||𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎||
My suspicions never faded for a second.
It's difficult to remain calm in a place you know despises you for a 'different' reason. Whether or not they treat you right and fairly for a single day doesn't constitute for the passion that may follow in a month's time. What INGEN lusts for and what they hunger over is anymore of a reason to stay afraid, even when — for six straight days — nothing comes to seize you.
Nothing yet.
The earthen cycles went by like ordinary days: the sun would rise, the leaves would shiver, and the blue skies above would mold from it's ancient sapphire hue into a golden glimmer, then return back into the dark, swollen emptiness of the darkest night. Every so often a piece of flesh would fall from a crane for the two of us hybrids to eat, though, for most days, we'd munch in silence, thoughtless as we savored the textures of cold, tasteless meat.
It wasn't pleasant... just as my worries were.
I never realized that a predator, like myself, could drag on such strong feelings as anxiety — a word Indy prompted for me. It synced with my heartbeat's crimson pulse that put me on high alert, even at peace. For the first few days I wandered the entire rink of the massive cage, marking every crevice, every scar, and every hidden gap that managed to hide me away from the cameras. Even with Indy's word, I knew this place didn't feel right.
On the third day I investigated the one (and only) metallic door available to me that split the inside world from the out. It was hard to find; the blanket of false autumn leaves, hunter green vines, and saplings that coated it's surface made it take the form of a dead oak tree. I wasn't aware of it until the stench of dead human skin and the rustic warmth it gave off caught my interests. From then on I paced back and forth before it for days on end, growling and hissing, oftentimes cowering in the shade to watch for movement. Some hours of the day I'd go ahead and charge at the door head on, denting the frame by the strength of my bones. Still, it didn't help much -- the door didn't bulge, nor did it seem like it was ever going to.
"That thing's been locked for years," Indy told me on the sixth morning of my stay, gradually strolling over to stand beside me. "It's pointless to sit there and wait for it to open. Humans never use it anyway."
A curse word shot up in my head, one I've heard Click use often, but I buried the term away to beg a proper question.
"How else do they come to test us?"
"They haven't," she responded in slight confusion, nudging me away with her massive snout. "But, if they were to check for something, they'd use the door next to the sky windows up top of the wall. The area beneath it usually turns into a ladder, which they use to climb down. But it's too narrow to scale."
I snorted in annoyance, gazing past a blanket of orange leaves toward the little gaps of stepping stones that led up to the glass frame. As much as I wanted to deny her claim, it was obvious that this ladder was unusable. A single talon of mine couldn't fit in the tiny spaces provided and, even if I did reach the top, the door appeared too firm to budge on my own. Even from afar I could clearly see myself plummeting to the earth through a failed attempt, breaking my back in the process, or my neck if I was unlucky enough. So, I shook the vision away with a scowl of anguish, lashing my tail and began to seek another way out.
But not before a massive foot slammed into the space in front of me.
That sudden tremor forced my stomach to lurch, and I jolted backward as a slight reaction to Indy's act. My bony head rose, forcing both blue orbs of mine to stare straight into the churning storm of a single ruby eye.
"Alright," Indy hissed at me, shifting her entire body in front of my path. "I've had enough of this. You need to relax."
My eyes narrowed. "I am relaxed."
"Sure you are," Indy rumbled sarcastically, eying the massive black scar that ran down my ruined side. "I know what you're trying to do, and I don't recommend it."
"I'm not asking for your opinion," I rasped, lashing my tail again. "As far as I know, you don't want to leave."
"Why would I leave?"
My jaws clamped together. "It's only a matter of time..."
"Before what?" the hybrid growled. "They're not going to hurt you unless you give them a good reason!"
I hissed in return, neither agreeing nor denying her statement. But I said nothing more... there really wasn't a good reason to. So Indy flared her nostrils, letting out another low growl. "Bask in the sun if you wish. Eat my share of food if you're hangry, but promise yourself not to-"
I snorted once, roughly pushing past her first foot to step toward the forest ahead. Indy followed from behind, gathering her thoughts briefly as she pushed against my outbursts.
