Start Anew

"This is truly a stunner, folks. The politics are speechless, leaving unanswered questions floating above the ocean of lies here. How could this happen to children? Did the Capitol know? What is our President hiding?"

"One of the bird freaks is in critical condition. The nurses and doctors at Mangrary Grove Hospital are sworn into secrecy, but rumors are slipping out. It's said that this girl, this being, is not expected to live until morning. A laboratory has already been selected to dissect the mutated child..."

"It's said that there are more of these bird children inside Mangrary Grove Hospital with the injured girl at this time. The exact number remains uncertain, but the estimate is at least eight. Yes, there's almost nine of these beings in this small, rural hospital. It was said that they arrived at 1:23p.m. Monday, September eighteenth."

"Are these the same children that did the air shows for the CSM, the ones that fled from that restaurant in New York?"

"Are they aliens?"

"It's said that the CSM is stepping in..."

"I'm getting word that another set of bird kids are being put under security and the CSM is welcoming them into their facilities."

"After laying low for so many years the famous bird freaks have resurfaced again!"

"We are waiting on word about the health of the female mutant that was whisked into Mangrary Grove Hospital yesterday evening..."

Someone was repeatedly changing channels, adding to my throbbing headache. I was sore all over and I could feel something in my arm. My eyelids forced themselves open, to my discomfort. I fidgeted and glanced straight up at a smooth, white ceiling. The antiseptic smell hit me first, making me hold my breath and tense. Slowly, I looked to my right and saw a welcoming form resting in a cushioned chair, flipping through the channels. He wasn't looking at me, which was ok. At least I knew that I wasn't in that dreaded, gut churning place.

"Do you all always...smile?" I heard a deeper voice ask. It must have been Gloom.

"Duh," Kale chuckled.

"I'm so bored!" Gazzy 2 whined.

"I wish those darn reporters would go away," Ebony sighed.

"I wish they'd stop talking about us on TV," Flair grumbled.

"Come on, you gotta love the fame," Storm said.

"Strange," Night's chilling voice echoed, "the staff here don't seem to sure of themselves."

"It's just because they're taking care of a multimillion dollar experiment," Ice spat, "I hate it when they talk about us like we're material!"

"They're saying Gwen won't make it till morning..." Kale whispered. Then there was a silence.

"I'm sure she's going to be fine," Ebony mused.

"Yah, I mean, it just a cracked rib and tore some muscles," Storm joined in.

"And a broken nose," Flair reminded.

"And a major loss of blood," Ice added.

"And there's a chance that she might have a major concision along with the fact that she's developing tetanus from the metal on her wings..." Gloom started to list things.

"How bad is it really, Gloom?" I joked, my voice drawled and hoarse.

"Gwen!" Kale shrieked. I smiled up at him and he wrapped me in a hug, his arms wielding his super strength again.

"I love you," I whispered randomly into his chest. He pulled back, tears threatening to pour from his rich, brown eyes.

He quickly climbed on the bed and straddled me. Kale's lips smashed into mine. I almost screamed in shock, but I melted right there in his arms, like chocolate left out on a hot summer day. I didn't think he was going to let me go. My arms came up and I got my hands caught in fists around his shirt. The IV fell out of my arm and all the pain ceased. Just for a moment I was in heaven, paradise, and he** all at once. There wasn't a world anymore; there wasn't anyone outside wanting to kill me or shove a camera in my face. There wasn't a fight to live anymore. It was just me and Kale with nothing between us and no questions to be confronted. It was just a moment of peace where I realized no matter what I had a pair of arms to run to and someone to stand next to me in the darkest days. I didn't care anymore if I had a purpose or a destination because from what I could tell I didn't want to be anywhere but here. Even when I had no where to turn I still had Kale there to back me up and, sometimes, push me forward. For a split second there was no death, no life, no end, no beginning, no morals, no right, no wrong, and no hurt; it was just us. But like all good things in this world, it had to come to an end. Flair shoved Kale off the bed and he hit the bleached floor with a dull thud.

