Subject 15

Chapter 3

"Why are you such a damn problem," 96 growled at me. There was no point in asking, since I couldn't respond. I felt my eyes widen slightly, struggling to grasp at air I could barely feel to begin with. He had me pinned to the wall with one hand, and the other was behind him, silently ordering one of our siblings to give him a cup. This is the part of our usual "conversations," where the guards are out for a few moments, and will be back momentarily.

49 willingly handed one to him, glaring at me in quiet contempt. I never understood why he didn't like me. "All you ever do is get the rest of us thrown in the pit. Because oh, 'fifteen has so much potential, I believe in fifteen.' Please, I'm going to vomit. I used to be mother's favorite, 83 was before me, and 49 before him. This is bullshit," he spat at me, anger written plainly in his entire demeanor. Stupidly, out of annoyance, but mostly fear, I worked up a small response.

"We... we aren't allowed to say that word," I said with a weak chuckle. His grip on my throat tightened immediately and there was a new found sense of pain throughout my neck. He smiled at this, but not satisfied. My vision began to fade as I heard a tear, and there was fabric on my face. "Since you like our tanks so much," he murmured, "this only seems fitting."

Water rushed over the cloth and I began to drown. I tried to shout, but all that escaped was a weak gurgle as I thrashed my legs in protest. I felt it rush down my throat and I couldn't spit it out, couldn't fight it. My hands flew to his arm, and I tried to focus on what I had done earlier. But nothing came of it, perhaps because I was nearing death or simply from not knowing how to control it.

All he did was laugh.

"That's enough," 83 said sternly. 96 ignored our brother, grabbing another cup and slowly pouring it over my head. "I said that's enough!"

There was the sound of our table scraping, and 83 crying out in pain. "Stop it you're going to kill her!"

"Maybe that was the goal," 96 yelled back, "I haven't exactly been able to get to her as of late, but now..."

Someone interrupted the thought, moments later I crashed to the floor along with 96. Coughing, hacking out the liquid from my already sore throat, I cried on the tile and looked around frantically. 71 appeared beside me, soothing me and whispering words I couldn't make out. I don't know what she did, but I'm sure it had to do with her abilities. Now that I was able to see, I noted 83 clutching his ribs and wincing, 49 standing in the corner mute to it all, and 96 laying on the ground. He was unconscious.

"Seventy- one what did you do to him," I whispered anxiously, "is he going to get back up? Did you kill him? Mother won't be happy about that-" She put a finger to my lips and smiled softly, reassuring me. "It's okay, I only made him sleep. Mother will only be proud," she pressed, but it didn't seem certain. Nodding, choosing to accept this as a plausible answer, I leaned into her embrace and sighed. I felt her palm rub against my back, and 83 inched his way across the floor. His own palm moved rhythmically, almost dancing, over his side, and yellow energy pulsed. If I remember right, mother made him capable of using living energy to heal.

'Imagine that there is a beautiful and vibrant flower nearby. He can use the flower's life to make himself feel better, the only bad result being that the flower would die.' At least that's how she explained it.

"Here, I'll make it go away," he said in a hushed tone. I let go of 71 and leaned forward so he could touch my throat. I'm sure it had been turning violet, but as he worked I felt the tightness leave. Like the pain was seeping out of my skin and into the air around us. As he concentrated, his eyes had the same pulse that emitted from his palms, and the orange flecks glowed calmly. They snapped to me, and during this my own gave him thanks in a pained smile, which he returned with apology. "There, all better little one."