Scattered Memories Ch.1

This is a really long chapter, and this is the first chapter of Conquer. Conquer is part of this book, but this book is actually called Scattered Memories that I am writing, and this is chapter one. Sorry if it's really long. I hope you enjoy it, though.

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I wouldn’t call this failure since it was just an experiment.

My dirty blonde hair, which was actually full of dirt (hence the term “dirty”) , hung loosely down my back. Dirt also covered my face, along with stinging scratches. I ran as far as I could despite all of this, but where would I go now? I heard their footsteps. I knew they’d come for me soon when I least expected it. But in the meantime, I would just enjoy the fresh air.

They were closer now, and it was only a matter of time before they’d reach me and make me turn back around. I had finally got freedom, and now, it was over. An arrow planted itself next to me, on a tree, and I stared at it.

Are they shooting to kill me?

I looked at the number forged on my wrist, #067. It laid there, mocking me, making me feel like more of a burden then I should feel, if I were supposed to feel at all. I glanced up and saw the Hunters start to swarm around me. I was too slow...They had already arrived.

Place. Draw. Hold. Let go, and hit the target.

I knew my place in this world, I knew where I stood. It was like a food chain. They were at the top, and I was at the bottom. I sucked in a deep breath of the cool air, and placed my hands over my head, my eyes holding their place on the lush green grass. A breeze hit my face, blowing my too-long of bangs out of my face. My hair was partially in a bun, while the other strands fell down, past my shoulders, going down to my thighs. My eyes were so green, dark, like jade, or emerald. They leave a haunt of shadows, that once held innocence and purity, but was destroyed by when they broke me, or her.

Because, well, I disappeared when they started to break down my protection, and hit me when I was most vulnerable.

They started closing in on me, and it wasn’t long until I smelled the familiar metal and wood,the tip of the arrow grazing my back. I knew the consequences right when I decided to step outside, the consequences of escape. I just wanted to feel the green grass under my feet, and the smell of trees, instead of the stench of death and blood that I was used to when I passed every hallway. I just wanted to return to a home I never had.

What is home?

I started to walk, keeping my gaze alert, and I heard there footsteps, sometimes when they stepped on a stick and it made a large cracking noise, or when when they stepped on some leaves where they would crunch under their feet.

I stopped, and the tip of the arrow pressed against my back. They shoved me forward, and I stumbled, my knees scraping against the ground. I sent a death glare at him, and the Hunter looked back at me with narrowed eyes. I glanced away, and he kicked me in the back, and I let out a grunt.

“You know, if you break my back, the Head will be mad at you because I might be crippled. And who would want that?” I said through clenched teeth, and started to stand up, sending him a smug grin. The Hunter placed a hand on his handle, as a faint reminder of what might happen if I step out of line. I stand up, picking up some grass with me too, saving them for the other girls, and maybe even boys in the place that haunts you forever.

I picked up some flowers on the way back, and they always glared at me, which I gave them a rough stare back. We finally arrived at the Institute, it’s big white walls emerging upwards, and if I tilted my head back far enough, I could see the top.

The grass immediately left my feet when I stepped on the cobblestone, and started to head up to the entrance, walking faster and faster. The Hunter had a hard time keeping up with me, so instead he walked slowly, and the other Hunters did too, and if one let one fly, it would hit its target, or otherwise known as the heart, and kill the person immediately.

That one time happened to someone, and her number was 024. She was here for a long time, I guess, and couldn’t stand being in this stupid Institute anymore, so during our free time, which we mostly took behind the building or in front. The girl grew mad, grew insane, and she hopped the fence, just in time for an arrow to pierce her heart. She was dead before she hit the ground. At least she’s free, which is what I can’t say for us. Everyone looked up to her, or most of the younger girls did. They looked up to her because she always challenged the mean boys, and she was so full of spirit.

And she grows insane, and dies. I hate this place. I truly hate it because I can’t figure out anything if I’m still here.

I reached out to the handle, and flung it open, the door letting out a creak in process.

“Get in there, and stay in there.” The Hunter’s voice sent shivers down my spine, but I tried my best not to show it. I huffed, and with the grass and flowers safely in my pocket, I stepped inside, and the door slammed shut behind me.

