Chapter 1
“Now,” said the man “the boss wants to see you, you must do everything he tells you or you’ll be gravely punished. You understand?” I answered with a weak nod.
At that time I didn’t realize that my whole life would change, these people were Scientists Mad ones. They had a theory that if they injected animal DNA into someone (a child) that person would develop some of the animal characteristics. These people were going to try it out on me.
From the ground I could see feet coming at me. They stopped in front of me a big hand came down and took my arm I cringed from it uselessly and started having hysteria of tears. The hands showed no sign of violence but they towed me hastily away from the office. I let them drag me wherever I was going it was better than being in the same room as the boss don’t get me wrong he didn’t hurt me physically but his very presence sent me to the darkest corners of the world cowering in terror.
Chapter 2
The man led me to some sort of storage room where a cot and sheet had been placed in the center. I stared at it suspiciously. The man sighed and pushed me down onto the cot, covered me with the sheet and left closing the door behind me leaving me alone in the dark, again.
I rolled onto my side so I could be more comfortable while I waited for the pain inflictors to come back. I groaned as I felt the softness of the cot. It was the thinnest mattress I had ever been on but at that moment, despite my surroundings, I felt safe. It was ridiculously insane and I knew that but right now I could careless.
I must have fallen asleep because I don’t remember a thing except that the next thing I saw was light flooding over my face. I bunched my muscles and readied myself for what I expected to come, but the person only pushed a tray, with delicious aromas coming from it, in and then left. I got up and staggered until I felt the solidity of the wall and felt my way around the room until I reached my goal, a light switch. I flicked the switch and let out a petrified screech. There in the corner chained was a boy my age or younger black with dirt and skinny as a tooth pick. The scene was literally plucked out of the slavery era. Once my vocals stopped I slumped onto the ground and stayed there who knows how long and stared with unseeing eyes, feeling the boy’s eyes on me the whole time. To weak to get up both of us stayed where we were.
What horrified me most was that these people would actually keep someone like this and then the thought that maybe in a few days or less that could be me. After of hours I finally got up and staggered toward the inhuman creature with the tray of food. I knew right away that he was a crossbreed because he had cat ears and a cat tail. I was freaked out by him but my values overpowered me. I kneeled next to him and held out a piece of bread. The cat-human monster didn’t respond so I just sat there and waited for him to be ready. Who knows how long but soon after he took it gingerly and nibbled. I pushed the tray towards him and moved to sit on the cot. My mind was thoughtless and numb; I didn’t know how much more I could take. Maybe, hopefully I would wake up and realize that this was just another nightmare. But usually when you think that, it always never turns out to be false.
Chapter 3
I waited until he had eaten the contents of the tray before speaking, my throat was still thick from surprise but I cleared it and choked out my question, “is that what they’ll do to me?” I shuddered as an image appeared in my mind a mutated auburn haired girl thin as a twig, bruised and dirty chained to a wall.
“Who knows what they’ll do,” he said hoarsely. I couldn’t help it the image seemed engraved in my mind, once again I fell over this time it wasn’t tears it was hysteria, I shook so violently it felt like I was a dice being shaken over and over again until I could no longer tell where I was. The sound coming out of my chest was I ripping echo, I just couldn’t take it I wanted my life back, I wanted to be curled up in front of the fire place at home with my family and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. I wanted to go to school and come back home with a 10 ton bag. My thoughts of routines droned on and I slipped into a subconscious state.
They found me like that half on the ground and cot shaking violently, still, with a half-dead mutant staring at me worriedly but at the same time scared to approach me, which was understandable because when you have been locked away from humanity for months you must start to fear the humans. They stared at me for a moment before pricking my arm with a needle. In my last moment of conscious I started denying it.
‘You can’t do this you monsters! Get away from me! Monsters! Killers!’ I screamed in my mind than the sedative took over and I blacked out. I was terrified, I was nowhere close to ready, and I wanted to stay human!!! I wanted to keep my four limbs and my body. It wasn’t too much to ask for, was it? They had no right to touch my body and turn me into something I was not. The blackness was scarier than seeing; it made me wait for the pain with nothing to keep me occupied while I waited. I thought of all the animals I knew and wondered what I would become and how painful the process was.
