Why does it hurt so much?
I tried to open my eyes.
*Breath*
Breathing was painful.
Why was it so painful?
My eyes won't open...
I was... lying?
Yes. I was lying face-down on the ground. Hard ground...
Where was I?
I was with Mom...
"Sadie!"
She was crying? Why?
Why was Mom crying?
It hurt so much to think, it was like my head was going to explode from pain.
"Please! Call an ambulance!"
Another image...
Ambulance? Someone was hurt?
Who?
Who was hurt? Mom never cried, she was always strong, always smiling, always making sure that me and my sister was happy...
Amy? Was she injured?
No...
No.
No!
I could never think like that! She was alright, she was alright and unhurt. My little sister will never be harmed while I'm around. It was my duty as an older sister to protect her. Mom wasn't with us all the time, and while she was away I always protected her.
But if it wasn't her, than who was...
"Please, Sadie, hang on! Soon we will be in the hospital..."
...
...Me?
It was me who got hurt?
How?
What had happened?
"Get her in the operation room, quick! Her heart is damaged; it's a miracle that she's still alive!"
My... heart?
My heart was damaged?
It was a miracle that I was still alive?
I can feel something inside my rising.
Fear? Was it fear that I was feeling?
No...
"Please, don't leave me! You promised, Sadie!"
She was there?
Amy was there?
She was crying?
No...
No.
No!
I promised her!
*Breath*
I need to move.
*Breath*Breath*
I need to open my eyes.
It hurts. But that's good, because if I can feel pain, then I'm still alive. If I'm still alive, that means that I can come back to her!
"Sadie! Where were you?"
"Well..."
"Mommy! Big sis was so cool! She made that funny thing that looked like a volcano and then there was magma coming from it and smoke and fire!"
"Aha, and that is the reason you are covered in ash and smell of sulfur?"
"Well, I wanted to look closer..."
"Sadie, did anything burn?"
"Nothing irreplaceable, but we will need a new fire extinguisher."
It was the time when I made an artificial volcano for the School Science Fair, which earned third place, but I didn't care. It wasn't about winning; it was about participating and having fun. Amy somehow managed to persuade me to show it to her in action, and I may have overdone it with the ingredients. The fires weren't that big, but there were a lot of them. We had to repair the basement, right after we ventilated it; clothing should not smell of sulfur.
At least Amy had fun. She always found some type of adventure on her head. She was like a trouble-magnet! But that was what made her so special too. Amy was always a little ball of sunshine, that you couldn't help but like. It was like she made it her mission to make everyone smile with her cheerful attitude and likable personality. To Mom she was the most adorable twelve-year-old you could ever find. For me she was a little bundle of energy, and she will always have a special place in my heart.
Maybe she didn't understand some things, but she always knew when someone needed her company. One time when I received a very harsh letter from a college to which I had applied; she came to my room with one of her plush toys and asked me to fix it, because some of the stitches got loose. Somehow it turned into a puppet-theater, and I still can't figure out just when I forgot about the letter and started to enjoy the time with my little sister.
But now isn't the time to dwell in the past. Right now I must get up!
*Breath*Breath*Breath*
Each breath makes my chest hurt, but each time my lungs fill withoxygen, my mind becomes clearer and pain lessens a little.
*Crack*
What was that? I heard... something?
*Crack*Crack*
The sound! I didn't notice it, but the whole time I was trying to move, there was no sound, but now it is coming back. I could hear! It sounded like...
*Crack*Crack*Crack*
...like...
Actually, I never heard something like that before. Something similar, yes, but nothing like that. It was on the tip of tongue, but I couldn't quite place it.
But it wasn't important right now. At the moment the only thing that I was concentrating on was my eyes as I tried to open them. My eyelids were heavy and felt like they were made of lead, but I was still forcing all my will and concentration into opening them. I could feel them starting to move, but it was very slow and almost unnoticeable.
It's really hard to tell how much time had passed, while you're concentrated on a task. Seconds? Minutes? Hours?
I didn't know.
But after some time I could see -- barely, but I could.
Light, not very bright, and not intense but still it was light. I could see it. Bit by bit my vision cleared and I started to see the details of what was around me.
My eyes refocused.
White. There was something white in front of me. My mind wasn't working as fast as it should, so it was really hard to tell what was it. But it was still good to actually see again.
The pain from breathing was now just a dull ache, and my mind was almost fully clear too. Even if it was a bit fuzzy, my brain became aware of my condition and appropriate signals began to arrive from my other senses.
It was like slowly waking up, not from normal sleep, but the type you experience if you need to have an operation. Some people react to narcosis worse than others, and I was one of them. Even if I was only once put into the drug-enforced sleep, the crappy morning was unforgettable. I was felling horrible and everything was spinning, my guts were trying to force their way out, but the lack of proper fuel to accomplish the act prevented them from escaping.
Right now, it wasn't much better.
My body felt like it was filled with lead, and I couldn't even move a muscle. It was like I ran several marathons without stopping! It wasn't as painful as earlier, but still the soreness, or what I thought was soreness, was there. I couldn't even feel some parts of my body.
If I was in the hospital, than I'll be damned if they ever see me again! I can understand that the patient must wake up from their post-operational daze by themselves but this is pushing it!
Suddenly a deep feeling of dread rolled over me. It wasn't like anything I ever felt before.
Something was moving.
Something was moving in my direction.
I couldn't move, couldn't cover myself, I couldn't do anything!
Then it hit.
I once heard that there is such thing as Sakki, the manifestation of someone's desire to kill their opponent. I never believed in such a thing, it was just stupid, something my sister saw in her cartoons from Japan. But I was blessed, or cursed, with a very good memory and I remembered what that character talked about, while Amy was sitting near me, holding my hand and watching as some guy came out of the girl's skin, literally, and gave one kid, no older than thirteen, a damn hickey!
What was wrong with those people? I mean, really?
Another one was where some kid could stretch like that creepy toy, Gumby or something. He just ran around and beat up people... And he was a pirate... And apparently he beat up more criminals than their version of law-enforcement, who only cared about not looking bad. That was just wrong.
