Take Flight And Fall

- Feast -

After savouring the hot water, I pulled my head out of the water and exhaled a long, silent breath. Wisps of steam swished off of my face as I sat back.

Skies, how do I clean myself up?

I couldn’t undress due to the cuffs. But I was lucky because I was a marine mutant and I needed the water more than a bath. Still, I could catch a cold but it will be minimum.

I sat on the floor for a while, raising my head to gaze fleetingly at the grey sky. The bath had no roof and the dull light from the sky danced upon the water in the stony bath. I was certain that the bath would have been much beautiful during the dry seasons when the sun would cause its rays to shine brightly against the water. I took a deep breath and my senses were filled with the smell of salt water and soil.

I exhaled and went on my knees, wanting to wash my face. I leaned my head over the water and scooped water into my hand. I splashed water on my face and over my head, cleansing myself. When I was done, I glanced at my dull reflection that rippled due to the droplets of water that fell from my head and landed on the water. Bright, ice-blue eyes stared back at bright, ice-blue eyes. Unlike the land mutants who had slits for pupils, my eyes had large, black, round pupils; my iris was a rippling pattern of shades of pale blue colour, the darkest being the one closest to my pupils.

I heaved a sharp sigh, lifting my head. “I better get some rest,” I muttered as I stood.

I walked back into the room and shut the door. My gaze landed on the straw mat and I stepped to it. I squatted and sat on the mat. I reached forward and untied the laces of my sneakers. After moving it to the side with my foot, I laid on my back. The mat was a little bit small and my leg was reaching the door. Placing my hand on my stomach, I closed my eyes and willed myself to rest.

And because of my experience throughout the day, I dreamt of my first time out of the water.

✺

Everywhere was dark and stuffy. It’s like my eyes were shut and I couldn’t open it. Someone was talking rapidly in a worried yet amazed tone. It sounded muffled and far away. It felt like I wasn’t supposed to understand the person yet I could.

My body was heavy and stiff. My whole being felt as if I was wrapped up in tape, ready to be disposed of. My eyes were still closed when I felt something warm against me. It was a hand.

“Hello?” the person asked in a soft, caring tone. The voice belonged to a female. She coughed lightly and asked, “are you alright? Can you open your eyes?”

My breath stuttered and I shivered. Me shivering wasn’t because of fright but surprise.

Where am I? is what I could hear in my head. Why do I feel like... I’m not me?

The person chuckled lightly. “You’re... human.” The sound of a clap resonated and the lady happily shrieked, “it worked! The serum worked! I’ve succeeded! I’ve—”

My eyes flew open and I’m blinded by the light above me. I blinked rapidly to steady my sight and soon the view before me became clear. A bulb was above my head and I was lying in a soft bed. The feeling of being wrapped up was gone and the new feeling was one of cloths and warmth.

I shifted my head from left to right, blinking hastily. More beds filled the room and the occupants were rushing about. Suddenly, the sound of their liveliness rushed back with great speed and I cringed at the noise. The sound of screeching metal and heavy footsteps bounced from one corner of the large room to the other, giving me a headache. My hand flew to my head and I rubbed my temple with the tips of my fingers.