Why was I waking up I hadn’t felt the pain yet and I was still human. These people were really getting on my nerves making me wait. My eyes fluttered open and looked about I was in the same room on the thin mattress. I looked at the corner where I had seen him, he wasn’t there I started to push myself to a sitting position but something pushed me back down and told me that I should be light headed from the blood test and I needed to rest. I sunk back into the mat and twisted so that I was staring at the cat boy I could see now that he had brown almond shape eyes, fur on his hands and a tail to go with the cat ears. His skin was stained with brown spots covering his back and arms. He had whiskers and claws. His hair was blonde down to his shoulders muddy to the point where the colour was barely recognizable and very knotted. His hand was what held me down. I stared pointedly at it until he dropped it.
Once again I tried to get up my head spun, I felt light. “Is there any food?” I asked.
He nodded and pushed a tray towards me, “it will be cold by now but it’s better than nothing.” He said, his voice sounded stronger than before, energy coloured his tone.
The room stopped spinning as I consumed the meal that had been kept for me. “Why didn’t they change me?” I finally asked staring into his brown eyes.
“They needed your DNA and a blood sample before the….” His voice faltered but a second later he started again but this time reluctance coloured his voice. “I think the next time they come you’ll wake up…. Feeling different and looking different.”
I hid the horror threatening to over come the composed mask I struggled to keep on my face. He must of seen the look on my face because he quickly changed the subject.
Chapter 4
For the next few hours the boy and I exchanged stories and information I found out his name was Chazz he was named after Chazz Adel who represented freedom to the people of Venezuela. I return I shared my name Tatum meaning home.
I learned about his family who he had been ripped very close to the way I had been ripped from mine.
It felt good exchanging stories and learning that even though I was in this hell like place I was not alone. And even though I was beyond despair I laughed the most I ever had in those hours. It was probably because I was desperate to escape the present situation that I laughed so much but even that did not hide the fact that this guy was hilarious he made me feel some kind of hope.
Eventually I fell asleep, as did Chazz. But I did not sleep long before his snoring woke me. Unable to fall back to sleep I pondered the inevitable. I was thinking about my dad and wondering how much he’d miss me when someone said “Tatum get back to bed…” then grumbled on I looked around and saw Chazz moving his lips but uttering no sound.
Amused I answered “I would have if you hadn’t been snoring big head. But I got back into bed and hoped that my dad would someday get over the grief of losing his only child.
* * *
“When you spoke last night were you sleep talking?” I said as we both attempted to swallow down the glob of hard stuff that these people called breakfast. “Oh and wait before you answer I have another question, is this what they serve for breakfast everyday and what is it?”
Chazz chuckled but then said “what did I say in my sleep?”
“ok well I couldn’t sleep because of your loud snoring so I got up and thought about my dad and what’s about to happen to me and then out of the blue you said ‘Tatum get back to bed’ and by the way I was serious with the breakfast question.”
“Oh,” He answered then pointed to the food and said “and this piece of concrete is oatmeal and we eat this when their low on rations.”
I could see he was uncomfortable with the subject so I decided to talk about more important things. “Ever tried running away from this place? ‘Cause I’ve been trying to think up a plan but I’m coming up blank.” We sat there awhile and thought. We thought and thought but we were finally interrupted with lunch which was not much better than the breakfast.
After lunch they relaxed by playing cards that the scientists had ‘generously’ given to them and by talking as they had the night before. Thus a routine was established, the days went by until the night before the week was going to finish Chazz declared excitedly “I got it! I figured out a plan but we’ll have to act fast before you’re changed.” I lunged over and hugged him filled with joy I would get out and finally be free.
“Tell me” I demanded and listened as he described our big escape and my role in it all. Having the possibility of escape blinded me from the fact that they were bound to visit soon since it had been one whole week. I fell asleep happily and dreamt of being reunited with my dad and getting the freak scientists in jail where they could bother nobody but there cell mates.
Chapter 5
The next morning I awoke energized. I turned to Chazz only to find him bound by strong arms of the very guy who had knocked me out cold in that horrid white van that had brought me here. “What…” I started to say but I was stopped with a stern and threatening look from the freaky muscled guy imprisoning my friend. 2 other muscled lunatics and the boss stepped out from behind him and the boss proclaimed evilly “It’s time” he clapped his hands and said “you 2 know the drill.”
I gazed in terror at the lunatics advancing towards me with a needle and at Chazz who had the very same look of terror in his eyes that I felt in mine. When the demons had reached me they took my arm firmly and said stay still and quiet and this wont hurt a bit.”