“#067?” I spin my head to look at whoever said my number, and find a doctor. Or more importantly, my doctor. I bow my head, along with my back, and whisper over and over:

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so-” I stop when a hand was placed on my shoulder. I look up, and she is smiling lightly, in a warm way. Around other doctors, she treats me rough and cold, but when we’re alone, she is actually kind to me.

Mizuki, is her name. Mizuki Aldonti. She has her really dark brown hair up into a neat bun, only with a small bang, dripping out. She has these very nice purple eyes, and plump, rosy lips. She’s too pretty to be a doctor, to pretty to be here. She also wears these glasses over her purple eyes, but I think they’re fake.

“Give me what you got from the outside world, and I’ll hide it with me until the time comes to give it back to you.” Mizuki said, her hand out. Footsteps clattered down the hall, and she whispered urgently: “Hurry!” I stuff my hands into my pockets, fishing out the flowers and grass, and place them into her palm. She clenches her hand over them carefully, before placing them in her doctor’s pocket.

She straightened her posture, and acted out as the fake, mean doctor. Her hand connected against my cheek, and she said loud enough for the people behind her to hear: “You’re lucky that you’re one of our best experiments.” Her tone didn’t falter and the look in her eyes was scary.

Mizuki stepped to the side and the Head of this place came up to me. Some people call her “The Brain” for she is smart in all subjects, but we call her “My Lady,” or “Madame,” or maybe even just “Miss Farink.”

I looked away, and she swiped her thumb across my cheek, inspecting the dirt on me. She tilted her head to look at me, and I avert my eyes towards her face.

Miss Farink is a beautiful yet deadly women. She can either adore you, or despise you. I am the only one in this world that she loves, yet hates. I know, because she could kill me in a moment, yet she wouldn’t, because I’m a valuable asset in what she is trying to bring.

Her long blonde hair fell in waves across her shoulders, and she had striking blue eyes, that were light, despite her dark nature. I inhaled a sharp breath, her long fingernails which were painted a dark navy blue, skimming across my face.

“My, my, #067… You’re lucky that I didn’t tell the guards to shoot to kill.” We both knew the meaning behind that. I wasn’t like anyone else in this building, for everyone told me that I was “special.”

Yeah right. They just want to use me because they are too weak to fend for themselves.

“I’m sorry Miss Farink.” I said, and she grabbed my chin roughly, and I almost flinched.

“Say it like you mean it.” She hissed, and I forced myself to look in those deadly eyes of hers.

“I’m sorry.” I said, starting to grow irritated. A hand connected to my cheek, and my head snapped to the side. I looked back at her, my eyes glinting with unnamed rage.

“We’ll go through this whole entire procedure until you mean it.” She said, her voice bold.

It went on for hours.

~067~

A soft chuckle escaped Mizuki’s lips. She ruffled up my hair, and turned her back so it was facing her work space. I swung my feet, whilst braiding my hair, even if it was very long. Miss Farink’s hand marks was like a brand on my face, for it seemed as if she had hit it for so long, which she did, and because of that, it would fade in hopefully 5 to 10 minutes.

“You did good. Only a single scream left your mouth this time.” Mizuki called over her shoulder, and I stopped braiding my hair, letting it fall into a clump over my shoulder.

“Well, I guess I’m getting better… But I’m still human. I think.” I shrugged my shoulders, looking towards the window that had splotches of dirt on it. “And humans have feelings… Right?” I focus on one dirt spot on the window, and hastily realized that Cleaning Day was tomorrow.

I didn’t miss the look on Mizuki’s face. Pity. I don’t want her pity. A ghostly sigh escaped her lips, and she stopped with whatever she was doing on her desk. She kneeled down, and grasped my shoulder so that I faced her.

“Should I tell you the story of why I came here?” Mizuki asked, as she took off her glasses, letting her bangs fall to frame her face.

“You’ve told it so much times already, and it’s so dark. Is this what you tell your children? Dark, scary stories?” I said in a joking tone, and she lets out a small chuckle, and started to smile.