From what I remembered the feeling was similar to the feeling you get with a blade pressed against your throat or a gun pointed at your head. Sometimes it even could cause people to see their death in some gruesome way. Well, at least that was what I remembered, but even knowing this bits and pieces I was sure that this was nothing even close.
My whole world suddenly slowed down. A monstrous pressure suddenly crushed upon me. It was suffocating me, it was eroding, for the lack of better word, me. I thought that I was going to die from it on the spot. There weren't any physical indications, but this fact didn't make it any less real. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't blink, I couldn't even think!
As suddenly, as it came, it just vanished. There wasn't even a trace of that horrible felling that almost made me lose what little conscious I had regained. I was afraid that if the darkness claimed me again, I wouldn't be able to wake up again. I really didn't want to know what it was or where ]it was from; I just hoped that it wouldn't come back.
At least there was a positive side to... whatever that was. My body slowly started to wake up, even if still not as fast as I hoped, the process accelerated by a fair bit. Apparently my body needed a kick-start and the shock from that thing was just the spark for my engine. I still couldn't move, but at least some feeling was coming back to my body, and I could at least try and assess the situation.
Well, at first I tried to look around, hoping to see something besides the white-with-a-green-tint thing, that was in-front of me. I was laying on my right cheek so I could only look left to see something. And what I saw didn't actually encouraged me.
Rocks.
A lot of rocks.
Behind them was a wall with a giant hole in it, or at least what I thought was a wall. Attached to it was a metal pipe that had once seen use, but was now torn apart in the middle, bent and twisted. At least I now could see what was making that cracking sound. Pieces of... something were falling down from above, hitting the ground and the boulders on it.
I blinked.
What has happened here? If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that I slept through an earthquake! I couldn't clearly see what was behind the wall, but I was damn sure, that there was something. Some strange silhouettes could be seen, but my angle and with the lack of light there limited visibility.
If I looked up, which would be to the right if I wasn’t on my side, I could see a large broken glass construction, like an upside-down test-tube with a metal cylinder inside, but only half as thick.
So, I'm in some kind of a ruined laboratory? Well, that or a power-plant? It made no sense whatsoever!
Ok, think Sadie, think!
Where are you?
...
...
...
Ok, can't think of anything that would even remotely explain this. This doesn't make any sense! I'm lying, half-dead in what can only be described as ruins of some kind. Whatever this place is, it saw better days, but to judge by the pieces of celling falling down from time to time, the place wasn't in this condition for very long.
And this paints an even more crappy picture. Whatever happened made the locals evacuate while leaving me here! Talk about responsible and professional personel, something happened and they ran like rats from a sinking ship. Well, maybe I'm a bit unfair, because the whole situation might be a bit more complicated than that, but until proven wrong, I'll consider myself left behind.
...
I was never good at seeing the good in others.
So, if I'm right, then I need to get out of here before this whole place collapses... Easier said than done... I really can't do something as stupid as hope for someone to come and save me. There is no person dumb enough to enter a clearly unstable construction to check for survivors. How did that saying go?
"Die Rettung Ertrinkender ist Sache der Ertrinkenden selbst."?
I really should have my head checked; such a dark outlook on humanity can't be healthy.
Alright, the important part right now is to actually move! While I was mentally debating with myself, my body woke up enough so I could at least try to move my limbs. Well, there is no time like right now!
I tried to move my left arm. I still couldn't feel it right, but at least I could move it a bit by flexing it speed up the recovery. Concentrating on said limb, I tried to move it.
It moved.
The white thing that was in front of my face moved.
I froze.
Alright, whatever that was, it moved. My hand and was under it? No, I couldn't feel anything covering my arm. What the hell? I could feel my arm, even if feelings were somehow wrong, it still should be in front of me. Well, in front of my face at least...
I tried again, and again the thing in front of me moved.
This was becoming rather creepy. Interesting, the timing was basically perfect but I still didn’t know what it was. I looked closer, trying to discern what the thing was made from.
Well, it was... fluffy, but I was sure that it wasn't fur of any kind. The green tint didn't help ether.
I don't think that I had time to dwell on such things, so I would go by the most obvious route and do it fast and sharp.
One...
Two...
Three!
I lifted my arm...
My world froze.
It was like I had liquid nitrogen injected directly into my chest. I couldn't blink because I was afraid that if I did and this will remain after I open my eyes, I would break down. The word 'fear' wouldn't even start covering just what I was feeling right now.
Terror.
Pure terror was preventing me from moving or even breathing.
There were a lot of things that could make a person freeze instantly. Like a poisonous snake, that took an aggressive position, or a gun pointed at your forehead. But in both cases there is a slight chance that the person can survive. The snake may just leave, because it doesn't feel threatened by you and doesn't consider you food. The gun can malfunction or the would-be-killer can be stopped in some way or form. At any rate, there is always a chance of the event ending with the person unharmed.
But there are also the cases in which everything has already happened and you are looking at the result, and the result itself is the reason for your fear, and the fact that nothing can be changed turns fear into terror.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I tried as hard as I could but even using all my will I couldn't tear my eyes away from what used to be my arm. Maybe I was in shock? No, I wouldn't have the brainpower then to process what was happening here. Many people would have cried, screamed and tried to express their emotion in some way that would fit the situation, but I was far beyond those types of reactions. I simply looked on with an emotionless gaze.
My body wouldn't move, and my mind wouldn't stop searching for any kind of explanation for this, locking itself in a loop.
Instead of my left arm there was a giant off-white wing connected to my shoulder.
I didn't know what happened, and I wasn't too eager to find it out, but there was just no explanation to what was I seeing.
I wasn't a doctor, I was more into 'heavy metal', as they say, but right now I wished that I was more interested in living beings and studied them more, because maybe then I would have some knowledge about the current situation that I was in.
On pure will and a bit of delusional idea that this all could be just a dream, I moved the... wing.
It moved.
It moved like I wanted it to. It was surprisingly flexible, I noted absently.
I once read a in magazine how people have to go through some kind of rehabilitation course after having one or more of their limbs being replaced with artificial ones. One of the victims said that after getting his balance and mobility partially back, it was like wearing a pair of shoes.
