Hybrid

Chapter 2

I came home immediately after the incident with Sam. I threw my bag onto the sofa and threw my shoes off. Elvira was scrolling through her phone and smiling to herself.

"Teenagers." I huffed softly to myself. Amanda had just come from grocery shopping.

"Dan!" She yelled at me with a frown on her face. I stared at her with wide eyes. "Why are you yelling?" I questioned. "You are joking." She rolled her eyes before continuing, "What's the difference between you and our only daughter?"

"For starters, One of us provides an income to the family and the other giggles into their phone." I scoffed. I looked at Amanda to find her with a disappointed look on her face. I look at Vira who was now finally not staring into her phone. I switched on the TV and scrolled through the channels.

"Dante Alvin Cillian." Amanda threatened using my full name.

"Ohh!" Elvira started laughing like a hyena "someone's full name is being used." She rolled all over the sofa clutching her stomach. She looked like a wild hyena. Her hair was all over her face and her clothes were wrinkled. Even though she looked like a mess she seemed so perfect. My little girl. I took her into my arms while she was pulling away from me. I messed her hair even more now, she pouted and looked at me with her big doe brown eyes. The only thing she inherited from her mother.

"Dad." She whined, "you messed up my entire hair now it's mess." She continued pulling her hair to a ponytail.

I laughed, "I was just enhancing your cavewoman hair." She huffed and went to her room.

Amanda still stood at her place hiding her smile behind her stern face that she's barely holding. I stood up and went to her and kissed her lips gently.

"The shoes in and the bag off." She said smiling now. I groaned before putting everything in its place and I sat next to my wife pulling her into my lap. She put her head onto my shoulder, "was it worse today?" She asked. She knew that I didn't have the best day today. She turned facing towards me and put her arms around my neck enveloping me into a warm hug. I returned the hug by pulling her closer and I nodded my head not wanting to answer. She rested her forehead against my head, "you stink."

"Way to ruin the moment, wifey." I smiled back. She frowned looking at my face noticing that my smile didn't reach my eyes. She always knew, I didn't have to pretend in front of her. She knows that I don't have a choice in working for the army. She still soothes the ache that haunts me when I finish my shift.

"Don't pretend in front of me please." She begged squeezing my hand. I didn't want to share the horrors that I have seen in the base so I pecked her lips and went to have a bath.

The cold water run through my body. On every scar that traced my skin. I held my dog tag, stared at it with anger and hurt. My hand tightened around the dog tag and the chain wrapped around it squeezed my skin. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the wall. The tears that i have been holding were free I cried silently into the shower until i could no longer feel the tightened chain around my hand.

I stood once again in front of the cage that the girl was prisoned into. No one else was positioned with me today. I took my chances and went closer to the cage. She sat facing towards the black wall and stared at it. I wanted to know what was running through her mind. Does she want to escape from here? Does she want to kill those who have hurt her? Does she want to save everyone else who are trapped here? Is she missing her family? Of course she would miss them. Home is the only place you would feel safe and comfortable. This place isn't some vacation or so what am I even thinking?

"Hey." I called out to her. She turned but with her wings in a defensive stance. I gulped before continuing," I'm Dante. I thought I would talk to you so that it might provide you some kind of comfort." I looked at her to see if she seemed interested in my opening but she seemed unbothered and disturbed.

"What's your name?" I asked since this was only a one sided conversation and it wasn't going to benefit either of us. I hoped that she would give me any kind of answer but she stared at me with dull eyes that looked almost dead. She didn't seem to be keen in having a conversation with me yet I pitied her so I kept talking. I told her about Alvira and Amanda. Maybe it was a wrong idea it might have caused her more pain, she was away from her family and here I was telling her how I had a wonderful family.

I sighed and got up to leave, just as i was about to leave the room I heard her whisper, "Aine."

I smiled to myself and turned around and gave a small nod to show that I appreciate her opening up to me. It was a progress. Today was a bit better than the rest. The gods had other plans; they seemed to not want a happy day. Four soldiers came barging into the room and dragged the girl out by her hair. She tried to fight against them, she squirmed, fought nick and tooth but failed. I rushed out to see where they were taking the girl but I was stopped.

Just then Sam came up to me, "They are taking her to the white room." He said looking at me. He must have seen the questioned look in my eyes.

"Why?" I whispered, "I thought they wanted her as a weapon, to study her not to torture her?" I questioned.

"It seems that the commander has other plans for her." He said before continuing in a sterner voice, " Dante, stay away from her, please do not get attached to her."