Decamp: to depart quickly, secretly, or unceremoniously
Chapter One- Kamryn
The lab geeks grab my arm and hold tight. I brace myself for the pain, and the needle pierces my arm. I bite my lip as the cold liquid enters my bloodstream, along with a rush of sharp pain along my arm. I squeeze my eyes shut until the pain has somewhat subsided, and then I am taken from the lab back to my cell. I shudder at the scraping sound of metal against metal as the lab geeks close and lock the iron door.
I look down at my arm. A large purple bruise has already bloomed around the area I was given the serum. My eyes burn, but I refuse to let the tears come. I lay down on my cot. I didn't ask for this life. I never wanted to become a…. a freak. I know that's what I am. A mutant.
My mother gave me up when I was an infant, brought me to the Institution. I don't know where she is now, or if she's even alive. All I know is that she left me here, and then the lab geeks started testing on me. Horrors I can't and won't describe.
But like I always say, what's done is done. I can't change what I am. I'm not normal, and I know that the sooner I accept it, the happier I'll be. But I just can't seem to get a handle on it.
I sigh and bury my face in my pillow, and slowly drift off to sleep.
I wake up to the sunlight shining through the barred window. I rub my eyes sleepily and look at the floor in front of the door, where I know a tray with breakfast on it will be. Sure enough, there is a small metal tray with a bowl of bland oatmeal and a cup of water, same as every other morning. I pick up the tray and carry it over to my cot, where I eat my meager breakfast. I put the cup of water down by my cot for later, and push the tray through a small slot on the bottom of my door. They won't give me a new meal unless I put the tray back out. I'm not sure why.
"I wish I had a harmonica," I say to no one. My voice sounds hallow as it echoes off the iron walls. My room is practically empty, except for my cot and a toilet, and it gets really boring in here with just me, myself, and I. When I was little I would fantasize about someone coming to rescue me. As I grew older I realized that I was on my own, and no one was coming for me. I still like to daydream about it though. I have a depressing thought that that's one of the only things making me hold on, instead of succumbing to fear and loneliness.
Sometimes I wonder what the real world is like. I've never known anything but the Institution, besides what I can glimpse through the windows. Honestly, I could care less about what the world as like, because I doubt that anything could be worse than this prison.
I saved my water, I realize. I don't relish the idea of powers, but it's the only damn thing to do in here, so I just deal with it. I raise my hand and, with a flick of the wrist, the water in my cup rises in a thin line. I make it snake around the room, quick as a whip, forming different shapes and figures. I remember I had been working on a new trick, and I let the water fall, raising both hands. As I curl my fingers into fists, the water freezes, and I catch it before it hits the floor. I throw it back in the air, and it becomes water again.
To my surprise, I hear my door unlock, so I quickly guide the water my into the cup, just as the door swings open. A strange person in a black trench coat, a fedora, and a mask stands in the doorway, along with two lab geeks. The stranger is obviously a boy, and is taller than me by a couple inches. Other than that, I know nothing about him, and I have never seen the likes of him anywhere around here in all seventeen years I've lived in this place.
"Yes? What do you want?" I ask him cautiously. "Who are you?"
"This is a specialist on mutations. He is here to perform a few tests," says the taller lab geek. Oh. More testing. I gulp, and nod. The tall lab geek steps forward and cuffs my hand together. I earned this treatment when I beat the lab geek up and tried to escape.
I was led down the long hallway to an unfamiliar room. I sat on the cold surgical table, waiting.
"I'm going to need a sedative," the stranger says in a voice that sounds incredibly fake. The sentence chills me to the bone and I feel the blood drain from my face. I realize my breathing is too quick and shallow, and I control before I start hyperventilating.
A lab geek hands the stranger a syringe full of clear liquid that I know from tons of experience will put me in a deep, dreamless sleep within seconds of the injected. I'm so sick of being drugged and cut open and tested on, but my hands are cuffed and even if they weren't there is no way I can get away from this hell.
The stranger comes towards me and takes off the cuffs on my hands, and the next thing I know my arms, legs, and torso are all strapped down to the table. I glare at the man. I can't see his eyes because of the mask. What's with the mask anyways? Something isn't right…
Suddenly, he lashes out at a lab geek and, before anyone can react, plunges the syringe into his neck, pushing down on the button. My jaw drops as the lab geek crumples to the floor. The other lab geek has pressed a button on the wall, and a shrill alarm fills the room. The stranger punches the lab geek in the face, and he staggers and drops. Then the man runs over and quickly unstraps me. I sit there for a moment, stunned, before I collect myself and stand up.
"Who are you? What're you- What's going on?!" I demand. The stranger rips of a small microphone from his collar and takes off the mask, hat and coat, throwing them on the floor.
"No time to explain," he says, his voice different now that the modifier is off, "Come on, more will be here quick." He holds out his hand, but I hesitate.
