FLOAT
Have you ever known what it feels like to float? If you haven't you're missing out...its nothing like you've ever felt before. Time slows down and everything seems to freezes in place almost like someone pressed the pause button on the remote. Its magical...until you hit the ground and then time catches up with you...
The night was cold and when I say
cold I mean very... I hear startled cries an foot steps slapping the
pavement. I hear muffled phrases such as " What happened, Is
he alright!" Of course I can't answer these questions because I
am sprawled out on the pavement in a daze. I look up at my adversary
a black protog'e 5. It head lights are beaming in my face as I stare
at it entranced by its light. I hear footseps coming toward me. "
Get up you idiot before they get to you. ...Get up !" my mind
screamed. But I just didn't have the will. I had been running all
night Erasers on my tail, twenty four, seven. I can still remember
their eyes flashing in the light of street lamps. The footsteps were
getting closer and soon they would see me..my face and my body. That
was something I didn't want to share with anyone...not even my
shadow. Conjuring the strength in my gut I slowly began to rise. "
Hurrry up they will seee yooouu." my mind crooned. I wiggled out
of range of the headlights using the darkness as a temporary cloak.
My heart skipped a beat as the lazy wandering beam of a flashlight
was approahcing. " NOW!" my instincts screamed. I had
reached all fours and darted foward like an animal in the awkward
human immitation of quadrapetic motion. The owner of the flashlight
saw my movment and placed his nosy beam of light on me...good thing
I'm fast..but not fast enough. He caught a glimpse of my feet and
back and let out another suprised cry... I hated that so much.
He
yelled to his companions, screaming " This guy ain't human! this
guy ain't human!" When I had found refuge on a rooftop I decided
to watch them scurry for a bit. Its alittle hobby of mine. I chuckled
to myself as the nosy guy tried to describe to his companions what he
had seen. " He was some sort of mutant thing! Not human!"
The others laughed at him and so did I.
"hehe ...he's not
human ...NO CRAP," I muttered. Now that I had avoided being
seen, all I had to worry about was Erasers and finding the scent that
I had lost. I growled in frustration it took me days to pick up their
scent last time. Oh well I'd just have to deal with it...I sighed and
suddenly felt weak and fell back onto the roof. I mustered my last
bit of strength and crawled over to billboard that stratled the
building that I was on and hid in its shadow...I would start
searching tomorrow. All I could do now was heal and rest...By the
way, my name is Purple Cat ...and I'm from...I'll tell you
later...snores.
Unlike some people I am
definetely a morning person. There is nothing quite like the start of
new day. The sun is coming up the sky is tattooed with an array of
pretty colors...
I woke up under the billboard which sported an
advertisment for soap and boy did I need it...I hadn't take a shower
since I left the...We won't get into that. I began to move slowly
unsure if I had been seriously hurt but then again If I had I would
have been caught by now. I drummed my clawed fingers on the concrete
roof...those work. I opened and closed my mouth slowly it a little
bit and the tangy taste blood still lingered on my tounge...check. I
moved my arms...check and then began to get to my kne-...OUCH! OUCH!
NO CHECK !. A seering pain slithered down my back to my toes. I ran a
trembling hand down my spine and sure enough a few of my vertebrae
were out of alignment which would have paralyzed any person. But the
funny thing about is I am not ordinary person. I moaned and lay flat
on the gournd momentarily frustrated. "You can fix this, PC you
can fix it," I told myself. So without further a due I made a
sharp jerking motion with my body, SNAP! CRACKLE! and you guessed it
...POP! I cried out and then lay flat again. After the pain had
subsided and I checked my mobility and sure enough it was fixed. I
sat up and looked at the rising sun...wondering what touble I could
get myself into when I remebered my mission...it is what they would
have wanted. I had to hurry and more on. Traveling during the day was
dangerous for me but it was the only way I could travel..because at
night I am pretty much blind even though I have some vision its not
adequate enough to be considered sight. I yawned sleepily and stood
on the edge of the roof and jumped off. I snapped my small wings open
and began to flap them furiously. Luckily a wind blew strong and full
under them and I began to gain altitude. The city that I had been
hiding out in dissappeared beneath me and I pressed on my journey. My
first order of business would be to hook up with a friend of mine in
the next city...She would most definatley know their location... I
flew for hours and I was slowly loosing altitude. My wings are not as
well devloped as others and so while I can't fly for long distances
if the winds favor me I can glide for a very long time, but my luck
hasn't been favoring me lately considering the fact that I was hit by
a car only hours before. The rumbling of my stomach didn't help
either. I looked down... forest all of it, nothing but trees for
miles. Nothing out of the usual until...I smelt something...odd.