Despite the situation I summoned up every last bit of courage I had and responded with “That’s what they always say in movies.” They chuckled then stabbed then needle into my arm. Chazz’s reaction was the same as mine in harmony with me he screamed “NO!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!” but my scream ended before his as the drug took effect.
Pain and darkness was all that I had now. I was about to lose everything that defined who I was. Fire ripped through my veins causing me to wither on the inside. It burned! The fire slowly spread leaving scars in its wake. I was alone in this pain, this excruciating pain.
The new DNA ripped through the veins attaching it’s self to every cell it encountered as is tore through Tatum’s body.
Finally the pain stopped all that was left was black nothingness. My body had finished its altering now I just had to wait and me my fate and the new me.
Chapter 6
Suddenly the remaining fire turned into energy pouring through every bit of my body. Leaving me alert and confused.
I opened my eyes and automatically shut them again, it was so bright, it blinded me. I gradually opened my eyes to the world again. I sat up more agilely then I would have been able to before. My surroundings were a mirror over a counter that had a tray of food and in one corner Chazz and a guard. I looked about and gasped as I saw a beautiful specimen in the mirror I looked behind me for this creature but saw nothing. I advanced towards the mirror puzzled ‘was this a window?’ I wondered. The creature took a step the same time as I. I outstretched my hand and walked forward until our fingertips met. It was a mirror and this was me.
I stared at my new almond shape eyes and my new pointy ears. As I examined these features in the mirror a tail flicked past I whirled and trying to catch it and see its origin, twitching my new whiskers in frustration I wobbled as my recent addition of unsure, padded and clawed but human shaped feet tried to adjust to its new form. I toppled to the ground hearing a suppressed chuckle. I hissed and then groaned at the cat like sound. Other than these latest things I now had the light stripes of a gray tabby streaking my usually perfect olive tanned body. The voice chuckled again, this time my reaction was different I whirled on the sound hissing and extending my claws. Chazz and the guard were frozen with wide eyes hands up as if I was a cop. I dropped my eyes guiltily and shifted out of my crouch.
Chazz stared at the guard meaningfully until the guard started backing away towards the door. His gaze was fixed on me as if I was some bad news. Once the guard was out Chazz turned to look at me. I slumped down on the wall confused. I knew what I was seeing hearing and smelling but everything was so defined. I didn’t even know how to walk in this body and my new instincts made me react strangely both the cat and I were confused.
A hand touched my shoulder. I heard him sit beside me. I leaned my head on his shoulder and cried. I was terrified “How are we going to escape now?” I sobbed on his shoulder “I needed to stay human for our plan to work. Chazz, I’m scared.”
“Shhh, shhh, its ok. Everything’s going to be ok. Just relaxed I know you’re scared and confused right now but we’ll get out. Don’t worry Tatum.” He soothed, stroking my hair.
“I’m such a baby, I’ve never cried this much.” I laughed through the last of my tears. “Is that food for me,’ cause I’m ravenous” I inclined my head towards the tray I had noticed. He pushed himself up and offered me his hand I took it and pulled myself up. I knew that he knew I was capable of getting up so I wondered why he was being so gallant.
On the tray was a bowl of Kraft dinner, a can of cat food and a purple teapot accompanied with cups. “Seriously, cat food? I said picking up the can. “I’m still human.” While I scorned Chazz was howling with laughter.
“Some patients have more animal DNA than others and have a different diet.” He chuckled out.
“Whatever, I still find it a sick pun. It’s like they want to rub it in they might as well put in a bowl that says ‘kitty’ on it for goodness sake. It’s disgusting.” I uttered with distaste.
“You’re such a girl, I bet you won’t eat it because the idea repulses you and that’s such a girly reason. I thought you said you were tomboy.” He teased.
“Hmmph,” I stalked over and opened the can. The smell of tuna filled the room. I took the fork and started to dig in. After two bites I gagged, swallowed and stopped eating. “Take that, now it’s your turn” I handed him the can. “Dig in.”
I turned to the tea pot and poured myself some of its contents. As I tried to mask the lingering taste in my mouth I felt his eyes on me. I turned to him and gestured with my hand that he continue.
“You’re incredible,” he told me handing me back the can. I pushed it back to him. “You’ve got to be joking me I’m not eating that. It’s repulsive.”
