One: Akil
My head hit the floor. Hard. I was so weak, so tired. That was how these people kept us until it was time for us to be used. Everything ached and I felt disoriented. When I tried to lift my head up, everything was spinning and it was hard for me to focus. Everything in this accursed room was spinning around so fast; I couldn't help but get sick. It was just a dark and pale looking room, filled with bloodstains of other people who were "punished" for their actions. It was almost like a prison cell, only with no windows and it was constantly dark, with the exception of a torch lighting the room.
"Disgusting thing," she said. I felt another kick into my side.
I didn't know who it was this time and I didn't care. I was on the verge of breaking, but I wouldn't let them see me cry. Never again. I bit back tears, swallowing the lump in my throat. I managed to sit up against a wall and tilted my head up. There was a woman there along with her "enforcers". Figures. Humans were always too afraid of us to pick on us alone, but they were always brave enough to do it in groups. The woman was rather slim really, looking around twenty years old. She had waist length bleach blond hair, very pale skin, and ice blue eyes that looked down on me, both literally and figuratively. She wore a white lab coat, scrub pants, and black high heels. She was a very flashy woman, believing that she herself was the most beautiful woman in the world. Narcissistic. I believe it means in love with one self. Well, that was an understatement of the year. She would dress up in the flashiest jewelry that she could find, believing it to add to her beauty. She never wore make up, believing it unworthy of her skin. I get rather sick of this woman. She always liked to pick on every half-breed, but for some reason, she loved to pick on me in particular for something. It was always something. Whether I did something or not, it didn't matter. She would take it out on me the most. Here she was, doing what seemed to be a daily routine. I couldn't help but laugh slightly.
"What did I do this time Marceline?" I asked mockingly.
That earned me a slap across the face. It didn't really hurt that much, just surprised me. She was a frail little thing. So much, I often visualized what it would be like to snap her in half.
"You know what you did," she whispered coldly.
She had a heavy Russian accent, so her w's were pronounced as a v instead.
"Not a clue," I said, earning me another slap.
"Don't lie to me you filthy creature. You've stolen extra food rations. Admit it."
"Bite me bitch," I said, this time, earning a blow to the head by one of her bulky "enforcers".
"You dare talk to Madame Marceline that way?" one of them asked.
"Madame?" I asked, "So, now she's a whore?"
This time one of her "enforcers" grabbed me by the throat and held me against the wall.
"Leave him," Marceline said, though regrettably. "We need him. He is rare after all." The man looked at me with an evil glare as if having second thoughts. He seemed around six foot seven in height and extremely ripped. He was African American and even had the accent to go with it. He wore his hair in dreadlocks and his eyes were an ugly brown, almost like mud. I probably could've fought them all, but like I said, I was weak and rather tired. My hands, or rather hand like claws, were clawing at this man, hoping he would let go. He did. I clawed hard enough that I think I felt a bone somewhere along the way. He yelled out in pain and let go. The moment he dropped me, I collapsed on the ground, barely able to hold myself up on my hands and knees. I tried standing up, only to be pushed back down. Another one of her "enforcers" had pinned down with his foot. Normally, I could've easily pushed him off, but it hurt too much to move right now.
"It is true that we do need you Akil," Marceline told me, but I could see her smiling evilly. "But your cell mate however…"
"No! You leave him alone he has nothing to do with this!" I finally snapped. They could do whatever they wanted with me, but with Tobias was where they were crossing the line.
"Really now? And what will you do if we try anything? You know the only way to get me to stop," she said gleefully. I couldn't help but growl slightly, literally. Being part dragon allows you to do stuff like that. The pressure on my back was lifted in a second. I knew what I had to do, but it was rather hard to swallow my pride for her. But if I didn't, she would take her wrath out on Tobias. I got into position, just kneeling on my hands and knees, bowing to her. It killed me to do so, but I had no other choice.
"…I'm sorry Marceline," I said as sincerely as I could. "Please forgive my rude actions."
I bet two to one she was enjoying this having someone kneel by her.
"That's better," she told me. I heard her snap her fingers and her "enforcers" picked me up by the arms. I was too weak to resist.
"Put him back in his cell. He's learned his lesson." I felt them gradually moving me down the bleak hallways where I heard the cries and screams of the ones were completely broken both in body and in will. It was something that I never quite got used to, but I learned to ignore it. Otherwise, I would've gone mad already. They threw me in my cell as if I was a rag doll, closing the door while they muttered on about something I had no use for. When I was in my cell, I could not help but smile as I saw my cellmate. His name was Tobias. He had the features of a wolf, even the snout was right. He looked like an Anthromorph really. His fur was like a silvery grey and his eyes were chocolate brown. He had normal hands, but had the hind-legs of a wolf. The only thing missing really was a tail. He was always cheerful and smiling, even when he was given a worse beating than I. This time though, he looked worried as he helped to sit me up. "You ok man?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'll live," I muttered, sneaking out the bread in cloth I had stolen.
His eyes were wide at this.
"You stole extra rations!" he whispered. I only nodded and gave it to him.