I sniffed the air
cautiously to make sure what ever I was smelling wouldn't kill... I
sniffed more and then recognized it...blood. My wings fluttered
slightly in alarm and I was praying for a wind now to carry me far
away, but I still continued to unwillingly descend.
"Very
well. It wouldn't hurt to check it out," I said to myself. I
positioned myslef for a landing. A large pine was rising up to meet
me. I curled my legs up towards my stomach and extened the claws out
of my toes. When a branch came into range I shot my feet out and
hooked the branch. As soon as I had gotten a foot hold I grabbed the
branch tightly and wrapped my tail around it for more stablility.
Once I was secure I began to climb down as silently and carefully as
I could. As I got to the lower branchs of the tree a horrid spectacle
unfolded before me. There were four Erasers circling something...
What it was I couldn't tell yet. Every instinct told me to run away,
but there then their was that tiny voice in my head that said..."
Would you want someone to run away?" Sometimes I wonder why I
care for others at all. I tried to slow my breathing and began to
advance toward the circle. As I got closer a converstation began to
unfold.
" We are sick of your kind! I don't know why the
whitecoats bother making you. You all are useless!" One of them
spat. The scent of blood was becoming overwhelming,whoever was
unfortunate enough to be in the center of this circle I truly pittied
them.
"We-" the voice that replied was cut off by swift
motion from the first Eraser I heard.
" SHUT UP! You make me
sick!"
When I got to a place where I could see my heart sank
and when I mean sank, I mean like the Titanic. Crouched on the ground
was a kid, I don't around the age of 13 or so. He was bleeding from
huge gashes in his arms and deep one down his back. His wings had
large clumps of feathers missing. The other thing that caught my
attention about his wings is that they were HUGE well over 13ft
across I'll tell that. " If you are going to kill go ahead and
get on with it," The bird kid said. Another Eraser advanced with
a chain in his fist " Because we need you alive for now...But
don't worry you'll get your wish." The bird kid lunged foward at
his attacker only to get slapped in the side of the head with the
Eraser's weapon. The bird kid cried out , the Eraser smiled happily
and brought the chain around for another attack, when the bird kid
grabbed it, but that is all he could do. The Eraser reclaimed the
chain with a sharp jerk. Two Erasers attacked and held the kid down
as the other two began to pluck out feathers. I had seen enough. My
grip tighented on the branch and I couldn't move. My breath had
become shallower and shallower. I wanted to help...but...but...I'm
afraid. The screams of the bird kid along with laughter of the
Erasers made me feel strange inside. I closed my eyes hating myself
for not being able to leap down and defend him. Something landed on
my face. It was soft and velvety to the touch, but it was also wet. I
stared at the blood stained feather. Suddenly memories flashed before
my mind's eye...bad things...things I didn't like...Things I had
seen and I could do nothing about...But then I realized
something...this was something I could change. The symphony of wicked
laughter and anguished cries made that strange feeling stronger. My
fur bristled on my neck and lips peeled back to reveal my teeth and
fangs. A hoarse sound brewed in my throat. Mybreathing became faster
and then my muscles went to work and they propelled me foward...as I
shot out of the trees I realized something...I was angry.
Anger is a foreign emotion to me... I guess I always kept my anger underwraps apparently not now...
I shot out of the trees letting out a piercing
bird cry . I landed on the back of the Eraser that I heard speak
first and sunk my teeth into his beefy shoulder while plunging my
claws into his flesh. The other Erasers took action leaving the bird
kid, confident that he wouldn't go anywhere. They pulled me off with
such for that it felt that my teeth were going to be pulled out,
fortunately they weren't.I fell to the ground hard, air rushing out
of my lungs. I quickly got to my feet and hissed. The Erasers
surrounded me ,ganshing their teeth, snarling and cracking their
knuckles. Letting me know that I was in for the beat down of my
life...yeah right.
