Caught

Chapter Fourteen

"Spencer, I'm scared."

Twelve-year-old Lauren stood on the front steps of our house, looking up at her big brother. She wore a black sweater and black pants, perfect to blend into the pitch black night. A backpack full of essentials were strapped on her back.

"Lauren, I told you about the experiment. About you." Spencer placed a hand on his sister's shoulder. "It's bad, sis. You don't want to be a part of it, right?"

The girl shook her head. "It's just... mom."

"In the experiment, at the Institute, she won't care about you. She's gonna do anything to get whatever she needs."

"But mom loves us..." Tears filled twelve-year-old Lauren's eyes. "Or me, at least. You're saying that because you always complain about mom not liking you."

"Lauren, Lauren, I've been to that place," He said. "It's terrible. Lauren, when you wake up there, you won't remember anything. Not about me or mom or yourself, in fact. Just your name."

"You're lying."

"Lauren, you know me. I'd never lie to you."

Tears started flowing. "Are you saying that Aidan doesn't remember me?"

Spencer held his sister close. "No, he doesn't. And you don't want that to happen to you, do you?"

"But... Aidan."

"He'll be alright, for now."

"For now..." She repeated.

He let go of her. "Okay, now, you know how Tyson's mom is sick?"

"Tyson? What does he have to do with running away?"

"Everything." Spencer stated. He locked the front door. "Say goodbye, Lauren. I don't plan on coming back."

-- : --

I wake up to the sound of the cardiac monitor strapped around my chest.

It's beep-beep-beeping were almost worse than an actual alarm clock, mostly because it meant I was back again.

In the hospital. Once again.

I open my eyes to be blinded by whiteness. My head hurts. My back hurts. Everything hurts but I didn't know why. I was tucked in tightly with a thin blanket, feeling cool on my burning hot skin.

I'm sick. I thought. Why am I always sick?

I lift up my head, the motion taking up so much of my energy. I was supposed to be an enhanced, unstoppable human-being. Why do I feel like I'm dying half my life?

My vision was blurry - or, not as sharp as usual. I actually didn't realize how much I use my powers without knowing. It's just and instinct. Something that happens automatically. Or maybe that's built in permanently and doesn't need to be activated.

To my right, a woman stood next to a cart, a needle in hand. She was pumping some sort of fluid into it.

I found the strength to speak. "Why am I here?" My voice came out raspy and took way too much effort. She turned around in shock, then placed the needle down and walked over to me.

"There was an - um, virus that spread through the Evolutains overnight," She explained while taking my temperature. "It's quite strange, since you children were immune to every known virus."

"So we're infected by something brand new?" I panicked. Life just gets better, doesn't it?

Note the sarcasm.