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A new Dawn

Chapter II: Awakening

Seans eyes widened at the implication. "So what are you saying, am I dead?", he asked sarcastically.

The doc rolled his eyes. "No, but technically, your existence is… impossible. I only know one possibility that would explain this right now…" "And that would be?"

The doc looked at Sean with a serious expression: "That you are a mutant."

Sean layed back in his bed, staring at the ceiling. A mutant? I wonder how…, he thought.

It was common knowledge these days that mutants were simply the next stage of evolution and that they would replace Homo Sapiens as the dominant species on the planet.

Naturally, there were many humans who were against that idea, like the group of radicals who called themselves 'Friends of Humanity' (a lame name, as Sean thought).

However, there were many humans who had finally accepted mutants, such as Sterling, the doc. He wanted to run a few more tests on Sean to see just what his mutation actually was.

As the days progressed, Sterling got more and more frustrated with the test results. They kept coming back as a contradiction to the tests he just made the day before.

For example, Seans white blood cells had apparently not simply disappeared, they had become absorbed into the red blood cells. Just two days later, they reappeared in his blood stream, but they weren't white anymore. They had changed into black blood cells, but seemed to serve the same purpose as the white blood cells.

There were other changes in Seans physique as well. His teeth started to change as well, they became sharper and slightly rounded, as his canines grew to twice their usual length.

During the stay in the hospital Sean had practically lost all his baby fat. That however only served to show off the impressive muscles that seemed to be growing without him doing anything. He got the physique of a swimmer/runner.

As these changes progressed, it became more and more difficult for Sean and Sterling to keep his mutation under wraps. Although many people had finally accepted mutants, most still did not.

That included most people who worked/stayed at the DMC. If they would get even a sniff of Seans mutation, they would be on him like hounds.

Seans family and friends kept visiting, of course, but Sean kept his mutation even from them. His parents hated mutants with a passion, and that had been impressed upon his brother and sister.

He no longer grinned so he wouldn't show any teeth by mistake, he didn't eat, drink or talk much.

After a week however, a change occurred that changed everything.

Sean kept growing weaker, even though he was eating regularly. A blood test finally brought forth the reason why.

Seans metabolism had completely changed. And this change finally showed them what kind of mutation he had: he had become the closest living thing to a vampire.

"A VAMPIRE?", Sean shouted. After all, it WAS a little difficult to believe, even with the knowledge of different mutations out there.

"Yes… it seems that your metabolism has changed in such a fashion that you can't survive without drinking blood." "What… what do you mean?" "Your blood is what carries important stuff like oxygen, vitamins etc to your muscles. The food you are digesting is not sufficient anymore in doing so."

"So what, I have to suck blood now?", Sean asked with panic in his voice.

Sterling sighed. "It would seem so. I have made some progress lately about your mutation, let me explain:

"Your mutation is based on physical changes. I'm sure you have noticed your increase where your senses are concerned?"

Sean HAD noticed that. He could see much better than before. Actually, he could see perfectly. Whereas before he had needed glasses, now he could clearly distinguish between people at the hotel on the other side of the road.

His hearing had picked up dramatically as well. He could make out people walking outside of his room. Not only could he hear them, he could actually tell EXACTLY where they were.

Even his sense of smell had picked up. While his hearing told him where somebody was, his smell told him WHO it was.

This increase had been immensely helpful in hiding his abilities. Without them he would probably have been found out already.

Sean grunted. "Yeah, I noticed. Hard not to, really…"

"Exactly. This, your enhanced strength and, if I am not very wrong, your increased speed, are all part of your mutation. However, you need sustenance to keep your body moving. You can eat and drink normal food, but that doesn't nourish you.

"For that, you need blood."

Sean sank back onto the pillow, unable to believe what Sterling had told him. "I… I don't… understand… I…"

Sterling sighed again and then dropped a red packet onto the bedstand. Medical blood?, Sean thought with mounting unease.

"I know this is difficult for you, but… you have to drink. If you don't, you will grow weaker and weaker, until…" Sean looked at Sterling.

"Until what?" Sterling looked at Sean with the same expression like he did when he told him he was a mutant.

"Until you die."

Later that night…

Sean sat on his bed, his gaze on the bag of medical blood next to him. What am I supposed to do? I don't want to die yet… but drink blood to survive? I don't know if I can do that…

Slowly reaching out, he took the bag and set it onto his lap. Then again, what do I have to loose? I'm a mutant… once that gets out, I'll have a lot of people out for my blood…

He slowly pulled the bag closer to his mouth, his canines growing larger as he did so. If it can help me survive… then I'll do it.

He had barely bitten the bag open when the first drop of blood hit his tongue. Suddenly his instincts took control, so fast and hard he couldn't do anything to stop it. He practically shredded the blood blag in his drinking frenzy until he had swallowed every last drop.

As suddenly as it had hit him, it was over. He looked at the bag in his hands, breathing heavily. What was that? Is that going to happen every time I drink?

All of a sudden, pain hit him. Pain of the likes he never knew before. It flooded him, stretched from his head to his toes and engulfed him like an unstoppable tidal wave. Unable to even utter a single word, blackness surrounded him once again.

The last thing he felt before he became unconscious was the feeling of something breaking free in him.

Hah! Second chapter done!

Sean has finally awakened his latent powers. What will become of him?

In the next chapter he will have to choose his new destiny.

Anyway, hope you liked it!