Right now it was the furthest thing from the truth in my mind, because I couldn't in any sane way compare this to a glove. Some deep and sarcastic part of me wanted to call for Herbert Wells, because apparently Dr. Moreau got loose and drunk. Well, Moreau’s line of work was mostly animal-to-human, but with Wells you could never really be sure...
My morbid thoughts were interrupted by a big piece of the concrete landing close enough for me to feel the tremor it created by the impact.
There are times when you need to go with the flow to survive. I knew that I would break down later and would suffer from the emotional backlash but I would, at least, be alive. It wasn't healthy to suppress your emotions, but it was necessary. It wasn't technically suppressing, as I just avoided making a connection of what was happening with 'Reality' in my mind, like tuning out an unnecessary noise. Many people do it subconsciously when they concentrate on a task and just 'Switch Off' the world around them.
I took a very deep breath.
My priority was to get the hell out of here; nothing else mattered at the moment. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath again.
One...
Two...
Three...
I pushed with both arms... wings to get myself up. The pain was mostly gone but my body felt tired, which for some reason didn't stop me from lifting myself from the ground. Either I was stronger than I originally thought, or the fatigue and pain were not as bad as I felt; maybe even both. Again I ignored the random thoughts and concentrated on the task of getting myself into a standing position.
I opened my eyes.
Green. A light green strand of hair was hanging down from the left side of my head. I never actually cared much about my hair, just kept it clean and short, so there would be less troubles with it. This was certainly not my hair, not in color, nor in length. One more thing to have mental breakdown about later.
Now that I was in this position I tried to pull my right leg under me, so that I could attempt to stand up. It wasn't as easy as I thought. Everything lower my ankles felt wrong, at least for me, and apparently were bigger than normal feet. While my knees were touching the ground I was uncomfortable, like my ankles were trying to bend the wrong way. Thinking fast, I raised one leg a little and bent my ankle into a more comfortable position.
Now I felt like my feet were touching the ground, but the feeling was still wrong. I repeated the procedure with my other leg, trying to coordinate my legs into more 'natural' position, because I already knew that my legs were not the same as I remembered them. I didn't look down.
Instead I looked up.
A table, or more likely a control panel with a square red button on it, was the first thing that I saw. There was a giant glass tube with something inside it, like a container. And a snail... in sunglasses.
This was one weird snail. It was the size of human head, the slug itself was yellow, its shell was dark blue with, what appeared to be, a yellow suns on both sides of it. On both sides of the shell there were round... things put inside its shell right at the center. And there was some kind of device attached to it on the side by a spiral cable. It looked like a telephone... Whoever lived in this place had one hell of an animal fetish.
Ignoring the snail for now, I used one of my... wings -- it was still hard to think of them as mine -- pull myself up using the panel, making sure not to touch anything that looked dangerous or important. Clearly, I was stronger, because pulling my full weight up shouldn't be this easy! When I felt that I was at the required height, I tried to stand, prepared to use the same wing to catch myself if I failed.
My legs were in a weird position with my knees bent and it seemed I was standing on my toes, but I could feel the floor under my feet... I felt chills run down my spine because of the conclusion that my brain came up with.
I looked down.
This was the second time I froze, even if I was trying not to think of all of this as 'Reality' and more in terms of some very creepy dream or a hallucination, this was even worse than wings.
Bird-like legs. Just a little above my ankles my skin, which was unnaturally pale, turned a deep brown color and from there the ankles then bent forward, ending with four big and menacing bird talons, three on the front and one on the back.
Swallowing, I lifted one leg a little and tried to move my new... toes. It was a very strange experience, because they moved as I wanted them to, but I still had that feeling of wrongness buzzing inside my head. Probably because my mind wasn't accustomed to controlling this type of limb.
A stray thought made its way on the front of my mind.
Harpy.
One of the winged spirits best known for constantly stealing all food from Phineus. They were women with bird like wings, feet and... Yep, I check with my left... wing, the bird-like tail was there too, quite long actually, at almost a meter.
I didn't want to know how I could feel with feathers because they didn't have the necessary nerves.
But the point remained, I somehow became something that strongly reminded me of a harpy from Greek mythology. I knew, that real harpies didn't exist, but apparently I somehow became a very good imitation.
Alright Sadie, take a deep breath and assess the situation. The first part was easy, the second... not so much. After putting my self in what could be considered a standing position, I looked myself over.
First thing that I noticed, was that apparently the one who did it to me, was a pervert. How else could you explain why my... assets could now make a porn star jealous? I was always a petite girl without any noticeable curves, and I really didn't care about what anyone thought. I was athletic and in shape, and that was good for me. Now I had two melons..., no, watermelons attached to my chest, and I think only talons on my feet kept me from falling forward from the weight... I would probably bounce back anyway.
My skin was pale, not in a never-saw-the-sun way, but rather with a very light, almost unnoticeable, bluish tint, like I spent too much time in the cold. I didn't feel cold at all, which was strange. Probably some side effect or dysfunction of the pigmentation.
My waist was narrowed and hips were wider; again, for an aspiring model this would be a wet dream.
My clothes were different too. I wore a green tank top with 'HAPPY' written in dark green on the chest and yellow cut-off pants with orange stripes, with black where panties should be. I didn't know which part was more disturbing, that someone dressed me in this, that there apparently was no real way to remove my pants, or the fact that I would actually need an assistance for the act. The last part only applied if my digestive tract was left unchanged, which I hoped was true.
Now comes the hardest part, actually getting out of here. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step", as they say.
With another deep breath, I took my first step. Keeping my balance was actually easier than I expected, because my feet were wider and had talons that apparently could pierce stone, even if a little, because when I clenched them to make sure that I would not fall, the tips dug into the floor a bit. I was definitely stronger, because I don't remember being able to do this.
I took another step.
And another.
If I didn't move my wings around and keep them close to my body, then I should be able to keep balance at least. Yeah, walking took some concentration, but I managed. I hoped I wouldn't need to actually run, because that would be impossible for me right now.
I looked around. It was definitely some kind of laboratory or a research facility, and taking into account the fact that this place was falling apart, it could mean a ton of things that I didn't even want to think about. The tubes, cables and strange cylinders from reinforced glass... most of these were broken and couldn’t be used again.
Not my business. If someone could afford this whole place and not be concerned with it’s destruction, then I really didn't want to know what was created here.