"What if you're one of the bad guys? How do I know you're helping me?" I ask.
""You don't," he says impatiently. "You just have to trust me."
I nod and take his outstretched hand, hoping I won't regret my decision. We run down the hallway, turning this way and that down the corridors. We round another corner, only to skid to a stop. Three big men with guns stand there, guns aiming straight at us. The boy curses under his breath and pulls me in the other direction. I hear heavy footfalls as the guards chase us.
I hear a blast and the boy pulls me to the floor. When I look up, I see a hole in the wall where my head was a moment ago, and I let out a small squeak.
"No, we need her alive!" says a gruff voice from behind us. "Shoot the boy, but don't hurt the girl."
The boy runs faster, pulling me along as I try to keep up.
"How're we going to escape? They have guns! There's no way we'll get away," I pant.
"Just trust me, I know what I'm doing," He says. Suddenly, three mores guards round the corner and aim their weapons at us. We hit the floor to avoid being shot. The boy stands and pulls out his own gun and I scream as he shoots one of the guards in the leg, and then aims his weapon at the large glass window. I cover my face as he pulls the trigger and broken glass spills everywhere. He pulls me up and starts towards the window, but I pull my arm away.
"Are you crazy?!" I scream. "We're four stories up!"
The boy dodges another bullet and shoots in the direction it came from, and I hear a shout of pain.
"We don't have time for this! Just come on!" he says. "Do you trust me?"
"I just met you!" I exclaim. He makes a frustrated noise.
"Do you trust me?" he asks again. I nod reluctantly and take his hand, and he pulls me close and jumps out the window. I squeeze my eyes shut and scream, waiting to hit the ground, but we don't. I open my eyes and realize we aren't falling anymore. We're flying. I gasp in surprise and look up at the boy, who is holding me around my waist. Then, I notice the wings, and my jaw drops. He has wings? They're about six feet long and chestnut brown with white dapples. The boy notices me looking and grins.
"Oh my god! This is fantastic!" I shout over the wind.
"I know!" he shouts back. I laugh and spread my arms, closing my eyes. Suddenly, I hear the boy gasp, and I look up to see a bullet graze his cheek.
"Crap!" he exclaims, swerving to avoid another bullet. He flaps his wings faster, flying higher and higher. More bullets rip through the sky, barely missing us. Eventually they stop coming, and I look back. I can barely see the Institution anymore, it's so far away. Suddenly it all hits me. I'm free. The thought actually makes me laugh out loud with joy. I'm free! I'm finally out of that horrible place.
I look at our surroundings, sinking it all in. The ground is mostly bare, with the occasional scruffy bush or cactus, and I realize this must be a desert. The only other thing is a road, presumably leading to the Institution.
"Where are we?" I ask the boy.
"Somewhere in Kansas. I'm not completely sure," he says.
"I never caught your name."
"Benny. And yours?"
"Kamryn," I reply. For the first time, I get a good look at him. He looks younger than I had originally estimated, more around my age. He has light blue eyes and tanned skin. His hair is wavy and a sandy brown. He notices me staring, and I look away.
We finally land and Benny leans over and puts his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.
"I'm exhausted." He groans between gasps. His cheeks are red from effort and his face beads with sweat. He closes his eyes and staggers a bit.
"Take it easy," I tell him. Even though I just met him and I still don't know whether I trust him or not, I'm a bit concerned. He nods and sits down. I sit a few feet away from him and pull up my legs to my chest and rest my chin on my knees. I glance over at Benny, just to see him watching me.
"What?" I say.
"Nothing. So, you know my mutation. What's yours?" he asks, not bothering to hide his curiosity. I just look at him.
"Well?" he prompts. I shift uncomfortably.
"Why should I tell you?" I say. I realize that I'm being a bit rude, but I just met him. Why should I reveal my only secret to a complete stranger?
Benny looks offended. "Hmm, let me think," he says sarcastically, making a big show of tapping his temple. "Oh yea, 'cause I just saved your ass," he snaps.
"Yea, and for all I know you're just gonna throw my ass in a new prison!" I snap back. I'm not sure where this anger is coming from, but I'm not about to back down. Benny clenches his jaw in obvious frustration.
"Maybe I should," He retorts.
"Go ahead!" I throw my hands up in anger. Who does this guy think he is? He glares at me, and I glare back. Then he sighs and shakes his head.
"You know what, trust me or don't trust me. But I really am here to help you," he says, taking me a bit by surprise. My fury drains away, and I'm a bit ashamed of yelling at him. After all, he did get me away from the Institution. And he does seem sincere. But after all I've been through, I locked away my trust a bit. Trust never seemed to get me anywhere.
"How do I know?" I ask, no longer aggressively.
