It was years ago. Years since my first transformation. Years since my happiness and comfort. I was seven when it happened. Most seven year olds find pain in paper cuts or stubbed toes. But 2 and a half months after my seventh birthday I found excructiating pain in changing, not changing clothes, ha. I found pain in changing from a little girl into a saber toothed tiger.
I was angry, furious at my mother. She wouldnt let me leave the island that we lived on, alone. She wouldnt let me go to the big city of Vancouver to get the doll I wanted. I yelled and I cried, I got so worked up that I couldnt cool down. My spine tingled and my legs got weak. My body jerked forward, throwing me towards the ground. I felt my limbs move and shift, tighten and change.
Even now, 10 years later, I still recoil at the memory. I still change. At least once a week. My father and mother get my mad on purpose so I will lash out and then they can do science experiments on me. They say they want to understand why this happens to me, and discover new scientifict obcenaties. They use me for my ability, or as I call it, my disability.
Everyday I confront my mother and father about leaving this island and going to Vancouver. I want to meet other people, see if there are people like me. Freaks like me.I need to escape from the experiments and tests that my father say will 'help' me. I need to get off this damn island that has trapped me for 17 horrible years.
That is why I did what I did. I talked to my parents, calmly, explaining what I was going to do. I said that I would leave this island, swim to shore, and if they tried to stop me, I would rip them to shreds. I wasn't planning on it, of course. These were the people that fed me, clothed me, put a roof over my head. But also the people that hurt me, took advantage of me. They deserved to be punished, but also deprived. Deprived of their little 'test subject'.
With this in my mind, I waded into the cool June water. I decided to dress in my waterproof jumpsuit, with a long sleeve shirt and warm pants underneath, and put my shoes in a ziplock bag.
Not one little sliver of my brain was filled with regret. It was filled with knowledge and skills that would allow myself to live on my own. But I did feel a pange of sadness when I heard my mother and father talking on the shore of the island.
"Anakara!" They shouted. "Come back here you filthy animal, what are you thinking, get back on this island right now. This is no time for jokes!"
"What if she meets them," my father said, his voice was filled with terror.
"She won't, she's not that smart. Anyway, they are in hiding, aren't they?" My mother replied, obviously thinking very quickly.
"There is no telling. She's like them, right. She thinks like them. We need to figure something out," I faintly heard my father shuffle his feet in the sand.
I couldn't hear wether or not they were still talking, I was too far away.Swimming slowly, to gain the information from the conversation. I turn around, and face my mother, who was now alone on the beach. She was staring at me, terror filled her perfect little face. Her hair blew in the wind.
"Bye!" I yelled toward her, "even though you're dirty and evil, I'll never hurt you," she lifted her somber expression, relief filled her face now.
"Really?" She asked back.
"No you idiot! I'll rip your intestines out and make you eat them if I get the chance!" I turned back around, satisfied. I swam and swam, not taking my focus off the task at hand.
***
I pulled myself to shore, 3 and a half days later, gasping for air.I laid on my back and closed my eyes. The sun beat through my eyelids, and I sighed in frustration. I opened my eyes and pulled myself to my feet. I found an open field of grass and sat down.
I pulled off my waterproof suit, wringing out the water. My clothes were nice and dry underneath, except for the small pieces of fabric at the bottom of my pants. I pulled my shoes out of the bag and slipped them onto my feet, then I put the sopping suit into the bag.
I needed to find a place to stay. I back tracked to the conversation my mother and father had on the beach while I was swimming away. He said something about people like me. Were they freaks? Could they change? Or was he talking about the rebelious teenagers that surrounded the country? I had no clue. If I think like them, I can find them right?
I need to try. I can walk, follow my instincts. It’ll work. And if they are like me, then I have found a new family, until my parents come for me.
***
Walking the streets of Vancouver is not fun. Especially when you don't know where you're going.
"Follow you're instincts," I whisper to myself. I look down dark allyways to find anything suspicious, walk every street that looks promising. I look under bridges, in ditches, at the zoo! The only other place that I can think of is a forest, or nature preserve.
But right now, I really need to go to the bathroom. I look around for any public places, and find a resteraunt that looks popular. It has a big golden M on the front, and people seem to enjoy it a lot.
I cross the street and enter the resteraunt, a cool wind falls upon me as soon as I open the door. It feels delightful. I walk around, aimlessly, and eventually come across a bathroom. I open the door and step inside. I quickly do my buisness and wash my hands. I look into the small mirror above the sink.
My brown hair is a mess, and I attempt to comb through it with my hands. My hazel eyes are tired, and I notice a small mark under my left ear. I move my hair out of the way to get a better look. It looks like someone seared something into my skin.
I put my hair back in place and dismiss it right away. I walk out of the bathroom and out of the resteraunt which is called McDonalds.
I feel the heat on my skin as soon as I walk out of the building, and feel dizzy. I regain my composure and walk towards the clump of trees I see in the distance. I feel a tingling sesation in my neck and spine as I get closer to the trees. This could be it, I could finally find my family.
I know better, I have lived a disapointing life, why should it change now? The trees grow closer, and the forest is dark and secrative. There aren't anymore roads, no more people. No body seems to be here.
"Hello?" I yell as soon as I pass the first layer of trees. I take a step forwards and look around.
The trees are tall and thick. The ground is soft and spongy, moist from not being in the sun. Everything is dark and ominous, and the tingling sensation has grown. I feel nervous, I want to find these people more than everything else I've ever wanted put together. More than the doll, more than the new paint for my bedroom walls, and even more than wanting to get away from the damn island.
Swishh
I hear the sound of moving leaves. There is no wind. I hear the sound of feet moving on the moist ground.
"Keep moving, " I advise myself. Walking has never been harder in my life. Im tired and anxiety has swept across my body. My spine feels like it's going to explode.
This is it, I'm going to find them. Just as the thought crossed my mind, I see a rustling bush, the leaves shaking violently. I can't even feel my spine, my neck is burning. Is this it? Am I going to find them? The bush stops moving, instead, a dark figure jumps out from it. I shriek. Something cool touches my neck, right where the weird mark is.
Then everything goes black.