I turned around and start walking towards the half-opened door.
I peeked outside, making sure to not make any sound or show too much of my face.
A corridor with falling debris... and a trail of blood leading to this room.
Great.
At least there was no one there, and I took a step outside, the sound being that of my talons hitting ground. It wasn't loud, so there was a very low possibility that someone could hear it over the noise of falling rocks. I tried not to step on the blood, because I never like it. It wasn't hemophobia, just a certain level of dislike; that made me more of a 'technical' person, instead of a doctor as Mom wanted me to be. I wouldn't faint or even feel dizzy from the sight of blood, but I really wouldn't want to get near it, and considering that Mom wanted me to become a surgeon... Yeah, the problem is easy to see.
Making my way through the ruined corridor I was thinking about the situation I was in. I was now a walking example of Greek folklore and in a place that should not exist outside of some kind of James Bond movie. I really needed a mirror right now, to see if anything else was changed. I really hoped that my eyes were the same; I got the green color from Mom, and they were very beautiful. Coming from me that really was something.
My steps faltered as I stepped into a larger corridor, leading both left and right.
Now where?
Well, if I want to get out, then I need to follow the hints of the exit, like going up or fresh air, or...
*Crash*
A big rock fell from the ceiling on the left.
Or I could follow the self-preservation instinct and follow the corridor that isn't threatening to crush me. To the right it is.
I don't know how long I was walking but the corridor just wasn't ending. Yes, my speed wasn't that great, but a door or some kind of mark would be very reassuring right now. This place was obviously not made for new workers, so if new employees arrived, those that were familiar with the layout would just show them how to get around. This was also a very good defense against any unwanted guests because without direction they will just get lost and wander until they give up or are restrained by security.
Well, it’s a good thing that apparently all the inhabitants left the place.
"Th.. .a.!"
Or not.
I heard voices, coming from the corridor in front of me. This was not good.
First was the fact that I really didn't know what was going on here, and to actually talk with them I would first need the information, at least about the facility. If they were guards I was screwed, because I really didn't think that I should have been walking around freely. I don't know who they would think I was, but either way it wouldn't do any good to be labeled as an intruder or runaway experiment.
Second was the fact that if this place was under attack of some kind, they would shoot first and only question my cold corpse. Yeah, not a good option being turned into Swiss cheese because of the misunderstanding.
Third is that they could be marauders, which will lead to the same outcome, or even worse, they might consider me as the spoils of war, and I would be sold to some zoo or private collector. Life on a chain in a cage wasn't that awesome, you know.
That left me with only one option: run.
There was no way in hell that I could fight, I didn't even take any martial arts classes, hell I couldn't even throw a punch right, and with wings instead of arms they would sooner die laughing. Yeah, my talons looked menacing, but what good it would be when I could barely walk, even if it was becoming easier by the minute.
"Search everything! That bastard might have left something behind!"
They were getting closer. Running back was not an option because I couldn’t even run right now with the pitiful amount of control I had over my legs. There weren't no doors that I could hide behind and no holes to crawl into. Hell, I couldn't even climb up...
I looked at my wings.
This was the dumbest idea I had in my whole life, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If I could pull it off just this once, I would probably be safe. The fact that I didn't even know how to fly was ignored, because there really wasn't any other option.
Another deep breath and I spread my wings...
Damn, even thinking this is weird.
Well, I could think of a good speech as a first human to fly unassisted, but there was no time for that. I flapped my wings.
The effect was instantaneous, I was launched upward, fast. It was indescribable, the sensation of flight. As I slowed down, I spread my wings again, making sure to not accidentally push myself down, and flapped them again, but with less force to avoid ascending too fast and having a hard meeting with the ceiling. It was really high, but with just three swings of my new appendages I was almost there.
Carefully, so not fall down, I decreased the strength of my flapping and tried to stay on the same level. It was easier said than done, but at least I managed to stay close to the ceiling, so no one from the floor would see me unless they looked up. It was surprising how little sound my wings actually made while I was flapping them. Well, one less problem to worry about, I guess.
Soon I saw the ones that I heard.
This was not what I was expecting. There was only three of them, all were wearing some very strange hazmat suits with a porthole-like round window in the center of the mask. All three were carrying strange backpacks that looked like the provided the wearer with fresh air, like a life-support system. Also they were carrying... muskets?
Alright...
I almost forgot to suspend myself in the air. Who the hell use muskets nowadays? It was like using a steam engine in a car, or something equally archaic and useless. I mean, a simple automatic gun would be more intimidating than this. Their place is in the museum, not in a clearly advanced laboratory, that apparently had a toxic... leak...
Oh, shit...
If this was a gas-leak or some form of radiation I was done for. My tank top couldn't protect me for anything apart from being called an exhibitionist. This was a very bad situation and I couldn't imagine how it could become any worse...
"Good thing that gas didn't reach this place, so we can safely search through the part of the lab."
...
...
That was awfully convenient. The people had already started to move away from my position. I think that the universe truly listens and decided to give me a break from the shit that is happening to me right now.
As they were so far that I couldn't hear them I decided to test something out. Carefully angling myself I tried to move forward, which actually happened, but I instantly started losing altitude.
This would take awhile.
Well, I learned two important things from my attempt at flying.
First was that just staying in place wasn't too hard, but actually flying in some direction... I really hoped that it would be just as easy, but apparently the universe decided that balance should be restored and I almost fell more than a dozen times, before getting the idea to... float forward at least. It was a tad bit faster than just walking, but also let pass unseen by the locals.
Second was that actually turning while flying without any experience or idea how to do it was painful, because I encountered several walls on my way. Interesting part was that I didn't even get a scratch from any of my collisions, when I was sure that I should have at least broken my nose. It was like my body was tougher than normal, but those were thoughts for another time; I had to concentrate on actually flying.
And the little warm and happy feeling in my chest from being able to actually fly wasn't even part of the reason. Nope.
...
...
Well, maybe just a little. Every child wanted to fly at the young age, be it because of the Superman, who wears his underwear over his pants and no one actually has the guts to tell him that, or Peter Pan, who lives in a pedophile’s wet dream with how much 'Magical Dust' is used. Some people, even if they already grew up, still keep that little spark of childishness in them. I was one of them, and despite the gravity of the situation, I let a little smile grace my lips.
