The Legend Of Tangen

The Story

I had already anticipated her actions. When I released her jaw, I sprang forward and covered her mouth with my hand. She began to scream just as my hand covered.

When I knew that she was done I released and backed up. She was gasping for air and clutching her side. She picked up her radio and I bent her hand back.

She screamed in agony and stared at me. She saw fire in my eyes and I saw hatred in hers.

"Are you ready to talk?"

She nodded and reluctantly began. "Daniel was a twelve year old boy when we found him. He never came in for doctor's appointments, so we went to his house to investigate. We thought he might have extreme immunity and could help sick people.

"He was extremely healthy and happy. We asked his mother why he never got sick and she answered 'He seems immune to it all'. We were curious and so we asked his mother if we could do some health tests to see if we could help find cures for more diseases. She was proud if her son and so she allowed him to come."

"Did you ask him if he was 'special' once he was here?"

"You impertinent child! Yes. He said no but of course we wanted to do tests anyways. He was frightened at first. We gave him a room in the back of the lab that was similar to his back home and he appreciated us."

"How come..."

"You know ya powers hun. He didn't know he had any."

"Continue..."

"We tested him and discovered his incredible superhuman ability to heal. And not only himself, but others as well. He was a wonderful child and he stayed here for two months. We saw no threat in him. A few months after we let him go back home, a boy in one if his classes at school went to the hospital. The boy had torn lungs and his nerves were all dead. He became paralyzed entirely."

"How does this relate to Daniel-"

"It just does hun. Anyways, he told the doctor's that a boy in his class had attacked him. The doctors didn't believe him be cause no person could kill all of the nerves in your body, but they wrote it down in his medical file. The boy died within a few hours due to lack of oxygen. Daniel returned here when he was suspected to be responsible for the death of the boy. We discovered that not only could he heal, but he could also injure and harm others with only his emotions."

"How long did he stay?"

"Not for long hun. The police came seven hours after he arrived and tried to arrest him for killing the other boy. The scene wasnt pretty. There was blood everywhere and he didn't even touch them. After that he was stuck in this room. We knew his full potential and we didn't want to see it again. His anger grew and grew and one day the door wasn't locked properly and he escaped. We've been searching everywhere since, hoping that he doesn't kill or hurt anyone else."

"So you think that I will have anger issues and kill people?"

"I never said that. People are just afraid of mutants now. It's different in this generation."

The door opened and a security guard peeked onto the room. "You need to come out Dr. Traviski."

The scientist nodded. "You just let her attack me though?"

"She would've escaped if I had opened the door while that was happening."

"I guess. You'll need your strength tomorrow, Carti. Eat."

I watched them slip out the door and turned to the food sitting on the small table in front of me. It smelled sweet and so I cautiously took a bite. Pie. I hadn't had it in so long, but I knew it was just to make up for the pain.

***

I finished the entire pie and slumped down on the bed. I needed rest badly. I adjusted the pillows and blankets and snuggled in with as much coziness as possible.

I saw the bright lab lights bearing down on me as my eyes closed, heavy with drowsiness. As I was drifting off, I heard the door open and felt a pinch in my left arm. A man  talked to me. "It's all right Carti. Just one test..."

My consciousness left me and their next experiment began.

***

I woke with pain again. My arms felt like they were about to split. I lifted my head and looked at my arms. They were cut open with tubes filtering inside. I caught myself in panic. They were killing me...I had to get out of here. I looked over at the tool tray next to the bed. A white block was sitting on a piece of wax paper.

I looked a little closer inside my left arm and realized why it hurt so much.   There was only a scar left where my bone had quickly healed. My breathing quickened as I began to hyperventilate. I really was going to be experimented to death.

A doctor or scientist (who cares anymore) opened the door. "How are you Carti? Painful? Sorry about that. "

"Are you trying to be sincere?"

He looked at me with sad eyes. "Yes. Problem with that?"

I shook my head and turned back to him. It was then I noticed the black sticker near his head.

"Hey. What's that?"

"Huh?" He turned to look at me and continued. "Oh. That's a control device. I'm a peaceful mutant. I...uh...well, do what I want to. This device keeps me peaceful. I can't do anything to harm anyone."

"Are-are they going to do that to me?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just a doctor. Now lie down and go back to sleep."

I laid my head back on the pillow and closed my eyes. I heard the syringe injecting the medication into my veins, and I was out...again.

***

I could move my arm again. I sat up too fast and hit my head on an overhead tool. "Ouch!"

I began to examine my left arm. It was stitched up all the way to my elbow. Other than that, it seemed alright. I began to look at the pictures on the board in the corner. There were several x-rays and one of my hand. All of the joints were messed up. Could I really do that?

I decided to try it. Apparently I can twist my joints too. The door opened.

I jumped and yelped as my arm hit the tray.  "Will you people stop opening the freaking door!"

The man closed the door gently and sauntered over to my bed. "Sorry kid. Do you want to get out of here or not?"