Chapter 1
I stared at my reflection in the glass, my dark eyes glaring back. I was encased in a glass dome that surrounded the plastic platform I was strapped. A thin blanket covered my body. Bright white lights shone directly on my face, the bare bulbs emitting heat. Warped figures wandered outside my silent prison. I could see their deformed mouths moving, but no sounds reached my ears.
A loud hiss alerted me of movement. I turned my head to the other side and watched as a vinyl tube sprayed a white gas into my chamber, fogging up the glass. A needle was slowly approaching my arm, the tip uncovered and ready.
Thrashing against my bond, I could feel my energy leaving. My eyes grew heavy and my vision was reduced to one two small circles, the edges tinted black. My arms grew heavy and I fell unconscious.
-
Bleep, bleep… The consistent sound slowly reached through the layers of sleep and began to edge me awake. I surfaced to reality, my head aching like someone had smashed it with a metal chair. Everything was black, and my wrists and ankles sent spikes of pain shooting through my body.
“Uhhhh.” I groaned, my mind slurring all the words together. The silhouette of a man moved and the room was suddenly flooded with light. I winced as it pierced my eyes. My hands tried to rise up, but only moved a few inches before cold metal stopped them. I looked down and saw that my wrists and ankles were bound with metal shackled. The skin around both of them was raw and bloody.
“He’s awake.” The man spoke into a microphone latched onto the chest pocket of his lab coat. “Get security in here, just in case.”
“Who-” I struggled to talk.
“I’m Dr. Kirami.” He stayed against the counter like he was scared. I noticed several doctors equipment trays lying uncovered. “Do you remember who you are?”
“I’m Erik.” I licked my dry lips.
“And do you remember details of before your… operation?” Dr. Karami pulled out a clipboard and began to scribble across it.
“I was taken here from jail as a test subject.” The memories began to come back. “I was offered freedom, but would have to go through tests that could be life threatening.”
“Great.” The door opened and a group of six men dressed in black armoured suits walked in, holding guns by their sides.
“What the-?”
“Do you feel any different?” Karami interrupted. “Anything peculiar.”
“No, just light headed.” I pulled against the locks holding me down. A rush of adrenaline went through my body and I ripped them out of the plastic bed. My body felt weightless and I began to hover before I moved up towards the ceiling.
“What-” I started before I fell. My head smashed into the side of the bed and I felt a thin stream of blood run down my temple. “Ugh.” I groaned, pulling myself up.
“Amazing!” Dr. Kamari exclaimed. “The power of flight and strength.” He began jotting down notes on the clipboard again.
I leaped into the air, flying across the room, and snatched the board out of his hand. My other hand reached around his throat, squeezing gently. All the guns in the room were immediately pointing at me, but I looked each shooter carefully in the eye. “Make one move and I’ll kill him.” I reached onto the counter behind him and grabbed a knife.
“You wouldn’t.” One of the shooters ventured, lowering his gun.
“You forget I came from juvenile detention.” I smirked. “It wasn’t for being nice.”
“You won’t kill me.” Dr. Karami eyed the blade fearfully. “Without me you never go back to your normal self.”
I lowered the blade and stepped back. “Fine, but watch your back.” With another jump I was back on the other side of the room. “I want to be normal now.” I demanded.
“I haven’t found a way yet.” He smiled to himself. “Guess you’re stuck for a little while.”
“Why you lying-”
“Uhuh.” he held up his finger. “I’ll take you to your team.”
“My team?” I looked at the bare room. “You’re doing this to more kids than just me?”
“Of course, your roommates.” he walked out of the room, escorted by two of the guards. The other four circled around me and led me after him.
I looked around at the halls that had looked so innocent just a few days ago. Now they were terrifying. I wondered what the guards would do if I flew away and abandoned the island. I slowly experimented, wishing that i was flying. I began to rise slowly and I levitated a few inches off the ground.
“Down.” The tallest guard pushed his gun against my back. “No flying while you’re with us.”
“I’m not a dog.” I taunted. “Make me.”
He grabbed my arm roughly and yanked me down. I landed hard on the floor, sprawled on my back. Sio the power wasn’t that strong. Bitter disappointment filled me. I was hoping to make a fool out of the aggravating man.
“Up.” He poked me again with the back of the gun. I thought about grabbing it, but me against three wouldn’t turn out good.
I walked around the next corner and found Dr. kamari pacing excitedly in front of a wall of glass. “Come over.” he beckoned, making sure the guards were between us. “Begin procedure.” he barked into the microphone.
The room was set up exactly like mine except there were five beds lined up in a row. I watched as the glass fogged up on one of the five table inside. I could faintly see the silhouette of the needle moving in to pierce the victim, though I didn’t know who it was.
The gas stopped flowing and the glass cleared up. I found myself looking at Jasmine, one of the three girls that was here. Her long red hair was flowing around her head, and her eyes and lips were touched with black makeup. I watched as her chest rose rapidly, her breathing becoming visibly faster. With a jerk she sat up and smacked her head on the glass.
“She woke up fast.” Dr. Kamari commented. “You were out for half a day.”
Jasmine was panicking. Her eyes lit with fear and she locked eyes with me. I looked at her and nodded, slowly floating up. Her eyes widened, and as the guards came to lower me she nodded back. I was pulled back to the tiled floor, but watched as she concentrated her eyes. With a small smile she sank into the plastic bed and disappeared, leaving a blanket lying wrinkled.
“Get security down to the first floor.” Dr. Kamari yelled as alarms began to blare. The halls went dark and red lights flashed across the floors and walls.
“You better hope she’s on your side.” I said with a grin. Dr. Kamari just glared.
