Please write more, Clouded Leopard!! Please.

He flew up to the top of the chamber and dropped down the side, landing rather hard on the floor. Awkwardly getting to his feet, he dusted himself off and looked around. Really, the lab was a chaotic place. There were tables everywhere, scattered with various items, electronic devices and chips, the digital kind, and papers softly fluttering in the breeze coming through from an open window. An open window…

Yes! That was it! David Michael grinned excitedly. He could just hop out the open window and leave, and—he stopped dead in his tracks, his smile wiped of his face. He couldn’t do that. How would he be treated, if he showed up in the general public with weird black wings sprouting out of his back? No, that wouldn’t work at all. He made an effort and turned away from the window, instead deciding to look around the lab.

The first thing he saw was the massive computer. It was hard to miss—sitting in the back of the room like an emperor watching his servants. David Michael cautiously walked up to it. His finger found the power button in the dark and pressed in. A flickering glow lit up the screen, its harsh light in the darkness making David Michael wince. But as his eyes adjusted and he watched the device boot up, he thought about this. Okay, as of now my top three priorities are to find out what the heck happened to me, get home, and try to not be noticed. Well… that last one might be a little difficult. He smirked in spite of everything. It would be difficult to go out in the public if you had huge, black wings sprouting from your back and gold and red hair.

Suddenly words appeared on the screen. David Michael adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose and squinted to read them.

PLEASE ENTER PASSWORD BELOW

_____________

David Michael groaned. Really, how had he not seen this coming? Of course there would be a password! He had no idea what it could possibly be, and now he was stuck. Let’s see, what do I know about these people? Heh… virtually nothing, other than they kidnap children, stick wings on their back and wear all—he stopped mid-thought.

Shaking, he pressed in the word W-H-I-T-E. Would it work? He hoped so…

INCORRECT PASSWORD PLEASE RETRY

                                                      ______________

“Dang it!” he said out loud. W-H-I-T-E C-L-O-U-D-S? W-H-I-T? W-H-I-T-E-N? Wrong, wrong, wrong! He clenched his fists on the desk, frustrated. If he couldn’t get in, he couldn’t find out about what happened to him! He put his head down on the desk, boiling. He groaned, distraught, until he happened to see a tiny scrap of paper taped to the side of the mammoth computer. He reached for it, unsure, and and read the word off it, lit up by the green glow of the computer.

            password: white362y

              don’t forget!

David Michael hesitantly typed the letters and numbers into the password bar, afraid of what would happen if it were wrong, but the computer made a soft ding and opened. David Michael felt a burst of elation as he scrutinized the screen. There were only seven apps on it; Macrosoft Words, Macrosoft PowerSharp, Macrosoft Excelling, the Internet, iMusic, the File Folder and the help center; but tons of files were littered the screen, each with complex and strange names, blending numbers and letter together in ways David Michael could barely read. David Michel looked through them all until he came across one titled A. POTERIACYTE EXP. Exp… like experiment? Hmm... this could be interesting, he thought, and double-clicked on it to open the folder.

Instantly a Macrosoft Words document popped up. At the top were the words ‘Apto Poteriacyte Human Experiment’. Human experiment? This could have something to do with what happened to me! He began to read. These were the words that were written there:

“Apto Poteriacyte. Begun just this year, a completely new experiment, delving into the almost unexplored branch of genetic mutations. If used to its utmost power, it could have world-changing effects.

“Apto Poteriacyte is a new breed of STEM cell, able to adapt. Discovered by H. Iwell in the late 19th century, it was mostly passed off as mad babbling from a scientist with a reputation for being unhinged. Nearly one hundred years later, his papers were resurfaced by our founder, and the incredible uses of this rarely-found cell were immediately experimented with, showing its great power and incredible use.

Intense research and experimentation has shown us how Apto Poteriacyte came to be. Firstly, STEM cells are cells in the human body that, when created, have the ability to transform into any other cell in the body, whether it may be a muscle cell, a nerve cell, or a brain cell. The certain one written in Iwell’s papers looks as if it had been changed by a splicing of genes done by Iwell, allowing it to expand its transformative powers beyond just human body cells. This altering of genes has enhanced the STEM cells to an extremely high level of adaptation, so high that, in fact, genetic mutations are possible. The human who Iwell was testing with had shown signs of possessing the certain strain of STEM cell that could be altered and given mutation powers. Judging by Iwell’s study, the cell, though rare, could theoretically be found in other people. Naturally this hypothesis had to be tested, and Iwell set about to testing it as soon as he could.

