The End of Everything

The Origin

This was the last time Alexander Quinn saw his best friend, another subject known as 2356, alive. It was just after Dr. Quinn, his "father," examined his blood, looking for any particular mutations that may have happened. This has been going on all his life, therefore it wasn't new. He'd had his blood examined more times than he could count since he reached the age of nine, where his body prematurely hit puberty.

Alexander walked past the cafeteria doors, his ice blue eyes holding a warm expression as he glanced about the room for his best friend, who happened to be sitting in their usual spot. She beckoned him over, her forest green eyes filled with worry that slowly dissipated once she did so. He strides over and plops down in the chair across from her, his lips curled up to offer a small grin of affection as she slid his tray to him.

"Hey, Carmen! Thanks for my food, as always. I never seem to make it on time before they close the food line," he teased softly as he began to, seemingly, swallow his plate whole. She scoffed softly, her eyes holding an endearing look.

"Anything more exciting than normal, Xander?" asked Carmen, a bit worried for her friend as she always was. Blue eyes flashed upwards as he swallowed the last bit of chicken he had on the plate, his shoulders moving to shrug as he pondered over her question.

"I won't get the results until later. Dr Quinn didn't say if he saw anything abnormal, so I doubt there will be any problems," Alexander smiled up at her, his eyes gentle and reassuring, showing he believed nothing would be wrong this time, just as all the others. Carmen would smile back as she leaned forward, resting her head on her hand. They both appeared fond of one another, having grown up in a place that condemned the caring of others.

"So what did they do to you today?" the boy stated, "Anything I need to hurt someone for?" Alexander was always quite protective of his friend. Most of the time it was very ineffective, but Carmen enjoyed it.

"Could you really do anything if they had?" she teased her friend playfully.

"No, but I'd sure as hell try," he retorted in a serious tone. Carmen's face flushed in color at this. She knew no one else in this world cared for her except for him, but it was enough for her. He had always been there for her when she needed him, not bothering to ask questions on nights when she would have night terrors as a child.

Her feelings had changed. Over the time of their friendship, she began to notice subtle things in her friend she never noticed before. The way his dimples showed when he smiled, his unruly hair, the way he seemed to always make her feel safe. She knew her feelings for him were more than just that of friendship, but she was unsure if he felt the same way.

His eyes always seemed to stare into her very being, his look far different than of when they were growing up.

'I don't think I could live without those eyes anymore,' she thought, 'always reassuring me, protecting me... loving me. Well not loving me, but maybe someday.' Her eyes wandered his face, taking in all his features. Carmen examined Alexander's face as though it was her last opportunity to see him.

"What's that look for, Carmen?" Alexander questioned with a smile after his friend had finally looked away, noticing how closely she had been observing him.

"It's nothi-" Carmen glanced back up to look at Alexander. Seeing the smile he had on his face for her, chose her decision . She was going to tell him how she felt, but now just didn't seem right. "I have something to tell you later. Drop by the lab before lights out." She then sped off to her room.

Alexander looked on at his friend with a puzzled expression. "Wonder what that was about," he thought aloud. His eyes trailed behind her as she left before looking down at his forgotten meal. It was cold now, and he didn't have the appetite he used to before all this. His mind was now occupied with thoughts about what she may want to tell him.

It seemed that every thought was negative, his heart thumping hard against his chest. Thump, thump, thump... He could hear his own blood rushing to and from his heart. Something felt wrong, terrifyingly wrong. He couldn't understand why he felt this fearful feeling. It seemed to resonate through his entire body, the small hairs along his body prickled like a cat that was just spooked by a dog.

His body was trying to tell him something, he knew it was even if he was unsure of what that something happened to be. He quickly stood up,causing the guards to glare at him.

"Having problems with your little girlfriend, Lex?" one of the guards spat mockingly as his lips curled upward in a twisted smirk. He had always hated that nickname, but Alexander knew they would continue using because of that very reason.

He looked at the man and shot him a disgusted look. "At least I've got one, Baldy," Alexander retorted. He thought Carmen wouldn't mind if he lied just a little to get back at a guard, not knowing how ecstatic it would've made her to hear him say that. The guard snorted, biting back a reply as to not get another, far more harsh comment on his nonexistent hair. 

 After no reply was made to his snarky remark, he picked up the plate of food and walked towards the door, dumping it in the trash can. He pushed the door open, that chilling feeling of dread once again returning in its course throughout his body. He quickly tried to shake it off, not liking the fact it was centered around his best friend

Alexander, ridden with fatigue from having his blood taken to be examined, decided it was best to rest. He prayed that it would dilute this eerie feeling disappear, his worry over his friend increasing each step he made past the lab and towards his room. He rested his hand against his door frame as a wave of nausea hit him, a dizzy spell following soon after.

'I guess they took more blood than I realized' Alexander thought. He stumbled to his bed, attempting to make it there before another wave hit him.  As he reached his bed, he flopped into it, his head resting against his pillow. His eyes closed, the world fading off to the black oblivion.