"You hadn't eaten yet. Don't say anything, just eat it," I told him.
"You're something else kid," he told me, wolfing it down. No pun intended.
Tobias wasn't just my cellmate. No, he was my best friend too. He had always been there for me ever since I first got to this hellhole. No matter what, he was always by my side and I would do the same.
"Why do you constantly put yourself in this kind of situation?" he asked, the bread just a memory now.
"Not my fault, trouble always finds me," I said, laughing a little bit.
"You're too reckless for your own good man," he said, shaking his head disapprovingly. I only shrugged, looking around our cell. It was just like the room I was currently in, only difference was; we had a light bulb that actually worked and a window that could see outside. And we had bunk beds too along with a sink and a mirror. Showers and such were in other rooms were they could keep a close eye on us. I got up wearily, having to hold on to the wall for support.
"Marceline really had it out for you huh?" he asked me.
"When doesn't she?"
I walked over to the mirror and looked at my reflection. What I saw definitely screamed not human. My hair it was short and shaggy, the color of snow. My skin was a natural tan, save for the few patches of scales on my skin. Those were a mixture of red, green, and black. I had them all over my body, but they were more collected below my waist and around my arms, which were just dragon claws, though they were in the shape of hands so I could still manipulate things. Those were mainly black and red and the scaly pattern went all the way up to my shoulders. I looked down at my bare feet. They were almost like the hind feet of dragons, only a bit more human shaped. Those were covered in scales too. I was heterochromatic, and for those who don't know what that means, it means I have two eye colors. There are many types of it, but the most basic one is where one eye is a different color than the other. One eye, my left, was a golden yellow. The other, my right, was a bright red. Both of my pupils are thin slits, but only if I got pissed off. I couldn't help but open my mouth, just to reveal my teeth. They were sharp like a dragon's, but the canines were the biggest and most noticeable of them all. The rest of the teeth would never get much attention really. My height was around 6'7" or so. Believe it or not, I was only sixteen. Tobias was eighteen. I have to be honest to myself. I didn't like my appearances at all. Some half-breeds were lucky and never acquired any of the physical traits of their animal parent, just the abilities. Some were like me, where it was partially human and partially animal. Then, there were some like Tobias: just an anthromorph really. I wouldn't mind being all-human or all anthromorph looking, but I wasn't. I was something that you would probably see in the freak show at a circus. Disgusting. Marceline used that word for me. But really...could she be right? Am I just a disgusting creature? I didn't say anything as I let these thoughts run through my head. I was covered in dirt and blood, so I washed off as much as possible with the little soap that we had. I grabbed a towel and rubbed my face dry. I wish I could just close my eyes and this would be a bad dream. Despite myself, I actually closed my eyes and imagined it all. Just to wake up in a nice home: where I had a family that would always be there no matter what. That would love me unconditionally. That would tell me they were proud of me and that they were grateful to have a son like me. I also imagined myself with someone I loved. To have a family together with a few kids, maybe even a few house pets. I sighed, wishing this could all be true. Even if it was a dream, I would've preferred to stay in it rather than the horrid nightmare I call my life. I felt someone grab my shoulder, instantly shaking me out of it. Instinctual, of course, I couldn't help but turn around and I growled and hissed menacingly. If I could imagine myself whenever I got defensive, all I could say was that I would be crouching over slightly, teeth bared and claws at the ready, most likely my pupils slit and my hair probably looking more wild than usual.
"Whoa man! Take it easy," Tobias told me, backing up with his hands in an "I surrender" position.
I heard him whining slightly, as a wolf does when they're scared. I felt bad. I didn't mean to snap at him. It just sort of happened by instincts. I immediately straightened out of my crouch. "Sorry," I told him.
I saw him smile as he pat me on the shoulder.
"It's all good man," he told me. "I should've known better than to do that without telling you it was me. You have gotten better though I'll give you kudos for that."
It was true. Last time that happened, I attacked him. It was easier to hold back from actually attacking, but still even instincts are hard to control. I heard a lock click for a cell. It was someone else's lock. I heard them crying and begging, telling whomever it was that they weren't sick, that they were fine. The guard wasn't buying it though. I heard the use of a needle as it stabbed through someone's skin; I heard whoever it was that was receiving the needle stop their attempts immediately, only to hear a dull thud on the ground.
"Degeneration," I muttered with a sigh. Tobias only nodded, having a look of sorrow on his face. Degeneration was something that was a risk factor for all half-breeds. Sometimes the human DNA along with the animal DNA would be at war with one another, literally destroying itself from the inside out. There was no known cure for it unfortunately. It was a slow and painful process, so much that whenever they killed us off, they thought of it as a mercy killing. One of the symptoms was well known: coughing up blood. I looked at Tobias, this time punching him the shoulder.
"Someday man, we're gonna get out of here, you and I," I told him. He nodded and smiled, doing the same with me as well.
"Yeah, you and me together," he agreed.
"Actually the correct term would be you and I."
"Oh shut up grammar freak." We couldn't help but laugh at this.
