Of Monsters and Humanity: The Genesis

Chapter 48 - Terra

Eighteen days before....

General Gabriel and most of his men left promptly after Flora Mae did. The military vehicles exited the woods and I don't think that I had ever felt so lucky to live so off the map.

I watched as the large black vehicles disappeared from my driveway, and we were left with about thirty soldiers and SWAT officers all together. When Xander first arrived, there were hundreds. I didn't know as to why they were all of a sudden almost completely missing in action, but I had to admit that I was enjoying it.

I felt a presence behind me, and I turned around to see a tall being standing near me.

"Hi," I murmured.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Why are you sorry?" I asked. "This wasn't your fault." A moment went by, and then I looked up at him curiously. "How come they left you completely alone in the house with me? You'd think with all of the rules they put in place, you wouldn't be allowed to stand in the same room as me."

He blinked and shook his head, looking as though he was wondering the same thing. "I'm not sure. That was a stupid decision. They risked your life."

"You wouldn't hurt me," I whispered. "There have been plenty of times where you could have, and you didn't. You could have done it as soon as I walked into the Observation Room for the first time weeks ago."

His brown eyes widened as he stepped closer. "You don't know that. I could hurt you at any time in the future."

"Well...." I mumbled, walking over to sit on one of the loveseats in the parlor. "You didn't today."

He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest as he peered down at me, as if he were a bouncer at a club and I was an underage girl trying to get in with a fake I.D. "I didn't. But I could have. And all I keep thinking about is how there's little security in every room of this house...." he talked to himself before he sauntered over to a shelf along the wall. It had potted plants, pictures of myself when I was young, little figurines, and various knick-knacks.

"Do we need to call more security, Experiment X?" the soldier standing on the other side of the room boomed. I gasped, as I almost forgot that he was standing there. The security in the house stood so still that I could have sworn that they were statues.

Xander took a deep breath of air in, stood tall, and glared at him.

"Nice," I pressed.

His jaw clamped down and the muscles clenched. "Not unless you need it," he breathed, his body relaxing as he slowly backed away.

I giggled and stood up, suddenly feeling the day's weight put on me all at once. I almost lied to Flora Mae, my best friend, who was involuntarily just sucked into my Project X life. I thought my grandparents had come home early, and Flora Mae just met Xander. Things that I never thought would happen just happened in front of my face and I needed a minute to breathe.

Xander started following me up the stairs. "Where are you going?" he asked, his footsteps nearly mimicking mine.

"I just need a second to be alone," I answered.

His footsteps stopped. "Oh."

I got to the top of the railing and turned around, hooking my thumb over my shoulder. "You can come if you want," I quietly offered. "I just need a step away from the military." I looked to my right and gazed upon the soldier standing like stone next to me, an unamused look on his face.