I ran as fast as I could out the lab door into the field. Erasers chased us and appeared around the corner. Just a little farther, and Blaze and I could get off the ground. Countless endurance tests and training had led up to this. Our final escape from our home and prison. I just couldn't stay here any longer or I'd kill myself. I couldn't continue to watch Blaze be tortured either. I could take it myself, but the more he resisted, the more they tortured… and the more I wanted to blow up the whole damn building with every godforsaken lab lackey and bio-genetically engineered wolf man.
"Saph! Dog-boy two o'clock!" In answer to Blaze's warning, I flicked my wrist sending high velocity ice darts from my fingertips. The two erasers headed our way fell to the ground impaled and bleeding. They wouldn't live for long.
Red emergency alarm light went off alerting the entire facility to our escape. If we could just make that hill and fly into the tree line… we might be able to make it. "Blaze, now!" He nodded. Blaze used the same movement I had; only instead of ice he sent flames at the tinder around the barrels of kerosene. The wood around the barrels caught in a flash… literally. An executive came running out, yelling at the Erasers.
"You stupid mutts! Put out the flames around those barrels! Do you want this whole place to go up in flames!?" I shot a sly glance at Blaze. With that distraction we made it to the edge of the steep hill, jumping off, catching a good wind and snapping our wings open. We couldn't wait around and enjoy the exhilaration of flying, though. I never got tired of stretching my impressive 14.5' wide wingspan. Blaze's was about a foot and a half wider.
Circling around each other as we climbed higher to gain momentum and speed, we kept a close eye on the erasers and white coats. I wouldn't put it past 'em to just shoot us down. I mean, who cares about 16 year old bird kids, anyway? It's not like they can't just make more of us genetically altered Avian-Americans anyway. Yeah. You heard me. Wings. On humans. We're part bird. Get over it. Easier said than done, right? But for me and Blaze, and God knows who else, it was a fact of life. It was a freaking bad ass fact, except for all the experimentation and starvation and being treated like lab rats instead of intelligent beings. But back to our escape. I had to stay focused, or I'd get myself or Blaze killed. Which would defeat the whole purpose of this complicated fiasco.
We turned and dive bombed into the forest around the facility. I'd snatched some clothes and a bag before we'd left. Blaze had stolen as many documents from the computers as we could easily carry. We needed to know as much about this ghastly place as possible. Hell, Blaze and I are more human, metaphorically speaking, than those "scientists" are. Pfft. Mutating children, then torturing them… how more inhuman could you get? And then I wonder, "Where the hell are my parents? Was I just some random donated bits of my parents that were taken from some fertility clinic somewhere? Or did they purposely give me up for genetic alteration and experimentation?" I think every poor kid in that lab has thought that if in the right mind of a human before some untimely failures and deaths. Yeah. My so called biological parents are just as guilty.
Twisting through the trees – that forest outside the Facility because of its remote location in the Catskills was a really bad idea on their part – Blaze and I quickly made our way as far and fast as we could. All those tests on agility really helped as much as I hate to admit it. At first the sound of the wolf-men was close. Too close. I could hear them right on our heels, but slowly, slowly the sound of their pursuit retreated. Even though we couldn't hear them, we didn't stop. We'd never stop until we were exhausted and at least a hundred miles away.
It didn't take long to reach that either or it didn't seem like it, anyway. We eventually flew up higher into the sky to cover more distance and to not get an appendage broken by a tree branch. It was getting dark and cold so we found a hidden cave in the tail end of the mountains someplace closer to New York City and Jersey. We made a small fire and ate some berries, roots, and leaves that we'd learned were okay to eat. Honestly? The more dirt and natural stuff I ate the better. All we ever got to eat was Mutant Chow at the Facility. It was just a bunch of nasty pellets and water with nothing but chemicals. If there were any actual natural substances in our old food, I would have been shocked.
The night faded to black and the only light came from the warm embers in front of Blaze and me. We both sat silently watching the glowing embers. Blaze wordlessly reached over to our little pile of wood and threw some more sticks on the fire. His hair glowed in the light, and his red-tinted hazel eyes seemed to glitter and dance just like the small flames before us. We were a major contrast. He was all red, heat, anger, and passion. I was blue, cold, controlled rage, and sense. Some of his best qualities lie in his overpowering emotions. It was his strength and ultimate weakness just as it was for me. While his emotions almost always controlled him, I ignored mine and thought sensibly. He never had trouble showing how he felt. For me it was damn near impossible unless it was logically necessary. But for some things… I just couldn't keep under control.
"Blaze…?" He looked at me. Those red tinted hazel eyes underneath shaggy, crimson streaked black hair, so familiar, so important to me, they haunted my dreams. "How're the wings?" He stood, crouching in the 6 foot high cave, because he was about three and a half inches taller. Blaze spread his wings, and I swear I almost stop breathing every time I see them. His wings were various shades of red going from almost white to a near-black at the tops. Gently, carefully, I searched both wings for any bits of tree, leaves, and rocks, anything that could cause a problem. When I finished, I worked on trying to loosen up any knots around where his wings met his back. He turned, stopping me by grabbing my hands.
