The Last Shifter

The Room of Mirrors

I sat there strapped to a hard, stone cold metal table. I had been left there to stare at my own disgusting image that reflected back above me. I had not been allowed any personal hygiene in at least a full blown year. I wrinkled my nose at the bare naked unknown person in the ceiling mirror. His hair was oily, shaggy, and tangled. To top just that part off it had grown past my waist. I was disgusted at myself. The only thing in the least bit memorable about myself was my grey gaze that stared back at me.

I had lost at least ninety-five pounds since I had been in this building chained to only the Gods know how many walls, chairs, and tables. I sighed and thought quietly to myself, "How could people treat us like this? My kind. We were just as human as they were. Perhaps though, with more of a human conscious than they."

I continued to stare at the only thing I was allowed to: My skeletal reflection. I continued going through all the disgusting things about myself as I looked around the reflective room. A room contained of nothing but mirror like walls. I tried turning my head but the attempt at resistance was futile. I frowned, sadly.

A heard one of the walls creak open slowly, followed by a horrifically silky feminine voice. "Good Day, S-237. How are you feeling today?"

"Starving, exhausted, and bothered." I replied coldly. The only thing anyone got to eat in this place was an infinitesimal amount once a day. A single slice of stale toast with expired canned corn beef. The only thing to drink was a s single cup of an inconsiderable amount of luke warm water that was hardly even eight ounces; It was six ounces at most. The sigh I had released was filled to the brim with warranted grief.

"And why are you bothered Mr. Costa?" The sound of her heels clacking against the the chilled tin floor echoed eerily off the mirrors. Her voice was practically taunting me with the redundant question. I could see the faint smile on her face as she rounded the table to stand in front of me. Her dark brown eyes peered down at my face and trailed down my body. It was as if she was observing a prized racing horse. I frowned.

"I'm strapped to a table, I'm starving to the point that my spine is gobbling it's way out of my stomach, and I probably can't even walk because I've lost so much muscle mass. As well as, I don't even want to say a word because I'm actually struggling to breath and speak!" I growled as if I was a caged lion yearning for freedom.

"How else can we, the humans feel safe around you. You're a monster!" The woman exclaimed with a heavy sigh. "To be honest, I'm not even sure if I should feel safe even with you like that; strapped down and responding." She smoothed out her alabaster lab coat and fixed her I.D. badge that she placed on the pocket just on the other side of her pocket protector. I continued to frown at her with sadness in my eyes.

How could they believe that I was such a monster? When the worst that I had ever done in my life was what every normal teenager done. Get drunk at the young age of approximately sixteen. My eyes sunk down as if I was deep in thought. Which I really was. I was actually going through twenty-three years worth of boring uneventful memories.

"You chased us under the grounds where we had lived for decades, possibly even centuries. When all that we had ever done that was horrible was what every human being does. Drugs, alcohol, or some small misdemeanors. We may actually be more human than you are! You've separated families and caged children. Tell me that's not a monstrosity." I retorted back rather quickly and attempted to get out of the straps. I growled angrily at the fact that I was completely immobile.

"It's not monstrous and not even sad. We aren't going to apologize for protecting our people and trying to keep them safe." When she said that, I felt my heart strings pull really, really hard. I pursed my lips thinking of what I could say to try and change her mind. However, nothing would change her mind. Even myself pointing out every error that she had allowed to happen to my people.

"Well, I believe that concludes our discussion for this morning. The doctors will be in here shortly to do some tests. You will get your Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner during it." The woman explained. Her name was Irene, Irene Blackfield. At least, that is what it said on her Identification Card.

"Miss Blackfield, that Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner that you speak of. It's my 'one meal a day'. Don't even call it Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. That is the reason why I am nothing but a damn skeleton!" I spat back at her with venom seeping in my voice. "Trying to keep me weak?"

"Yes, actually. If you are weak, I know that you can't harm my people." That was her only response. I had never been damaging to anyone before. Why would I have started now? She pushed back a lock of blonde curls away from her pale wrinkled face. She often reminded me of a much less taken care of Blonde Catherine Zeta-Jones; Except the actress was far more beautiful than she.

"I wasn't dangerous before, why the hell would I start now?" I questioned harshly. I felt like I was starting to get light headed and dizzy, lying down on the freezing table. It felt like ice on my back and that was the only thing keeping me awake. It sent chills down my spine as everything else started pouring into my senses. The room smelt as though it was bathed in sterilizer. The light seemed as though it had brightened from it's original dim lighting. I had become overwhelmed from all my senses and groaned, disapprovingly.

"You never do know." She retorted with a grunt as she exited the room. A mirror slid behind her blocking the entrance way. That would have been my only way to escape.

"I'm not a monster!" I exclaimed at the top of my lungs. I started yanking my arms, trying to free myself from the ties that were around them. To my complete surprise, the bed had sent a surge of electricity through my body causing me to scream out in pain.

Two men and one woman came into the room through the same door that Miss Blackfield had just left. I watched them wearily, worried for my own life. Both men were very large men, it looked as though they had been lifting weights, all of their life. The woman on the other hand was petite and curvy. She nodded to the men and they rushed me. Pressing their very large warm hands over my pelvic bone and my rib cage. I gasped looking at what was being done to me.

The woman looked to me with a painful emotion on her face and jammed the needle into my stomach. I hissed at the searing pain that went through my stomach and growled at her, calling her just about every horrid name in the book. I let her know how much it had hurt but before I could even get a full word out of my mouth, she had started pressing the syringe's long button for the serum. I felt it pour into my veins uncomfortably. I felt like my body was on fire.

I continued to call her horrible names. After I had gotten about two of them out, the colossal man struck me with his massive fist. I can only remember his hand colliding with my jaw bone just before I had passed out.

As I was knocked out I went through my thoughts in my dreams. I did not want to forget who I was nor did I want to lose myself to their drugs and their tests.

"My name is Reed, Reed Costa. I am twenty-three years old, I have no living relatives. Everyone else has been dead for two years. I am a good person and I'm to kind for my own good. I am currently locked away in a testing facility. I cannot get out. I cannot escape. I am captured. I am frightened...

I am afraid...

I am The Last of my kind.

I am the Last Shifter."