However, he was hampered by the fact that he had little to no grant money or anything to spend in his endeavors, and he died a few years later. However, once we picked up the research, we quickly discovered the younger life forms are more likely to have the needed STEM cell because of the small amounts of shots, injections, and other health precautions that have been given to them.

THUMP.

Keep going! I need more of this amazing book!

The sound echoed from behind David Michael, stretching into the darkness of the laboratory. David Michael jumped, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Ever since he had had to live with his Uncle Roy’s rottweiler, Jasper, for two weeks he had been unchangeably nervous. A twinge of fear in the back of his mind, he turned back to the glowing computer screen.

“They take on the DNA of the first living from their host touches and… adapts to it. It takes on the features of this other being, often... 'unsuccesfully'. Once a living being has mutated, it can go through no more transformations. But to see the effects of this disease, we gathered four young humans (who are undeniably the species that shows the mots change and whose genetic code is easiest to read) who had shown signs of having been born with the STEM cells.” David Michael’s heart beat faster. This was him! He was on of this four! He read on.

“Subjects A1, T2, DM3, and A4 have been tested with introduced mutations, all successfully.  The—“

THUMP.

David Michael whipped around, trying to pinpoint the sound echoing eerily out if the blackness. His nerves on end he slowly turned back to the computer and began reading out loud this time.

“The… results were… unusual, although not… unexpected,” he said quietly, under his breath. “All four...were introduced… to an animal… with wings! Until they… made contact and… received and took in the… DNA.” His mind whirling, he looked away from the screen. So that was it. He had some kind of new cell in his blood, and now it was infected. The wings were from some other animal’s DNA. He was a… a mutant.

THUMP.

David Michael’s heart began to beat faster. What else was in here, besides him? He peered into the darkness, his eyes roving the blackness, but they could make out nothing.

DA-WHAM...THUMP.

He gulped. There was only one way to find out. To find out what was out there. He spread his wings, but didn’t fly. Instead he pulled them close around his body, acting as a shield or a cloak, then walked away from the bright screen.

Instantly all became dimmer; he could only see a few feet in front of him, just enough to navigate the maze-like laboratory. The thumps became louder as he neared (or so he thought; it was so hard to tell in the dark room) his own box, the white box.

When he reached his white prison, he stood looking at it, remembering the blinding brightness it had emitted.

THUMP.

The sound came out of nowhere, right next to his head. David Michael shot into the air, hairs on the back of his neck raised in fright, then instantly dropped to the ground again.

He was teased at school for being so nervous. He didn’t particularly like it, but kids his age always found something to tease you about. As he turned his head to attempt to pinpoint the sound and calming his frantically thumping heart. He put a hand on a white cell. Instantly he felt a weight against it. He withdrew immediately out of instinct, but began to think.

What was in there? Was it a wild animal? A heavy box? Or... another mutation like him? He weighed his options in his head.

Go back to your cell and stay safe, or find out what’s in there. He scrunched up his eyes in concentration. Another loud thump from the prison made up his mind.

He spread his wings and flew up to the cell rim. He was surprised to discover a clear glass cover, firmly placed on. He took a deep breath and looked inside.

Somehow he had expected what he saw, but his mind still went numb from shock.

“Angelica?”

Fantastic, CL! Congratulations!

Chapter 3

Angelica  

Bolts of shock jolted through Angelica as her mind slowly registered the face peering down at her from the glass ceiling, mirroring her astonishment. The wings on her back drooped and hung in air lightly, as if unsure of what to do.

“D-David Michael?” she said.

“Angelica!” The words were muffled but still discernible. “Angelica?” She raised her wings again and buzzed up to the ceiling. The thin fabric webbing in them allowed her to maneuver in her flying just like a dragonfly, the animal who she assumed her wings had belonged to. As she neared the glass top she noticed wings grew from Michael’s back as well. She couldn’t tell what they were, however, as they were covered in some kind of black plastic wrap.

