Chapter 3
I bolted at the gate as it flung open. I flew passed Dr. Fields, making his clothes flap from the speed. I could feel my speed increasing too, with every step I took. Twenty miles per hour, thirty miles per hour, then forty, then fifty, fifty five, sixty, and finally topping off at seventy miles per hour. I could feel the dirt move beneath my feet, it flying in multiple directions as my foot struck the ground.
I soon learned that I only had to breathe inward. My lungs were like that of birds, I only had to inhale, and the carbon dioxide escaped through the air sacks and hollow spaces in my bones. It meant that I saved energy by not having to force the air back out, so I was constantly at full speed, much more effective than mammalian lungs. I learned as well how useful my feathers were as well. Just the slightest twist of my tail feathers and I could almost turn on a dime. The sensation of running was magnificent.
I darted through the trees with speed, agility and grace that made me seem as if I was flying across the forest floor. I jumped over a fallen tree and leapt almost ten feet into the air, and hit the ground running again. I finally started to slow down when I caught the scent of water from a small stream. I came to the stream, slowing down enough that I avoided skidding across the ground and started to drink, raising the crystal clear liquid to my lips. The cool, fresh water on my dry throat felt wonderful as it rehydrated my body.
I sat back, squatting on my haunches, taking in every little detail of my surroundings. Birds chirping, the smell of the tall oak and pine trees, the chatter of squirrels hidden by the tree’s branches. As I sat there awed by the simple beauty of nature, I heard the crackle of a short-range radio.
“Bravo Two, this is Bravo One, we have it on the grid, it’s in area 12 by the stream.”
My instincts flew into high alert. So this is what the good doctor had meant by surviving. He had sent men in after me to try and destroy me. These thoughts filled me with a sort of primeval rage. I could feel my hair and feathers stand on end. I cocked my head to listen for the Bravos’ locations, sniffing the air as well, trying to pick up their scent to tell how many there was. My nose picked up four of them, each team having two members. They were a few hundred yards off, giving me ample time to plan an ambush.
I quickly jumped onto an overhead branch from a tree and climbed just enough so that I was hidden by the leaves. I did not have to wait long, no more than thirty seconds had passed, when the first Bravo team appeared near the stream.
“Bravo One, this is Bravo Two, the creature is not here, repeat, the creature is not here.”
“Search the area, the radar says it’s there.”
“Roger, Bravo One.”
They started to scan the area, poking through the brush and looking in trees. One of them came within striking distance of my position, my muscles tensed, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He looked around half-heartedly, finally turning his back to my tree and that was the moment that I wanted.
I lunged straight at him from my perch with a bloodcurdling scream. He spun around, just as I hit him square in the chest. I heard the satisfying crack of ribs and the air rushing from his lungs on impact. He fell to the ground with me on top of him, and I rolling away once I was sure he was not an immediate threat.
His partner turned as he heard his comrade hit the ground, only to find him incapacitated, with me rising to my feet looking at him with a look of pure animalistic rage. I raised myself to my full height, thrust out my chest, fanned out my tail feathers, spread my arms out wide and let out a terrifying roar.
The remaining Bravo jumped back in fear, fumbling with his rifle as I charge him, zigzagging as I did, making it harder for him to track me. By the time he gets the stock against his shoulder, I am already upon him slashing with my hand claws. I catch him across the face, leaving five large gashes along his cheek. He screams in pain and surprise, stumbling backward, I with lighting speed, unleash a vicious kick to his midsection, killing claw raised to inflict maximum damage.
My kick slices through his uniform, but does not slice through his stomach. I slash at the same spot with my hand claws, only to discover through his tattered uniform, he is wearing military style body armor underneath. Seeing this as no longer being a weak point, I go for his legs, doing a spinning kick with killing claw raised again, catching the back of his left knee and cutting through flesh and tendons.
His leg no longer able to hold him gives out, causing him to fall back into the stream. He attempts to raise his rifle, but I simply kick it out of his hands. I look down upon him with cool eyes, not letting them betray my rage. I can also see the fear playing across his face, wondering if his death will be quick or painful.
I can feel the raptorial instincts rising to the surface, willing me to finish my prey. I circle him, deciding where to strike. He watches me with terror in his eyes, just wishing for me to end it. I locate my point of attack and lunge at the throat, teeth ready to bit through and puncture his windpipe, when a loud buzzer sounds, causing me to break off my attack. I leap back and go on the defensive, awaiting an attack, but only thing that comes is Dr. Fields’ voice over a PA system.
