Young Writers Society

Grace - Corridor to room - Hybrid/Eagle

Grace was still blushing when the awkward conversation ended with the snake hybrid. She fervently wished she could be like the others and chatter away like a normal person...well, sort of person. He had been very kind to her, though she still hadn't even gotten his name. Grace didn't think she would have the courage to talk to him after today to ask, anyway.

"Let's go," one guard said as she passed him, on her way back to her room. "I'll lock you in tonight."

Maybe it was from the days excitement or maybe it was because Grace actually mustered up the courage to talk to someone today, but she let a question bubble out of her mouth before she thought twice about it.

"Uhm, s-sir?" she said, nervously. "Why is it t-that you l-lock us up?"

The guard laughed without a trace a humor. "To protect you and those around you. You hybrids are not normal. Either you or another hybrid could, at any moment, go into another experiments room and kill the other."

Grace shivered, hated to be referred to as an experiment...something that wasn't entirely human. Didn't he realize how much she tried to be normal? Still running off the days high, she bravely stopped in the corridor causing him to turn around and face her.

"Yes, I-I know that's what they say," she said with more confidence. Grace was pleased to see her nervous stutter wasn't as prominent. "However, if I asked you not to lock my doors for the night, but to lock other Hybrids would you still lock it?"

The guard looked, really looked at her, almost as if he were sizing her up. He raised an eyebrow in a silent gesture for her to continue.

"You see, in order to make us feel less like prisoners I think it will be beneficial for each of us to go a night without our doors locked. Especially considering that you see us more as animals than people, to which I won't even talk much about so I won't lose my head, it doesn't make sense to make an animal live caged up. It'll make us fight all the more."

The guard was silent for a long time. "Are you finished?"

Grace stood up a little straighter, smoothing her feather like hair, and nodded. The guard smiled wickedly and laughed loudly. Then turned on her as quick as a flash. He pinned her arms to her sides and forced her against the cold stone walls. Grace tried not to let fear show on her face, but no guard had ever handled her like this. As if she were nothing more than a rag doll.

"Listen here you little brat," he hissed, spit hitting her in the face. "You are not human. You are a prisoner here, and I don't care what the scientists say. You are to be locked up to never see the sun again. You are wrong. You don't belong anywhere in this world and I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense. Some people think you could be...useful. But do you know what I think? You are a mistake that needs to be taken care of. So stop acting like you matter to anyone or that you deserve anything the anyone here. Do you understand me?"

Grace remained silent. It was the only thing she could do because she has shaking like a leaf. Her eyes, wide with shock and terror, was giving away just how scared she was. She wouldn't, no couldn't, let him have her pride too.

"Are you stupid or something?" The guard asked incredulously. "I said, do you UNDERSTAND ME!"

Her head hit against the wall with a sharp crack and red dots danced before her eyes. She ripped her arms from his grasp, thankful that all the years of flying left her biceps relatively strong, and shoved him. Grace heard him gasp and clutch his arm. She smelled it before she saw the red drip from his arm and splash on the ground.

Grace looked at her hands in horror. Amid the fear and confusion, her hands had turned into talons. She looked from her hands to the guard before her. She was still shaking but she couldn't feel anything.

"I-I'm so s-s-s-orry!" she exclaimed. "I-I didn't m-m-mean-"

The guard snatched her up by her arm and half carried her to her room. He threw her inside and slammed the door, the lock clicking into place shortly after.

"I'd be very careful," she heard his voice call to from behind the door. "Because this isn't the last you have heard of this...and don't think I'll let Dr. Sebastian deal with this, you little bitch."

Grace slowly walked to her bed and sat down. She touched her arm gently, and saw an ugly blue-green bruise was already started to form. Even through her terror Grace realized one thing from her encounter. She wasn't safe here. No hybrid was safe here.

Grace swallowed carefully and took out her hidden blueprint of the building. She was going to need a lot of help, but it was definitely doable. Grace hid her plans underneath her mattress and laid down, not bothering to walk over to the door slot where dinner was served.

All she could think of was escaping. Finally getting out into the wide open skies. She was going to do it, and she was going to do it soon. All she needed was a little bit of luck and a lot of help.

Levi - Corridor/ Cells- Hybrid/ Polar Bear

"Alright, social time is over!"
Those five words and suddenly the room was cast into chaos again as hybrids forced their way to the exits- some voluntarily and some forced to by Guards.

Levi turned towards the nearest exit- the one that lead to the corridor where his room or "cell" was held- and scowled when he saw one hybrid girl shoved by another tumble to the ground right in front of the doorway. Though there were plenty of people that saw her fall nobody even gave her a second glance or tried to avert from stepping on her as they passed though the exit. Instead with the "encouragement" of the guards the other hybrids just walked right over the top of her.
So much for loyalty to your own kind.

When some of the crowd had dispersed one guard grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. "Get a move on. Stop holding up the crowds." Levi kept his eyes on the girl as she ambled away. Yeah, no loyalties existed in a place like this. Everyone just helped themselves. Typical.

'I guess this place isn't THAT much different from the streets after all.'