Apparently I was graced with another miracle as the corridor ended, and I entered a big round room. It was full of broken glass and pieces of ceiling lying around. There was an exit on the other side, which I entered, not bothering with the room because there wasn't anything helpful in it.
Another corridor.
I know that I'm repeating myself, but this will really take awhile.
I didn't know how long I was flying around the whole thing, but at last I found an exit. There were at least five dead ends that I encountered, and I had to go back every damn time. Well, at least I was practicing flying and could now fly a little bit faster, and I could actually turn without crashing into anything.
There was one thing that I encountered during my search that almost made me lose it.
A dark purple mist-like thing was slowly filling up the building. If this was the gas that they were talking about, I didn't want to be even near it. Good thing I could fly faster than it was crawling, but it still put me on clock, because I didn't know how much longer I would be able to roam free before the gas trapped me somewhere without an exit.
But I found a way out, not actually a door -- more like a hole in the ceiling, but it was something. I really hoped it was safe outside.
With a grunt I used all the speed that I could without losing control and dove through the hole. I was welcomed by the light of the sun, by fresh air, and by the snow that was falling.. down?
Snow?
I looked around.
Snow was everywhere. I looked down and saw that the whole facility was covered in it... and the mist-thing. It was spotty and not everywhere, but the thing was slowly spreading and moving around the mountain in which the lab was. I saw some more mountain peaks and a lake, which for some reason wasn't frozen.
With so much ice and snow around anyone would have frozen to... death... in... minutes?
...
...
...
Why I wasn't feeling cold? I know that it is cold around me and... that's all. No discomfort in any way or form, not even a shudder. There is wind and snow, and I'm in the middle of it in thin clothes without freezing my butt off.
This wasn't natural! I know that I sound like a masochist, but I should be half dead already! Maybe I lost one of my senses and can't actually feel temperature? No, I felt that it's colder here than inside, but that's pretty much it. No discomfort or any feeling of becoming an icicle, just a fact that registered in my brain.
Maybe the bird that was used as a donor for me was from Arctic? No, that's just dumb.
It doesn't make any sense! Hell, I shouldn't be able to even fly because my human bones are too heavy for it! Was I changed at such a fundamental level? Was there anything that was still me left in this body? I was afraid to look in a mirror right now, afraid to find not my face but someone else’s.
I couldn't take it anymore, I landed on the nearest ledge and fell down, curling into a ball, covering myself with my wings...
The sense of wrongness from thinking that wasn't as strong as before, and it made me cry even more. Tears were rolling down my cheeks and sobs shook my body. My voice... No, it wasn't even my voice anymore, started to break.
"Why...?" It was the first word that I spoke and it wasn't in my normal voice.
This voice was more mature and different from my normal, quiet one.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I didn't understand what was happening and I just wanted to know if all this was some sort of nightmare or if everything was real. With each sob, my body shook, and with each tear my despair grew. I couldn't deny myself any longer and all the pent up emotion just erupted in a hysterical breakdown.
Why was I in some kind of a laboratory that looked like a recent battlefield?!
Why was I turned into some freak that looked like a Greek mythologist's wet dream?!
Why was I in some place that looked like the Himalayas?!
Why was I unaffected by the temperature?
Why?!
I cried, because there wasn't anything else I could do. I cried, because nothing made sense right now. I cried, because I just wanted to go home.
I cried till my voice became hoarse, till there weren't any more tears to shed. I was empty. There just weren't any more emotions to release; I was an empty husk just lying in the snow and shaking from pain and tiredness. Pain that was more emotional than physical, but it was pain all the same.
I burned out and I knew it. I never was strong and being book-smart wasn't something to brag about, so the shock from all that happened here was more than enough to shake me to the core and leave me a whimpering mess, which anyone passing by could see. I wasn't really brave or outstanding, I didn't have an ambition or some grand goal, I was just Sadie, who lived with her mother and little sister in Los Angeles.
Hell, I never even had anything outstanding about me. My grades were good, but not the best; PE was actually my worst subject because I never was in any good shape until I joined the swimming team, which at least got me some good recommendations after school. Other than that I was a 'grey mouse' that never liked the spotlight and preferred her life quiet and normal.
I had no knowledge of how to behave in this kind of situation! Hell, I would be thankful for even some pathetic thing like having seen a movie with something similar, but I never was into that Sci-Fi crap, because they always were the same. A bunch of fat Star Troopers trundling between chest-high walls like they're in wheelchairs, all overtly bursting with homoerotic tension and deploying the word 'dick' at every opportunity in a rather Freudian way. And the token matchstick-thin improbably strong, skimpy vest-wearing female character who lactates a steady stream of penis-envy is probably meant to be a joke.
I like something that will actually make you feel something, rather than risking an epileptic seizure from all the colors flashing at your eyes. 'Sherlock Holmes' from four year ago -- with Robert Downey Jr. as the new face of the legendary detective -- made me feel several times more positive emotions than that thing that crawled from some cave where it probably ate rocks. I snorted, exasperated by the name 'A Sound of Thunder', which actually made me think that I should sue the producers for stealing almost two hours of my life.
And right now I was stuck in the situation that would probably make the bloodsuckers in Hollywood foam at the mouth because of the orgasm they had while imagining how much money they could make if they turned it into a movie.
I took a deep breath, noticing that I was doing it too often for my liking, and got back on my feet. One thing that I learned in my life is that looking back was only useful for not repeating the mistakes of the past. I wasn't a fighter or a genius, not a great hero or an evil villain, I was just a girl that found herself in an impossible situation, and I was going to do what logically must be done in this type of situation - gathering the essentials.
First was discovering where I was. Until now, I was relying on a pure 'It’s not real'-engine, but right now that was not an option. Walking blind in a strange place is a terrible idea that even a borderline retarded person won't do. I knew right now that this was some kind of research facility or laboratory that could be or was under attack. I knew that there was a leak of a dangerous purple vapor which doesn't actually need to be inhaled to affect a person, if the full-body suits that I saw were any indication. Right now that was all the information I had, and I needed information about the location and the time because I wasn't sure whether I was still on American soil. I didn't know geography that well, but if I saw a map of some kind I could get an idea of my location. I couldn't just fly around because the locals had guns and obviously knew how to use them, even if I didn't take into account my lack of skill in the flight department. If I wasn't in America anymore, than the first place I should go would be an American embassy, so I could get back home. Assuming, of course, that I could prove my identity despite the new look, which would be problematic in many ways.