"Sapphire, stop. I'm fine. I appreciate the gesture, but it really isn't necessary." I nodded. Usually, with him, I got too fussy. I was just so used to when we were small, and he wasn't as big and sturdy. He used to be so fragile and breakable; I was always taking care of him. Blaze drew my chin up, forcing me to look him in the eyes. "Now turn, missy." He had an easy, infectious smile. I used to see it more, but it had become almost nonexistent. Now that we were sprung, it was back and a bit of weight lifted from my shoulders.
I obeyed and spread my wings. Like a severe case of Yin and Yang, my wings were identical to his except for one thing: mine were blue. Of course, the normal bird markings were in the feathers of both of our wings, but they just happened to be more colorful. It was part of our certain experiment. They wanted to make bird kids that could control some of the elements. I don't know how or why, but they did it. The other two that were supposedly supposed to control air and earth? Yeah. They died when we were all three. So all that was left was fire (Blaze) and water (me). Now, I'm sure you're wondering, "But you just threw ice daggers at those erasers! And you're saying you're water?" I can control liquid in general. And ice. Don't forget, kiddies! Ice is a form of water! I can also create mist and "call" water to me. Blaze can also use lightning and other forms of electricity… I've also seen him create lava by super heating rocks then throwing the molten rock at people… kind of cool and creepy at the same time.
He went over my wings picking out bits and pieces of things, smoothing feathers, and using his elemental abilities to warm his hands and work the stress-induced knots out of my back. I thought to myself, and so the tables have turned. Who is taking care of whom? I really needed to stop killing myself over every, tiny, miniscule detail of our circumstances. Just make things simple, I kept telling myself. You're free, you're with Blaze, and you're both fine, and if any problems come up, you'll be able to deal when the problem arises.
I sighed, leaning into Blaze's hands. I really loved having him around. Not only is the boy gorgeous with that strong chin, reddish eyes, boyish smile, and broad, muscular body, but he was my best friend. I don't think I've met a sweeter being. Ever. Although, look where I was raised, and you could say it was just two prisoners attaching to each other. But, through all our troubles, he didn't become cold, and reserved like me. Blaze because more protective, affectionate, and rebellious. Just like a wild fire as it grows. But wait! There's more! But with those awesome fire powers, he can give one kickin' massage.
I looked down at my feet. Blaze tapped the top of my wings, signaling to put them back into place. Mutely, I brought my wings back against my back, fitting into the natural indentation. I sat down carefully and leaned against Blaze. I thought over the events of the past month all the way back to when I found out what that last operation had been for, in a conversation overheard from the white coats.
"Why do I have to put this in for PT again?" The first lab lackey said.
"Because, the Facility director wants to make sure that one of her fertilized eggs took. Otherwise she's going back into the OR for another go." The second replied. I had been recovering from my latest bout with the OR. Usually they took any of us there because it was easier to use anesthesia than to have us be awake for simple procedures and cause problems. It didn't take long for me to realize what they were talking about. My eyes had widened as I looked down at my abdomen and I realized something: I hadn't gotten my period this month.
"Oh. Right, gotcha." The first replied. Then he'd come over to my cell. I'd thought their putting me in a more spacious area was strange. Now I knew why. When I realized that they were trying to get me to produce another part Avian-elemental controlling child for their inhumane experiments I'd immediately told Blaze everything, and we'd started planning. Because the body is mostly made up of water, I can also do some creepy mind control stuff. I don't know the mechanics but it has something to do with my being able to "call" the water around me. That includes the water that we have in our bodies. So if I focus, I can make anyone do what I want. For some reason I can also read thoughts. I couldn't read emotions, but thoughts were a sure deal.
When he'd come back to record the results of the test, I'd used my little trick to get what he was writing down. Unfortunately, their hopes came true, and I was, indeed, pregnant with Blaze's child. Could they screw up my life anymore?
Then we planned, and acted on our plan, and here we are. Thank god for the one white coat who did actually have a soul. His name was Jeb, something. Baker? Bachelor? Batchelder? That was it! Jeb Batchelder! A few years ago, he'd started working at the Facility. Secretly, he'd taught Blaze and me what we needed to know to one day escape. He'd taught us how to fight, how to survive, hell, he'd taught us how to read! I owed him a lot. We both did. He had mentioned, though that there were others like Blaze and I. Apparently, Jeb had taken care of them too.
There was one thing I would never do. And that is let the Facility, and anyone affiliated with them to get their hands on my baby. I'd die taking down a hundred erasers rather than let that happen. Looking up at Blaze, I knew he wouldn't let that happen either.