One guard that wasn't 'escorting' a hybrid saw Levi watching the incident and marched over, with his face twisted into an arrogant grimace."What are you looking at freak? Didn't you hear the announcement?! Play time's over."
Levi turned to face the guard- who was at least two inches shorter than him- and tried not to roll his eyes. They thought that they had so much power- bossing everyone around and threatening them with guns if they didn't follow orders the second they were issued. They thought they were so much better...

"Didn't you hear me, hybrid?! Back to your room! Now!"

Levi shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts of the guards. There was no point of getting mad now. He'd probably just get shot/end up in isolation for a week.

"Whatever you say, sir," he said with mock obedience and- before the guard could yell and threaten him some more- began walking for the exit, throwing Arden and Fawn- probably the closest things he 'd had to friends in a long time- a short wave and a smile before he walked through the exit and towards the corridor where the cells could be found.

Keeping his eyes on the cement beneath his feet - and not the obviously-pissed-off-guard - Levi didn't look up until he got to his cell. When they arrived the guard slipped passed him, muttering something under his breath and began searching for the key to Levi's room.

Levi kept his eyes on the cement until he heard a commotion down the hall from him as another hybrid- some sort of bird- walked up the hall saying something to the guard trailing behind her.

He didn't bother to listen to what they were saying but his head snapped up again when the guard pinned the girl against the wall and began spitting threatening words in her face. The guard who was locking him in to his own cell still searched for the key but a glance to the side told Levi that he was really listening into the commotion across the hallway as well with a look of malicious approval on his face.

Something akin to anger began to swell up within anger that made want to launch out and strike the guard watching on- or better yet, the one across the hall- and when the girl threw the guard off her moments later he felt his own sense of satisfaction.

He deserved that...

But his eyes narrowed when the guard grabbed the girl by the shoulder and carried her forcefully to the cell next to his- shoving her in forcefully. He head a sharp crack when she hit the ground and tried to hide a wince as he went back to staring at the concrete.

The guard whispered a few threatening words to the girl in the cell- that made Levi clench his hands in the pockets of his jacket so hard that the claws pieced through his normally tough skin to draw blood- before he walked off nonchalantly.
The guard unlocking his own cell finally found the key to his room and did his own take of throwing Levi into his room before he locked the door and marched off.

Levi scowled as he head the footsteps fade away and more cell doors being slammed and locked. Slowly he pulled his hands out of his pockets and checked the damage. Blood smeared his hands but the would- not all that deep to begin with- was beginning to fade already. He sighed and unfurled himself on the ground- leaning up against the wall he shared with the winged hybrid girl.

He couldn't hear much from the other side- not like the other wall where the hybrid next door liked to yell a lot, throw things at the walls- and just generally make a pain of himself when the others were trying to sleep.

Still, he couldn't get out of his mind the image of the hybrid girl from before. They'd rarely stand up to the guards like that...
Before he lost his nerve, Levi forced himself to say something.
""Uh... you alright?" he managed to spit out awkwardly through a tiny crack between the two rock walls, "It sounded like you hit pretty hard."

Grace - Room/Cell - Eagle/Hybrid

"Uh, you alright?" a gently masculine voice called. "It sounded like you got hit pretty hard."

For a brief moment, Grace thought that maybe the guard had come back and was taunting her before she realized the voice wasn't coming from outside the door but from the wall right next to her bed.

Grace sat up on her knees and touched a hand to the wall tenderly. Of course, though the walls were made of sturdy stone, they didn't really block out any sound. There had been many countless nights where she heard yells and screaming. She usually did her best to ignore it. This was the first time anyone had ever tried to speak to her directly, though.

Maybe he didn't know who she was? He probably wouldn't bother if he had. She was the outcast of the outcasts. The hybrid who couldn't control her human or animal side. Grace struggled for any memory of who was next door to her and couldn't think of who he possibly could be. He rarely made any noise except for the few times she heard him murmur in his sleep. She silently promised herself she would be observant in the future.

"I'm f-fine," she called softly. "H-Hardly a s-scratch."

Her bruise throbbed slightly, almost as if to remind her that it was there. She took a deep breath, trying to control her nervous stutter. Somehow, just knowing they weren't face to face seemed to help her control it.

"Thanks for asking though," Grace responded after a moment.

"That's good to hear. I'm glad you aren't hurt."

Grace moved from her position and sat criss-cross on her bed, facing the wall. The boy on the other side seemed to have said his piece. It was a comfortable silence, though Grace wanted to say so much more. It was a small act of kindness, but it still brought tiny pinpricks to her eyes. Kindness isn't something to take for granted.

Grace thought for a bit about her position. The boy had apparently seen the guard roughing her up back there. He wouldn't be speaking to her now if he wasn't at least a little upset about what happened back there. No one ever spoke to Grace, so something had really disturbed him.

She smiled a little to herself. Maybe this was just the luck that she needed. If this person didn't like what he had seen, enough to talk to an outcast who didn't ever matter, he knew that no one was safe here. Maybe he was just the person Grace needed to start an escape plan...to actually revolt.

She quenched her growing excitement quickly. This was all just theory of course, but Grace touched the wall again, lightly. There was no harm in at least trying to talk to him, maybe if she could gain his trust he would help her. The worst the would happen would be if he told a guard, but based off of his concern, he didn't seem the type to squeal.