Second was food, because I didn't know how long it would take to find a telephone or help that wasn't armed and wouldn’t dissect me for the hell of it. This posed two problems. One was that I couldn't actually eat anything that I wasn't familiar with, considering that I wasn't a specialist and thus couldn't know which animals or plants could be eaten, and which will make me piss glass shards and shit acid, so that meant I needed to find civilization. Also I couldn't know whether these changes would affect my food-preferences. I'm not very comfortable thinking that I might need to eat seeds for the rest of my life, or raw meat if the bird that was used was carnivorous. It would also be a possibility that I might have some allergies that I didn't have before, which would be a pain to find out, because I would actually need to eat something to get a reaction, and playing Russian Roulette wasn't in my plans for the near future. I could only pray that my body could still handle normal, human food, and that I would find it soon, because right now -- even if it was not very strong -- my hunger was growing.
Third was money. I didn't have my wallet with me, and stealing was against my morals, so I was in need of local currency, whatever it was. Well, if I really was in the Himalayas, then getting enough Nepalese Rupees would pose a problem, because I would probably be seen as some kind of a monster, and I lacked hands to manage the delicate task of handling coins and banknotes. Wings really were not made for it, and I would be unable to use them for it any time soon. There was always a possibility of trading goods for goods, but I couldn't be sure about 'prices', so it wasn't even a question about being cheated, because it would happen anyway; greed was always a part of trading. Also I couldn't work, because the best job I could get would be as a mascot, who would just stand in bikini and wave the potential costumers in. Not gonna happen; I have standards.
The fourth and the last point was disguise. Right now I would stuck out like a sore thumb in any crowd, and having any attention directed at me was not good. I knew that people tend to fear what they can't understand; I know I was very afraid. The place I was in didn't make any sense, and I was almost shaking from fear, but I had to at least try to move somewhere. Even if I wasn't a very brave person to begin with, I still knew when to just suck it up and move forward. If I could find some kind of cloak that would cover me from head to... talons, it would be a godsend. Because of my legs, however, I was taller than any normal human and finding something like that would be problematic at best and downright impossible at worst. Maybe if I tied one around my waist to cover the rest of my body, but that will require assistance because the lack of fingers made it kind of hard to tie a knot.
Well, let's start with the easiest one.
Spreading my wings, I took into the sky.
Two new things that I learned about flying:
First, it's apparently easier with some wind helping me maintain altitude, so I didn't need to flap my wings as often. Gliding wasn't actually what I was doing, again because of the lack of skill necessary to accomplish such an action. The downside was that it was a lot harder to fly in one direction because the wind always tries to move you somewhere, which is not necessarily where you want to go. Considering that I had no idea how to handle an air current or operate anything capable of flight, it was a miracle that I hadn't crashed into something already. At least I was flying low to avoid a long fall, which would make it easier to land without breaking bones.
Second was that, apparently, my... ehem, tail was controlled by my reflexes, and really helped to fly when there was actual speed. He worked to help me keep balance and turn, acting like a ship's rudder. Also it was almost a reflex, because I was somehow using it without any conscious thought, like person who is going to fall would use his hands to keep balance. It was creepy. I knew that it was wrong to look a gift-horse in the mouth, but the way that I was somehow using the thing without actually realizing it was sending chills down my spine. Many would ask what was so scary? Well, if you are doing something on reflex without any actual training, or any training that you can remember, in a body that you don't recognize, you'll no doubt will ask yourself what other reflexes you gained?
People don't actually think when they walk because they learned it in their childhood and now take it for granted, but that's only because they actually know how they gained this skill. In my case I had no knowledge and no way to get it without returning back to the place from which I was now trying to escape.
My train of thought stopped, or more precisely crashed, because of what I saw.
Wreckage. Wooden barrels, boxes, big pieces of wood and... ropes? Whatever was here had been made of wood, or at least something that resembled wood. Who the hell made barrels from wood? I mean, it was the twenty-first century and wooden containers are used when it's cheaper, but barrels are made from metal simply because it's safer. It wouldn't do anyone any good if something like oil spilled and caught on fire because of something pathetic like termites. Yes, metal can rust, but it was still a more logical choice than wood.
I looked around. There was no one in sight and right now, and I really needed some way to gain more information. This was actually perfect. If these boxes were marked, then I would be able to identify where they were made, and possibly where I am!
I landed and slowly moved towards the nearest wooden box. It was a perfect cube about meter high and a meter long, but it worried me that it was covered in snow. This meant that the guys from earlier weren't concerned with its contents. Maybe it was empty? I really hoped that it was at least marked in some way, but alas, I was hoping against against Murphy's Law -- 'Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong'.
Standing in front of the box, I now realised the biggest problem I had; I lacked tools to open it. I mean, it's not like I could use a crowbar even if I had one; wings are not made for that kind of manipulation. I walked around the box, using my wings to create gusts of wind and clear the snow from it. Luck was again not on my side because I didn't find any identifying marks or logos on it, so that was a dead end. My last hope was the contents -- if there even were any.
Well, all I needed right now is something... sharp... and... pointy...
I looked down.
This would probably make anyone who knew nominate me for a Darwin Award, but since nobody was looking...
With one mighty flap of my wings I was on the box, noting that I was getting better with my wings, not that this was actually good news. My talons were positioned on each side of the box's top. It took some time, but I was able to find the gaps between the sides and the top and get a good grip.
Taking a deep breath, and making a note to stop doing that, I flapped my wings and pulled. The result was... unexpected. The part that I was holding didn't just tear away, it was torn apart! The force of my claws was enough to rip the thing to shreds without any actual strain from me. I almost fell backwards, but I was able to land on feet after releasing the splinters.
I blinked.