" Who the heck are you?" the Eraser
I had bitten asked, blood dripping down his shoulder. I could tell he
was the leader, cause he was the biggest, smelliest, and most
important of all the hairiest. Now I don't always have a quick smart
come back for situations like this but I hear that Erasers arn't good
with names and faces.. but they do remember you if you punch them in
the face and that is what I did. He fell back cursing and hit his
head against a tree. The other three attacked me, falling on me all
at once. I was pressed against the ground. My heart was beating fast
this brought back bad memories... not being able to move...rage
boiling in my guts. I caught a glimpse of the bird kid, pale and
weak...surrounded by a ring of blood and green feathers. I needed to
get out of this and quick. I didn't know what would happen to me if I
lost this fight. But that was not an option... I had lost many
battles in my life time but this wasn't going to be one of those
battles. I let out another piercing cry and with one heave of my
shoulders I threw the Erasers off. They all tumbled onto their leader
letting out a chorus of grunts. My heart was working over time and my
stomach was filled with a swarm of butterflies. Now that I was free,
I rushed over to the bird kid and grabbded him by the shirt collar
and the only words that entered my brain at that instant were "
RUN"...
RUN! very interesting word, for those of you who don't know. Running is the action that a mutant does when he wants away from his enemies in a jiffy...
My
heart continued to pound to the point that I wish I didn't have one.
My feet smacked against the forest's hard dirt floor. I adjusted my
grip on the bird kid's shirt collar. It was hard to carry him and run
at the same time, because of his colossal wings. But I managed
regardless. The trees were flying by me in a medely of greens,browns
and warm yellow light from the sun. I heard the coarse remarks of the
Erasers that I had ruffed up starting to rise in volume. My lungs
were straining to keep my going, but my legs felt as if they could
run at this pace all day. Suddenly I tripped over a root and me and
the kid came crashing to the ground. I got to my feet quickly as much
as I would have loved to stay on the ground. I knew I couldn't start
running again. The only thing that kept going through my mind was '
Keep the kid safe. Keep the kid safe.'
" Hey " I said
softly poking him. He moaned and looked up at me with weary eyes. I
knew this was a stupid question but it didn't hurt to ask. If the
answer was good I think I could get us out of this fix in one piece.
" Do you think you can climb?" THe bird kid raised an eye
brow " Don't worry I'll help...I just need to get out out of
their reach." The bird kid nodded and began to stand up slowly.
I knew trees... they were the things that I could make an emergeny
landing on without sustaining too much damage. I also knew which ones
were sturdy and which ones were not. Luckily there was one nearby.
The bird kid grabbed the first branch and began to climb...painfully
slow. The approaching yells and boot beats made me anxious...so I
hurried him along. I grabbed the back of his shirt and tossed him
upwards. The kid flapped his wings slightly and then hugged one of
the branches. When I was sure he was high enough I began to climb
myself when something cold and hard wrapped itself around my neck and
pulled me off the tree and onto the ground. I yowled and began to
fight the chain and its owner. I pulled against the chain, but it was
no use, the cruel thing was tighitng itself around my trachea. I
coughed and struggled feeling myself getting dizzy. The other Erasers
laughed and made whooping sounds.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" said
a voice. The Erasers stopped making noise and backed away from me.
The chain was still around my neck though. Another Eraser approached
this one even bigger than the others. He was in his wolf form with
black as soot and a white stripe that ran from the tip off his snout
all the way down his back. I knew his face and I was becoming even
more concerned that he would remember mine...
You know that situation... when you meet someone that you know at the store...you know...someone you don't particularly care for? You try very hard to keep hidden in the produce aisle and but for some freakish reason or another they find you well that is the situation I am in a now and I don't have one pile of potatos to hide behind...
At the
moment that the one striped Eraser appeared on the scene...I quickly
freed myself from the chain that encricled my neck. I let out an
instinctive hiss and I felt my fur bristle a little bit. ' Calm down
...maybe he won't remember you'. I kept thinking to myself.