"My name is Grace, by the way," she said, finally getting the courage to say something again. "I-I don't know if I remember you you are though. What is your name?"

For a moment Grace thought maybe he hadn't heard, or maybe he realized who she was and was ignoring her. Just as she was about to turn away from the wall, he finally replied.

"Levi," he responded. "My name is Levi."

"It's nice to, uhm, meet you," Grace said, smiling slightly.

Maybe, just maybe, this could be the start to freedom.

Levi- Room/Cell- Hybrid - Polar Bear

Levi slumped against the cool stone of the wall that he shared with the other hybrid girl- Grace, he reminded himself quickly- and a hint of a smile skipped across his face. Before today he didn't think that he'd ever tried talking to one of the others before... Not after those first couple of weeks, that is. The socialisation felt strange after all this time but not in a bad way.

"Levi," he answered finally, his eyes on the ground, "My name is Levi."
There was silence for a second before she spoke again, "It's nice to, uhm, meet you."
The dark haired boy smiled fleetingly and his eyes glanced towards the small, crudely cut window at the top of the back wall. It was practically drowned in bars to cramp any hope of escape but from time to time Levi could actually see the sky outside.

Just then, a sudden block of sunlight popped though the thin channel in the wall and Levi glanced away, wincing as the light flashed across his pale face.
He blinked away the burning in his vision and a thoughtful look crossed his face as his eyes shifted back to the coarse rock wall.

"Yeah. It's, uh, nice to meet you too."

Grace. He'd heard her name before. Probably seen her around the labs, too. And though he couldn't quite pick her from the name alone, Levi decided just from her manner of speaking that she probably wasn't one of the more overbearing hybrids that picked fights during the social hour.

In the distance another cell door clanged shut and for a moment the corridor outside their rooms was eerily quiet with only the sound of silent footsteps and the clang of metal doors closing in the distance.

"Uh... Levi?" It was a nervous whisper though the silence of the cells.
Levi blinked, coming back to reality. "Yeah?"
He waited a second but she said nothing. And then, "Doyouthinkwe'llevergetoutofhere?"

It was a rush of words that Levi didn't quite understand at first. "Uh, what?" He went to asked but then his mind finally registered the question.

Do you think we'll ever get out of here?

His blue eyes widened momentarily. This was the first time that another hybrid had asked him that. Asked him anything about Outside.

He closed his eyes and looked up thoughtfully knowing what the scientists- what the guards would expect him to say. But that wasn't what came to his lips when he answered, "I know they say they'll let us go one day... But I have my doubts."

At one time he'd felt so sure that he would. That they'd let him- let them all go- eventually. That they owed them that much for everything that had been done. But that time had long since passed.

After the first couple of months Levi had realised it wasn't the scientists that were going to get them out of there. It wasn't the tests or experiments that would help them to survive in the real world. If any of them wanted out... well it would be up to them to get out and find a way to survive- themselves. However that hadn't really been possibility since Levi had been here-

"B-but what if there was another way?" She asked, nervously, "W-would you take it?"
He pressed his palm flat against the wall and his eyes widened. Did she know of another way? Was there a way to get out. To escape? Or was this just a ploy from the scientists to see if all their brainwashing was working? Levi didn't know.

He gasped in a deep breath as he thought of what life would be like living on the Outside again. Fresh air. Not having to wake up for tests or be forced into socialisation. Maybe he could even find his brother...
But was his even possible?

Levi was quiet for a long time before he answered her question.
"If it would mean getting out of here... Then yeah. I would take it."
There was silence for a second as he waited for her to say something. Instead the sound of a gun going of filled the corridor.

Drellis was snapped out of his so far two hour long meditation by the sound of a metal tray being slid through a slot in the door. His dinner. He got up from his bed and walked over to pick up the tray. It had only slid halfway through, balancing it between both sides of the door. At least today the guard hadn't shoved it all the way through, which normally resulted in it falling onto the floor. Today, it looked like he was having some cold chicken, mashed potatos made from some mix and water, and red jell-o. His eating utensils were in a plastic wrapped packet as usual. All that was inside was a spork, napkin, packet of salt, but he didn't really care about all that. All he wanted was the knife. It was small, and not ideal for stabbing, but he could fix that. All Drellis would have to do is file it down on one of the metal supports on his pipe frame bed. Drellis knew that they probably had surveilance equipment in the cells though, so he would have to be discreet. He picked up the tray and walked back over to his bed, sitting down on it to eat. He had done it hundreds of times before, and anyone watching wouldn't possibly find anything odd about today. Drellis began with the chicken, finishing it in about five minutes. He didn't need the knife for that though. Next was the potatos, which he took the spork out for. When that was finished, he moved onto dessert, which he used that same spork for. All the while, the knife was sitting on the tray, still in the plastic. When he finished that, he removed the napkin from the plastic, taking the knife with it. He put on hand on his bed and used the other to wipe away the remnants of the food. The hand on the bed held the knife, which he subtly slid under the sheets. The job done, Drellis walked back to the door and slid the tray through the same narrow slot it came through. He wondered if he could fit through the slot that the food came through if he were a complete snake, but realized that it wouldn't be possible. Not only did it lock when not in use, but it was set to high in the door for him to reach if he were able to transform. He slid the tray halfway through the door, and walked bak to his bed. He sat and began to meditate until the tray was pulled through from the other side by someone, probably the janitor. Once that happened, Drellis knew it was only about 10 minutes until lights out. He flopped onto the bed, not wanting to use the sheets. he always felt trapped underneath them. Drellis began counting to sixty, doing this until the lights flicked off. That didn't make much a difference though. He could see almost as easily as if the lights had been on. He grabbed the knife from under his sheets and began scraping it back and forth along one of the metal pipes on his bed. Tomorrow would be his day of freedom. He debated about letting someone else in on his plans, but it was too risky. The guards offered rewards for revealing escape plans, and some of the Hybrid's were actually loyal to the scientists. He thought of that porcuipine girl, but debated against it. For all he knew, she gave him the idea just so if he tried to confide anything with her, she would turn him in and get the reward. No, he would get out of here alone.