"You don't. But if it helps at all, I give you my word as a fellow mutant that I am on your side," he says. I think about that for a minute. Finally, I decide to trust him, but keep my guard up. He's bigger than me, but I'm stronger than I look, and I could probably take him if I had to. I still have my mutation.
"I control water. I can make it mover around, freeze, heat up, you name it. I can also breather under water normally," I tell him reluctantly. Benny looks pleased and he nods, and I can tell he's relieved that I decided to trust him. I look up at the sky. It is already getting dark.
"How long we're we flying?" I ask.
"A few hours, I think," He replies. I grip my arms and shiver. What happened to the heat? It was scorching hot just hours ago. Benny notices me shivering and reaches into his pack. I watch as he pulls out a blanket and throws it over to me. I thank him and wrap it around my shoulders.
"Deserts can get cold at night. I'm going to start a fire. Be right back," He says, and walks off. I look up at the sky, which is in lovely shades of scarlet and orange. The sun is almost out of view. Just hours ago I was in a cold, dark metal cell, and now I'm in the desert, watching the sun set. In the real world.
After a while Benny comes back with an armful of sticks and dumps them on the floor. He pulls a lighter out of his backpack and lights the pile of wood on fire. I scoot closer to it and close my eyes, letting the warmth wash over me. I open my eyes and look up at the now pitch black sky, twinkling with millions of stars, and it's breathtaking. I look at Benny, and see that he's staring at me again with an odd look on his face.
"What? Why do you keep staring at me?" I ask.
"How old are you?" He says, ignoring my question. I exhale slowly, a bit frustrated.
"Seventeen. You?"
"Eighteen," he answers with a smirk and I roll my eyes.
"I forgot to mention, I'm going to be eighteen in three months. You're not that much older than me," I say. He laughs, and I think it's the first time I've seen him smile. For some reason it makes me trust him a bit more.
"Can I ask you something? Something personal?" he asks.
"Go for it."
"Why were you in that place? What happened?" I can see the curiosity in his eyes. At first I don't want to tell him, but I know if I'm going to trust him, I can't get mad every time he asks me something. I sigh.
"My mom gave me up when I was a baby. According to the scientists, she was so horrified that she had given birth to a freak like me, so she took me to the Institution and begged them to take me. The scientists were 'mutant specialists,' so of course they were interested.
They began running the tests on me when I was two years old, finding out all about my mutation, pushing me to my limits, seeing how far it would go. When I was three they dropped me in a tub of boiling water to see if I would survive," My voice breaks, and I shudder. I can't meet Benny's gaze. I take a deep breath, and continue.
"When I was five they began injecting me with this serum, once a month and I guess it was to 'enhance my mutation,' make it more powerful. All of a sudden new stuff was popping up, I developed gills, I could make water out of thin air. They conducted a new experiment every time something new happened, and most of the time it almost killed me. And if I every spoke out against them, or tried to get away, they would punish me, worse and worse as I got older." I pulled up my shirt a bit, exposing a scar on my stomach. I realize that I am crying, and I wipe my eyes with the blanket. I look up at Benny, scared of his reaction. He looks shocked, and appalled. I can't tell if he's scared of me or sorry for me. Maybe both.
"Oh my god… Kamryn, I-"
"It's okay. Just forget about it," I say. "So. You still need to tell me why you rescued me," I say, pretending I didn't just reveal my status as a full-on freak. Benny looks at me blankly for a second, then nods.
"Okay. Where do I start…" He begins. "Well, I think it all started when a mutant named Charles Xavier started a school called Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. It was a school for mutants like us, somewhere we could be safe. Because most humans don't like mutants. They're scared of us.
About ten years ago, this guy that's really against mutants started something called the AML, or the anti-mutant league. He got a lot of followers really fast, and he pretty much took over the system. Now, the word mutant is basically synonymous with serial killer, and the AML are taking all mutants. We don't know what happens exactly, but no one that's taken has come back. Also, there are tons of new laws against mutants, and if a human is caught helping a mutant they're taken too, so almost nowhere is safe. Even Xavier's school isn't safe anymore. The AML took it over a year after Xavier died, and the students and professors are being held hostage. Well, except for the ones that escaped, like me.
A lot of people died though. Including..." His voice cracks and I see tears in his eyes. "Including my sister. That was five years ago. She was seven," He coughs. "Anyway, there's a rebellion, where people and humans alike are safe. If we get word on a new mutant somewhere, we find them and help them. I'm part of the rebellion, so as soon as we heard about a mutant being held somewhere in Kansas, I was sent here to help you," Benny looks at me. "And I guess that's it."
So that's what the world is like. I was wrong. It can get worse than the Institution.
I lie down dejectedly and close my eyes.
"Goodnight, Benny," I whisper.
"Goodnight, Kamryn," I hear him whisper back, and then I fall into a troubled sleep.