"Chesire?" The striped Eraser said in an inquiring
tone. 'Uh oh'
" My name isn't Chesire...and you off all the
idiots here should know that, Fox" I said, not even bothering to
be polite, becuase usually I am.
" Oh yeah you go by that
incredibly ridiculous alias...Purple Cat."
" Well at
least its realistic," I retorted and then in a split second
turned to run up the tree when the chain got me again. I fell again
face down in the dirt and at this point I wasn't becoming
particularly fond of the Eraser that was holding it.
" What
is your hurry? I think its time we caught up on lost time... you know
finish what we started." Fox said smiling his annoying wicked
smile. A flash back came to mind one that I had bound and chained
deep,deep, DEEP into my conscious. I still remember the smell of my
blood ...everywhere. Four Erasers circeling me as I lie there in the
center waiting impatiently for them to put an end to me. My thought
was inturpted by a comment from Fox.
He licked his furry fingers
and said "Ah...I can still remember you're taste." I had
heard enough and now Panic awoke in my body and I went...CRAZY! I
grabbed the chain weilder's chain and hurled him at Fox. The chain
made a crimson mark on my neck as I tore it away. The other Erasers
came in for the attack. For the first time in a while I roared and
grabbed both of their heads and bashed them together. Then with one
leap I launched myself at Fox while he was still struggling under the
Eraser I had hurled at him and set my claws to work. Now mind you
I've never killed a soul ...just severely maimed them. So after I was
satisfied by dealing a multitude of blows, I withdrew and climbed the
tree. I quickly grabbed the bird kid and without thinking or waiting
for a wind I launched myself from a tree. FORTUNATELY a weak wind
carried me away from Fox and the others, but it didn't carry me out
of the forest and then I lost altitude and crashed...
I believe I can fly...I believe I can touch the sky...I think about it every night and day spread my wings and fly away...I believe I just...CRASHED!
The room was dim with a single lamp hanging from the ceiling. The floor was cold against my body and it scent chills down my spine. Four Erasers with crimson faces,snarled and gnashed their teeth. I was in a extreme agony, my breath was labored and it hurt to move...my torso was shredded in a mess of purple fur and crimson blood so was my back. My left arm lay limp at my side rendered usless during the last attack. My eyes followed the Erasers... I took no pleasure in their perscene. My gaze fell on the whitecoats ,standing their with stoic faces writing things down on their little clipboards. I wanted to do so many mean things to them...but I didn't have the strength to do so. After they made their observations one of the Whitecoats looked up and said ' Again remember you must keep him alive.' Again? What more could they do?' I thought feeling tears creep into my eyes. The breathing in the Erasers changed and their circle began to slow. ' I can't go out like this...that much is certain.' I willed myself to get to my knees chugging the pain that went with my movement. I roared in defiance as all four engaged me. I still remember the smell and the feathers...
I woke up with
a start an aching pain in my stomach and seering one my right arm. My
eyes quickly snapped into focus... good it was still daylight. A
thick branch had broken my fall to certain death. I carefully eased
myself into a comfotable position on the branch cradling my arm. A
sharp piece of wood pierced it, I eyed it with annoyance and pulled
it out with a yank. My thoughts then turned to bird kid and my heart
jumped again. ' I hope my stupidity didn't kill him' I thought to
myself.
"Hey, up here," said a weak voice. I looked
up...it was the bird kid he was laying on the branch wings tucked
around him making a feathery blanket.
" Hello," I said
pleasantly as I could climbing up toward him despite my own injury.
"Are you alright?"
" As good as can been
expected after being attacked by Erasers and then rescued by a
strange human size cat."
I smiled at his sarcasm "that's
very nice."
" I'm suprised you survived you hit that
branch pretty hard. I thought for an instant that you were dead."
I chuckled and found a branch opposite of him . "It will
take more than that to hurt me," I said. "And I am not
embelishing when I say that." The bird kid nodded.
"
What is your name?" I asked licking my wound.
