•HUSK• THE NEW MUTANTS

CHAPTER ONE

Milbury Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
2:47am

The body stirred awake, his eyes opening taking in the bright fluorescent lights as he tried to sit up he realised his hands had been restrained, cuffed to the medical bed with straps stopping him from certain movements.

Panic flooded his system as he struggled desperately to free himself, tugging on the restrains caused the mental bars to jingle with noise, a voice stopped him in his tracks as it boomer over the loudspeaker.

"I'm doctor Reyes, I'll be down in just a moment to free you, all I ask is you stay calm." A noise sounded indicating she was no longer at the mic.

As she had said the doctor had entered the room, " where am I?" The boy asked, fear evident in his voice. "You're safe, you're at a hospital." She said, "now I'm going to loosen you, can you promise not to freak out?"

He paused for a second before noodling allowing her to free him, as he fully sat up he rubbed at his wrists, "you were found passed out in the back of an alleyway, I treated some of your wounds, just some
Minor cuts and bruises." She said as he stood up.

"Why don't we go to my office and discuss this?" The body was unsure of her but decided to follow. Once inside he was given a cup of a warm liquid and seated on a spacious sofa.

"Do you know what mutants are?" She asked, the boy was surprised by her question, panic flaring in his stomach, he pushed it down waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

Instead he nodded, "mutation often occurs in puberty you might spend the first thirteen years of your life relatively normal, then just like that. You come of age and discover your true nature."

The boy took a deep breath, his fingers twitching through years of muscle memory, "and how do you know I'm a mutant?"

"The man I work for has a way of recognising mutants the moment they active their powers. That's how we discovered you. And your fellow patients."

The boy was a little shocked by the information, "you're not alone Cassius" she said softly, his hand relaxing at his side.

"This is a facility for young mutants like yourself, teens who need extra care before they can go on to live, healthy adult lives." The doctor said as they walked through the dark hallway, they stopped at a room with an open door. Both of them stepping inside.

"There's some warm clothes, toiletries" she said as they both approached a single bed, with a simple black t shirt and a pair of denim jeans. Beside it was a plastic bag with a new toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste.

"How long do I have to stay here?" He asked looking back up to the doctor, "until they decide you're not a danger" his eyes grew wide. "A danger? Danger to who?" He sounded almost paranoid.

The doctor took a pause before replying.

"Yourself."

The boy took a seat on the bed, his head falling down as he placed his hands over his face. A deep sigh escaping his lips.

"You've been through a lot, get some rest, okay? We'll talk more in the morning." She said walking to the door.

"Doctor Reyes... thank you" she only nodded before closing the door behind her, leaving the young Male alone in a strange location.

Milbury Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
10:03am 

Cassius' eyes began to flutter open, his body jumping into a sitting position almost instantly, he scanned the room quickly, his eyes trailing over the ill furnished room. His body relaxed as he concluded he was safe.