Warped

Chapter 8: Lukas

Someone mumbles something and my eyes snap open. Only for me to groan and rub my face. It's always like this, all the time. I'm not sure whether it's a the new cat part of me or the fearful human part of me but every little sound wakes me up.

It hasn't been that long though since I've become a cat though, maybe half a day. I don't know how I know that, time has mostly been a blur here. A painful blur that smells horrid and is really dark. But I'm assuming my instincts are sharper, and thus, my internal clock.

Sighing, I get up and stretch. Particularly my back, I always feel I have to stretch it out. I generally feel I always have to stretch my limbs out, and that accursed tail, even if I've only been still for a few moments. Although when I'm laying down, I always just want to curl up. I never knew how conflicting those two instincts are until now, I thought ocelots were simple.

And I don't know what it is now, but I cannot stand that water. My throat is hoarse and raw from talking without drinking and my mouth has that dry disgusting feel to it. But still, the moment I taste the drug I cannot stop gagging until the liquid is out of me.

Which doesn't even make sense, animals have been drugged before. They don't know that whatever they're consuming will sedate them until it's already running through their systems, so I shouldn't be reacting like this. I just don't get it and I'm starting to stare longingly at the water.

"Lukas? You're still up?" I sigh and turn to Petra, who is pulling herself out of sleep. I smile, tiredly and my dry lips cracking apart, mainly so she feels better. Only for it to fall when I remember they can't see me.

"Cat naps I suppose, everything's waking me up all the time."

She yawns and her outline nods, pulling herself upright. "Does it feel weird? Or is it just like new limbs and stuff?"

Sighing again, I turn away from Petra. I know she can't see me as well, only if she super squints can she get a faint and blurry outline of me. I don't think the others have realized that I have enhanced sight yet, not when they aren't the sharpest right now. And I don't think I have fully realized how much I'm just... not thinking about things. I'm worried about Jesse and the others and I'm thinking about that, but I don't want to think about what's happened to me. I don't think I can handle it.

"It's strange, but I'm more worried about what's going to happen to you guys." I glance at Olivia's frail frame. "I'm scared that Olivia might not make it, not if it's the same for her as it was for me."

"What was it like?"

I scratch my head, maybe it's better I don't tell her. So she only has to experience the horrors once. "You know that feeling? The one where you really want to tear someone's throat out?"

"I'm usually the only one who gets that..."

"Yeah, so I got that feeling and the one where I would feel just fine if a Wither Storm was unleashed on all those people."

"Brutal."

"On the bright side," If there's any bright side for having your born title of 'human' turned into 'animal experiment'. "They sedate you right afterwards, so it's over when it's over. Lasts... I don't remember. Sedative."

I do remember, I could go in detail of how every minute felt like an hour of pure suffering, but I shouldn't. I know Petra doesn't scare easily, but she needs everything she has to get through this one. They all do.

That's when I hear it, the sound I've been dreading. Footsteps. Not just one or two, but a whole lot. I can't really tell, but there's not a not of time. We have to get the handcuffs back on before they realize we can get them off.