Lost in the Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 1; Ꮐ Ꮮ Ꭺ Ꭰ Ꭵ Ꭺ Ꭲ Ꭴ Ꭱ

"Subject is stable, Doctor. Ready for analysis."

"Good. What's her status?"

"Heart rate normal. Brain functionality steady and strong. Subject Storm.013 is looking promising. We may have a winner here, Doctor."

"Well she's tough, I have to give her that. But no specimen has ever survived the change, you should know this."

"Apologies, Doctor. I'm just a little excited. All our other projects have shown signs of health deterioration by this point. I only wish by this stage the science will have paid off. So many hours of work have gone into this."

"Very true, Ms. Bones. But we can only wait."

The first thing I heard was the placid sound of my breathing. Gentle, as if originating from a different person entirely. I was appeased by it. As confused as I felt the sound of something familiar halted the instant probability of my panic.

Little did I know that that peace was never to return to me for years to come.

I strained against my restraints, my heavy eyelids slipping over my luminous orbs, green as jade, the Doctors like to say. Forcing my hands into fists I suddenly became aware of my surroundings. I was looking at the ground. 'Odd,' I thought, my eyebrows knitting together. Only after a moment did I realise I was elevated vertically, my head hanging from lack of support. As I raised it a bone in my neck clicked and a deep ache spread through my spine. I was restricted by the torso, the wrists, the ankles and my thighs, I realised as I tried to move my limbs each in turn. I was very aware of a sharp muttering, which caused the hairs on the back of my neck to bristle with my nerves. My eyes adjusted and I could make out the silhouettes of three people. Two definite males and one small, petite female. I could tell the two closest to me were doctors. I sighed nonchalantly to myself, a muscle in my nose twitching out of spite. But my eyes trailed across the largest shape in the corner of their 'safety room'. He leaned against the wall, his eyes never leaving mine. They were black pits, with no emotion but rage spurting from their depths. I shuddered, ripping mine away from his.

This caught the doctors' attention. They shushed themselves, their forms difficult to make out with the blinding lights caught in my sensitive vision. My cell was tiny, probably 5x6 metres, with just enough room for these... restraints. The walls were poorly constructed; dried cement held suspended, pouring from the thick red bricks used to construct it. I growled in annoyance at their lack of respect. I mean, good lord, the most they could have done was paint the walls white! The male doctor cleared his throat, a small smile spreading across his thin lips. I despised him already.

"Good evening, Storm. I trust you had a good sleep?" He beamed, awaiting (most likely) for a structured, well-mannered response. I spat at the ground, my dry tongue running across my pointed teeth, forcibly drawing some of my metallic blood. 'Good. I'm fucking awake this time,' I thought to myself, shooting him a glare. The Doctor's smile faded, replaced with a scowl of disgust. He pulled a leaver and something in the corner of my eye snapped open. I glanced over half-heartedly to find a window. The Window. The eerie moon engulfed my prison in light, illuminating every unpainted crevice in my damn area of vision. But my breathing suddenly became ragged, the fear clear in my body expression. This seemed to satisfy the idiot, who smiled superiorly. "Ah, you know what that is, don't you, Storm? The outside world. A place of no meaning to you now." Images flashed before my strained vision and I had to clench my jaw to refrain from crying out.

"Doctor," the woman warned, her eyes plastered to her computer screens. "The specimen is sensitive. It would be best not to provoke her before the initial change." Change? What bloody change?! I peered at them suspiciously, my hands balling into fists. I was desperate to move my arms.

"What change?" I purred gently, my bottom eyelids twitching as an infuriating 'talking-to-a-child' smile appeared across the young woman's lips.

"Oh, it's nothing of importance. You shall simply black out for a while whilst we run some examination testings. It's nothing to be concerned about." There was something in her tone; whether it was her 'perkiness' or not, instantly informed me she was lying. I grunted in reply, another shiver spreading down my spine.

The woman gazed curiously at her watch. Her sweet smile instantly turned slick. "We have t-minus ten seconds until 12'oclock... 9... 8... 7.." Something in my stomach churned as the numbers left her lips. I strained against the bindings, my eyes forced wide as the sounds felt like a strike to the face. "... 5... 4... 3..." I began to shake. My body, betraying me, merciless to my fear. "...2...1... We are at 12." 

"Good luck," the male doctor chuckled, his eyes flashing behind his rounded spectacles. The man in the corner remained silent.

It was as if I was being struck with a piping hot iron. It started with my muscles, expanding and contracting like an endless cramp, then searing pain began to shoot like fireworks up the nerves in my legs, my arms, my torso. A screeched howl left my lips, my body contorting in agony as my heart pounded into my eardrums. Oh god, it hurt. I could never explain the pain. It was nothing I have ever experienced. The men and woman watched in awe as my limbs twisted against my restraints, beyond any angle I could comprehend. I was aware of my hospital gown, which began to tear around the legs. My chest! Oh shit! But as my legs snapped back and my chest expanded, my hands grew claws and my flesh sprouted fur, the next thing that happened would have left me twitching on the ground, begging for mercy if I wasn't strapped in. I heard the unmistakable sound of my skull split. I squealed like a dying rabbit, the agony so intense black dots formed around my vision. I screamed and screamed and screamed until my voice was lost, replaced with nothing less than a monstrous roar. And then that was when I blacked out.