"I don't want you to kill us both, Seven. I like my life, and I won't let you endanger it like this!"
I snorted in annoyance. "Then I'll be careful to keep you out of it."
All of a sudden, a cold chill rushed through my spine, and every little quill on my pale neck shot up like thorns. Instinct took hold of me, and, without thinking, I scrambled back into her shadow, just in time before a massive tree came crashing down in front of me. Leaves aplenty splashed upon my scales, and, once more, the ground shook from the heavy fall of the massive plant. I exhaled shakily, whirling around to face the hybrid, who had compelled this fall, and let out a threatened hiss.
But the expression upon her face appeared more guilty than annoyed by her reaction, and she curled her claws into her chest protectively before she spoke.
"I understand you had a bad history here," Indy grunted, lowering her claws, "and feeling trapped in a pit for six days feels like an eternity, but I doubt they'd drag you in here to be tortured."
I crouched lower, curling my tail and shook my quills in outrage. "You don't know that!"
"Neither do you!" she retorted once more, before she softly closed her eyes in deep apology. "This is no reason to fight about this. Just, please, settle down... and don't think like an erratic hatchling. I don't want you to get more hurt than you already are."
"Oh now you're thinking about me!"
"Hrr..." Indy's lips curled into a snarl. "I wasn't made to not think for myself, otherwise I'd be dead! I don't even know what you're getting at anymore!"
I lashed my tail, flaring my nostrils as I, once more, stared down the massive theropod. "They're going to hurt me if I stay here!"
"You think they are, but they're not. They healed your wounds, what more do you ask?"
"To go home, that's what! Back to Click!"
Indy's claws curled into herself, struggling to hold back another growl. "Please, I'm only trying to help!"
"Then help me escape," I pleaded suddenly, hissing softly just for her to hear. "Help me find my friend, and get me out of this wretched pit!"
Indy reared her neck back, curling her claws into tightened fists, and snarled.
"This 'wretched pit' is my home!"
"This isn't home," I sneered. "Just a prison for cowards like you."
The indominus rex snorted, her jaws flexing over the glint of sunlight as she processed my words. Each sentence ripped away a piece of her sanity, drawing from the special place within her heart. Within time her tail had lowered, and both eyes pointed down to the ground in defeat. That response was all I needed to know her motives, and I grumbled softly, turning away from her. Indy sighed once more, watching me turn away and step over to the fallen tree. I expected her to leave... but, for some odd reason, she heeded a strange warning.
"You're going to make me do this, aren't you?"
"Do what? We've talked enough."
Growling through my annoyance, I hopped upon the fallen tree, balancing my tail over the wooden log and headed directly for the trunk's roots. But, just before I could jump off, a stabbing pain suddenly sank into my tail, forcing a shriek out of me. Indy's fangs dug deep into my tail, and, with a huff of energy, she ripped me right off the log and straight to the ground. I didn't even gather a breath before her foot stomped upon my tail, pinning me down just as before.
"Stay down!" she growled. "I don't want to-"
My sickle claw slashed at her toe claw, forcing her to step back and wince in pain. Before I could flee, her foot collapsed upon my body again, slamming me to the floor and sending a wave of pain through my bones.
"Rrr! Let... Ngh... GO!"
"Seven, enough!"
"RAGH!"
Just as she pulled away, my right claw managed to score a vicious hit through the theropod's snout -- strong enough to strike the bone, and well enough to draw blood. We both caught the sweet stench of hybrid blood rippling into the air, and a similar feeling dripped onto my chest, stilling this moment entirely. All of a sudden, Indy's eyes flashed, and a dark, sinister snarl rippled from her throat. This single sound made the earth itself vibrate with terror, and once I saw the drool seep from Indy's turned jaws, my fury sank into oblivion, and I gasped.
"Indy?"
In just one second, she lost control.
Her jaws darted directly for me, snapping around my body, and squeezed. Every single fang stabbed a scale, just enough to draw blood and split flesh into two. I let out a pained cry, hearing my flesh squish in her hold and tensed up in agony.
"I-Indy- AGH! S-Stop!"