“Well I ate it now it’s your turn, two big bites and don’t throw up after.” I turned back to my food and finished it. “Fine, girly don’t eat it but you just let a girl best you.” I got up and walked towards the mirror to inspect the new me more carefully. Out of the corner of my eyes I watched as he hesitantly picked at the cat food with his fork. I slowly turned to face him and watch him take a bite. He swallowed, gagged and ran to a garbage in the corner to throw up.
Chapter 7
In the next few hours Chazz tried teaching me about my new body, the skills I would develop and lose. He gave me little exercises so I wouldn’t be surprised by my new balance.
He explained to me that they would come back and make me do fitness test and IQ tests to compare the difference from before, that I would have to complete these tests to discover my body limits and then once I was adjusted we would try once again to runaway.
We spent the rest of the day coming up with numerous escapes plans and then putting them aside for their lack of competence. When the end of the day came we had run out of ideas and both of us were tired from the exerting day. Falling asleep I leaned my head against his shoulders and hummed are tired minds to sleep with a lullaby my mom would sing to me;
CHAPTER 8
I woke to someone shaking me, confused I twisted around where was? I choked back a sob as I remembered what I was. I opened my eyes and looked around. Chazz was leaning over me his hand getting ready to shake me again. Behind him to of the scientists stood, one held a breakfast tray the other a bundle of clothes.
“Finally,” the one holding the clothes muttered as he saw my open eyes. “Get dressed and eat well be waiting outside the door.” They turned and walked out.
We ate breakfast in silence, both of us thinking of our schedule for the day. Chazz would stay in the room and try to come up with more ideas and I would become a lab experiment. After breakfast we hung around uncomfortably, and then Chazz mumbled something about asking the scientists a question and stepping out. As soon as he was out I jerked out of my dirty and tear crusted shirt and pants and pulled on the clothes they had given me. Soon I was wearing gym shorts and a loose t-shirt and tying my hair in a ponytail. I looked into the mirror where I had first seen the new me and started at the weird face that stared back at me. I took 5 quick strides to the door and stepped out.
Chazz hissed when he saw me, I looked down and saw why all the bruises I had accumulated now showed. My legs were blotched with purple spots. It’s true my legs looked horrible but I itched to stretch out after being cooped up for so long and I feared these bruises would be the cause of a longer wait so I decided I had to say something even if it was a lie. “I feel fine they don’t hurt, I hadn’t noticed them until just now.”
“Good, follow me,” the burly doctor said and then turned to Chazz, who was looking at me worriedly. “You can get back in there.”
*
For most of the day I ran on treadmills, lifted weights, jumped over obstacles, walked through mazes, and punched a punching bag. Basically I did any exercise that they could think of to test my physical abilities. I was amazed with what I could do I jumped over obstruction they presented me with, ran for hours on the treadmill at an incredible speed and completed the mazes within seconds.
At the end of the day they showed me to the shower where a female scientist held a towel and clean clothes. Again I felt self conscious of undressing but I was so sweaty that a shower would do me good, so I quickly slipped into the hot water. I hissed at the water falling on my fur my body suddenly felt heavier, I realised the reason cats hated water but at the same time the water relaxed my muscles and washed off the sweat.
I walked back to the room feeling miserable, self-conscious about being drenched, and I could now definitely see why cats hated water. I felt horrible and worst was that I was going to see Chazz who would give me no mercy in teasing me.
CHAPTER 9
I groaned in desperation I had been doing their workouts for 3 weeks now every muscle in my body ached and quivered under pressure, couldn’t they just leave me alone. It’s true I had settled down quite quickly in my new body, but I was done now. I knew my strength, my limits and everything else I needed to know about myself.
They had said we would do mental testing to see wether my brain capacity had improved but so far it was just some treacherous windmills and weights. I needed out, I was going to explode soon. I was sure they would be here any minute to bring me to some training room that smelled like sweat. Chazz wasn’t awake yet but that was a good thing I had gotten dressed and eaten alone with just my thoughts. And now I lay on the bed they had replaced our cots with and thought about pointless things like how Chazz made my bones tingle and my cheeks blush. I wasn’t sure what it was, there was obviously something about him but it wasn’t like I had a thing for him. He was just my friend, he’s always there when I need him so it’s normal for us to be close, right? Ughh, I couldn’t be thinking about this, if I was going to escape I couldn’t let anything, especially not emotions, get in my way. I had to get home to my dad , I just had to.
