Bethany plunged back into the cool water.

Carefully, she opened her eyes. She looked at the mosaic floor, her vision assisted by the colored lights that spun lazily from the sides of the pool. To an onlooker, the water seemed to pulsate with alternating shades of red, blue, and yellow.

With quiet fascination, Bethany watched the underwater light show. For the first in a long time, the young woman felt perfectly at ease. Here, underneath the smooth, blue water, she would not be judged, her every move calculated, her every word analysed. Her one-piece felt like a second skin, soft and comfortable against her lithe body. Her blond hair, freed from the immaculate ponytail it was usually in, billowed out around her face like a hazy cloud.

She was unrestricted in this underwater wonderland, free from the rules of the society above.

It was strange how she felt so isolated but not lonely at all. When an amber light idly swung over towards her direction, she brought her hand close to her face, examining the wrinkled texture with a slight smile.

A distant splash abruptly ends the moment of tranquil reflection.

Without thinking, she rushes back to surface, eyes wide with fear. There's movement in the corner of her eye, and she whips around—but not quickly enough. The individual had long climbed over the massive fence that circled the pool, and was sprinting through the forest, judging by the distant sounds of frantic crackling and rustling of dried leaves and old branches.

After a moment of petrified silence, she scrambled out of the pool, her hair slick and heavy against her shoulders. The night air draws its chilly fingers across her moist skin.

She's not shivering because of the cold, however.

Bethany reaches for the towel folded neatly at the edge of the pool when a sudden thought crosses her mind. She peers into the water, still flashing in that unearthly way, vainly searching for the source of her initial scare. Whatever it was, it landed a good measure away from her. Towel wrapped tightly around pale shoulders, she walked the circumference of the pool, keeping her eyes on the shifting water the entire time.

A sharp glint catches her eye. The object beckons to her from the bottom of the pool, twinkling as the same amber light glides over it. The towel immediately drops to her thin ankles, and she hops in without the slightest bit of hesitation; she could feel her stomach sinking with dread as she dives deeper and the outline of the object grows clearer. She knows exactly what it is and who sent it. It hadn't taken her long to piece everything together in her head.

She pinches the thin chain between her fingers and stares at the object with a dismal expression on her face. After a few seconds, she pushes off the bottom of the floor and propels back to surface. Once again, she clambers back onto land. This time, however, a dainty necklace swings from her wrist.

The very necklace Austin had given her just days prior.

The very necklace she promptly returned with a tight smile.

He was terribly persistent. It scared Bethany. His behavior was growing noticeably more aggressive. He touched her arms often, looking at her with those wet, love struck eyes.

She didn't want him. She did not secretly crave for his affections, his touch, his eyes. Bethany was too nice to feel utterly disgusted by his infatuation, but what she felt was dangerously near.

And he had just intruded on her property, disrupted her moment of sweet solitude to return the very necklace she refused to receive from him. She was angry that she felt so vulnerable. That he made her feel so vulnerable.

As if he were at a dolphin show, he saw—no, observed—her gliding in the water, clad in her conservative swimsuit. She had unknowingly provided him with a show, certainly a feast for those moist eyes, and he rewarded her with the lovely diamond necklace clenched tightly in her fist.

She was furious because she was powerless.

She was furious because she could do absolutely nothing to protect herself.

-An animal,reallyAn animal, reallyAn animal, reallyAn animal, reallyAn animal, reallyAn animal, reallyAn animal, really -

"Age."

"What?"

"How old is she?"

The young man patiently strapped the girl's ankles and wrists to the examining table. She was rather thin, he thought a bit disappointedly; he would have to prepare a meal plan laden with protein immediately. Hopefully she would become sturdy enough to endure the tests.

"Like hell I know."

"Is she injured? Bit?"

"Dunno man."

"I'll need to check. You haven't unknowingly brought me an infected one, have you?"

His tone was perfectly cool, but it wasn't difficult to detect subtle notes of annoyance in his voice. He smoothed down his clean hair and paused, a thought suddenly crossing his mind.

She would most definitely need to bathe. He ran a finger over her forearm, another over a tendril of blond hair. She had been cleaning herself but not as regularly as he would have preferred. Most likely the occasional dip in the pond or lake. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. He would have to boil some water immediately. A thorough sponge bath should suffice.

"Dunno man. Chick fainted and I picked her up."

"I'll need to check. Experimenting on a healthy human is," he pulled at each restraint, checking the resilience, "such a rare opportunity, after all."

"You a crazy scientist or something? You like, what, 17 kid?"

"I'm 28."

"Ah, right. Sorry 'bout that."

"That I'm 28, or that you thought I was 17?"

"Dunno. Bit of both."

"Right. Anyway, here's the medication you asked for."

With pursed lips, he handed the man a neatly folded prescription bag.

"That's it? I bring a whole freaking girl, and you give me some pills?"

"If I do recall correctly, I did just treat your arm. And you brought me a 'whole freaking girl' that may not be the human subject you specifically promised me. I'd say the deal was weighted far more in your favor than mine."

"At least gimme some more painkillers, man."

"You are certainly persistent, aren't you? Fine, here."

"Thanks doc."

"Goodbye. Oh, and Merle—"

"Yeah?"

"If you intend on receiving medical treatment and supplies from me again, make sure to definitely bring me a human subject, yes?"

"'Course doc."

"Thank you, Merle."

The young man, trim in his pristine lab coat, wordlessly watched Merle Dixon stroll out of the room. How tasteless he was, in that streaked wife-beater and filthy jeans. That brute strength of his was the only decent quality he possessed. The doctor smiled a bit; it was laughably easy to manipulate the redneck. Merle was remarkably strong, yes, but he was a soldier. He was made to mindlessly fulfill orders, and nothing more.

Merely a simple-minded meat-head that lived to eat, drink, and shit. Nothing more.

An animal, really.


a/n:

Woahahahah. It's been a long time.

Thank you for your reviews guys and putting up with my terrible slowness. :]

Anyway, OOOOH creepy doctor guy, oOOooOooooH.

Don't want to give too much away, so let's just leave it as that...

What shall happen to Bethany? Alek? GLEGGIE?!

Read to find out...MUAHAHA. :]

Leaving me a review would be great. Thank you for reading.