Burning For You (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 2

Drawing by; fangirler816

<}???{>

I paced in my cage quickly, eyes wide with hatred. Anomalistic growls continued to emit from my throat as I continuously glanced into the inky darkness, waiting. Master has kept me here for longer than I can remember. I'm just another failed experiments. We all are. Supposedly, I have a new cage mate.

Yeah, like I'd let Master shove another failed little rat into this cage with me- who does he take me for?

The door to the dungeon began to slowly creak open, heavy footsteps echoing in the slightly cramped space. I could here something dragging along the floor, and soon, Master appeared in front of my cell.

I snarled, flashing my sharp, pointed teeth at the man, the hair on the back of my neck standing high as I closely watched him. The limp body of a boy was over his shoulders.

His face only illuminated by his brightly glowing eyes, I watched as his features twisted into a smirk. He opened the cell door, carelessly tossing the boy inside and slamming the door shut again. Hello you little rat, won't you make a fine-?

"Don't kill him mutt, this one might actually have something." Master snapped, fading into the darkness. His footsteps echoed until the dungeon doors slammed shut once more.

A deafening silence consumed me, my sensitive ears twitching. I gave a quiet growl, shifting my gaze towards my new cage "mate". I slowly stalked towards him, down on all fours despite the fact I could walk on two legs, and lowered my head to his hair, sniffing at the foreign stench. He doesn't smell all that bad... I pulled back again, my head limply falling to the side as I examined his normal human features. We all once looked like him. I rolled him onto his back, getting a better look at the boy.

My age maybe, just about 15.

Though it was hard to tell in such a dark atmosphere, the boy's hair seemed to be a dusty brown color and his skin tone seemed to be somewhat normal. A silver dog tag was attached to a string and hung loosely around his neck.

Each and every little lab rat has their own dog tag necklace. Not only did they serve Master as tracking devices, but allowed him the knowledge of when someone could once more be tested on, making sure we stay healthy and informing him when we aren't.

Each prisoner had their own. That way, Master can track us and make sure we're healthy enough to endure his tests. Mentally cursing at Master, I returned my attention to the boy's appearance.

"Jerome, was that Master? With the new guy?" A voice whispered to me from the cell across the darkened hallway. I crawled over to the bars of my own cell, sitting down as I was now able to see the one who'd spoken to me. He was also sitting.

"He's already tagged." I declared. My friend groaned.

"He put it on before testing? He's getting smarter, isn't he?"

I shook my head, as if my friend could clearly see me. I may be able to see him, but his vision isn't the best, even for a creature that dimly glows the way he does. I thought back to the boys scent. Foreign, and yet mixed with a scent that was much too familiar to forget.

"No, he smells like the laboratory. Must've not been an extreme change, I guess."

"He looks normal?!" I quietly chuckled.

"As human as he's ever been. Just like us, at one time."

"Will you two shut up?" Another voice hissed. "I'd like to actually get some sleep, if you don't mind."

"Don't be a cactus, Vikk. We're just talking." I rolled my eyes with a faint sigh as their bickering continued. My ears twitched, catching a faint sound. I turned slightly, looking to the boy, who used to be on the floor, but was now pressed into a corner fearfully. His beautiful hazel eyes were wide, his body slightly shaking.

Mentally groaning, I have a physical glare with a slight growl. "What?" I snapped.

"P-Please don't hurt me." He sounded on the verge of tears.

Don't hurt you? I bared my teeth, leaning over onto all 4 and jumping at him slightly, growling as he jumped away, afraid and pressed tightly to the corner.

"Jerome, quit being such a cactus! Can't you see he's scared?!" My friend yelled, and yet laughed. I guess he found this somewhat amusing. I rolled my eyes with a sigh. "Perston don't ruin all my fun!"

Pressing himself to the bars of the cage and beginning to glow extremely bright, the lava mob- Preston, chuckled as he clearly came into view for everyone to see.

"Relax kid, Jerome won't actually hurt you, he isn't allowed too anyway." Preston gave a friendly smirk, his naturally soft eyes getting this warm glow to them. It was relaxing, in a sense. Hesitantly, the new guy peeled himself off of the wall, standing there in the darkness, uneasy and still looking afraid.

"What's your name, newbie?" I demanded, looking away from everyone and just staring into the darkness. I can't believe I have a cage mate...

"M-Mitch... a-and, I assume you're J-Jerome?" He shakily asked, unsure as to what his boundaries were with me.

I nodded. "I am." His gaze began to wander my fur covered body, eyeing each strand of hair, taking in the reasonably large length of my claws, and noting that I was staring at him before quickly looking away again.

"Relax, would you? I won't actually hurt you." I relented, standing up on two legs and crossing my arms over my chest. At the sight of me standing, he seemed to pale, as if not expecting I could walk like that. Slowly walking over, I stopped in front of the boy, outstretching my hand, well, paw.

Looking down at my hand, then glancing up at me again, Mitch hesitantly reached out and shook it, snapping his hand away when I released it, not trusting me.

I rolled my eyes. "Vikk, get up and come meet the new kid!" I yelled into the cell across from ours.

"Yeah Vikky, quit being such a cactus and get your little demon butt off the ground!" Preston laughed. Vikk groaned, but the somewhat small lump that was barely even visible in Preston's cell shifted, getting up off the ground and coming into clear view.

"And you both wonder why I hate you..." He muttered, arms crossed as he shifted his vision from me to the kid in the corner.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, you hate us. Totally believable."

Vikk shifted his gaze back onto me and glared playfully, though he didn't crack a smile, so I couldn't tell if it was playful or not. He then shifted his vision, along with the rest of us, to the kid pressed up in the corner again, shaking.

"Mitch, meet Vikk."