Disclaimer - I do not own X-Men: Evolution in any way, shape or form. I will not make any money off of this story.
When the Heart Bleeds.
By Shadow-Fire
Prologue
Ghosts of the past haunted her every move making her relive the worse moments of her life. She screamed defiance but the ghosts just laughed at her, scorning her and making her hurt more. It became so bad that she just sat there, in the small room and stared blankly ahead. The voices echoing in her mind.
"I'm not here" she would whisper over and over until her voice went hoarse and she could no longer speak.
"I am back in the Institute. I will see Kurt hanging from the chandelier and Professor X will come in and say something wise" she would sometimes mutter until someone would come along and tell her to shut up.
She could no longer recall who she was, day after day it was becoming harder to discern illusion from reality. The clothes she wore were unfamiliar and her hair had grown longer, not that she cared. Nothing mattered anymore. Nobody knew where she was. No one was coming to save her. She was alone.
Every day blended into the other and she could only rock gently and scream at the ghosts that tortured her mind. She was broken in more ways than one and she didn't know if she could ever be herself again.
At the beginning she had fought, she had tried to attack and escape but they were always there. They would play with her mind and her body making her slowly lose grip on reality. She couldn't even use her powers; they had done something to her. A drug or something but she couldn't recall.
She had dreamed up various scenarios where Scott and the others would come and save her. She believed that they were looking for her and they were going to save her any day now. But when they didn't come she began to lose hope. After the first month had passed she had given up any chance of a rescue. She was trapped and alone except for the ghosts of the past.
"Get up" a rough voice growled.
She stood up immediately; she always did what she was told. They would hurt her if she didn't obey and she didn't like being hurt.
"Move" was the next command and she felt something hit her in the back.
Shuffling forwards she went where she was told.
"Look at her. She's screwed up" someone said but she didn't understand what they were saying.
The ghosts were back and they were mocking her. They were telling her things that she couldn't believe.
"Stop lying to me" she screamed and fell to her knees when someone hit her over the back.
Whimpering she curled into a ball. She didn't want to live anymore. She didn't want to be tested. She didn't want to be played with and she didn't want the ghosts to talk anymore. She wanted them out of her head.
"Get up girlie or you'll hurt more" the same gruff voice ordered.
Not wanting to move but not wanting to get hurt she dragged herself up slowly. Her face was covered in mottled bruises and there were scratches over her arms.
"That's a girl" the voice said.
She didn't acknowledge it.
She was led to the same room as always and once inside the tests would begin. The same as last time and the time before that. First came the questions then came the pain and last cam the relief of unconsciousness.
"Sit down and shut up" her tormentor said before leaving her in the room.
She blinked and sat in the chair that they always made her sit in. If she were alone for too long the ghosts would come and she would have to yell and scream. Then they would come and they would hurt her for disrupting them. They would make her bleed and cry until she had no more will left to do anything.
Others had been in this room. She had heard them scream, cry and beg. They wanted their freedom as well but they knew that they weren't going to get it. They were treated like animals, like test subjects.
"How are we today, Katherine?" a false voice asked.
She didn't respond. She hardly ever did any more. The first time she joked and lashed out. She tried to escape and she hurt some people but now she just sat there as if she were just a shell.
"Test subject 452.
Name: Katherine Pryde.
Age: 18
Species: Mutant
Abilities: Corporal Tangibility" A mechanical voice rattled off.
The girl looked up, her eyes not seeing anything. She didn't react in any way. She watched as the doctors crowded in and began to hurt her. Even then she said nothing. It was only when she heard the ghosts that she began to scream and scream and scream.
