Find A Way Out

Chapter 1 - New Arrival

Get up. I sat bolt upright as the feeling in the back of my head woke me up. The door was being unlocked. My eyes widened. I scrambled to get up and flatten out the thin blanket. I stood with my arms by my sides, facing the door, looking down, shaking ever so slightly. I began to worry that I had slept in, and what they'd do to punish me for doing so. But my instincts told me that it was still night, and those instincts were barely ever wrong.

The door opened. I glanced up from my downward gaze. It was Randson, with a guard and a female scientist behind him. I gulped, my heart beginning to beat faster. In the eight years I know I've been here, anytime Randson's there only pain ensues..

"Quit your shaking!" He ordered. I immediately tried my best to stop. It worked for the most part.

"Good girl... now Zina, come over here, we're going for a little walk." I took the few steps closer until I was directly in front of him, still looking down. Randson grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room, the door of which closed behind me.

"Lead the way, Dr." Randson told the lady. She nodded once, turned and began to walk down the corridor. I felt Randson's large hands on my shoulders and slightly pushing me. I began walking, he kept his hands on my shoulders as he followed with the guard behind him.

I didn't know what was going on. Randson barely showed up at my door like this, it was normally only a scientist with a guard or two. We passed all the doors that I would usually be taken into. We were going somewhere new, a different part of the facility. I was shaking again. It was cold in the corridor, and as we walked by a window, I glanced out to see that it was still dark. So it was still night. I was never taken out for testing or experiments or lessons while it was still night. I kept quiet and didn't ask any questions. My bare feet were getting numb from the cold floor. All the while the feeling in the back of my head kept humming in unease.

We walked briskly for around five minutes I guessed, though I could tell that they wanted to get me there faster. The four of us stopped at a door. The scientist woman opened it. After she entered, Randson pushed me to go in, still holding my shoulders. I looked around. We were in what looked like an observation room, with a bunch of monitors and computers on two sides and a large window on another. I then realised that I've been in the room on the other side of the window... when they tested my ability in combat conditions.

Randson guided me over to the window. I nearly let out a gasp. There was a boy, he looked around my age... and quite scared, backed up against the far wall. He had brown hair from what I could see.

"...Who is he?" I ask quietly. The man let go of me and stood to my side.

"A new subject. He can cloak himself from one person by staring at them is what we understand so far."

"A-and why do you need me..?" My shaky voice asked. I was confused.

He walked over to a table and picked something up as he answered. I stayed where I was. "Well.. we have a theory that your ability will counteract his, allowing you to get close enough to put this on him."

I turned around as he got closer. In his hand, he held a black inhibitor collar. What they would use on me when they wanted to test me without my powers. He held it out for me to take. When I hesitated, he made me look him in the eyes.

"Need I remind you what happens when you don't comply, Zina?" I shook my head quickly and took the device. He smiled, a chilling gesture. "Good."

He looked up from me and nodded to two guards, who brought me out of the room to a door leading into the larger room where the boy was. One of them briefly made sure I new how to put the collar on the boy. They opened the door, shoved me in, then locked it behind me.

I stood there shivering in my white t-shirt and thin trousers and bare feet. I turn around and see the boy, around ten meters away. I stick the collar in my pocket. Slowly I make my way closer, trying not to freak him out. I don't want to do this, he doesn't deserve to go through what I have since I was five for eight years. As I get closer, I notice three things. Firstly, the boy's scared, blue eyes were very bloodshot and he was staring directly into mine. Secondly, he was a bit taller than me. And third, the feeling in the back of my head was going away.

I was only two meters in front of him. He was breathing heavily.

"Wh-who are you?" He questioned.

"I-I'm sorry.. But please put this on," I said, taking out the collar from my pocket. "Please, they don't like it if you don't listen.." He stared at me.

"Who are you a-and how can you still see me..?" He repeated.

"I'm Zina, someone else these people have taken to run tests on because I have an ability to sense danger.. And my ability is how they think I can still see you.."

The boy didn't move. I was nearly close enough to put on the collar, but he stopped me. I moved my hands back. He stared at the thing, but held out a shaky hand and took it. All I do is watch, as the boy takes the collar and puts it on himself. He looks a bit dizzy for a second, a side effect of the inhibitor collar, but steadies himself. He looks at me again, and stands somewhat straighter. He nodded. He was trying to look brave.

Some guards swiftly open the locked doors and came in. Before one gets near us, I hear the boy telling me something.

"I'm Austin." He says quickly before the guards reach us and usher me out. I'm brought to my room again. I tried to sleep the rest of the night but it was hard, all I could think about was Austin.