“ morning, Tatum. How’d you sleep?” Chazz said sleepily. His voice jerked me out of my reverie.
“Ok, you?” I replied “ better hurry I should be leaving any second and we haven’t even brain stormed yet. Its been a week and we still have no idea as to how to get out of this hell hole.” I took a deep breath , “ sorry, I know youre trying, I shouldn’t rant like that. I just miss my family” someone knocked at the door. “ I guess that’s my cue to leave, bye” I grabbed my jacket and walked out as fast as I could.
What was that I had never had an out burst like that before. Chazz must think I am a freak, ignoring the cat features and all. I had made a fool of myself. But what should I care what others thought of me, after all I wanted out. This place was messing with my brain. I had to stop acting weirdly around Chazz or he would start to think I’m obsessed.
**
“Good morning, you ready for training Tatum?” my ‘coach’ (a.k.a my own personal evil scientist) started with the usual greeting. This guy annoyed the hell out of me, he was arrogant stuck up and pure wicked. Though I had to admit he was good looking, the Hollywood kinda cute. It didn’t change the fact that he disgusted me and probably always would.
Instead of answering I walked on with steady strides towards another long long day.
I endured test after test, challenge after challenge without a word, I listened to instructions through my head piece and executed them. Hour after hour but the worst was the mazes the challenges I faced in there guards jumping out at me the trees the desert like stimulation the survival resources, it was almost like they were training me for something I thought. Suddenly I knew I was right they were training me, whatever the thing was they couldn’t win so they created me I was a pawn in their scheme, a mere disposable pawn. I ripped out the head piece and ran from the archery room and back to my designated room. Who cares if they came looking for me I had information and it was crucial.
**
“we need to get out of here, now!” I panted to a surprised looking Chazz. He sat reading a book, I had managed to convince the scientists to let him have some things to keep him occupied during the day.
He jumped up and rushed to me worry lines forming as he took in my expression. “why? whats wrong? what happened? Did they hurt you?” He held me at arm’s length inspecting me.
“no not yet,” I replied hurriedly now stressing the need to get out by rushing to the dresser and heaping our clothes out on to the bed. “I figured out why we were created, we need to get out NOW! I don’t know when it’s going to happen, I don’t know but I know we can’t be here when it does.”
“Okay, okay calm down, breathe. I was going to tell you tonight, but I’ll tell you now, I figured a way out. So lets not do something rash, we’re doing this my way now sit down and breathe. As I did the guards came up to our door surprised to find it opened and leaned against the frame, panting from trying to catch up with my cat like speed.
“you… angered… the boss… Tatum,” one guard managed to gasp out.
“he wants… to …see you” the other wheezed.
“You okay Carl, your asthma acting up” I chuckled to the wheezy one. Over my time here I had gotten to know him, he was okay apart for working for these nincompoops. He respected me, probably ‘cause I terrified him but still it was the most anyone around here offered.
He now looked at me like I was crazy, the look in his eyes told me that this was not a situation to be taken lightly. “You need to get out of here, we came to warn you not bring you to him.” He said seriously. Suddenly it dawned on me that it wasn’t an act Carl was genuinely worried. He wasn’t evil he was an undercover agent, or something of the likes. He thrust two bags at Chazz who stood there looking stunned. “Come on Chazz, you gotta get out of here.” His words jolted us back to reality. If he was worried we should be panicking. I rushed to the bags opened one and stuffed our clothes into it. The other bag held food, a blanket and daggers. Carl explained his plan quickly while Chazz and I organized the last of our things and packed the reserves we had been hiding.
Carl led me through the maze of corridors to a closet near a back entrance. He unlocked it with a key and reached for a light switch above my head. I looked around, I was in a fairly big closet filled with dusty looking medical equipment, the dust particles looked like tiny snowflakes drifting everywhere. This was scary, like walking into a haunted house scary, there were cobwebs everywhere it was a perfect setting for someone who wanted to murder a freak, supernatural thing like me. I sat down in the one corner with no medical equipment and looked up at Carl. “It’s perfect, so when am I allowed out again?” I asked.
