Of Monsters and Humanity: The Genesis

Chapter 62 - Terra

The United States District of Health and Medicine's Project X Masquerade Ball

I had just finished writing my last note card containing the final wrap-up of my speech the night before when the doorbell rang. Curiously, and a little hesitantly, I padded down the stairs and to the door. A storm raged outside, the warm winds whipping through against the house and howling through the forest. After Christmas, the weather was eerily mild. We were in another warm front, but I preferred that over a bitter winter any day.

On my porch, soaked and panting, stood Damian.

He had told me that he had something for me, and that he heard his uncle shoot someone in his office. I didn't have much time to think before drove off, bending into the night and leaving me without words. He had given me a black box much lighter than I thought it would be. I didn't know what to say, or what to do. I tried to call him to ask him about what he said, but he didn't pick up. I was without understanding of what he said, and my awe and confusion continued until I fell asleep.

In the morning, I woke up gasping.

Damian's uncle killed someone, I thought as I panted and tried to recollect my thoughts. He had a gun, and he knew how to use it. He fucking killed someone with his own hands. He shot someone. He wasn't just the great head of Project X as everyone knew him to be: he was a killer.

I felt absolutely sick. The storm had passed but the sky had opened and allowed a consistent rain to fall. No matter what the outside weather or the outside world was telling me to feel, I felt completely afraid and horrified.

I contemplated actually going to the ball. If I didn't go, there wouldn't be any risk of me dying, right? I could stay home at my grandparent's house, in my own room, in my own bed. It was safe here. This was my happy place. Ever since I escaped my father, this place was my home. My room was my place of privacy and my bed was a source of comfort without strings attached.

A hole tore its way through me as I suddenly realized all of this. I was never coming home again. After the ball, I was to be taken away to The Coexistance base, whatever that was, and wherever it was. My bed was to remain here. My house was to continue to stay rooted to this earth.

A lot of my things were already packed in my car. My clothes, my family's legal documents, my grandparent's clothes, my artwork and supplies (just in case something would need to be sold for extra money), books, photographs, toiletries--all of the completely necessary and important things were already packed up in my car. I had taken every cent out of my savings account with the money I made during my internship at Project X, as well as the savings account that was handed down to me from my parents. My father, as horrible as he was and as much as I hated him, actually saved quite a bit of money for me. Maybe it was my mother's idea and he forgot that it had existed after she died, but it was there. I originally wanted none of it, but I decided that I would take it all in spite of him. So, in a large plastic bag hidden away in one of my suitcases, was about seventy thousand dollars. If something went wrong, I knew that I would be able to cover it.

I filled my car up with as much gas as I could and then filled a couple more gas cans full, just in case. I hated gasoline--the smell, the sight of a gas can. It all made me think of the last encounter with my father. My grandpa usually filled my gas tank, my grandma said that it was a good way for him to get out of the house. This time, though, I had to bury those painful childhood memories in order to escape Project X's hold on me. I wanted to be free.

Also in my car was about a week's worth of food. I knew that after the ball, I would be on the run. I had no idea how long that was going to be, so I made sure that I would have as much as I possibly could get without taking up too much space. Most of it was canned goods and had very distant expiration dates, which was perfect for what it would be used for.