“You have completed today’s training mission VR-3. So pick up my scent and return to the main gate, and if you are not out fast enough I will declare you damaged and have a team move in and destroy you, so please hurry, I would hate to see such talent go to waste.”
After he had finished speaking, I sniffed the air and located him. I turned and started to run in that direction once again gaining speed quickly. Once I had returned to the main gate, Dr. Fields greeted me with a smile. The smile instantly put me on guard.
“You did very well VR-3, I was almost worried that you would have killed and then eaten the last man in Bravo Two had the time not been up. You were never in any actual danger though, their guns were loaded with tranquilizer rounds. I have invested too much to see you get killed, so come along now, we must return you to the lab so you are ready for tomorrow.”
He signals the guards to take me and we follow the doctor back in to the building. For the first time I look upon the lab, it is a plain building with a light green paint, making it blend into the trees behind it. Nothing seems special about this building, but I know all too well the dark secret contained within its walls.
As we are walking back to the lab, we pass a room I had never noticed before. While I am looking at its steel door with a large caution sign on it, I hear a bone-chilling shriek from within. I leap back in surprise, accidentally bumping into one of the guards. He swears at me and pushes me forward, making a snide comment.
“There’s no reason to be afraid, it’s only your brothers and sisters in there.”
Brothers and sisters? I do not have time to finish the thought before I am shoved forward and I walk to the lab and back to my glass prison.
That night, I hear the familiar whoosh of the lab doors, wondering who would come in at this time of night. I find the answer once again standing in front of my tank holding the same purple flashlight. Sora is looking up at me, a concerned look on her face. This look worries me, and I wonder what is wrong. Then she turns and goes over to one of the computers and starts to type rapidly. I hear the computer say after she is finished imputing commands,
“Alarm disabled, fluid drainage commencing.”
The fluid starts to drain and the tube is lifted away finally, once it is Sora rushes over to me and throws her arms around me, burying her face in my neck and starts to sob. This worries me, and I start to croon, wanting to comfort her, but not knowing what is wrong.
“What is wrong Sora, what has troubled you so?”
She lifts her head and looks at me, her beautiful teal eyes are filled with tears.
“I saw the tape of your training today and it scared me,” She chokes out between sobs, “I don’t want you to turn into a monster, I don’t want you to become like the rest.”
The rest? Then it hits me like a fist to the gut.
“My brothers and my sisters?”
She stops crying for a second, confused that I know.
“Who told you?”
“A guard, we were walking passed a room when something shrieked from inside it, startling me. I bumped into him and he cursed at me then told me ‘There’s no reason to be afraid, it’s only your brothers and sisters in there.’, I did not know what he meant by it though.”
She stares at me for awhile, conflict playing across her face when she finally speaks.
“Drom,” She says slowly, “you are not the first to have been inside that tube.”
I sit there stunned by this revelation.
“What do you mean?”
“Dad has tried before you, but each one failed. They gave into their animal instincts, losing their human minds to them. You are the only one I have seen develop in the tube, but I discovered the room when you were asleep for ten years.
It had been about a year or so after you had gone to sleep, when I came across it. Someone had left the door unlocked, so I decided to go in, ignoring the caution sign. What I saw was horrible. Creatures half human and half animal, kept in large metal cages. They had metal collars around their necks with thick chains that where bolted to the floor, that wrapped around their arms and legs.
They roared and screamed, it terrified me and I ran out of the room straight into my dad. He knew I had been in there, but instead of scolding me, he explained why they were kept like that, ‘if they are not contained, they could harm themselves or others’, he told me. Then he closed the door behind us and locked it, telling me to never go in there again.”
At the end of her tale, I was consumed with grief. My siblings, kept in cages and chained to the ground like dogs. I knew they were not my real siblings, but they were the closest thing I had to family. I looked back at Sora and saw that she was still worried for me, concerned that I would become an animal and never come back.
I hesitantly took her in my arms and held her close, I whispered in her ear,
“Do not worry, I shall not become like them, I will remain as I am with a sane mind, I promise.”
I heard her sigh with relief.
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
We let go of each other, and she wiped what tears remained in her eyes.
“Good, you better keep your promise too.” She said looking me in the eye, “I told the computer to automatically lower the tank, refill it, and reactivate the alarm after I leave, so I better get going or I’m going to get caught.”
What she did after finishing the sentence surprised me. She gave me another hug and then a quick kiss on the cheek. This shocked me so, that I felt my face getting hot. Sora giggled at my response.
“Bye Drom, I’ll see you later.”
And with that, she turned and left the room. The tank lowered itself and it proceeded to fill, but I hardly noticed. As I drifted to sleep, I dreamed again, and they were filled with Sora.