“When Chazz opens the door you grab the bags and make a dash for the exit. He might have security guards running after him so be ready. I won’t be there so you’re alone from now on. Good luck. I truly am sorry you couldn’t escape before the operation, I just hope you guys find a way out of here.” He turned off the light and shut the door behind him, plunging me into a world of darkness.
**
I waited, and waited and waited. But no one came. I started to get nervous, I started to sweat. I started to wonder if it was a trap, another competency test.
To occupy the time I went through our bags, again. I slipped one of the daggers into my ankle boots. At least I would have a weapon if I got caught. I checked again through the weapons to reassure myself. Two daggers, two guns, a can of pepper spray and a few hand grenades.
The door swung open and in the door way stood Chazz a dagger in one hand and keys in the other.
Chapter 10
“we’re out! We are free!!” I shouted with an edge of hysteria in my voice as we pushed aside the door and stepped out to face dark woods. Behind us a legion of guards pursued us.
“You are absolutely crazy you know that, right? We have a whole army of agents to fight and then hide from for the rest of our lives.” Chazz said with a touch of irritation and humor. We were running, maybe yeah we were running for our lives but it seemed nice to not be hooked up to some stupid machines.
“Yeah well you are a pessimist mister, we finally got out and you’re brooding. It’s not very becoming.” I was definitely giddy and I was lying it was becoming it was sexy even. Oh gosh I was really gone far out in my mind. We were being chased for god’s sake and all I was thinking about was how sexy Chazz could be. Chazz chuckled at my response and the sound of it made my spine tingle and I felt a deep longing tear through my being.
I shook the feeling off as I prepared to leap over the 5 foot high fence. It always looked higher than it actually was, 5 feet was nothing. Cat legs were very powerful. The highest I had jumped in my tests was 7 feet but I knew I could go higher; I just didn’t want the evils to know my real capability. I leapt over the fence and landed in a crouch, my loose hair going wild.
“That was very graceful, even for you Tatum.” Chazz observed approvingly. His approval sent another jolt through me it was so strong I almost fell over. “Come on, we should try to get as far away as we can before nightfall, for some reason I doubt the evils will take a nap with us being a.w.o.l. .” he held out his hand to help me up out of habit I presumed surely he knew I didn’t need the help, cats had great balance well I guess my human self was a total klutz but he didn’t know that. I took the hand anyways. we turned around and faced our prison for one last time. A logo was on the side of the building I squinted at it and made out the words: national-blank-gene-blank-institute, of alberta. Well now at least I knew our location, sort of.
We turned and sprinted. We were fast, going at about 40km an hour. It was a few hours later when we stopped, by now it was late afternoon. The sun was going down we could see it moving down through the trees, darkness replaced it.
“Scout the woods for a hiding place trees or caves.” I said a bit breathless. I climbed a tree and looked at our surroundings. Trees and more trees but more importantly if you listened carefully you could hear the clamor and electronics of the evils as they tried to track us down. The barking of hounds was very distinct. It was obvious they were a few miles back but still we would keep watch tonight and only sleep a bit.
“I found a big oak we could sleep in.” Chazz called from below me, I looked down and saw him staring up at me. My heart fluttered and I lost my grip on the branch. Next thing I knew I was tumbling down and landed in a heap on the ground. “Are you alright, what happened?” Chazz rushed over and helped me up. My bones ached but nothing was broken.
“I’ll survive,” I frowned and looked up at where I had been a few moments before. “I don’t know what happened one second I was looking down at you and the next thing I know I’m on the ground. Hmmm, oh that’s right I was about to tell you I heard some dogs, hounds, barking in the distance we should find that tree you were talking about.” I started to walk towards the direction he had come from but found myself limping instead.
Chazz took two long strides and put his arm over my shoulder and pulled me up a bit so he was carrying most of my weight. “You probably just sprained your ankle, we’ll set it straight once were hidden.” He reassured me. He carried me until we stood face to face with a huge oak tree. Its branches we thick and numerous. Its foliage was lush. It was perfect. “it’s beautiful isn’t it?” Chazz whispered.
“Amazing,” I replied as I tore myself away and limped to the tree. I looked up to see the first branch just 7 feet above me. Deep breath. Steady your feet, and take a leap. i reached out my hands and grabbed the branch. For a moment I just hung there swaying and then I swung myself onte the branch and winced as my ankle protested against the pressure I was applying on it. Chazz landed beside me a few seconds later.