Alex Dean w/ Kata-Gym

I sat on the floor away from a girl who clearly didn't want to be seen or talked to, but that wont stop me.

"Hello, I'm Alex." I said to the girl who had black hair and dark eyes.

"Kata." The girl rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"What DNA are you mixed with?" I walked closer.

"Porcupine, could you go away?" Kata rolled her eyes yet again.

"Why should I?" I took another step closer, giving a smirk. Kata narrowed her eyes and spines started to grow on her hand. She reached up and slapped me as my face got closer to hers. I howled in pain, literally. "What the hell was that for?"

Kata arched one eyebrow. "Really? I told you to go away."

"God, so you just slap me with your spike hand thing?" I retorted.

"You got all up in my face! Maybe you'll listen next time." Kata said.

I turned my back and walked away. Grunting quietly.

Drellis
Cell

When Drellis woke up, he almost had a heart attack when he could no longer feel the knife clutched in his hand. Then he realized, he had no hands. Very slowly, he reverted back to his in between state. He had realized a while back that when he fell asleep, he would either turn completely human or completely animal but once h woke up, he would once again be stuck in his half human half freak state. He quickly put his "prison" clothes back on, as they had fallen off when he transformed. At least when he turned human, all that happened was that they got a bit baggy. He had never actually seen his own face when he was human. The lights hadn't come back on by the time he woke up, and it only took about a minute for him to fully transform. He had once focused on trying to stop it long enough for the lights to come back on so he could look in the mirror, but he had only held out for about seven minutes. Once he was dressed, Drellis lay back on his bed and pretended to stretch, one of his hands going under his pillow feeling for the knife. He had whittled down its normally unthreatening sharpness to a lethal shank. He had tested its durability though, and figured that he would probably only be able to take out one guard with it before it broke. But he had a plan for that as well. He found the knife and gripped it tightly. It was the key to his freedom. Today, he would most likely have another appointment with the councilor. But today, he would take a different route. The first guard he met, he would stab and take any weapons he had. He had never actually fired a gun before, but he knew how they worked. The counselor always made sure he was one of the first people on his list of appointments, so he knew that he would be called in shortly after breakfast. Speaking of which, the lights flicked on in his cell, and shortly afterward a tray was shoved through the door. But instead of balancing it like they had done yesterday, whoever was serving shoved it all the way through, resulting in the tray clattering to the floor. Drellis heard the laugh of two people outside the door as they walked to the next one, likely to do the same thing again. Luckily, the only thing that had actually touched the floor was the sausage links. The pancakes came in a plastic bag, as did the syrup in a small plastic container and the juice was in a pouch. Their was also a silverware packet and he debated taking that knife as a backup, but decided against it. It had taken Drellis a while to file down the first knife to the perfect weapon, and taking two knifes was too risky. For all he knew, they checked the trash to make sure everything was accounted for. As Drellis sat back on his bed, the realization that this could very well be his last meal like this filled him with adrenaline. He didn't feel like eating the crappy food at this point, but that might arouse some suspicion. Besides, he would need his strength. Drellis wolfed down the meal, his snake anatomy allowing for him to swallow it all whole. Drellis slid his empty tray back through the slot, doing it all the way so it clattered to the floor on the other side. Drellis had left just enough syrup in the container so it would leave a decent mess when it spilled. Drellis then lay back in his bed, waiting for the call to the counselors office. But Drellis would never arrive their. He would walk out of this "prison" a free snake. He almost felt sorry for the others who would be called to his office ahead of him.

Grace - Cell/Room - Hybrid/Eagle

When Grace woke the next morning, last night slowly came back to her. She wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but when the gunshot sounded Levi and Grace had both silently decided that their conversation had come to an abrupt end. She didn't hear anything else from him, and was too scared to ask him if he was okay.

She wasn't really an impulsive person, but before she could stop herself from voicing her opinion about leaving it had bubbled out of her mouth. She didn't even think about the consequences she could have faced if he wasn't on board. However, if Levi wasn't just stringing her along to turn her over to the scientists, it seemed like he wanted to get out just as much as she did. Plans of how to escape had kept her from sleeping all too much last night.

