Chapter 2- New life, new meaning

Pain in my head. That's the first thing I noticed when I woke up. I groaned. It wasn't the type of pain I had gotten used to, it was pain throbbing from the inside out.

All I could see was light pink. I noticed I was laying on a strange surface, a texture I'd never experienced before. After a second of confusion I realized that I was seeing pink because my eyes were closed.

I slowly fluttered them open. The first thing I noticed was green leaves above me, light escaping through the small gaps. I was laying on my back. I blinked. I blinked again. Where am I?

I slowly sat up, my headache already beginning to fade. "Uhhhmmph.." I touched my hand to my face and paused. Something wasn't right.

I pulled my hand away to examine it. Insead of where soft skin should be, there were leather gloves that went up past my elbows, black leather boots that came up to my knees to match.

I was also wearing a black latex suit. It started at my ankles, and came all the way up to my chest like a corset, with no straps over my shoulder. There was a diamond shaped cut out of the center of the suit, exposing my stomach and small belly button.

Where did these clothes come from? Was this another cruel form of punishment the man that's called my father had put together for me?

Running water, I could hear it. I turned to my right and saw a small creek a few feet away. I crawled over to it and looked in.

Two yellow fish were swimming around in circles, zipping between the underwater plants as if playing tag. That was the moment I smiled for the first time in my life.

Then I froze. I began to look at what appeared to be my reflection. Before, my cheeks were caved in like I had the plague, my eyes were a light amber-brown, my lips were pale, my skin a pale whiteish grey, and my hair was long, tangled, and natted.

Not anymore. My cheeks were fuller, flushing red with color. My skin was now a smooth shade of ivory. My hair was past my chest, long, thick, dark chocolate brown, and a pretty wavy curl.

My eyes. They are what had changed the most. Instead of the light brown they had been, now they were a golden-yellow, like a cats almost. I reached up to touch my face, to see if it was real. It was.

Was I dreaming?

I stood up, and for the first time in my life it wasn't a struggle. I had more than enough strength to get myself to my feet. I felt amazing, better than I ever had.

I looked down at my body. I wasn't a walking sack of sticks anymore, I had meat to my bones,and curves. Nice curves, I might add.

I began to step out from the trees, into the middle of a clearing full of grass about a foot tall and purple flowers.

I stepped past the tree and into the bright sunlight. It was so bright I had to cover my eyes with one of my hands at first. I squinted up at the sky. It was... beautiful.

Just then a warm summer breeze came by, blowing my hair along with it. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. Everything smelled so sweet and wonderful.

I pulled my gloves off, along with my boots. I tossed them to the side and fell on my back into the grass. I let the grass tickle between my toes and fingers. I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes, smiling.

"I could get used to this..."

I woke up to the sun being gone. For a second I panicked, fearing it had just been a dream and that I was still locked in that basement. I sighed with relief when I saw the trees that still surrounded me.

My heart was still pounding as I shakily reached over and grabbed my gloves and boots, putting them back on. I was snapping the last strap on my left boot when I heard an unfamiliar voice.

"This is your new life, child. Your destiny awaits..."

I shot up onto my feet and spun around in circles, head whipping back and fourth as I tried to figure out where the voice had come from.

Nothing. There was no one here with me.

I looked up at the night sky. Instead of the light blue it had been before, it was now a dark navy blue, white specks covering it.

"Those must be.. stars."

Then I saw it. Big, white, and round. The moon. A sudden strange feeling came over me as I stared, then I narrowed my eyes.

"Did you say that, or am I crazy?"

No response. I scoffed. I looked around me. Now what? I shrugged, deciding that doing a little exploring couldn't hurt.

I walked over to the creek, following it as I walked so I wouldn't get lost.

"How can I get lost when I'm not going anywhere specific?" I whispered to myself.

The moon light lit the way. The forest was dark, but not the kind of dark I feared. The kind of dark that comforted me. The dark didn't scare me, being in that basement did.

I heard crickets. It must be crickets, I hadn't read about any other animal that makes a noise like this.

After walking for a while, I saw a large flat rock at the edge of the creek and decided to sit for a moment.

I took my gloves off, setting them in my lap. I looked into the creek at myself. I stuck my hand in the gentle running water, letting it slip through and around my fingers.

There was rustling in a bush behind me. Panic spread through me in an instant, and I whipped around, hands in front of me.

Something happened. A small ball of fire shot from my right hand and at the bush. There was a yelp and an animal shot out and ran. It must have been a.. deer.

I looked down at my hands. What had just happened? I looked back up to see a few leaves burnt and crispy. Fear filled me, fear of what I didn't know about what had just happened.

I quickly shoved my gloves back on. I held my hands close to my chest, afraid to even move them. I silently stared into the dark forest, unsure of what to think, to do, or to feel.