The Perfect Human Project

Chapter 4

"Oh my god, Piper, are you alright?" The boy softly grabbed my hand and gently yanked my back up to my feet.

"Yeah." I pulled my hand away from him. Anger rapidly replaced the fear that once flowed within me. "Who do you think you are? Terrifying someone like this? Were you the one at the train station too? Do you think this is some kind of a joke? I could have you arrested!" I jabbed my finger into his broad chest.

"Just listen to me." He pled. "You have to understand-" I waved my hand in front of his face. I wasn't about to let him lie to me anymore.

"I don't have to listen to anything you have to say! First, you follow me home and almost give me a heart attack at the train station, then you attack me and drag me off into the woods, and now you expect me to listen to you? Who do you think you are?" I spat.

"I already told you." He was now speaking in a slower tone, like he was speaking to an infant, which enraged me even more. The one thing that I never put up with in my life was being spoken too like I was a child.

"Please, like I believe you. That's just a name I hear in my dreams. A figment of my imagination," I snorted. I whirled around on my heels and took a step forward when he caught my wrist again, which pushed me to the point of no return. Who does this boy think he is? First, he followed me home from the theater, and now this? I quickly twisted around raising my fist in the air. That's when the world seemed to slow around me. The boy caught my fist in midair, exposing the small of his wrist. Instead of a tracking bracelet, there was small black tattoo. My eyes widened in pure horror. I've only seen that symbol in documentaries in class. It was small, faded infinity symbol, with the word Elite wrapped around one side. It was the sign of an Elite. No one walking around in everyday life should have that tattoo. The marking of the Elite only belong to those who are Selected for a higher calling in life. Which meant the boy-

"No! No! No!" I struggled to break free. Panic bubbled up inside me. Something about this boy wasn't right. Nothing about the situation was right. Why would an Elite be walking around in a Normal world? They had been chosen to fulfill a higher calling. Why would he choose to come back to a Normal world?

"You know who I am, just listen to my voice." That's when a searing pain began to creep up into my skull.

"Best friends forever?"

"Forever."

I yanked my hands free and pressed them tightly to my ears. This couldn't be happening. This had to be a nightmare, and every nightmare had an end.

"Piper?" His voice was stricken with pain.

"Shut up!" I yelled. My whole head felt like it was on fire. I didn't know what could cause such extreme, agonizing pain, but I knew I wanted it to stop. I squinted my eyes to keep more tears from spilling over.

"Don't worry, Piper. In the end everything is going to be alright."

Everything in the world seemed to slow to a halt. The silence seemed to soothe the burning inside my skull. I pulled my hands away from my ears and stared at him. He was a good couple inches taller than me, and he was built strong. With broad shoulders, and a chest to match, it was no wonder he was chosen. He was all around beautiful, like an Elite should be. But instead of looking at an Elite, I was staring into the face of a ten year old little boy I once knew and loved, complete with his bright cherry red hair and matching blue eyes.

"Ky?" My voice sounded weak and childish. I was no longer eighteen-year old Piper Mitchell- strong, independent, daring, everything most girls wished they could be. I was ten-year old Piper who was quiet, shy, and everything I despised about myself. Tears filled his eyes as he hugged me tightly. My arms awkwardly hung down by my side, still having no clue who the boy really was.

"Piper Mitchell?" I could hear the gruffness of an approaching Officer's voice. The red on my bracelet began flashing rapidly. "An Officer is in the area, please stay calm."

Ky eyed my tracking bracelet, and took in a deep breath. "I have to go." I drew in a sharp breath. What the hell? First, he attacked me, we come to the realization that I once knew him, and now he had to leave? What the hell was going on?

"No, wait please stay." I grabbed a hold of his hand. "Don't leave me." I cried.

He gave me a soft smile and spoke softly. "I'll come back this time, I promise." His hand slipped from mine, and once again he disappeared into the darkness.

"Come back! Please come back, don't leave me again." I stumbled blindly after him. "Wait, please!" I called out after him.

Branches clawed at me skin, as I pushed myself deeper into the woods. My bracelet gave low shrilled beep, signaling I was out of bounds. But I couldn't stop, I had to find him, I had to find him and have him tell me about everything I've forgotten. I wanted to know who I once was, and why I was so drawn too him. That's when I felt a stabbing pain in my wrist. My bracelet hissed and flashed a bleeding red color and constricted tightly around my wrist, pinching the skin between the metal and my bone.

"Out of Area, turn back now, or face being Cited." My bracelet mono tune voice warned.

I clawed at the top of it, but my attempt was futile. The bracelet refused to budge. I collapsed on the ground and felt hot tears burn in the back of my eyes. Who was this stranger I once knew? And why couldn't I remember anything about him? The only thing I remember was not being Selected, and moving on with my life, like any Normal person did. That was when a twinge of pain tore through me.

The beautiful light blue dress, with embellishments around the waist. The diamond necklace and matching earrings my mother had earned through her vouchers at work. I remember my mother handed the jewelry to me and told me it was extra important to take care of them, since jewelry was not allowed unless it was Society issued, and even then jewelry was very rare.

That's when it hit me. All the stares, the whispers as I raced toward the marble color stage; the woman with the midnight black hair and sliver streaks. Her ice cold stare that could chill any fire with just one glance. I defined the Society by chasing after Ky, and in this world, defining the Society will get you killed. I was only ten at the time, but without knowing it, I stood against a choice of the Society.

"Piper?" I blinked a few times. The Officer was wearing a bleach white jump suit with a single black stripe going down the center of his body.

"Yes?" My voice sounded frail.

"I'm here to bring you home." The Officer was fairly tall, built on a wiry frame of a body. His eyes where a lifeless color green, just like most Officer's were.

"Okay." I brushed off a few stray tears and glanced down at my bracelet, which was still shockingly tight around my wrist. My hand was turning a light shade of purple when the Office gave a deep sigh.

"Let me see your bracelet." He gently grasped my wrist and looked over my bracelet. He raised his bracelet to be next to mine, and punched in a code. Instantly, the pressure around my wrist began to disappear. "You should know what this thing does by now. You had it for what? Eight years now? There should be no surprise that this thing will get tighter and tighter, until you listen or get caught." He spoke in hissing tone.

"You're going to be cited for being out of area, especially at this time at night. Now let's get you home before you get into anymore trouble." He put his arm around my shoulder and steered me away from the woods.