Grace stretched and walked over to her dresser that held very few, but very comfortable clothes in it. As she filled her time with her normal morning routine, she couldn't help but think that maybe the scientists were testing her and Levi was in on it.

She shook her head, attempting to wash the thoughts from her mind and stood in front of the mirror. She cocked her side to the side, examining herself. Her hair was feather-like and she had to pick a few loose feather from her arms and clothes. Her eyes were so dark and small she knew they would look too keen, too calculated to actually fit in society.

Grace swallowed hard. What if they could really leave...what then? She wasn't sure how normal Levi looked, but she couldn't fit in as a normal person. How could she actually survive?

Grace took a deep breath and finished changing into her favorite blue jeans right as her door opened. The guard wasn't the same one from last night, but based on his surly expression he had probably heard about what happened.

"Dr. Sebastian wants you in the lab now," he said, avoiding her eyes.

Grace's heart dropped to her stomach. She tried to keep her composure, but her hands still shook slightly.

"What f-for? I d-don't g-go in for t-testing until a-at least no-noon," she asked. "I-I haven't e-even t-to-touched my br-breakfast."

His frown deepened. "I'm sure you'll live. It's Dr. Granados and he doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Grace's mind was going a million miles a minute when she followed him. It could be nothing, or Levi could have confessed what she said. Even though she kept her head straight as she followed the guard out of her room, her fear was eating her alive.

"D-do you kn-know what f-for?" She tried again.

"What is with that stutter?" he asked, angrily. "I don't know. He just wanted to speak with you alone."

From his body language and tone it clearly stated that she was not to ask any further questions. Grace snapped her mouth closed and followed him into the laboratory where Dr. Bas was sitting over his notes. He looked up at her and raised one eyebrow.

"Good morning, Grace," he said curtly, closing his notebook. He turned to the guard who stood behind her. "Feel free to close the door after yourself. I'll escort Grace back when we are done."

Grace looked wildly from the guard, who may not like her but was at least a witness, to Dr. Sebastian.

"W-Why d-do we ne-need to be a-a-alone?" Grace asked as calmly as she could.

The guard nodded to the scientist and closed the door behind him. Dr. Bas smiled at her in that easy way he did when he was about to solve a problem. His eyes gleamed with something Grace couldn't quite place.

"We have some secrets to discuss," he responded. "And secrets are only held between two people."

The lock to the laboratory door clicked and Grace stood trembling next to Dr. Bas as he gestured towards a seat.

"Tell me," he started when Grace sat down. "Tell me how you feel about this place."

It was not a question, but a statement. Although,he said it so softly that it almost felt like one. It was firm but gentle as if to coax her into opening up to him. His eyes felt like they were staring into her very brain. It was a statement to see how she reacted, but more than that he was testing her. Grace shrugged casually.

"I-I don't k-k-know-"

"Now Gracie, we are friends, right?" he asked with a laugh. "There is no need for that stutter! We are familiar with each other and we have spoken many times before now."

Grace cleared her throat. He was right, of course, but her nerves made her stutter more pronounced. She wasn't good at speaking to others, even if Dr. Bas wasn't saying just the wrong things to make her queasy.

"I-I know," Grace took a deep breath. "I don't know w-what you mean though. I mean, this is the only home most of us have ever known. How else could we feel about it?"

Sebastian beamed at her. "I've always admired your cleverness Grace! You may not be a great speaker but your mind is sharp as a diamond."

She shifted, uncomfortable. "Uhm, well thank you, I suppose but-"

"What I am so impressed by, actually," he interrupted. "Is the way you dance around my question to you, not answering it, however making it appear that you do, in fact, love it here. To follow up, you answered with another question to defer the conversation back to me. Very clever! That way you aren't lying, am I right?"

Grace looked from Sebastian to the door. "Dr. Granados, I d-don't understand?"

"Maybe I should have been clear from the beginning. When I ask you something I want a direct yes or no answer, okay? No darting around a question. You are free to go back to your room afterwards."

"O-okay," Grace said softly.

"And Gracie," Sebastian said, the last traces from his earlier smile fading. "If you lie to me I will find out and my anger isn't a pleasant thing. Are we clear now?"

Grace nodded her head, her stomach churning and fear keeping her mouth clamped tight. Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

"I-I mean y-yes sir," Grace responded quickly.

"Alright then," Dr. Granados smiled. "Do you know anything about a revolt?"

"Revolt?" Grace asked, incredulously.

"Yes, Gracie. A revolt. Do you know anything about the other experiments wanting to escape?"

Grace held her shaking hands in her lap. This was very, very bad.