“So would you like to hear it or not? Because we can get right to the tests, and I think you’ll want to postpone them for a while, no?” Mizuki let an eyebrow raise, and I try to mirror her, and we both end up laughing.

“You’re going to put the syringe in my arm when you think I’m not looking. You’ve done it to me several times before.” I deadpanned, and she nervously scratched the back of her neck.

“Well…. You were being stubborn, and I didn’t want to put you in the electric void…” She trails off. The “electric void” is where you are placed in… Not a void exactly, but it seems like you are floating in one. The doctors here electrocute us when we don’t listen to them, and they could just tazer us, or shock us by using an electric bracelet. There are many types of torture methods here in the Institute. And none of them are pretty.

That’s why we hold our tongues. That’s why we are silent when they speak, and only talk when we are supposed to talk. We never speak out of turn, otherwise we will get hit.

Considering that I’m the person, or whatever I am, that has been here the longest, I am supposed to protect everyone, be like their shield. If they do something wrong, I take the blame for myself. Now that I look back on it, at all these scars on my back and on my front, I think I did an at least good job at keeping them safe.

It’s better than what #014 could have accomplished. Oh, #014. Didn’t I mention her earlier? She was the one that jumped over the fence because she couldn’t take it any longer. She was looked up to, and she was actually the oldest out of all of us. Unlike me, the others here actually know when their birthdays are, so I base my birthday on the day that I came to the Institute. #014 was, hm, older, even though we were the same age? I was pretty sure that we were both 15 then, but I’m not so sure anymore. Ah, I miss her.

Just kidding.

“067? Did you not even hear the beginning?” I jump back to attention, and almost fell off the bed.

“Um what? Can you repeat that?” I said frantically, looking up to see her humming, a syringe full of blood in one hand. My blood, probably.

“Did you seriously inject that thing while I was thinking?!” I said, glaring at her a bit. She gave me a pure smile, and I wanted to throw the bed at her.

“Maybe I should heighten your senses… It could certainly be useful to you. You’re always so distracted on everything. If you hear a slight creak, you always draw your attention towards it.” She said, partially to me, partially to herself.

“Don’t you think that would make it even worse?” I asked her, and she snapped her eyes to me, and I rose myself up, hugging my arms around my waist.

“And how would that make it worse, 067?” I saw her take a sharp glance from the door, and I couldn’t help but look from the corner of my eye, and see that Miss Farink was watching us. She held a clipboard in one hand, and was chewing at the end of a pencil. She was staring intently at me, and I forced my eyes to look back at Mizuki.

“Well Mrs. Aldonti, if my senses were heightened, and if I were in a fight for instance, one sound, like the dropping of a pencil, or the clink of someone else fighting another, I would probably look for it, and get hurt, more like injured. I see the bright side of your plan; I would be able to react better, and I could sense something coming before it hits me.” I shrugged, casting my eyes to Miss Farink who was scribbling something down in her notes.

Mizuki turned her back on me, and grabbed a clipboard along with a pencil. She wrote some things down, and then set it down.

“You do make sense 067, but I will be the one deciding in the end. Understood? Classes will be starting soon, so run along and get ready.” I nodded my head, and stood up, but before I went I held out my arm. Mizuki looked at me, and I nodded. She took my arm, and I glanced away, to hopefully not see the long syringe penetrating into me, and in fact, I looked into Miss Farink’s eyes, as she stared back. I felt a cloth brushing away the blood, and I peered over at her. She patted my shoulder, giving me a ponytail holder, and nodded me along.

I narrowly missed bumping into Miss Farink’s shoulder, but she stops me.

“I hope you learned your lesson, #067.” I nodded my head, saying in the most clearest voice:

“Yes, and I vow to not do it again.” It was obviously a lie, and I wish she would just take her eyes off of me and go back to the cave that she crawled from.

“No one is born evil.” Mizuki’s voice was clear as a bell in my head, and I studied Miss Farink again. All I saw were blue eyes, cold as ice, staring me down. Her blonde hair was almost like deadly waves flowing across her shoulders.

Maybe Mizuki is right, but they can certainly become evil.