“Hey! Watch where, you’re going, mister!” I glared up at the tall, thin man who had pretty clearly purposefully run into me. I didn’t have time to deal with loons in the park if I was going to make it to the shelter before they shut their doors for the night.
He gave me what I think he thought was a friendly smile. “My apologies, let me help you up.” He pulled me to my feet and I brushed myself off. “Let me make it up to you. How does a hot meal and a warm bed sound?” I eyed him warily. Cara had warned me about strangers offering to take me anywhere. People were going missing. Not that anyone would want a street kid like me. Can’t be too careful sometimes, though.
Read More“Oh, good. I see you’ve woken.”
The cold voice of the doctor pulled me from my haze as I woke. I glared at him and I tried to get my bearings. I would have had some choice words for him if he hadn’t gagged me. I struggled against my restraints, but my muscles still felt like they were made of jelly. His amusement at my struggles was clear from the slight smirk at the corners of his thin lips.
Read MoreI sipped the amber liquid in my glass which burned my lips and throat as I stared at the papers arrayed across my desk. They all said the same thing. Some of them were nicer about it than others. It all came down to the same answer, though.
I picked up the one I’d received from the Board of Scientific Study Approvals. The paper was thicker than the others like they thought their rejection was more important than the one I’d gotten from Dynamic Industries. It was almost card stock. Leave it to the government to be the extravagant ones. I poured myself another drink as I read the letter again. I’d lost track of how many times I had read it. I could practically recite it.
Read More"Do you know where you are?"
My attention snapped up to the stoic man behind the desk. I glanced around at my surroundings to get my bearings. The gray man sitting across the table from me wore a black lab coat and had slicked-back hair.
“From the one-way window, security door, and uncomfortable chair you gots me strapped to, prolly a interg...intregrat…” I let out a frustrated sigh and closed my eyes.
Come on, guys.
“Interrogation. We’re in an interrogation room.”
Read More“This is quite the deal you’ve constructed. You should try your hand at being a Demon.”
The scruffy man across the table from me laughed in a tired way. “A tempting idea, but not one I’m interested in, ma’am.”
“Sylana. No need for such formalities. You’re certain this is what you want?”
He shook his head, sadness behind the exhaustion. “I’m not certain of much these days, ma...Sylana. I got associates I thought was friends. They think I don’t know what they gots planned for me. They ain’t too good at keepin’ their voices down when they been drinkin’ and think they’s alone.” His laugh held no humor.
Read MoreI sat silently and stared at my shoes while Mother spoke with the man with scary eyes wearing a dark coat.
“You have nothing to worry about, Mrs. Cole. I have seen many cases like your child’s and my treatments have proven quite effective.”
Mother gently ran her fingers through my hair. I could feel her worry. I hated worrying Mother.
“I read your pamphlet, Dr. Corialis. You don’t have to sell me on this issue. I just want Vin to get better. It was very generous of your facility to waive the price for us.”
Read MoreI examined my new disguise, making sure I had all the right features. It would be unlikely Peter's associates would invite a woman to play in their rigged game. A young man would be a more likely target. Besides, it amused me to make myself look just enough like Peter to be his son. I enjoyed creating a character for these kinds of deals. It kept life interesting.
Read More"It seems I've won the round again, gents." I tried to hold in my smirk when I laid down the last tiles in my hand and pulled the pile of winnings toward me. I had toyed with them for the first couple rounds, losing as though I were unfamiliar with the rules. I fumbled with which matches I could make and barely held in my amusement as the men tried to break it down for me. I could only play with my food so long, but I figured I would enjoy it while it was still fun. For me. My opponents were having far less fun and that fun was ruined further when I stopped letting them even think they could win.
Read More“What in the twelve pits is all of this?”
I leaned my elbows on the table and laid my chin on my interlaced fingers. “Those are your bargaining chips.”
“You gotta be kiddin’ me. Who asks for this kinda shit in a game of tiles?”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “I told you this was a high stakes game. If the risk is too high for your tastes, you can go back to town empty-handed.”
Read More“Get back up, boy.”
I held my side and panted, one of my black and tan wings held in front of me in defense.
“I said, GET UP!”
I leapt back as my father lunged at me with his spear, only barely escaping his attack.
“Harmen!”
My father slowly stood to his full height when my mother shouted his name, his cold gray eyes still locked on me.
“How many times do I have to tell you using real weapons in these sparring matches is dangerous and irresponsible?” She moved between me and him, her tan and white wings spread just enough to block me from view.
Read MoreWe tapped our foot rapidly while we listened to the man across from us in the circle of patients. We had lost track of the number of hours we had been in this accursed group therapy. We were fairly certain the therapist had purposefully made us the last to speak. We were trying to hold our temper, but it was a losing battle.
"That's when the bird spoke to me and told me about God's plans for me."
Read More“Hey, mister? Are you playing with those?”
We blinked away the medicated haze when the boy spoke to us. We looked down at the dominoes on the table. “Naw. Just starin’ at ‘em. Hopin’ they got the answer to a way out of this place.”
He sat down across from us, beginning to move the tiles around. “You have to ask them nicely or they won’t help you.”
Read More"Who were you talking to over there?"
I shrugged as Cara led me down the brightly lit hallway. "Another patient."
She gave me an unamused look. "I could see that. Do you know his name?"
"I've heard the guards call him Subject 963."
She raised an eyebrow. "But you didn't ask his name?"
I shook my head. "Nope."
Read MoreI closed my eyes as I hung up the phone. It was only luck that Cara hadn't changed her number in the years since I disappeared on her. I guess it was good I hadn't changed mine either. I was surprised she hadn't just deleted my number after all this time.
I forced myself into a sitting position and leaned against one of the long-abandoned machines in the warehouse. I tried to assess my wounds, touching my aching head and coming away with blood coating my hand.
Read MoreI sat under the big tree in our yard, reading one of the books I had borrowed from the library. I had to return it when my mother and I went back that day, so I was speeding my way through the last few chapters. It also helped to distract me from the yelling coming from inside the house.
My parents had been fighting all morning. I heard my name several times which usually meant my mother was trying to defy my father's will. Sometimes I wished I could be the warrior my father wanted me to be. It wouldn't be for my father's sake but my mother's so she didn't have to endure the maltreatment from defending me.
Read More