Drellis
Cell

As Drellis awaited the inevitable call to the counselor, he sat thinking of all the possible careers that he could go into, but his lack of real world experience shortened that list a lot. He had read about bounty hunters and private eyes and the outcasts of a circus (no one would look twice at an irregularities he might have there), but in the end, all these career choices would only work out if he could master his transformation. Drellis looked at the back of his hand, focusing on turning the scales into flesh. His hand began to itch, and Drellis swore he saw a few of the scales take on a more pinkish hue, but his concentration broke when a loud banging sounded on the door.
"Wakey wakey little Snakey!" The guard shouted mockingly through the door.
"The Doctor will see you now."
Drellis was suddenly alert. Dr. Sebastian wanted to see him? Did he know about the knife, or the conversation he had with that other Hybrid? The guard yanked open his cell door.
"I said get a move on freak! If your late, then I get blamed. Now move it!"
Drellis begrudgingly mumbled under his breath, distracting from the knife he held against his arm.
"What did you say to me?" The guard asked, turning on Drellis.
"Nothing." Was all he replied.
"That's what I thought."
The guard let Drellis walk out first, keeping his rifle trained on him. Drellis looked around and saw that this guard was the only one. Perfect. As the two walked down the corridor, Drellis could vaguely hear crashes and strange noises coming from some of the cells. The other Hybrids. He felt a twinge of guilt at his decision to not escape, but it was gone almost instantly. If they wanted to escape, they should've done it themselves by now. As Drellis and his escort neared an intersection of corridors, Drellis turned right. Straight had led to the gym, and left to the science wing. Right, he hoped, would lead out.
"Hey!" The guard shouted.
"They mess up your brain or something. The lab is this way!"
Drellis turned around, a confused look on his face.
"What do you mean it's this way. I've been going there longer than you have."
The guard backhanded Drellis across his face (snout?).
"Don't talk back tome! I know this place, and I know its this way."
Drellis looked past the guard at absolutely nothing.
"Then why does that directory say it's this way?" Drellis asked, pointing past the guard. He turned to see this mythical directory, and that's when Drellis struck. Using his heightened reflexes, he grabbed the guard's shoulder with one hand, and with the other reached around and stabbed him in the front of his neck with the knife. As soon as he pierced the neck, the guard spun around, the end of the improvised weapon breaking of in his neck. Drellis ducked as he swung his rifle around and then swept the guard's feet out from under him. The guard landed on his back, coughing like crazy. He tried to aim his rifle, but Drellis grabbed hold of it, trying to wrench it away. In the struggle, the guard squeezed of five shots, the bullets bouncing around the corridor. Drellis finally managed to get the rifle from the guard. Drellis stepped back and pointed the rifle at the guard. The usual cruel =, sadistic look all the guards had normally possessed was gone now, replaced by a fearful look. Now Drellis had the power. The guard tried to beg for his life, but instead coughed up blood. Drellis debated about putting him out of his misery, but soon the choice was n o longer his. The guard reached down to his leg and drew a pistol from its holster. Panicked, Drellis shot the guard in the chest, killing him. He looked down at the gun, a strange feeling coming over him. He had killed. He had killed one of his tormentors through all the yaers he had been here. He had finally shown them that he was not as meek as they thought. No sooner had all this happened, a piercingly loud noise echoed down the corridor. An alarm! Drellis heard shouting, likely more guards coming to hi location. Drellis grabbed two spare clips of ammo from the guard. As he sprinted down the corridor, a loud voice began speaking from the mounted speakers.
"Attention. There is an escaped Hybrid heading for the residential and motor pool areas. This is not a drill. Do not shoot to kill. Recapture at all costs."
Drellis recognized that voice anywhere. The Counselor. Drellis pivoted around, hearing some guards coming around the corner behind him. He opened fire with the rifle, the recoil throwing his aim off a bit. The guards that had just came around retreated back behind the corner. Satisfied, Drellis continued running for what he hoped would be the exit, and with it, freedom.

Pandemonium.
That was the only way to describe the events Kata saw developing in the hall. It was the snake boy. Kata grinned, her teeth elongating slightly.
"Secure all prisoners! Let no other hybrid escape!" a guard shouted. Kata switched into porcupine form and climbed the wall of her cell, perching above the door in a shadow. She smelled the approaching guard, reeking of garlic, move toward her cell.
"Escapee! Escapee! The hedgehog freak is gone!" The guard shrieked, throwing open the door. Kata swung from her perch and slammed her feet into the guard, winding him. She slammed her wrists into his sleeve and pinned the guard to the floor with quills. Kata was surprised at how easily the guard had been fooled; he must have been new here. She started running down the hall when she saw the fleet of assorted scientists and guards turning the corner, and the tranquilizers in their hands. Kata swore under her breath and scampered back to her cell. She knocked the guard who she had attacked over the head and reached for her cell door. A spasm shook Kata as a pain raced from the back of her neck and she fell to the ground. Her vision grew blurry and everything sounded as though she were underwater. Garbled voices and shouts drifted through her drugged mind as everything went black and Kata sunk into unconsciousness.