"Don't kill her!" Flair yelled playfully.

Kale hurried to his feet and started bickering with Flair.

I stole a glance up at the small hospital TV mounted to the wall. There was a woman standing there shouting insults about us. Another man said he wanted us exterminated; we weren't human to him. I forced myself from the bed, ignoring the persistent pain, and made my way to the door.

"Uh, Gwen?" Storm called. I had already made my way out to the hallway and was now making a mad dash to the door, my anger flaring. I erupted from the doors of the hospital and marched strait towards the closest reported. The others tried to catch up with me, but I had already spun a woman around. She quit yelling about me exciting the building and stared at me with straight up fear.

"My name is Gwen Orksmith," I snarled. The woman gulped and held the microphone closer to me, shaking slightly. I smirked and jerked it from her hands, holding it under my mouth. Everything went quiet for a little while. They were all in pure shock.

"Yes, I have wings, but I also have a personality, a pulse beneath my wrist, and a heart under my ribs. I am no animal, yet some do venture to label me as a freak. When I was ten I was kidnapped and forced to live in a dog crate. Everyday I was subjected to inhumane tests where they spliced my DNA with that of a bird's. I was tested and put into mazes, being chased everyday by beefy men that you all would call a werewolf. I was tortured and left to starve and die many days, but I had it easy. There are several other children who have been put through worse, and are still being put through the tests. I stand here today as an escapee, and I warn you, as I have my other enemies, don't touch my family. I don't want to be dissected; I have feelings. I came from a human embryo and I feel and mostly act human, as do the members of my family. Please respect our rights as you take in what you see. I have battled to live my life, and I'm still fighting, so I won't give up easily if you plan on taking me apart for scientific curiosity. Thank you for your interest, but I ask for you to keep your nose out of my business and please stop with the threats. Thank you," I said into the mic before I passed it back. The woman stared at me with wide, fearful eyes.

"M-May we see you wings?" She tried politely. I unfolded them from under my back and extended them, causing her to duck to get out of the way. They had replaced the arc of my wing with a thick metal and I soon doubted if I would be able to fly again. She touched it, as if my wings weren't really there. I folded them back in to my spine and stared at her. She gawked back, amazed.

"My name is Kale Arbrown!" Of coarse. He popped up beside of me.

"Um...do you have anything to add, Kale?" Another reporter asked.

"I want to live," he stated, "Oh, and I want to watch the new episode of Family Guy!"

"Sir, can you tell us what happened to your eyes?!" Someone asked Gloom. He batted the camera away from his face, accidentally knocking it to the ground. The lens broke and everyone scurried back, wide eyed. Night slapped Gloom's forearm and silently scolded him. He bowed his head and whimpered like a scared animal. In a bat of an eye a uniformed man marched forward and grabbed me by the arm, yanking me back.

"Don't you dare manhandle her!" Kale growled, pushing the man. That's when the sound of many heavy boots echoed, like a stampede. Armed guys bounded forward, dressed head to toe in black with 'SWAT' wrote clearly across the front of their bulletproof vests. Yah, I think we're screwed.

"My name is Tom! I work for the CSM!" He hollered in my ear.

"We've gotten a call from a certain Martinez saying to bring you in!" He continued, pulling me back behind the hospital where a giant black helicopter waited.

"Where are we going?!" I asked over the sound of the crowd and the propellers chopping through the air.

"You're going to shake the President's hand!" He gave a big grin.

"So you're saying I can have a pony and a sparkly sweater?" Kale asked as they shoved him into the helicopter. The man holding him sighed and nodded. They had to literally shove the Dark Angels into the chopper; they protested the whole way.

"Are you serious about the whole 'meet the President' thing?!" I questioned. Tom laughed.

"Yes, you're kinda known world-wide now."

I climbed into the helicopter with butterflies swarming deep in my stomach. I waved at the reporters below as the machine took to the air. I still felt sick and tired, but I was alive. That's all that mattered, as long as we all were alive and together. This is my life, and I think it was just turned into a public news story.

Ok, next chapter is the epilogue!

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