Project, MalfunctionChapter Fourteen,Isolated Determination Break Threw
Pant, pant, pant…it was getting harder and harder to breath. Pant, pant, pant! Run faster, legs! No, no need for that. Humans could never outrun him, anyways. Not that humans where the problem…more or less, it was their dogs, and their little mutations. Pan, pant…it hurts to pant. His chest felt like it was still on fire, and though the burns traveled all along his torso and arms, he ran, and ran, and ran. Who cares if they caught him again, and burnt him again? They would simply do it anyways, wouldn't they?
Yes, they would. So, for the hope of freedom, he ran. He had no idea where he was going, or what he would do once he obtained that freedom…but he ran non the less, as fast and as far as his legs would carry him.
The sound of yipping and barking dogs died down, as did the sound of everything else chasing him. It seemed almost to easy to break away from that awful place…the blond couldn't help but grin, his sharp teeth able to strike fear into the hearts of any possible food source.
"Ha! It feels good to be out…" He muttered, slowing his run to a light jog, then a trot, and eventually a walk. "…How long has it been, I wonder."
Stopping to throw his burnt and battered arms over his head, the man stretched out, letting a small whine escape his throat as he stretched. Who cared how long such a free feeling would last? So long as he was out for a while, he was happy; even if he was in a ripped up white shirt and matching white pants.
He looked like he'd just escaped form a loony house, to be accurate…and his goofy grin didn't help one bit. "Huh?" Looking around, he felt his ears become more alert, eyes narrowing softly.
There was something nearby…he could feel it, and now, he could hear it. It almost sounded like a crying child, but he wasn't exactly sure. He'd heard his share of painful sounds…but whatever it was, as it fell into the pen at the man's feet, let out one of he most miserable sounds he'd ever heard in his life. "Kill…k-kill…" It gasped, wheezing as its piercing yellow and green eyes locked onto that of the blonds'.
"What…the hell?" Zero took a small step away from the mutation as it's ears flew back, pinning to the back of the human like skull it was shaping into. The hands where hoping around like crazy as the bones realigned themselves long, long nail digging into the dirt.
The creature gasped and ached a little as the tail lashed around wildly, fur trailing all the way across its strange body. "Please…please, kill…kill…m-me…"
It was in pain. Zero was not stupid, and even if it was, the fact that it was suffering was apparent. It crawled then rolled onto its back, long nails clawing at its own neck and chest as it flailed, whining loudly. "Hey, hey don't do that!" Zero knelt down quickly, pulling the small hands away from the equally small neck of what would be a child size monster. "I said stop!"
The creature curled and started to cry, the whites of its eyes completely consumed by red now. One shimmering yellow eye rolled into the back of its head, while the green one strayed towards Zero.
"Kill me." It now said calmly, the fur starting to shed as pale human skin swam across its chest and face. Zero knew that he could…but he refused to do so as he held the strange child in his arms. "What is wrong? I told you to kill me." The seriousness of the child's voice made Zero flinch away a little, but he ignored that for now and continued to keep the hands from scratching the flesh.
Zero let out a half annoyed smirk at the kid, seeing it give him a blank stare of anger or something else. "What's with you? One second ago you where in agony…now this?"
The eyes of the thing moved around, the yellow one coming back into view as it let out a painful scream, which was muffled by Zero's 'RO' hand. "It burns! It burns! Get it out…kill me, please!" The kid arched again and started wildly thrashing, causing Zero to wince as his head was hit by the thing's own, ears flying forward before pinning back again.
Darn this wild, crazy kid! It took little over an hour to fully get the thing to stop thrashing like that. Zero was just about to give up when the creature shut both eyes and started to sulk, body growing weak.
There. Pant, pant, pant…such a workout, just to control one small, scrawny, little mutant kid. Eventually, he let the thing go, and it fell to the ground with a small thud, slinking to a position that resembled an animal when it slept, both eyes open again, alert, and watching the air as it moved before them both. It was unlike anything Zero had ever seen…something out of a horror book or something out of a laboratory-
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Zero screamed, pulling his hair as he thought that last thought. The creature slowly looked over at him, both eyes burning with intensity.
The creature pushed itself up, small arms shaking as it tried so desperately to get up on its own. Messy dark hair was ruffled as Zero touched it, trying to pet it like an animal. The, whatever it was, just stayed still, ears slowly flattening to the sides.
"There now…your not so bad, eh?" Zero said softly, feeling himself yawn as the kid shook and fell onto is face. Whatever it was…Zero knew that, now, it was a male, like himself. The creature rolled onto his back and cried softly, letting out a whine and a whimper that caused Zero to sigh. Though most of the kid was still covered in fur, Zero saw him shiver more, and reluctantly took off his torn shirt. "Here."
The kid didn't move as the shirt was thrown over him like a blanket, but instead continued to lay still, wheezing and panting like he couldn't breath, or maybe he just didn't want to.
Whatever caused the kid to do such things, it wasn't normal, and it made Zero suspiciously curious. "What's your name, kiddo?" He asked softly, rubbing his arms as he tried to release some tension on his own muscles.
The creature merely shrugged, the skin around his eyes bubbling, like it was melting off. It was like parts of his body ate at the other parts, or that half of him wasn't compatible with the other half…whatever it was, the tear streaks made scars across his flesh as they leaked down, making him whimper slightly.
"They left me…" He whined, both eyes looking up at Zero desperately. He had never seen such a pathetic excuse of life…ever. He'd thought he had seen it all, till he laid his eyes upon this misshapen creature. "…they left me…" That time, it was more of a snarl, or a growl even, his lips watching as they pulled back like an animal to show his fangs. Zero felt some kinship with that. Many times had everyone been let down or abandoned; it was the sad fact of life.
Only, the kid was young…this was probably his first time to get left like he had. Zero didn't know who'd left him, but he knew what the obvious reason must have been, as did any real survivor who laid eyes on him.
"Why…they hated me…they must have…hated…me…" He started again, tears leaking all down his neck,
Zero glared. "Stop that, right now." He stated firmly, seeing the creature tilt his head up at Zero. "They saw that you where weak, so they cut you out. It was a simple act, made in logic, not with emotions. You look about ready to keel over, so of course they wouldn't risk anything by dragging your half limp body around."
The creature half nodded, half sulked, not wanting to ague with the other anymore. "Will you leave me, too?" He finally asked, seeming to be unsure of the question, even before he asked it.
Zero smiled a little, then gently patted the creature's head. He didn't want to leave him, but, it seemed that he might have to. "I'll tell you what, kiddo." Zero began, standing up with a stretch of his arms. "If you can get up on your own, and prove that you really want to come with me…then, I'll give you all the help you require, but none that is simply an inconvenience. You understand?"
The creature nodded, shakily pushing his body up, exhausted just from using hi arms as a prop to sit up. It was his strain that made him wince, unable to pull his legs under him fast enough to stand. Instead he kept falling back down, over and over. It seemed very hopeless.
Zero saw it in another light, though. This creature, either really wanted to live, or really wanted to come with him…either way, his eagerness was perfection in Zero's eyes, and it was the real decider on whether the kid went or not.
Carefully pulling his arm, Zero tugged the weak male to his feet, seeing his two colored eyes race to meet his own. "Relax…your coming with me." He said, smiling more when the creature nodded, at first not understanding. Lucky for him, the ked was much light enough to carry easily on his back, and Zero as much strong enough to do just that. It wouldn't take long, with his eagerness, to grow some muscles…
Then, Zero wouldn't have to carry him, anywhere. The kid could run along with the best of them, and Zero, well, he'd be happy for the company on his aimless travels.