Locked Away

My arms were suspended by the machine. Its only purpose was to use the power of the person inside to do something. In my case, it was made to open a portal of sorts to the spirit world.

I screamed in agony as the machine started. It hurt so much to have my powers used as a battery. I was in so much pain I couldn’t think about anything but the burning sensation, it felt like my flesh was being ripped off my bones.

I couldn’t handle it, my powers weren’t up to the strain. The flickering portal created by my powers dissipated completely as I ran out of energy. My head fell forward while I was left panting and gasping.

Everything still hurt and my body was shaking. My vision was blurred with tears so I could only hear the heavy tapping of boots as the security walked up behind me where I couldn’t see them and unlocked the cuffs surrounding my hands. I fell to my knees whimpering in pain.

The security grabbed my arms and pulled me to my feet before marching me out of the room. I was too weak to fight back and even if I wasn’t I knew better now. It would only hurt more if I fought it so I just stayed quiet and compliant.

The security threw me into my cell before slamming the door shut with a loud bang. I just hugged myself while rocking back and forth slightly. I was scared. They weren’t even there and I was scared.

After a few moments of quiet sobbing, I stood up. I glanced at the mirror at my disheveled appearance. I was pale, too pale and my hair had a strange pattern. Mostly deep black with one singular bright, white stripe on my bangs. My eyes were strangely colored as well, a milky white mixed with an icy blue.

I was wearing a tight black skinsuit with a light blue zero on the chest area. I hated looking at myself, it reminded me too much of who I used to be before this happened.

The others were going to be back soon. I would be able to wait to see them again. They were good. They were nice. They didn't hurt. I didn't even know their names but, they were better.

The others were just like me. They were forced to do all sorts of labor. We didn’t even know our real names. Our parents had given us away the second our powers shone through.

The door at the end of the hall opened and one of the security personnel walked in dragging an unconscious young boy behind him. He had light blonde hair and a large birthmark on his cheek. I recognized the boy as subject 9, the Healer. He was used for experiments that had to do with medicine.

The security threw the boy into the cell before stomping off and out of the room. I walked to the bars of my cell and looked at the boy. I had seen him a few different times but, never for that long.

I moved back to my bed and curled up in a little ball trying to erase the memory of the pain that came from their sick and twisted experiments. It wouldn’t work and I knew that but, it was still instinct to try.

The boy stirred and I glanced over to him. He sat up and looked around seeming dazed. The second he spotted me his eyes lit up and he smiled. It was obvious he liked to talk to others.

“Hi! How are you?” he said as he went to the bars of his cell.

“Fine…” I muttered as I sat up.

“Are you sure…? Or did you…?” the boy said trailing off to hint at the idea that I may have just returned from an experiment.

I nodded and looked away. The boy looked nervous. He didn’t seem to know what to say.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to… I-I know how hard those experiments can be...” the boy said, actually losing his cheery demeanor for a second before putting on a strained smile.

“It’s fine… what’s your name?” I asked because it was the polite thing to do.

“The scientists call me Apollo! What about you?” Apollo asked in a kind tone.

“Zero…” I said as I began to fidget.

“It’s nice to meet you!” Apollo said.

The door opened once more and two security personnel came in while dragging a girl behind them. She was fighting violently and growling like an animal. She had tan skin, white hair, and amber eyes.

“Let me go! I will rip you to shreds!” the girl snarled as she struggled.

Apollo backed away from the bars of his cell as the security walked by looking nervous. Presumably scared about both the security and the raging girl. I backed away as well not wanting to give them a reason to beat me.

The security threw the girl into the cell beside mine before marching off. The girl howled in rage for a few moments before having to stop to breathe. “Assholes…” she gasped before settling down and sitting on her pallet.

“Are you alright?” Apollo asked nervously. He was standing and shifting around with a near fearful expression.

“Why do you care?” the girl snarled.

“I can feel others’ pain. I-I can feel you hurting so… I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright…” Apollo said shrinking in on himself slightly at the girl’s tone.

“I’m fine. Who are you guys?” the girl asked in a calmer tone.

“I’m Apollo and he’s Zero. We both just came back from experiments...” Apollo said as he gestured to the both of us.

“Oh… I’m Keira. So, what do they make you do?” Keira asked, stretching like a cat.

“They draw a lot of my blood so they can make medicine out of it,” Apollo said.

I glanced at Apollo worried despite myself. How could they do that to someone as bright and kind as him? “They strap me to a machine and use my powers to try and open a portal to the spirit realm…” I said running my fingers through my disheveled hair, I wasn’t that big on appearance.

“They make me haul huge amounts of bricks and concrete so they can build with it,” Keira said, she snarled eyes filled with malice as she remembered the labor.

“What should we do? I mean there is nothing we can do but... don’t you want to leave and be left alone by these guys?” Apollo asked. He was looking between Keira and myself waiting for an answer.

“We don’t have many places we can go. You know that right? Our parents gave us away when we demonstrated our powers so we won’t ever be normal.” Keira said as she sat on her pallet.

“She’s right. We’ll always be captured even when we’re ‘free’. There’s no point in the end.” I said.

Apollo looked at me concerned. “That line of thinking is never good… I won’t point anything out but just… don’t do anything drastic.” he said in a kind tone.

“What I do is none of your concern,” I replied looking away. I didn’t know how to handle someone actually caring for my wellbeing.

Keira yawned looking bored. “I’m going to take a nap. Talk to you later,” she said before she curled up on her pallet before falling asleep.

“I think I’ll go to sleep as well…” Apollo mumbled before he went to his bed and buried his face into the pillow.

I got up and sat on the edge of my bed. I was admittedly tired so maybe a few hours of sleep wouldn’t hurt...