weirdest." I was even more confused, "weirdest what?"

She slyly smirked as we turned down an alleyway, "you'll see." She then stopped at a ...Wait, why are we in-front of a manhole? I was about to give voice to my question when she knelt down and picked up the cover, moving it to the side.

no. Nonononononono. "No, I am NOT going down there!"  She looked up at me and crossed her arms, "and why not? You want some help, don't you?"

I lightly shuffled my feet as I looked down, "well... Yeah, b-but. There are doo many GERMS down there. I-i mean, what if I get a Staff infection?"  Her face fell into an 'I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck", "don't you have germ-x?"

I instantly started to pat my pockets, then froze. "No." She sighed, rolled her eyes and grabbed onto the side of the ladder leading down, "well. Man up." And with thar, she slid down the ladder.

I grimaced but sighed and slowly followed, pulling the lid back on. I froze when my foot touched something wet. I looked down and lifted my foot, gagging at what I could see with the little light given. I took a breath (bad idea on my part) and fully stepped off the ladder.

It took all my nerve to not barf as I looked for Carmen. She was a few feet in front of me with her arms crossed, lightly tapping her left foot. Her arms dropped as he started to turn down the tunnel" "c'mon. We don't have all night." She flipped her hair as she turned but I saw an small smile on her face, as if she'll be seeing someone she knows.

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We made our way down the tunnels, taking turns that I would never be able to remember. I wanted to ask where we were going but she seemed to focus on something. I'm not sure to what but she always seemed to look at where a noise would come from. 

I wanted to ask why but decided against it. I didn't want to ruin her focus, so I paid more attention to our surroundings but stayed close by her. Up until we reached what looked like a regular wall.  Unless you liked up. At the top was a small video camera, a stark white compared to the grey of the sewers.

She reached up and knocked. But not a regular knock. It was a certain knock like a secret code. After a few seconds, the door opened. She peaked in and looked around the room, keeping away from the door. Once she moved back, she sighed. A smirk formed on her lips, "okay. Lets go." not even a step in and something jumped on her. She screeched as her and the other rolled around, until she was pinned under the thing.

I froze as she sighed, "fine you win Uncle Mike. Now, GET OFF." She slipped a foot between the two and kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying back. I watched as both stoop up, Carmen dusting off her pants while the other flipped onto his feet. It clutched its chest, "dang. You've gotta good kick."

He walked up to her and bowed, "I have taught you well, my neice." She smiled and bowed back, "thank you. Now," she stood up to look him in the eyes, "do you know where Uncle DD is?" The thing tilted its head, as she jabbed a thumb in my direction. My eyes met baby blues and two words stang out.

"Aw shell."