Drellis
Residential/ Motor wing

As Drellis ran down another long hallway, he turned and sprayed his rifle back down the corridor, hopefully discouraging any pursuing guards from coming around the corner just yet. He turned and continued running. Despite him being in the residential area of the facility, their weren't that many humans. Likely most of them were off securing the other Hybrids. He had left the screeches of animals long behind him, but they still were stuck in his head. Most wanted out, but others screamed to be let out so they could help track down the escapee. Finally, Drellis saw a red, glowing sign that read the words he had hoped for. Exit. Drellis turned just in time to feel a dart fly by his shoulder. He fired from his hip again, one bullet making contact. The guard who had shot it was sent flying backward from the bullet, which had hit him in the same shoulder Drellis was almost hit in. He ran to the door with the exit sign and pushed it open... and immediately shut his eyes. Blinding sunlight, something he hadn't experienced in what felt like an eternity, shone all around him. He had made it outside. Drellis slowly opened his eyes, letting them get used to the bright sunlight. Once his eyesight returned, he looked around. He was in a large parking lot filled with everything from military transports to sports cars. But at the other end of the parking lot was a chain-link fence topped off with barbed wire. The only thing between him and freedom. Drellis turned to the door he had just come through, jamming his stolen rifle into the handle, barring it. He took the pistol out of the waistband of his pants and began a sprint towards the fence. He weaved through the cars, the alarm still blaring in the background. As he neared the fence though, he heard the screech of tires coming towards him. With the way his eyes were positioned, he didn't need to turn his head to see what was coming for him. Two jeeps loaded with about five guards each were barreling towards him. But Drellis could already tell he would reach the fence before they got here. As he neared the fence, he began screaming at himself in his head to transform. He thought of the freedom, and of the snake in his dreams. But this turned out to be a fatal mistake, as he got dizzy and fell onto the ground, his pistol flying from his hand. Drellis shoved himself up, still disoriented from his fall. He instinctively reached for his pistol, grabbing it and firing blindly in the direction of the jeeps. He heard the tell tale sound of metal ricocheting off metal as the bullets hit, causing the driver to panic and swerve his jeep. It crashed into one of the parked cars, completely crumpling the fancy framework of the sports car. Drellis ran towards the fence again, now uncertain if he would make it. He fired at the other jeep, but missed all his shots. The gun empty, Drellis tossed it aside as he reached the fence. If he couldn't go through it, he would just go over. He leapt up, curling his scaled fingers around the fence and was just about to haul himself up when he felt it. An almost pathetic sting in his calf, but he knew just how catastrophic it was. Drellis tried pulling himself up further, but no longer had the strength as nausea overtook him. First one hand let go, and then the other. He fell backwards back onto the ground, but he refused to give up yet. Even as the guards piled out of the jeep, he grabbed onto the fence again in an attempt to pull himself up. Eventually, the drug coursing through him proved too much, and he fell back again. He was still conscious, but not enough to do anything. He saw a pair of loafers walking towards him as apposed to the normal military boots worn by the guards.
"I must say Drellis, you surprised even me with this."
Drellis recognized that snide voice anywhere.
"When that knife turned up missing, I thought you were planning to kill me. Dr. Granados had an entire squad ready to arrest you outside his office when you arrived today. But, I never thought you would have the backbone to try something like this."
Drellis tried to shout something at the counselor, but his entire body was shutting down.
"You really caused quite the ruckus back inside. Several Hybrids tried to escape when the alarm went off, your accomplice included."
Accomplice? What was he talking about.
"I saw that little conversation you had after social time yesterday, but as you know, our main hallway camera's are video only so we didn't know what you were talking about."
The porcupine? She had tried to escape as well?
"Of course, we'll need to make an example of you, her, and any other hybrids that were even thinking about escaping."
"What's... going... appen?" Drellis managed to choke out.
"I'll let Dr. Granados and the board of directors debate and decide on that. After all, I am just the counselor."
The counselor began to walk away, stopping to talk to one of the guards.
"He's still got some life left in him. Put a few more darts in to make sure he stays out."
The guard smiled cruelly at this. He knew some painful places to put those darts.

Grace - Hybrid/Eagle - Laboratory/Interrogation

Grace's mind was working as quickly as it possibly could. Somehow they knew she was planning something. Her hands still shook, though not as violently. She needed to be smart about how she handled this.

"Not es-escaping, no, but I know there is a s-small amount of Hybrids who f-feel uneasy," Grace said after a moment, the gears in her mind working so quickly she could almost hear them grinding.

She put one trembling hand to the top of her forehead where a headache was starting to blossom. Dr. Sebastian was a brilliant man and it wouldn't be easy to outsmart him. She needed to think of something, anything. She kept her face impassive, her fear the only thing that bled through her nearly perfect facade.

"Explain." It wasn't a question, but a demand and from the look Dr. Bas was giving her she had ran out of time to stall. Grace bowed her head slightly using the only escape route her frazzled brain could manage.

"W-well we f-feel threatened-"

"We?" Bas interrupted. "So you are involved?"

Grace lifted her head to meet his eyes, her mouth partially open. Had she given herself away too early? Did Sebastian really not know she was planning something already? She clamped it closed, quickly when Dr. Sebastian was smirking, slightly. Grace had to fight the urge to laugh out loud with relief. He knew of course, but he thought he had just caught her fully admitting it.

Dr. Sebastian had played, unknowingly, right into the palm of her head. She bowed her head down again just to be certain no excitement showed in her features. All she had to do was come up with a realistic, convincing story.

"N-not in a-any rev-revolution or a-anything," Grace almost whispered. "I-I was just sc-scared. I felt like I was pinned against a w-wall with no es-escape."

Dr. Bas nodded, as if he understood. She knew he would love any comparison she made to her animal side. Sebastian was a knowledge hungry scientist right down to his very bones.

"I see. Please explain," Sebastian said with an encouraging smile.