This was another unusual thing that happened that was connected to my physical strength. I knew that my stamina wasn't the best, and right now I should be on the ground gasping to breathe like I was having an asthma attack, and my feet shouldn't be able to pull a stunt like that without side effects. I knew that right now I should be pulling splinters from my feet, but to my shock they were totally unharmed, like nothing happened. I was stronger and tougher than normal, and for some reason I felt like I hadn't even scratched the surface.
Shaking my head to get rid of any stray thoughts, I walked to the box and looked inside. Well, at least hunger wasn't a problem anymore, because the box was full of apples.
*Grumble*
And my stomach choose this moment to remind me that, even if changed, this body still needed food to work properly. The question is: how the hell will I eat one? I looked at my wings and shrugged, it's not like I have a choice here. Reaching inside with one of my wings I tried to bend it so the apple would be on it like the palm of a hand, using the tip as a scoop or a shovel. To my surprise it was actually quite flexible and more than up to the task, making me add another strange thing to the growing list and release my breath, figuratively speaking, about not being able to use most of a normal daily routine.
I lifted my prize carefully, trying not to drop it, and took a bite. I didn't know where this thing came from but if I was a Snow White, I would have eaten it anyway, poisoned or not. This was the best damn apple of my life! I know it's kind of pathetic to be happy about a tasty fruit, but being a person that lived on semis for five years now, I was having an epiphany. I finished the apple in record time.
And then another one. Maybe the universe was giving me a break?
Who said that eating something larger than the eater is impossible? Well, I just proved them wrong, because I just ate half the box of apples, and I knew that it is physically impossible to put them all in my slim waist without making me look pregnant. But, alas, I now knew that there was probably a pocket dimension in my stomach, because there wasn't any other way to explain what just happened! Then I slowly looked down at the two meaty... globes attached to my chest.
No.
Just no.
There was no way in hell that someone made a human's body work like that. What would have been the purpose? Well, apart from the fact that every pervert would have a 'Happy Ending' from the idea alone.
But it doesn't change the fact that I didn't even notice when I ate through at least a couple of dozens apples.
Maybe I gained some kind of freakishly fast metabolism? It would explain some things about my body, but it still doesn't explain how the hell I'm not feeling cold right now. Yes, people can have some kind of tolerance to low temperatures, but what is happening to me is absurd! I'm not just tolerant of the cold, I don't feel it! It's like I'm still in the building and not outside in the snow and freezing winds that should have already given me a severe case of frostbite.
I looked around, searching for something to put apples in, so I could take some with me; not having actual pockets can be such a pain. No luck. There wasn't even a piece of cloth, so no bindle for me, and I didn't have a stick either.
Giving up on finding anything useful, I decided that I was fed and wouldn't need any more for some time, and I didn't think that someone might come and take the food away. Turning to the left, where I could see the lake -- or what I thought was a lake -- I started walking. If this was some kind of harbor, even if not an official one, I would be able to find a map, or a phone...
Maybe not the phone. Most people think that finding a communication device solves the problem of being lost in the unfamiliar place, but it's only partially true. Yes, you can call your family, but unless they are working for the C.I.A. or F.B.I., there will be no chance of actually finding your location through the simple phone-call, because they will be unable to trace the call.
Also they could tell you in which country you are if the phone number was shown by the CLI, but that's only if the phone has it. Nowadays everyone who has a mobile phone has CLI, but not many install it on their other phones, so if there is no way to call the owner of the cellphone, you'll be stuck. Well, you could always make an emergency call to a specific establishment, like the '911 Rescue Team' but again there was the problem of them actually locating you.
I was a tad bit better than others for two reasons.
First was that I was apparently immune to low temperatures and could basically walk naked in a snowstorm without worrying about catching a cold. This was absolutely ridiculous, but apparently my body was comfortable with winter around me, which was an impossibility considering my outfit and the fact that until now I had never even seen this much snow, not counting the pictures of the mountains that was on my wall.
Second was that I could move around without anyone noticing... Maybe a little bit counterproductive, but the speed was a huge point in favor of the new appendages... And I would probably be operated on the moment doctors got their hands on me. Why did I think of it as an advantage?
*Crack*
Startled, I turned around and saw... a crack... in the air.
'What?' Was the only thought that ran through my mind, before the air itself suddenly shattered right before my eyes.
All I knew was light and pain.
*Breath*
I took the first dose of air and instantly started coughing. It was painful, and my chest hurt, but if I could feel it, then I was still alive.
I tried to open my eyes.
Leaves, I could see leaves and a clear sky.
'This is not an improvement.' I thought bitterly.
I tried to get up; breathing was still a bit painful, but I could manage. Making sure to use my... talons to anchor myself to ground, I looked around. Apparently, I had landed in a forest, which was actually better than my previous location by a large margin. I could see green leaves on the trees, which meant that wherever I was, it was at least in one of the warm seasons. Small miracles were better than no miracles at all.
But my situation was still bad. I still didn't know where the hell I was, and I was still a harpy. The last thought made my insides twist in a painful way. I knew that sooner or later I would have to solve my problem with the new look, but I really didn't know how soon. I couldn't come back and appear in front of my mother and sister looking like... this! I was a monster!
'A Greek one...' My mind supplied.
The pain was almost gone by now, I wasn't really sure whether I was that tough, or if my body just healed far faster than normal. But I really didn't have time for this right now, my first priority was finding a civilization that knew what a telephone was and how to use it. Considering my luck, there was a good chance of me stumbling upon a bunch of monkeys bitch-slapping a big black monolith. Or I could stumble upon dinosaurs, which will be cool for about five seconds, because after that I would probably lay an egg from fear...
Bad pun considering my appearance.
I decided to just walk forward and stop thinking about depressing things. Distracting yourself with something maybe a bad way of dealing with your problems, but it was all I could do right now to hold back another breakdown; I knew I wouldn't be able to stand up afterward. It was more of a gut feeling, but I really was in no position to question my own quirky and slowly eroding mind. I don't know anyone who could've just shaken off the shock that I went through recently; my last sudden and obviously unnatural relocation was the cherry on the top of a poisonous cake made with milk from any cow with the slightest brand recognition no matter how skinny and choleric.
"We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders..." I heard someone humming.
'Impossible!' I couldn't believe my luck.
