12 – Failure or Success

I felt like I was choking. That's the first thing I felt when I woke up.

It's hard to explain. I felt like I was submerged in something. I finally managed to open my eyes. It was hard to keep them opened.

I didn't know where I was. I held my arm out in front of me but it hit something. Glass.

I instantly used both hands and pushed against the glass. I could tell it was strong. I spun around to see it surrounded me. I was trapped in a glass cylinder. But that's not the worst part. My feeling was correct. I was submerged in something.

It wasn't water. I could tell because, first, it was a light green colour, and second, I couldn't breathe in it. I'm a mermaid. I can breathe underwater but whatever this liquid was, I was struggling to breathe.

It was then that I looked down and saw it. My tail. It was a light blue tail that was reaching the bottom of the cylinder.

I don't remember shifting into my mermaid form. I focused my attention to try to get rid of it. I focused on getting my legs back. But nothing happened. I felt my eyes change to the light blue colouring. But still, no legs.

It was like I was being forced into my mermaid form. I relaxed as my eyes returned to normal. It was then I noticed how weak I felt. Like my energy had been zapped out of me.

I glanced around to the room until my eyes fell on someone I recognised. Liam. He was laying on the floor with a tube in his arm.

When I looked further past him, I saw Hayden laying face down on a table with the Dread Doctors over her. One of them walked over past Liam to a cylinder next to mine. I saw it was also filled with a green liquid.

But what really stood out was the person inside it. They had a mask on and their body looked like it had been there for years. Like it was degrading as the skin fell off. I unconsciously shook in fear. Was that going to happen to me?

The Dread Doctor used a needle to extract some of the liquid from the cylinder and walked back to Hayden.

I watched another use a blue light to examine the back of her neck. "Her condition worsens." He spoke to the others.

"Stop!" Liam yelled out from the floor. "Stop hurting her!" He began to wolf out as his eyes turned yellow and her roared. One of the Dread Doctors walked over and kicked him unconscious.

"Liam! Hayden!" I tried to yell but I had no strength. It barely came out as a noise as small bubbles rose from my lips.

The Dread Doctor walked over to me. He examined me. "Interesting." He stated before walking away. "Soon to be ready." He told the others.

I wanted to scream out. What did that mean? What were they doing to me? But all I could do was choke as I tried to breathe.

I watched on as time passed. Whatever they were doing to Hayden it seemed they were finished as they threw her on the ground next to Liam, who had woken up again. The Dread Doctors left the room.

"Hayden?" Liam said with worry as he wiggled his way closer to her. "Hayden, you okay?"

Hayden was rolling on the floor in pain. "It hurts." She lifted her shirt to reveal a wound leaking black liquid on her stomach.

She cried out in agony. "Give me your hand." Liam instructed. She reached out her hand as he took it. "There's something that Scott does. He can take away the pain." Liam explained. "I've never done it before but I can try."

He focused on trying to take her pain. But nothing happened as she groaned in pain. "I'm sorry." Liam apologised.

"Why are they doing this to us?" Hayden questioned.

Liam shook his head. "I don't know."

The two laid on the ground in silence as Hayden glanced around. Her eyes fell on me as she squinted her eyes in recognition. "Luna?" She questioned.

Liam rolled over to look at me in my cylinder. "Luna." He realised it was indeed me. "Are you okay?" He called out.

I tried to speak but it only came out as bubbles. I used my strength to point at Liam and then my arm. Liam furrowed his brows but Hayden caught on. "I think she wants you to take out the tube in your arm."

I nodded my head. Whatever they were doing to us, it was better to stop it as quickly as possible. Hayden started to pull at the tube in his arm. Liam cried out in pain as it was extracted. Black liquid was being pumped into his body. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?" She asked with worry.

"It'll heal." Liam explained to reassure her. "We'll all heal."

As the two stared at each other I saw the Dread Doctors walking up behind them. I tried screaming to warn them but nothing came out. I gritted my teeth and used the rest of my energy to hit my tail against the glass.

The sound caused them to look at me. I opened and closed my mouth in a panic as I tried to warn them. Luckily, Liam turned around to see what I was looking at. "Hayden!" He warned but it was too late.

The Dread Doctor stabbed her neck with a needle before holding a needle out for Liam. I watched as the two fell unconscious. The Dread Doctors picked them up and carried them away.

I tried to scream. I tried to get out. I tried anything I could. But suddenly, the exhaustion hit me as I fell unconscious.


It was like everything was a blur. I remember the Dread Doctors staring at me through the glass. I could feel the liquid being drained. I remember hearing the sound of the door on the cylinder opening. I was dragged out.

I could feel the cold floor against my skin. The fresh air I sucked into my lungs. It was hard to keep my eyes open but I could see my tail had disappeared. As I laid on the ground, I remember a gown being placed on me.

I was fading in and out of consciousness. I was being dragged by two of the Dread Doctors. I was between them as they tried to keep me upright and walking. But I had no energy. They literally were dragging me.

It wasn't long before I heard someone screaming. I glanced up to see the Dread Doctor open a strange gate. There was a boy backing up as the Dread Doctor grabbed him and dragged him out.