All of a sudden, the white beast quickly drew me from the ground, holding me skyborne for just a mere moment, then slammed my body to the earth, hard. The colorful world I had known instantly turned to blurs, and the floor shook with the might of her power. A stab of pain shot up my entire body, forcing every bone inside me to jostle in it's own earthquake. I was unfortunate enough to be conscious when it all happened.
The poor world was forced to witness me scream.
"AHH! Ow! Ow!"
That was just enough to bring Indy back to the real world.
Aside from the throbbing burn in my head, or the stinging burn in my leg, I was very much alive... thankfully. Yet, what found my senses first became the warm touch of fresh blood seeping down my scales.
My leg...
Indy had tasted it too, her eyes dilating with worry, and her grip slightly relaxed. She unsurely stepped away, noticing my whitened scales turning red under the golden sun, and began to shed an apologetic whimper.
"Oh no-" she gasped, stumbling back. "Oh no, I'm s-sorry, I-"
Indy's head wildly whirled to the concrete walls surrounding us, wondering if any lone camera caught what just happened. Aside from the wincing and groaning of my maw, the silence was true, and had stayed true even after the fact. Her fear still skyrocketed once she saw my leg, soon noticing a massive blackened hole having formed at the center of my hip, and trembled. Indy drew forward, pain still forming in her eyes, and began to lick over the wound. The sharp needles of her tongue and rushed sting only made matters worse, and I snapped my jaws, shoving away from her.
"Seven I-"
"Don't t-touch me!" I growled painfully, wincing as I limped to my feet. Pure fire raced through my bones where her teeth met my body, but the worst of such injury was of course near my leg. I tried to put pressure on it, only to yelp once blood gurgled from the center. Trying again, I found myself falling back down to the grassy earth, groaning with discomfort over the pain.
Now I can't walk properly. For the few hours that this bleeds.
My throat shook as I eyed the hybrid behind me, snarling and growling unspoken words that muffled under my tongue. There was so much I could've said to her in that moment, so much anger that suddenly rushed to my lips that I could easily spill out. But nothing was said... nor could I manage anything after seeing her terrified face.
Poor Indy was already sensing my annoyance and hatred growing. Her actions alone couldn't compare anywhere close to the madness that ensued minutes earlier, and the hybrid didn't wish to further agitate me and my broken soul. She wasn't just afraid of what I'd say... she was afraid of herself now. Something came out that morning, and it terrified her more than the mission I sought.
Bowing her head in shame, she spun away from the scene, her tail trailing behind her, and began to stomp away. Just before she could vanish from sight, the theropod exhaled shakily, stopped for a moment, and grunted to me.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... s-snapped."
She swallowed once more, then nodded.
"But, if what comes next hurts more than the pain I gave you today... I won't be able to save you."
She tilted her head a bit more left, noticing that I was watching her idly from behind, still muffled in my own fear. Indy lowered her eyes again, sending out another quiet whimper, and stepped away... without another word.
◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥
"Agh... Mrr..."
I hated the taste of my own blood. The sweet tang of your inner workings weren't as satisfying when you're grooming your scales, and were far less enjoyable than the savored delicacy of another animal. I exhaled weakly, still nuzzling and licking the deep wound embedded in my hip in fear of an infection.
"Mrawr... Still b-burns..." I groaned. "But at least I got three more limbs to spare."
Strangely, that didn't make me feel any better. I didn't think it was even going to when I thought of that humorless sentence.
Between Indy's sudden attack and the argument we had earlier, I couldn't seem to find any sort of joy or relief out of today. Frankly I didn't move even after our fight — I was too scared to bother trying. And now, with the grey gloomy moon casted perfectly above my silver flesh, it felt awfully strange to continuously ponder over these moments of the week in one sleepless (and pitiful) night.
We were both wrong to say what we said.
But, at the same time, we were both right.
I turned my attention to the dark forests afar, slightly noticing the tip of Indy's tail on the opposite end of the gate. She slept soundly by herself, not minding the empty company of a claw or scale, but it felt guilty to watch. It was even worse to see the massive red scar casted upon her snout -- three red rivers of blood that I created.
All because of an argument. And for what?