It's not the voice that actually made me so happy, but the fact that it was a child's voice, and there is not way that someone would make a child of such a young age work for criminals or law-enforcement. It was a girl, and she sounded about eight or so years old, which meant that there was a child somewhere nearby. If I was lucky her parents would be near as well! Alright, I couldn't actually come out of the bushes and ask for help, because they would probably run away screaming, but if I could just play it really well and show them only my head...
But first, it would be prudent to see just who the girl was that was singing. I spread my wings, suppressing a painful feeling in my chest from the thought, and with one powerful flap I was in the air.
Some may think that after some practice I would've been able to fly without much trouble, but there just wasn't enough time for me to develop the needed reflexes, and if I stopped concentrating on it I could easily forget to move my wings and fall down. I also had to make sure that I was moving in the right direction, because with my abysmal control over my flight I could easily fly in circles for hours without even noticing.
"...Never stop the journey..." I could still hear the singing.
I was trying to stay as quiet as possible but it was damn hard to actually do.
'And why are there so many apple-trees around?' I thought.
If this was actually someones orchard I would be screwed. I had never been in a place like this; I was more of a city-girl with a little experience of outdoor activities, but the term trespassing was all too familiar to me. We all make some stupid decisions when we're young, and my attempt to take a shortcut through a private parking lot was halted by a very dutiful security guard. It wasn't really all that great when he made me call my mum and explain the whole situation. I still think that he was just bored and harassing a young girl was his form of entertainment, but I would probably never find out. My point here is that when I met him, the first thing that I saw was the muzzle of his gun pointed directly at me, and I would never forget that moment.
Right now I was on private property again and right now I looked like some monster from Universal Studios, and I mean the old-school version from when movies were made for people and not for a bunch of antique censors that made it their life’s mission to make as many people as they could suffer before old age forces them to out of work, personal life, properly functioning digestion-systems, and a -- fuzzy at best -- bunch of memories about good old times. But I'm missing the point again, I was in unfamiliar territory without anything for protection against bullets or at least salt. I don't think that I became a hybrid of woman and refrigerator who can take an entire munitions dump to the face, so I wouldn't be very happy with additional, unnatural holes in my body.
I was sitting on my haunches on the tree branch, my talons gripping the bark with enough force to actually pierce it, and I was currently experiencing my first period of emotional numbness.
'Feels interesting and refreshing.' I thought.
My mind at the moment wasn't capable of processing such things as surprise, shock, or any strong emotional responses; it was just numb. I didn't know that there was something in the world that could make me enter this state; even my strange transformation and change of environment weren't shocking enough to actually render me one step from emotionless.
A Technicolor midget horse.
And it was singing.
'Mr.Ed had siblings?' I couldn’t think of anything else at the moment.
I just refused to believe that a CBS show from the early nineteen-seventies was anything but fictional; that was just the kind of thing that can't happen. I could write off my new appearance as the result of long, incredibly complex -- and I'm damn sure illegal -- surgical procedure; I could come up with a good reason for the whole thing, as a person who can actually fly unassisted was more than just useful for any country's military.
A talking midget horse wasn't.
Its coat was a very light gray color; its mane was two-toned with one being grayish mulberry and the other being pale, light-grayish rose. The thing was about one foot tall and with body proportions that made me twitch. Its... Her, if the creature was capable of speech, then she was smart enough to actually properly coexist with others of her kind, like humans...
'Bad example...'
Her head was bigger, like a cantaloupe with a muzzle attached; her eyes were enlarged too; her front legs had a slightly cone-like form with the wider part being her hooves, back legs at least looked a tad bit similar to a regular horse, but still stubby and impractical. But even with the illogical build, the midget horse was moving around pretty gracefully, and in fact she was using her tail to sweep the dust from the wooden park-table...
'Oh, and the horn too...' I thought absently.
The midget horse had a horn, a real damn horn. I was watching a tiny unicorn happily cleaning the dust from the piece of outdoor furniture. I knew that any normal person would have been screaming and panicking, and I don't mean from fear, the little ball of cuteness couldn’t be less threatening if she tried, but because of the fact that reality was apparently broken. I could still function, only because my brain was still incapable of producing such a complex things as shock and breakdown, but I could feel that when the full capabilities of my mind were restored I would probably suffer a full meltdown, but not here and not now.
Well, it was now or never. I didn't think that this... pony-unicorn would be able to actually fight me, her horn wasn't even sharp, so all I needed to do was to confront her and ask a couple of simple questions. And the whole idea still sounded like insanity to me, even with the number of different ways the whole thing could go wrong, I didn't actually have a choice. It was small, but I still could feel the soreness in my body; the stress of the day was catching up to me, and after being... thrown here so violently I was seriously in need of a rest. And sleeping with one eye open, so to speak, was out of question, I didn't have the ability, simply because I was a pretty heavy sleeper.
Flapping my wings, I took off, only to land right behind the... unicorn.
'Even in my head it sounds wrong.' I wasn't sure if the fact that I'm a harpy -- the sick feeling in my stomach from the thought wasn't as intense now -- would help the case or make the whole thing harder.
Well, unicorns and harpies were both pretty much fiction for me not that long ago, so any assumptions and theories should be thrown out the window right here and now. I don't think any paleontologist would actually be able to fully describe the behavior of the dinosaur by only bones and whatever was found with them, and Jurassic Park showed us what happens when theories are proven wrong by their own subjects. I really didn't know how the hell I could even start the conversation, for all I knew this little thing can be the damn queen of this wonderland and I insulted her just by breathing the same air as she does!
My musings were interrupted when the little unicorn turned around and saw me.
Her eyes slowly widened and the little smile that she had the whole time I watched her disappeared; she even stopped humming that little song of hers. Her ears slowly turned backwards and lay flat on her head. I'm pretty sure she started trembling slightly. She was obviously terrified of me.
'Great first impression; I think her heart actually stopped from fear.' If I had hands and was less of the person I am, I would have facepalmed.
Author's Note
Basically our Main Character looks like this:
I hope you'll like this story as much as you like my other one, The Black Knight!
Also you can see the progress of my stories in my Blog, Writing Progerss!, and try yourselves out in a small Challenge that I came up with!
Oh, and join my group! Lets move the theme together!
