Hollow's Grove (The Preliminary Version)

Prologue: Escape

       

Heavy footfalls echoed down the dimly lit corridor. The girl's breathing was uneven, beads of sweat dribbled down her brow. She could feel her heartbeat skipping every few seconds. Behind her, the shouts were getting louder, closer. She quickly ducked down a narrow hallway.

Down this corridor, the lights flickered sporadically. She winced as she passed the containment system. Here, the tortured cries of other captured souls beckoned to her. They were pleading, begging for someone to come and rescue them.  She closed her eyes, the hot tears beginning to well up. She needed to get out of this place, she needed to find someone. "There she is!" A nervous voice pulled her out of her thoughts and back into reality.

There, standing at the end of the aisle was one of the guards. In his trembling hands, he held a pistol. "Stay right where you are! Understand? You are ordered to stand down." His voice quivered. She couldn't help but smirk.

She could see that the guard was truly terrified of her. He had every right to be scared of her. She paused, and raised her hands up in surrender. "Fine, you win, I was close wasn't I?" She chuckled. She was trying to show him that she was not afraid of him or his threat. The guard stepped closer, his entire body shivering with fear. "Okay, now I need for you to come without a fight back to your cell." He lowered his weapon and motioned for her to come over to where he stood. She walked slowly over, her heart racing, sweat now sodden her clothes.

As she came closer to the guard she could feel the fear radiating off him. He was not confident at all, and she could use this to her advantage. A deep growl rumbled in her chest, this facility had given her one thing that she would ever find useful. The guard stood petrified as he watched the girl begin to slowly change into her animal. He gave a panicked cry as he observed the transformation come to an end.

No longer was there a girl standing in front of him, instead a lynx, its yellow eyes gleaming with hunger. His eyes widened with horror when he realized the lynx was crouched in a hunting stance, "Oh lord, no, please-" His voice was cut off as the beast jumped upon him, tearing into his jugular...

"Ma'am, we have an escaped experiment. Cell number 231 was found unlocked and abandoned earlier this evening."  The guard shifted his weight uneasily as he stood in the faintly lit room. The only light that was available came from a small lamp that stood unevenly upon a wooden desk.  At the desk sat a woman, her eyes down, staring intently at some documents. She wore an all-white lab coat. Her greying hair was pulled back into a bun.

"Ma'am, this is a very serious issue. We need to fol-" His voice suddenly cut off, his body dropping limply to the floor.  The woman glanced up from her papers. Her white eyes gleaming as she gave a dark chuckle. "Now, now, Matthias, there was no need for panic." She smiled down at the rigid body, "We'll manage just fine..."