Subject Zero (COMPLETED)

Four

Malakai

Kai's body fell stiff after a few hours.

He had gotten used to a cell, but not his entire body tied up for so long. The muzzle was off, but his neck ached from the constant pressure, and he could feel the skin on his wrists and ankles becoming raw. His throat felt dry and burned, and he wondered if he would ever get fed and taken care of from these people. He was lightheaded, from the lingering sedative and dehydration.

When he was with Benedict Lee, he felt lonely and lost, but he had six others with him. Surrounded by the others, Kai had hope. Without them by his side, the feeling quickly subsided. He was alone, for now. It was hard to hold onto hope alone.

He was angry at himself. He was angry that he talked back to these people; shared his identity with strangers who only wanted to use his abilities. He would not show his powers yet, and the more Kai thought about it, the more he wondered why he wouldn't. They'll find out eventually, and they would use him the same. The situation was hopeless for the seven subjects. He began to wonder who else was here. Sebastian? Farrah? Miriam? He didn't know.

He didn't know the time, but he assumed he arrived in the morning and that it was close to night. As much as he wanted to keep his powers hidden and fight, he wanted to get out of this room and roam the Capitol. He did not know which side he was on, but unfortunately, he felt like he was not in the West. Therefore, home was far.

Kai was tired of seeing himself in the mirror, so he forced his head sideways as he looked at the picture on the wall. The scenery of the woods looked peaceful, and Kai admired it. He remembered when he and his sister Novah played in the woods in their backyard; they built forts and searched for pretty rocks to throw. He hadn't seen his sister since she was nineteen. She was twenty-two now, and Kai couldn't grasp the concept.

While time had gone by, Kai never forgot his home and where he came from. He clung onto the memories because he believed he would come back to them. He imagined going home and playing lacrosse with his father and cooking with his mother. He wanted to see if Novah had gotten a good job. He dreamed of home and what it would be like again. It would not be normal, but it would be better. He knew if he ever saw freedom again, it would be different. He would always be known for his powers now—not as himself.

Kai was afraid of being here, captured again, but he also couldn't sit still anymore. He always needed to be moving, whether it was tapping his foot or fiddling with something. He sighed as he stretched his body, pulsing his fists together on and off.

He had nothing to do. With Benedict, he had other people to talk to. He was also given one thing by the scientist: A Bible. Kai assumed Benedict had no desire for the book, so he let Kai have it. It reminded him of his Bible at home; his family would often go to church together. Kia clung onto the pages for three years. But now, the Bible was gone. Kai had nothing but a painting to stare at.

Kai soon realized he hadn't used his powers for hours. Benedict was always training his subjects, and Kai knew without practicing his powers, he would grow weak next time he used them. He learned this from Benedict, and that was why he was constantly working with Kai. But the more Kai practiced, the more dangerous he became. However, maybe if he waited long enough the powers would go away. It was wishful thinking, but Kai could still hope.

The speaker sprung to life, and Kai cocked his head. He thought he was done with questioning for the day. They were growing impatient, no doubt. Kai looked at the mirror, waiting for the smooth voice of the woman from earlier.

"How are you?"

It was not the woman's voice he was familiar with, but a different female. It sounded powerful but young, confident but aware. He wished he could se through the mirror. Was this just another worker? He assumed so, but he wondered why they would come so late in the evening.