The Fox and The Forest (EDITING)

Nigeru Kitsune (0.5)

☛

Ever felt like your body wasn't your own? Like your mind was so far detached from the rest of your being, that nothing about you was determinable from the rest of the floating dust particles, which danced around you like sprites in the warm sun beams.

This is how Kate felt, except without the sun breathing gently on her skin. Instead of sunlight, she felt only itchiness. It was so persistent. So insatiable.

Kate tried doing anything to keep her from going mad. Itch. "I am Kate Marsh," she said aloud, panicked even further by how strangled her voice sounded. Itch. "I am seventeen years old and I will get out of this hell." The latter phrase Kate's Mum had used to describe her marriage to Kate's Dad. Itch.

Her skin was quickly turning red raw, covered in dangerous orange patches.

"Kate? What's wrong with you?" Like the banging of a ritual gong, the voice of the unit Nurse made Kate's ears ring. She leapt back. Itch.

"Don't," Kate snapped as Melantho made a second attempt to get close to her. "What exactly did you do to me?"

"Sit down. Let me get you your tablets."

"No. Answer me." Kate used all the strength she had to remain standing on her weak and wavering matchstick legs, her hair clinging to her face with a sweat like glue. Itch.

"Alright," the nurse replied, tilting her head to the side and clicking her neck. Her sweet disposition dissolved into seriousness. "As the doctor told you before... We made you better. We simply combined your DNA with plant DNA to give your cells the same characteristics as plant cells." Itch. That can't be right.

"You're wrong!" Kate snarled angrily. "He said that the forest was destroyed. Plants are extinct!" Kate refused to call the man who had tortured her a doctor.

"And yet you're still here Kate. Because you're normal now. You're better. You're like humans used to be!"

"This is not how humans used to be. I don't feel human! I've aged 4 years. You did this!" Itch. Itch.

At that moment Kate became aware of the gloopy blood circulating inside of her, as thick as tar. She turned over her arm and as she stared at the scar it glared back at her.

"We had to give your body time to accept the cells. Anyway, you should sit down. Accepting your new self may be difficult for someone who is young and... weak of mind." The nurse smiled. You could tell this by the way the oxygen mask moved further up her face to compensate the curve of her mouth.

Kate clenched her fists, so hard that they turned from orange to a yellow then a waxy white colour. Itch. "I'll go and get your tablets then dear. Hang in there." Itch.

Then Kate was on her own.

At least, she should have been. Though she didn't feel alone.

She could hear people- crying, talking, stepping and walking from every direction. Kate had to sit down before she fell down.

She felt so out of control, like a fishing boat in a tempest.

She rocked back and forth. Itch. Itch. Itch.

Oh god...What is this?

When Kate looked to her hands she saw orange hair piercing through the pores in her skin. Her hands contorted for real this time. It felt like her joints were wrenched out of their sockets.

Itch. Itch. Itch. The itching persisted. She fell to the floor, her groaning turned to a growl. The joints in her spine snapped out of place and re-connected. Blinding white walls around her grew taller like waves.

"I brought some dinner too. You need..." Melantho paused, taking in the grotesque scene. The tray the nurse was holding clattered to the floor.

"It hurts," Kate groaned, hunched over and embryonic. At least, that was what Kate thought she had said. However, what the nurse had actually heard escaping from her mouth was much more terrifying than that.

In no time, Kate was overcome by a flash of orange light.

The Nurse stumbled back, covering herself until the light subdued. In the spot where Kate had stood, the light's epicentre, there was now a very different creature. One confused and dazed and relying solely on instincts.

Before, with the barrier of questionable morality in her way, Kate could not escape. But now, Kate was not Kate at all.

So the fox tried to do what foxes do best, escape.

Before the Nurse could make a grab for her she jumped on the chair and up to the single light on the ceiling. Her claws shattered the glass.

Darkness. More comforting than the light. Only a small slither could be seen and it came from the crack between the door and the wall.

"Kate?" said the Nurse, feeling around in the dark. "Kate, where are you?" Melantho's voice quivered. "There's no need to be afraid. I know this might be a shock for you." The fox slinked around her, like moonlit silk under the cover of night. "We just need to bump up your tablet intake is all..." Melantho headed for the door, opening it fully.

But slowly, out of the darkness a dog-like shadow approached the nurse. She crouched down, reluctantly holding her hand out to the beast. The creature sniffed it, curiously, then directed its vision towards her. It blinked calmly- a submission. "There there." The nurse let out a sigh of relief.

When the animal seemed to have calmed down, Melantho put her arms around the creature to pick her up, but the fox sunk its teeth deep into her hand.

Melantho staggered back. The sight of her blood drowned palm made her want to vomit. While the nurse was stunned with pain, the fox ran underneath her legs and bolted out of the partially closing doors.

A/N So that was an intense chapter. Sorry it's a bit later than last week. I hope you're all having a nice weekend. Please like and comment if you enjoyed this chapter. If you have any questions about anything feel free to ask! Thanks. -hippywitch