“Sit down,” he ordered. “ can you get me the first aid kit from the bag?”
“here you go,” I uttered, the pain was getting to me now. I was tirred and all the emotions I had experienced today had drained the life out of me.
Chazz poked around the medical kit and came up with a wrap to hold my ankle and some painkillers. Then he started to feel around my ankle to find the spot where I had gotten hurt. While he tended to that I looked through the bag to find some food.
“so, how about that we escaped, and we are here in a tree about to eat some weird energy bars, isn’t it wonderful Chazz.” I said sarcastically.
“yup oh how wonderful it is to be fugitives in a tree.” He played along. He was leaning against the trunk of the tree while I was nestled in the curve of a big steady branch. “so anyways where did you live before, well you know.” he said returning back to his serious self.
“Ontario, Pembroke. But i was at my cottage near lake Ontario when they took me. What about you, where did you live?” I replied.
“Thunderbay.” He looked up at me while he spoke, studying my reactions.
“umm well I’ll take first watch, so you can sleep, don’t worry I’ll wake you up when I get tired or if anything happens.” He stared at me worrying, I could almost see him disagreeing. “go sleep, I won’t be able to sleep anyways not after today. Good night.” I looked out into the forest so that he wouldn’t see my face, the tears that had started to roll down slowly leaving damp trails. I heard him take out a sleeping bag and unzip it, I heard him struggle to get in without falling out of the tree then I heard him say goodnight and his breathing slow down, to a steady pace. “goodnight,” I whispered back.
This night was going to be a long one because for some reason every time I got close to waking Chazz up some invisible force stopped me, which meant I would be awake all night. Every time an owl hooted or a bat flew by I jumped. I thought alot about what we were going to do we couldn’t exactly stroll back to our families arms wide open, not the way we looked like now. Same thing with going to stores or motels, I mean if we were desperate we could say we got drunk at a costume party and needed a place to crash. But how many times could we use that excuse. First things first we needed to get the hell away from the scientists. Seeing as how we were in alberta and it was either British Colombia or Saskatchewan both of which should be safe considering we were both from Ontario if we were spotted at least we wouldn’t be recognize, our parents had probably put up a search how wide of a range who knew. I broke off a branch and took the dagger out of my boot, not sure of what I was doing I started to whittle the branch like I had seen my grandpa do many times. I strated to form a whistle thinking it would be handy to communicate..
I heard Chazz moan and looked over at him. His hair was pressed to his face with sweat from the summer heat. It was shorter now in their time at the facility she had convinced him to let her cut it. He had struggled the whole time, being fussy and not trusting her. She remembered her laughing at him calling him a wuss. She smiled it was nice to see him sleeping for once her watching over him not the other way around.
Hours passed finally the sun came back slowly taking its place in the sky, replacing the moon. I untied my hair and let the auburn waterfall cover my neck and back. A light perfume of the floral shampoo hung in the air. I rummaged through the bag and found a brush, at least Carl hadn’t forgotten I was a girl, a teenage girl for that matter. I hacked at the tangles trying to straighten them out. I knew it was ridiculous no one was going to see me, but it felt good being able to run my fingers through my soft hair. Sunlight poured through the trees the dew on the branches sparkled it was incredible how it could be so fairy like yet just behind those very trees was camped a group of men who probably wanted to kill me.
“Morning, Tatum.” Chazz said from behind my shoulder. I turned in surprise, he was right behind me a few centimeters away.
“Huh, I didn’t hear you wake up or move, I guess I was in my own world” I pondered.
“Do you want to explain why on earth you would stay up all night the agreement was you would wake me up half way through the night. Tatum you need to sleep as well.” He said protectively.
“I’m fine, look I didn’t wake you up ‘cause you looked like you needed the sleep. And I felt guilty waking you up, you’re always the one on watch or taking care of me, I thought it was my turn for a change.” I explained.
“Whatever, let’s get going.” he said. I helped pack the stuff we had taken out. We jumped down from the tree, Chazz caught me before I hit the ground so that I wouldn’t hurt my ankle. But he didn’t say anything. I didn’t get it. Shouldn’t he be happy he had gotten more sleep. We walked a fast pace, my ankle healed quickly but it was sore.
“I made you a whistle.” I said handing it to him. He admired the handy work but didn’t say anything. God if he gave me the silent treatment for letting him sleep, I didn’t want to get on his bad side.
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