The Hilstead Experiment: 1986 (Rough Draft)

13: Cho's Last Stand (New Chapter)

2

Cho's Last Stand

Cho frowns, shuts her book, and listens to the shift in sound coming from her open window. Hushed voices linger on her front porch, speaking urgently to each other. Only they didn't belong to the likes of normal residents on the compound.

A heavy thud echoes down the short hallway and the disturbance makes her sit up. The fine hairs on the back of her neck rise as her skin prickles with goose bumps.

She flinches and stifles a yelp of surprise at the sudden sound of the front door crashing in and slamming against the wall. Her worn copy of The Island of Dr. Moreau slips from her fingertips and disappears over the side of the bed, never to be finished.

Kariss, are you awake? She embeds this thought into her mind and wonders if this is the beginning of their end. If you're in my head don't save me.

Those last few words cut deep but ring true of their plan. She throws the sheet from her body and stands in the middle of her cluttered and unkempt room. The toe of her bare foot nudges aside some dirty clothes so she doesn't slip on the wooden floor and braces herself for what's to come.

The brass doorknob twists, clicking open and the door slowly moves inward, revealing the guards on the other side of the door. A sense of dread settles in when she spots the three guards glaring silently at her from the hall and the thought of dying at their hands makes her nauseous.

The commander raises his compound issued rifle up against his shoulder and points the barrel directly at her head. With a quick flick, he silently motions her out of the room and into the small parlor. She side steps around the tan loveseat and turns it into a barrier, not that it would do her any good if they open fire.

"What's going on?" Cho demands, trying desperately to make her voice as firm as possible. To her surprise, her words don't betray her fear and instead she stands tall with the new found feeling of triumph that's churning within her.

"Where is she?" The commander hisses through clenched teeth and his voice drips with the authority every compound guard dreams of.

Cho's eyes travel from one face to the other, searching for any sign of mercy. Only they all have the same dead eyed and stone-faced features on their young faces. They can't be older than herself, can they? A little smirk plays at the corner of her mouth when she spots the weaker of the two.

"So who was it?" She questions, staring at the youngest ones with narrowed eyes.

Sweat breaks out on his brow and he shifts uncomfortably under her gaze. A moment later he breaks eye contact by looking at the floor.

"I'll be asking the questions, Freak." The Commander barks but Cho is too busy glaring at the baby faced killer standing next to him.

The boy shifts his weight nervously, still refusing to meet her gaze. He grumbles something she can't make out then blurts out, "It was the cat!"

"Damnit, Watson!" The slightly stockier guard, who's flanking the commander's right side, punches him hard in the shoulder to shut him up. "You ain't supposed to say shit you idiot!"

Watson flinches under the sudden blow and rubs at his aching shoulder before stammering, "The Freak made me!" His eyes dart back to Cho's stoic face to accuse her of a power she doesn't have.

"Will both of you idiots shut the fuck up?" The Commander snaps and they quickly fall silent as new guards are to be seen and not heard, kind of like the Freaks.

"I have the gift of sound waves, not mind control." Cho rocks from one foot to the other and glances at the broken front door less than two yards away. Could she make it? She cautiously eyes the riffles in their hands and knows she doesn't stand a chance.

"You really shouldn't have done that." The Commander raises his weapon.

"Why-" A shot rings out, cutting her off.

She cries out as searing pain rips through her side and her knees buckle. Clutching her bloody side, she stares up at the rafters and tries to steady her breathing.

"The Freak is lyin'. I swear it!" Watson's frantic eyes bounce between his Commander and fellow guard. He adds, mumbling more to himself, "She's in my head. Oh God, I can still feel her pokin' and proddin' around in there."

Kariss. Cho concentrates on the name and grits her teeth against the pain. Pressing her hand against her gaping wound, she wonders how fast this will take and shifts her eyes to Watson's fearful face.

A smile tugs at her mouth when she sees the glazed look in his eyes. You're still here. I see it now.

Watson lowers the still smoking rifle then slowly, with shaking hands, turns it on himself. His eyes widen at this uncontrollable movement and he stammers, "Make her stop, man! I don't wanna d-"

Watson's words are cut short when his finger squeezes the trigger. The bullet rips through the bottom half of his face, obliterating his lower jaw, nose and left eye socket. His head slams back with such force that blood, bone and bits of flesh splatters the rafters and rains down over them before he falls back with a heavy thud.

The sight of blood makes the other man shriek a high-pitched squeal, "Oh fuck this. I did not sign up for this bullshit!" He drops his gun in his hast and bolts towards the front door. His boot slips in the rapidly growing puddle of blood and sends him sprawling to the floor. He scrambles to his feet and makes it to the door but the Commander is ready.

He quickly raises his own rifle and without hesitation, he shoots the deserter. The back of his head explodes and he goes down in a heavy heap, half inside and half outside the bungalow.

The Commander eyes the twitching and still very much alive Watson next to his foot. Froth gurgles from the mess that is his new face and he blindly lifts his hand but it falls against his chest.

"Pussy." The Commander aims, fires and Watson's body jerks once then stills.

He walks around the couch, pointing the rile at Cho's head again and bellows, "I'm not going to ask you again. Where the fuck is she?" Spit files from his mouth and his sweaty face darkens to an ugly red.

"I'm..." Cho groans, struggling to continue, "I'm not..." she gasps out in pain, "...telling...you...shit." She's left panting for air is proud of what will be her final words.

He lowers the gun toward her leg, pulls the trigger. Her knee explodes; partially severing the leg and all she can think about is pain. She musters up the last bit of strength she has to show him what she's capable of.

"Kariss run!" Cho's scream morphs into her gift and her voice intensifies, flowing out around her in quaking waves that push the furniture back a few feet.

The wooded flooring rattles beneath her aching body. As the echoing sound waves spread the walls begin to shake, cracking at its foundation, sending pictures crashing to the ground.

The Commander raises his rifle one last time. The bullet rips the top half of Cho's head off, silencing her screams and killing her instantly. 

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