The two carrying me walked forwards and threw me inside on the ground. "Luna? Luna!" I could hear someone calling my name.

I watched as the Dread Doctors closed the gate and walked off with the screaming boy.

I felt someone shaking my shoulder. "Luna." I glanced to see it was Liam and Hayden.

I tried to open my mouth to speak but I couldn't even do that. I couldn't move. The two used their energy to move me up against the wall. I sat there trying to recover my strength.

I don't know how long we were trapped in here. Hours probably. Suddenly, Liam stood up. "They're coming back."

He helped Hayden stand up. The two held hands preparing for the worst. "Can you stand?" Liam asked me.

"N-No." I managed to croak out. It seems I had recovered enough strength to speak but I still couldn't move. "J-Just protect her and get away from here."

I rested my head on the wall in defeat. There wasn't nothing I could do to help. Suddenly, someone walked by. "Liam? Hayden? Luna?" It was Theo.

He ran towards the gate. "Theo, wait, don't." Liam warned but it was too late. Theo touched the gate and was electrocuted.

Theo fell to the ground. "Theo? Theo?" Liam questioned until Theo woke back up. "Theo, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Theo groaned. "Yeah, I'm fine." He groaned as he stood back up.

Theo glanced at the three of us inside. "Think you can get help?" Liam asked.

Theo tilted his head. "I am the help."

Theo walked forwards. Ready to try the gates again. Liam moved back to Hayden to keep her a safe distance. I watched from where I was, hoping the electricity wouldn't reach me here.

Theo gripped the gate as electricity sparked. His eyes flashed yellow and his fangs beared. He let out a roar as he ripped the gate open.

The electricity subsided as he walked in. "Let's go." He stated. Liam helped Hayden as the two walked out, leaning on each other.

I pushed my arms against the wall, trying to get up. But I fell back down. "Luna can't move." Liam explained to Theo as the three stared at me.

"Just go." I mumbled.

"We're not leaving you." Liam started.

I cut the boy off. "Just get out of here!" I yelled even though the strength was not behind it. The three exchanged glances. I looked at Theo. "Get them to safety."

Theo shook his head as he walked towards me. "I'll get you all to safety." He told as he knelt down next to me.

He put one arm under my knees and the other under my arms. He lifted me off the ground as he stood up. "Let's go." He told the other two as he carried me in his arms.

The four of us made it back to Theo's car. Liam helped Hayden into the backseat. Theo opened the passenger side door and placed me on the seat. "Thank you." I mumbled to him.

Theo grabbed my seatbelt and pulled it across me and clipped it in. "Thank me when I get you guys safe." He told as he looked me in the eyes.

He leaned out the car and shut my door before jumping in the driver's seat. He looked in the mirror to make sure Liam and Hayden were inside before driving off.

I could hear Hayden groaning from the pain. "It still hurts?" Liam questioned.

"Everywhere." Hayden confirmed. "I'm not healing. Not like I did before." She explained. "That means I'm a failure, doesn't it?"

The two fell silent as I twisted my head to see them kissing. I let them have their privacy as I turned back to the front.

"It's gone." I heard Hayden say. "The pains gone. How did you do that?" She questioned.

"I don't know." Liam admitted. I smiled as he had finally learnt how to take away someone's pain.

I could picture that the two were having their moment so I turned to Theo. "How'd you find us?" I asked.

"Corey. He's another chimera." Theo explained.

"Corey?" I furrowed my brows. Wasn't he the one Lucas stung and was in immense pain? So he was a chimera too. "Still doesn't explain how you found us."

Theo chuckled. "Scott used his claws to see Corey's memory. He was desperately looking for you three. He almost killed Corey to do it." Theo looked at me then back to the road.

I felt my eyes go wide. Scott almost killed Corey just to find us? Theo continued. "Scott, Malia and Mason went looking for you and I stayed with Lydia and Corey. Then Corey remembered being in that basement so I went to find you guys." He tilted his head. "You know the rest."

I nodded as I turned to face the window. I stared out at the night sky. I could feel Theo's eyes on me but I didn't bother to face him. I was too tired.

It wasn't long before we pulled up in the driveway. Theo hopped out and came to my door. He opened it and undid my seatbelt. He scooped me up in his arms again. "Sorry, I'm heavy." I muttered to him.

"No, you're not." He chuckled. "Besides, I have the strength of a werewolf. I think I'll manage."

I was struggling to stay awake. "Not if I had my tail." I mumbled. I didn't lie. When I grow my tail, I'm heavy. My tail is literally pure muscle. That makes it strong but also heavy.

"Sounds like a challenge." Theo grinned as he carried me towards the house.

I saw Liam and Hayden go in first to be met with a very relieved Lydia.

When Theo carried me in, Lydia came running over. "Luna, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just exhausted." I mumbled to the girl as she stroked my hair in a reassuring way.

"Place her on the chair." Lydia instructed to Theo as she pointed at the lounge chair.

The boy nodded as he carried me over towards it. I rested my head against his chest. "Theo." I started to grab his attention. He looked down at me. "Thank you." I said gratefully as he placed me on the couch chair.

"You're welcome." He stated with a smile. "Now get some sleep."

I didn't need to be told twice as I instantly fell into a deep sleep.