Shadow…
His first thought, his first word. In the darkness of his cloudy mind, this one word rose to the surface above the rest.
It's dark… like a giant shadow…
In the solitude of his mind, he could not see, smell, hear, or feel. The only thing he knew was nothingness.
Where am I? What am I? Who am I?
The questions immediately arose, his mind now fully awake. Silence answered him.
Why is it so dark? Why can't I sense anything? What is this place?
Moments later, realization struck.
This is… me. This is my mind… these are my thoughts… I am the shadow.
As he pondered, a new sensation suddenly arose. He could feel extensions of himself, feel things around him. There was pressure beneath his head, and his back. He was lying down, with his spikes bunched against the cushion under him.
Spikes?
Next, his sense of smell kicked in. On reflex, he breathed in a huge breath of air, filling his lungs to their max. Wherever he was, it smelled damp, yet sterile. Wet, but clean.
Instincts began to take over quickly, allowing him to use his senses in tandem.
He became aware of small, muffled noises close by. The sound of his breath could be clearly heard, meaning he was in a small space.
Hisssssssss…
The sound of gas escaping filled his ears, and he sensed the area around him become significantly larger. He could hear several voices all muttering and chattering, like little insects.
"Hello? Can you hear me?" One voice clearly called above the rest. It sounded aged, and came from his left side.
Yes.
"Can you hear me? Say yes if you can."
Yes.
"Remember to use your mouth to talk."
My… mouth?
He slowly formed the words with his mouth.
"Yes… I can hear you."
The chattering and mumbling suddenly intensified, with audible gasps and a few exclamations of surprise.
"Can you open your eyes, son?"
As if drawing a curtain, his eyelids rose. For a few moments, he was blinded by the bright light. Eventually his eyes came to be adjusted to it. Moving his eyes left and right, he could see variously sized figures in white coats facing him, staring in awe and wonder.
Humans. Homo Sapiens. Scientists. How do I know these things…?
He looked down at himself, and took in the sight. His fur was pitch black as far up as he could see, with the exception of red stripes that ran along his arms and legs, and a small patch of white fur covered his chest.
I'm… dark… because I'm a shadow. Because I… wait. Scientists…? Were they experimenting on me? Did I lose my memory? Why are they doing this to me?!
Overcome by the instinct to run, he used his hands to launch himself out of the capsule he had been laying in. The scientists yelped in surprise and spread out from the pod, giving him space to land.
He then felt a new sensation. Pain.
Thump.
He collapsed in pain as soon as he hit the ground, writhing uncontrollably.
"What happened?!" a scientist cried.
"He tried to move too quickly!" the aged voice answered. "He probably tore every muscle from his shoulders to his toes!"
"Hold him down!" another called out. "The more he moves, the more damage he'll cause!"
"Someone grab a sedative!"
"No…" he protested. "Get your hands off of me! Leave me alone!" Despite the pain, he continued to struggle. He kept struggling, as one scientist holding a syringe moved closer and closer. "No… NO! Get away!"
"It'll all be over in a second." The scientist replied, and firmly brought the needle to his flailing arm.
"What are you doing to him!!! Stop it right now!!!" a voice screamed over all the others.
Everything stopped. The scientists backed away from him, leaving him lying face up on the cold floor.
Who…?
A young girl with blonde hair, dressed in blue, stepped forward through the crowd of scientists, who made room for her to get by. She looked at the creature on the floor, her eyes full of sadness and anger. Her attention immediately turned to the men and women.
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves! Is this how you handle a situation?! He's terrified!"
The girl walked over and knelt next to him, moving his head into her lap. She placed her cool hands on the side of his face, and looked down into his eyes with a smile.
"It's okay… you're safe. No one's going to hurt you. I promise."
Her smile, her demeanor, and her calmness instantly put him at ease. For some reason, he believed what she said. He felt himself relaxing, and felt his muscles unclench. The pain started to fade, and exhaustion set in. Within moments, his mind sank back into the darkness where it had started…