I groaned, looking down at my massive blood-soaked talons as they glistened in the starlight, talons meant for severing skin and slaying prey, for that's all they've ever been known for. They then felt for my jaws -- a pointed, triangular shape that's bony structure and uneven fangs were meant to terrorize all who stood in my way (or serve to be the last thing prey would see before death). Lowering them, I stared off into the empty darkness once more, now bearing a strange heaviness in my tortured soul.
These were all things I believed in...
But these things were all I've ever known... because INGEN pushed them into my head.
And, so, they became the only truth. The only purpose...
Maybe... Maybe Indy's been hiding herself from the world because she knows what she is... or could be. Maybe she was just trying to protect everyone from herself. Perhaps that's why she's urging me to stay... so I don't make the same mistake as our ancestors... or have me turn her fate into something far worse than this.
My head tilted to the right, gazing at my tail as it thumped upon the carpeted earth and grassy strands beyond.
But... if that's true, then who am I to the world? Who am I meant to protect? Who am I meant to be if this is all I am, if this is all Click wants me to be: A killer.
Or a monster.
He doesn't see me that way... I thought onward, beginning to stand up. But every mission feels similar. Kill for the win... kill because you have to. And, if I dare think for myself, like Indy said... I could turn into one of those monsters.
Maybe... maybe that's why I ended up here. Because I thought for something other than my purpose... and that's why I almost killed myself. Because Click was scared that this 'monster' of mine was coming out.
Then... should I even leave?
All of a sudden, a similar sensation -- just like earlier with the fallen tree -- clenched like a rope around my bloody heart, sending my fear into overdrive. Without even thinking I dropped to the floor, slammed my eyes shut and cowered just as an unexpected wave of air abruptly rushed above my spine, and into the blackness. What followed became the bone-shattering sound of torn metal shredding against flesh, a noise that made my scales ripple like goosebumps upon a mammal. A second followed, before the heavy thud of a wall hit the ground forced me to awaken and look. So my head swiveled to the right, and there — just a few tail-lengths away, stood the rusted, busted old door I once tried to break.
And it was open.
I gapped my jaws, staring at the scene for a moment in silence. It didn't seem fractured or dented, like I had done before with my own feeble strength, rather it was broken from the inside out, as if something big had struck it head on.
And something big had.
A proud, but solemn indominus rex approached my flank from the left side, nuzzling my skin apologetically as her flesh began to mold. Just a simple thought helped her turn every scale from it's whitened hue into a grey-blackish tint, similar to the one on the wall. Indy positioned herself ahead of me, blocking the deep end of the cage from the damage created, then turned to me.
"Go ahead," she huffed softly, pointing her bloodied, bruised tail toward the metal entrance. "Go find what you're looking for. I'll cover you."
"You're... helping me?" I looked to her injury. "But I... I hurt you..."
"So did I," Indy growled to herself in misery, noticing the bloody wound upon my hip and swallowed. "But, how else am I to care for my sister?"
A ambient warmth washed over me, and my claws curled into one another as her words sang into the stars. I felt a smile draw upon me, but I pushed my head down to hide it from sight. I didn't want to show that part of me yet again, even if Indy slightly noticed it for herself. She looked around again, then motioned to me.
"I can only hold my camoflauge for so long before INGEN realizes there's a breach. Be quick, and follow the scent of fresh air through the vents. It's the best way to find your way out."
"Thank you."
Swallowing, I took a cautious step forward, then froze. Indy's past warning quickly rose into my brain, heeding my choice to enter the dark side.
"Don't say I didn't warn you... if what comes next hurts more than the pain I gave you today."
I hesitated a second time, finding myself now an inch from serenity, or true hell. My onyx tail twitched as I sniffed the empty hallways beyond the exit, catching nothing more than the old stench of dust and mold. It was awfully cold, too, which was odd enough on its own, sort of like a point where evil lived and prospered. My head turned back to Indy's glowing eyes, and I sighed, just to her.
"I'll be back... I promise."
"You will?"
I grunted. "I'll try."
With one brave grunt, I took a step into the darkness... toward the inner workings of my home world.