Grace swallowed hard. This was the hard part. Dr. Bas had already taken out his notebook, his hunger to learn more about her as a hybrid making him forget that she could be lying. She took a calming deep breath.

"W-well, I l-lost my control last n-night," she started. "One of the guards grabbed me and slammed m-me against t-the wall. I-I didn't mean to!"

"Didn't me to what, Gracie?" Bas said quietly, as if he thought he spoke too loud he would scare her away.

"M-my talons grew and I...I slashed his arm. It w-was an a-accident. I w-was so s-scared!"

Then, more so out of fear, out of everything she had to lose, she began to cry. Her shoulders shook and she wrapped her arms around her body. This place was toxic. It was in that moment that Grace truly realized that if they thought she were a threat, they would kill her. If they found out that she could actually escape and take any other hybrid she wished with her, they wouldn't care about experiments anymore. Until then, she was a prisoner. Not even prisoner, but their prisoner to toy with as they pleased. This was more than her outwitting Dr. Bas. It was about saving her life.

"Oh, Gracie," Sebastian said, his face actually showing just a fraction of compassion. "It's okay! I will review the tapes and make sure he will never get inside this building again. I will restrict him to guarding the fence if I can't get him fired."

She sniffled a bit. "I don't want t-to make mat-matters any worse."

"No. He knows how delicate you lot are," he paused for a hair. "Now take your time but can you please continue and tell me what you did next."

Grace nodded, wiping her eyes on the handkerchief Dr. Sebastian set on the table between them. This was the tricky part. Grace needed to play the victim card to the maximum. So far Bas had gobbled up the fact that she 'cracked' when he pretty much threatened her. He was too interested in learning more about her and her reactions now, he wasn't thinking about the possibility of her fooling him. She needed to finish this performance leaving him very certain of her loyalty.

"I did the-the only t-thing my body urged me ti d-do. I wasn't thinking, I just thought about getting out. My instincts kicked in Dr. Bas! I am s-so sorry, I couldn't con-control myself. So I-I started planning on escaping."

"And do you still wish to revolt? To escape?"

Grace shrugged a bit and rubbed her forehead again. "Well, I'I'm still sc-scared and p-part of me wants t-to leave. I ju-just don't feel s-secure in my own r-room."

"If I made sure to get rid of the guard who harassed you, would you feel safe again?"

Grace pretended to think on it for a moment and then nodded, looking sheepish and meek. Dr. Sebastian smiled brightly at her.

"Consider it done!" he exclaimed, surprising her a bit. "You see how easy it is? We are not monsters here. Some people may not understand you as I and the other scientists do, but we take care of you here. Remember that."

Grace gave him a watery smile. "I hate to ask something like this but-"

"No need to explain yourself, Gracie," Dr. Bas gave her a quick smile and then suddenly turned serious. "However, while I understand why now, I don't want to hear anymore talk of you trying to escape."

"Yes, of course," Grace nodded, doing her best to appear embarrassed.

"Now, let's bring in Levi, shall we!" He said happily.

"Levi?" Grace asked, a glimmer of her fear returning. She had assumed he had turned her in and she couldn't fathom why they were bringing him in.

"Yes, Gracie," Dr. Bas said darkly. "We need to make sure that no Hybrid is going to attempt to escape. It's too dangerous for you to leave. We have reason to believe he may want to revolt as well."

Grace was about to question him before she thought better of it and opted for nodding silently. She heard the door open and a young boy was escorted into the room. He was fairly handsome with striking icy blue eyes set against an ivory white pallor. What shocked her though was the tuft of dark black hair against his fair skin. This must be Levi.

He looked at her, a quick flash of betrayal crossed his eyes before looking away. She wished she could tell him she hadn't told on him and she wished even more she could give him a heads up so their stories would match up.

"Good morning, Levi," Sebastian smiled warmly. "Let's get-"

Before he could even start a loud, ear piercing siren went off. Sebastian looked taken aback for a moment and cussed loudly. He got up and left without looking at them. Grace started to move to follow before he turned around and held up one hand to stop her.

"Something is going on. I will be five minutes. There are guards outside the door to make sure no harm comes to either of you." Or that there was no way of slipping out of here she added silently to herself.

The closed the door behind them. Five minutes was plenty of time to explain everything to Levi. She kept her voice low, barely moving her lips and started to speak without looking at him.

"Listen, Levi," she started. "There are cameras in here so don't look at me and I won't look at you. We have to be smart about this, okay? Dr. Bas knows I was trying to escape and I think he suspects you too. Don't tell him anything, okay? Just tell him seeing the guard attack me made you worried."

Levi coughed a little in a small sign that he heard her. Guilt weighed her chest to her stomach. She had gotten him into this mess and she only hoped she could save him from it.

"I'm so s-sorry," she stuttered, quietly. "As long as you tell Dr. Bas it was my idea...that I got so scared from the guard we may be able to make it out of this. I-I didn't m-m-mean to bring you in this Levi."

Grace looked at him from the corner of her eye to see if he had heard. He had a thoughtful expression, almost like he was wondering if she was still trying to trick him. She hoped he would trust her. It was a sickening feeling to realize that in this place, you couldn't even trust the only people who knew what you were and what you were going through. And Grace couldn't blame him.