This isn't one of those fake, sappy stories you read in books. This isn't Twilight, so finish your crying before you move on.

I don't like formal introductions, but considering I'm telling you a story of my life, I might as well say it: I'm Ray. As in Raylene, not Raymond. Female, people, female. Some people call me Tiger, reasons to be explained later. Mostly the people I knew from the School… well, sort-of-School… it was called that by the living test subjects the mad scientists worked on day in and day out. Said test subjects included yours truly and a handful of other survivors that escaped.

Since your reading this, I sense you have a heart for pain, murder, torture and violence. If you don't, I suggest you stop reading.

Now.

So, yeah, I'm Tiger, one of 4 'subjects' that escaped from Alcatraz. We were all stolen from our lives 10 years ago (I'm 17 now) and taken to this gigantic, I mean mungo, huge, bigger-than-Godzilla big, institution (Read: asylum for mentally-challenged-yet-very-smart-sort-of-scientists-that-get-their-kicks-by-torturing-living-victims). We were tested, poked, prodded, hit, starved, and all-around tortured for a number of years because some idiots wanted our regular old human DNA to mix with that of another creatures. Yes, before you ask, I know Max Ride… the loser… stole my wings, I'm telling you. Anywhoo, I for one didn't get the infamous bird DNA… I got a freaking tiger's!

So I'm no angel. I guess you can call me a –good- eraser. In a way. Well, cat-dog, tomato-tomahto, right? But I have more than an oversized jawbone, excess body hair and wings. I have super-hearing and night vision (They surgically implanted that thing at the back of cat's eyes…something called a tapetum lucidum… over my own, and I DIDN'T end up like Iggy thank heavens), a tail for balance (I'm actually loving the tail business) and retractable claws (double woot).

My other awesome mutant friends are as follows:

Jade is my bird-friend. She, like Ride, was implanted with bird DNA. She is 15 years old and helps with all the surveillance. High altitude comes in handy sometimes… her 10-foot-wingspan is really neat. Her feathers are a pretty light blue, unlike her tawny-colored eyes and—

I just said pretty. Ugh.

Saber is my pretty little kitty. He's one year younger than me and has the DNA of a cheetah. He runs faster than I've ever seen anyone run in my life. It's amazing. He's of average height, has spiky ginger hair and lime green eyes that tend to glow yellow in the dark.

Then there's Tony. Tony is the first one to meet someone out of the Flock. He was in the cage beside Angel for a short period of time. My little 10-year-old friend here is the only known successful reptile half breed. Creepy, huh? What's even creepier is that his eyes are pitch black and he can feel any vibration around him. One more thing…

He has scales. Big, creepy, protective… scales….Which he sheds, which is pretty gross to be around.