Lab Day 146
Osian’s body thudded violently against the ground as they were tossed back into their cell. A ragged cough left them as they tried to push themself up onto their hands, but searing hot pain radiated throughout their back and they fell back down onto the concrete. The world went dark.
The next time the mutant’s eyes opened, it was dark in the cell and in the hallway. Slowly, they pushed themself up into a sitting position and rested their shoulder on the wall, breathing heavily.
“Are you alright?”
Osian’s head snapped up, looking towards the door, but no one was there.
“Wh-“
“I’m in the room next to yours. I noticed that there was a crack in the concrete. I can’t see you, but I can hear you through it.” The woman spoke softly. Osian could hear a soft shuffling on the other side and their ears perked up, swiveling towards the source.
“How long have you been here?” She asked after Osian didn’t respond.
“146 days. They keep a log.” They replied after a few moments. Their tail moved to curl around their legs, though it didn’t offer much comfort. The once soft fur was now matted and some was burnt in places.
The woman didn’t speak for a while, so Osian’s eyes slowly started to close again. They almost fell asleep.
“Four years.”
Osian’s eyes opened again.
“What?”
“A week ago it was four years since I arrived here.” She sighed.
Osian’s stomach churned at the thought. “I’m… sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’ve accepted it. I’m never getting out of this place.” She let out a dry laugh and Osian heard more movement.
“You don’t think we could get out of here?” Osian asked, looking over at the cell door and the force field that acted as a window.
“We? I would only drag you down.”
The mutant turned their head to look at the crack in the wall.
“Why do you say that?”
There was more silence. Longer this time.
“They took my wings.” It was barely a whisper.
Osian’s heart sunk into their stomach.
“I-“
“Don’t say you’re sorry. Just… tell me about your mutation, yeah? I could use a distraction.”
Osian nodded, but then realized she couldn’t see it and cleared their throat.
“I’ve got fur, like, a lot of fur.”
The woman let out a genuine laugh.
“Is that it?”
“That’s the part that people talk about first. Well, that and the ears. They look like bat ears, but I’m not sure what I am entirely. I’ve got this… long tail, too.”
More silence met their words.
“What? Am I boring you?” They tried to joke.
“What do your eyes look like?” She asked suddenly.
Osian hummed softly and moved to press their agitated back against the cool concrete, hissing at the contact but then relaxing as the burn subsided for a brief moment.
“Blue and yellow.”
“You should get some sleep. You’re hurt.” She replied, not acknowledging what they said.
“We’re all hurt.”
“Yeah.”
Silence. Again.
“What’s your name?” She asked, almost sounding hesitant.
The mutant turned their head to look at the wall again. There was something that felt off about this entire thing, they just couldn’t place their finger on it.
“Osian. Osian Riley.”
The shuffling on the other side of the wall stopped and the woman let out a sigh.
“Yeah… that’s what I thought.”
Osian’s brow furrowed.
“What do you mean? How… how did you know that?” They asked slowly.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” She asked. “I’m not surprised. I wasn’t very nice.”
Osian’s brain was going a mile a minute, searching for some kind of connection between the two-
Their eyes widened and they slowly pressed a hand to the wall, a laugh of disbelief escaping them.
“Hey, Jamie.”
“Hello, Osian.”