" Roc"
" Roc? That seems fitting for sum strange reason... did you
pick it? Or was it something that the Whitecoats gave you?"
"
I picked it myself," Roc replied.
" What is your name?
I didn't catch it?"
" Purple Cat or PC for short,"
I replied.
" Oh, you know you shouldn't do that your wound
could get infected."
"Cats and Dogs have an enzyme in
their saliva that acts as an antiseptic...humans have it too. I'll be
fine for now," I replied. " You should be more concerned
about yourself."
"I'll be alright...I think...I heal
pretty quickly especially when the sun is out...I guess you can say
I'm alittle bit like a plant. But I can only handle healing flesh
wounds".
" I see...Wh-"
" PURPLE CAT!"
a distant voice crooned. " PURPLE CAT... Here kitty...come
out..."
My anger flared up momentarily " Fox," I
hissed.
" You know him?" Roc asked.
"Know
isn't the word I would use... Come we are getting out of here."
Before Roc could react I picked him up again and back flipped off the
branch to the ground below.
"Put me down! I can run!"
Roc protested squirming in my grip.
I plopped him on the ground
"Very well then...keep up...that's all I ask."
"
Okay." Then we took off running...again...
We were on the run
again...I was a little happy that Roc was able to regenerate using
sunlight...just like a plant. The Whitecoats maybe be crazy but they
have a knack for giving us spiffy powers...maybe thats why they...
As we ran I wasn't afraid of anything...I don't why. I just
wasn't it was like going on a long jog to no where. BANG! the noise
brought me back into the present. A bullet grazed a poor pine tree
tearing through its wooden flesh.
"PC ! they've got guns!"
Roc shouted to me.
"What are you all excited for their
probably p-shooters nothing more," I shouted to him. Suddenly a
branch exploded off of another pine tree. I barely dodged it as it
came flying toward me. I looked over my shoulder and swallowed. Fox
was weilding a pretty sizeable weapon that could really do some
damage. " WHOOOHOO! I am going to make you into a nice pair
slippers Purple Cat ! just you wait!" Fox jeered tossing around
his weapon.
" Let's book it," I said, shaking another
memory from the view of my minds eye. We began to pick up more speed
pushing ourselves to the limit, hoping that our muscles wouldn't give
out. It wasn't to long before we were both beginning to feel the
strain. I will admit it I am no trackstar, matter of fact I am by far
the biggest couch poteto ever to walk this planet.
"We can't
keep this up! PC they'll catch us," Roc shouted to me. I knew
what he was thinking but I couldn't fly and I don't think he
understood that quite yet. I didn't want to tell him either and I
didn't know why. At first I thought that Roc was the weakest of the
two of us, but me being only partially aerodynamic didn't help. Even
though I hated me weakness if I didn't tell Roc than I would most
definetely die and probably take him with me.
" Roc...I
can't fly!" I said. Roc looked me in disbelief. "What! Do
you think the Whitecoats make only bird kids! Do you think you could
possibley lift me?"
Roc shook off his disbelief and focused
again " I think I can."
" Alright then." I
knew that He thought I was out of my mind but it was worth a shot
wasn't it? Roc opened his wings ..MY GOODNESS they were huge! They
cast an enormous shadow that blocked out the sun momentarily. A
coarse wind blew behind me as Roc flapped his colossal appendages
getting into position to take off. Gunshots were still being fired
but they were becoming more distant and even more inacurrate.
Suddenly I felt rock grab the back of my shirt and we were airborne.
THe forest disappeared beneath us in a matter of second with just a
few effortless wing flaps. I hated this but I was safe for now. The
air was peaceful now and all the noise from our presuers had vanished
I almost felt like sleeping.
" PC where to?"
"
South" I said. Roc nodded and headed in that direction. I knew
he wanted to know why I couldn't fly. But I wouldn't say unless he
really wanted to know. I folded my amrs over my chest and closed my
eyes.
" Let me know when you are tired... Or if their is a
strong wind...if one appearsyou can let me go and I can glide the
rest of the way."
" Alright." Good kid. I'm glad
he didn't decide to pry...I hated the reason that I would have to
give...to me it was pathetic, others may say it was just plain
tragic...
