Fade [On Hold]

Chapter 2- Guilty Whispers

Chapter 2

With our backs to the wall, darkness will fall.

“Listen up!” I shouted. “There’s going to be a few new rules now that I’m still alive, and you’ll follow these rules if you want to survive. Got it? Good. You didn’t have a choice either way.”

My announcement was met with silence. “Ready for the rules? One, you will call me Miss. Nothing else. Two, I’ll be treated with utmost respect. Three harm me or contact anyone outside of this warehouse and you’ll be answering to me. Four you ask me before making any decisions.”

Everyone nodded. “Good. Now you all are going to help me find out what new abilities I have, and how to use them. Once this is done and I feel confident, I’ll leave and if you followed the rules you’ll still be alive. Now chop chop! Make me a list of my new powers and we’ll figure out the next step later!”

People fell over themselves as they scrambled to do as I commanded. I turned to the scientist nearest to me, and ignored his fearful expression. I wasn’t going to hurt any of them unless I had no other choice.

“Fetch me some more food. Good food, that is. I’ve had enough of your prison crap.” He nodded vigorously and trotted away, calling out and asking for lunches on his way. I felt bad about taking someone else’s food, but then I remembered who they were and no longer felt so bad.

We never quite thought we could lose it all.

Yawning, I covered my mouth and looked around. Seeing that there wasn’t much for me to do, I sat on the floor and decided to try and figure a few things out for myself with the knowledge I already had.

I knew that shape shifting was one of the abilities that they were supposed to include, but I had next to no idea how I was going to be able to change my shape. However, I had an idea as to where to start.

Closing my eyes, I pictured an animal that was rarely seen in the world anymore- a black panther. Their sleek bodies and beautiful coloring drew me in and called my name, and I could relate to them the most. I figured it was a good creature to start with.

An empire’s fall in just one day.

You close your eyes and the glory fades.

I pictured every detail I could, starting from the eyes all the way down to the tail. The image was clearer for me than it would be for any other human, for I was one of the only people to have ever seen a panther.

Thirteen year old me was reading near the woods, a content grin on my face as something good happened in the book. By now I had gotten addicted to reading, it was my escape.

Everyone at that time was finding who he or she was and what they would do, but I still had no idea. All of my options seemed plain and boring, and I just couldn’t commit to one.

A female screamed and I looked up, face to face with a creature many of us had figured no longer existed. I gasped, struck by the deadly beauty of the animal so close to me.

Its intelligent green eyes studied me intently, and I reached up hesitantly. It was calling me; I couldn’t resist petting the beautiful creature before me. I figured if I was going to die, I might as well die happy.

My hand made contact right behind the animal’s ear, and I began to stroke the smooth black fur. Its eyes closed and it let out a rumbling purr, bringing a smile to my face. People were watching but I didn’t notice, it was like only the panther and I existed.