Kelsey

Dying the first time was horrible. It was like a shock and this fear and hope that i thought i was going to get out soon. The next time i was confused. The next i was tired. The next i just wanted to stay dead. I wanted to be dead. it was better than reality. In the blackness and white noise. it was peaceful. for a moment could tune out the yelling and whipping. I could die. Only for a few seconds. It was enough. It became something i was used to. Unafraid of. But when i died next to Carmen. When i heard her scream and felt Logan's arms catch me as i fell. I was clawing from a pit of darkness. A pit that i had wanted to stay in. Now that i was free i wasn't ready to die. I wanted to live. I wanted to feel sun for the first time in several years. I wanted to see nice people. I wanted to fall in love. I wanted to grow up. I wanted to cry. Laugh. Sing. Dance. Smile. Just smile. Smile for the first time in forever. A real smile. Teeth and all. it was an irrational fear because i knew i would come back but fear clawed at my throat and made me scream from inside.

So when i woke and my eyes fluttered open and my voice rasped, i gasped from relief. Thanking these two people for not asking questions. I followed them through rooms and we found labs and rooms full of things about me. It made me cringe. A bunch of chemicals i knew could've killed me. Then there was that room. Four other kids like me. Probably now 17 like me. Carmen had put her hand over her mouth like a lady from the civil war time. Logan was grim. I was shocked.

Logan tossed Carmen the bag. "We burn the place down grab anything that can blow up and blow up the place. No one needs to know that it was us who were here," Logan said jogging to the lab. I followed maybe a little to excited. It's not my fault but i've been wanting to burn this place down ever since i've been here. We stack up excess papers and anything flammable in the center of the warehouse except for a bag packed with some clothes for me. Carmen flicks a match and watches it for a minute before handing it to me.

I was a bit shocked but i understood that she thought it was best i burn the place down. I through it in the pile and felt a pang in my gut. All the images burned into my brain one last time and the flames lot higher. I watched in misery and hadn't realized i was crying until i noticed an arm wrapping around my shoulders in leather. I cried for me. I cried because i couldn't help it. I hated crying but i couldn't stop and Logan had to drag me out of the building. We ran through the woods, me jumping over branches and sticks with ease even though i was still crying. A sob coursed through me and i tried to swallow it but it came through me. Hoping they wouldn't see i ran ahead with Carmen shouting directions from behind. I had imagined his day for years. Running in woods. Running away. Feeling the sun on my shoulders. I was free. Yet a part of me died in that ware house. Then the boom sounded of the warehouse blowing up. I fell to the ground and vomited. Feeling Carmen small but strong hands pol my hair back. I shuddered and felt soothing whispers of from Carmen. "It's okay, you're safe now. They can't hurt you anymore. I know you just want to crawl in a ball in terror but we have to keep moving. We have to keep going of the soldiers will come for us," she said in agony.

I nodded and we walked the rest of the way at a brisk pace. Carmen had tried to hold my hand but i shrugged her off, hating sympathy. We finally arrived at a train station after hours and we boarded the next train to Moscow. I had learned many languages including Russian while captive. We sat in the cab of the train me across from Logan and Carmen.

Logan cleared his throat, "I hate to be the bad guy here but what happened in there Kelsey?"

I flinched at him calling me Kelsey. "No one has called me that in ages," I smile sadly to him. My eyes dead. Just as they had been for 8 years.

His confused expression leads to his question, "Why? I thought that was your name."

"It is," I sigh. "but they called me Viper."

Carmen studies me with icy blue eyes. "Do you know why?" She asks.

I shrug. "I guess my eyes but when we were in the lab i saw formulas on jars and it was viper blood mixed with mine," I shiver and want to throw up again.

Carmen's face contorts in disgust. I shouldn't have said anything. "How do you know what that stuff is?"

"I was trained to become an assassin. I was trained physically, mentally but never emotionally. I know dozens of languages and know as much science as a scientist who has been studying his whole life. I know history, math and technology. I was his 'master piece'," I explain dead.

Logan gulped. "They really were making mutants," he sighs.

Carmen punches him a little to hard and he winces. "We're both mutants Kelsey. I can change my age and am immortal. I've lived for centuries," Carmen says trying to get me to warm up to them. Logan looks at her in shock. I had learned to read expressions pretty well and he was shocked that she shared this information. She then elbowed him again and he rubbed his arm in annoyance.

"Don't freak out," Logan said as he extended three metal claws as sharp as knifes from in-between his knuckles. I tensed but didn't freak knowing that he wouldn't hurt me. He wouldn't hurt me. They wouldn't hurt me. Before i knew i had blacked out and i was 9 again.

I played the piano and closed my eyes forgetting the other kids who didn't want to play with me. Forgetting the teachers saying i was dumb and quiet. Forgetting everything. Forgetting I was an orphan. Forgetting I was stuck in a angry boarding school in Nevada. At least i had something that i was good at. A hobby. Suddenly I got a chill down my back and I stopped abruptly in the middle of the song. I turned my slightly over-weight body around to see a bald man with glasses in the doorway staring at me.

"You play very nice," he sneered in a thick accent.

"Thank you," I said almost in a whisper. The man walked towards me very slowly and every thing inside me was screaming "RUN! STRANGER DANGER! HURRY! TELL A TEACHER!" but instead i stood still terrified as he pulled a pocket knife out of his pocket. I started trembling and I was pulled violently from the piano bench and to him where the knife was held against my shoulder blade.

"You scream, run or cry you will not live to see my anger," he hissed again in my ear.

I whimpered and walked with his knife pressed against my back out of the room and down the stairs. I racked my mind for things to do but nothing came to me as i walked terrified. We appear in the court yard where kids are enjoying their recess not paying me and this foreign ma any attention. Even the chatting teachers pay us no attention.

I should've had more friends, I should've at least tried to make friends, I should have tried to be noticed more often, I should have been more likable…I suddenly choke back a sob as I am pushed into the back seat of a black SUV where another man binds me hands and feet despite my struggles. I find the course to scream but am quickly muffled by a gag. The bald man clicks his tongue, "No, we won't be having that," he says as he gets behind the wheel. I struggle again but nothing is working. I start crying and scream behind the gag. "Now, now, we won't hurt you," the man smiles into the mirror into my dark green eyes filled with fear and tears.