“Why are you still in there?” asked David Michael, hands on the glass rim. His eyes were squinting, and Angelica thought she knew why. The white walls were so bright it hurt her eyes.

“Well, gee, I’d get out of this prison if I could, but as I can’t the top is closed, yes?” she huffed, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. David Michael winced at her tone but continued.

“I got out just fine, there was no top on my prison,” he said tapping the glass with his fingernail.

“I’ve been flying up against it and trying to break out, but it’s too strong,” she replied, frowning. David Michael’s eyes widened.

“YOU were that thumping I heard? That’s good to hear, I wouldn’t want it to be something else,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief. She raised an eyebrow. She knew well of David Michael’s nerves on end. He blushed a fiery crimson and changed the subject.

“So, um... how are we going to get you out of here?” he said, biting his lip. The glass seemed fairly thick. Angelica nodded.

“I’ve been pounding on it all this time, obviously, but it hasn’t given way.” David Michael tipped his head to the side, thinking.

“I could try. To break it, I mean,” he said, gesturing to the glass. Angelica nodded. David Michael unfurled his wings and flew straight up above her cell. Unfortunately he still wasn’t very good at controlling his flight and smashed his head on the ceiling.  “OWW!” he cried, falling waveringly from the ceiling and landed hard on the top of Angelica’s prison. She snorted.

“Nice one, graceful,” she said, grinning. He frowned at her and flew up again, this time being careful to not hit the ceiling. Then he clapped his wings to his side and dropped straight down foot first at the cell. There was a sickening crunch, and he rose up immediately clutching his foot in pain.

“Oww, ow ow ow!” he cried. “For future reference, don’t try that again!” Angelica rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Maybe we should try something else. This particular method doesn’t seem to be working.” David Michael considered this, and then nodded.

“You know what? I’ll just go around the... dark creepy lab and try to find something to break this with.” He shivered but still looked at her. Angelica nodded her affirmation. David Michael smiled and dropped off the side of the cage, his wings spreading and lifting him into the air. She buzzed back down to the bottom of the cell and waited. When David Michael’s wingbeats were too far away to hear any more, she breathed out a sigh of relief. All her muscles hurt from trying to break the glass, but she and been trying not to show it.

Why, though?

Angelica realized she didn’t really need to act tough; unless she was playing a character with that certain trait. So why did she do it around... him? As her thoughts began to wander, she noticed the crushing silence. It began constricting around her chest, laboring her breathing. In an effort to lighten the pressure she began to whistle.

The sweet sound echoed throughout the chamber. She had done the first song she had thought of, “Myrtle River.” Her mother had sung her to sleep with it when she was young. After she had whistled for a few minutes she began to sing.

“Float away, float away, float away with me, down the silver banks of the Myrtle River.”

“There we’ll be wild, there we’ll be free. Just the stars and the moon down the Myrtle with me.”

*Sing-Songy voice*

X Men X Men X Men, X Men X Men X Men, X Men X Men X Men, X Mem X Men X Men!!!!!

Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I'm just sorta obsessed with X Men right now. AND THIS IS TOTALLY AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Thank you so much, everyone, for all the nice words. It really makes me feel good that so many people are supporting me and this book I've written. CB is such a wonderul place. Just for it, here's an extra-long part. 

There was a rustle from above an Angelica snapped her head up. A copper red head streaked with gold was looking down at her with wide blue eyes. “Whoa,” said David Michael. “You’re good.” His tone had a somewhat reluctant streak of admiration. She frowned and shot a question back at him.

“How long have you been there?”

“Oh... a couple of minutes, maybe.” His cheeks colored. He thrust something metallic up against the glass. It was a…

“Lamp?” asked Angelica, her eyebrows lifting. It wasn’t a lamp like a family room one, tall, warm and covered with a lampshade. No, this one was small and probably used for surgery, as it had a bright white beam that cut through the darkness like a knife and a positionable post. It was about the size of her arm. It wasn’t much, but it would probably do.

“I’ll hit it against the glass top,” said David Michael. “OK?” Angelica nodded impatiently. She couldn’t wait to get out of the cramped white prison. “One... two... three...” he raised the lamp above his head and sent it hurtling down.

A piercing crash exploded inside the prison as glass rained down in deadly shards. Angelica pressed herself against a wall, covering her face, attempting to protect herself from the clear darts. Even so, the tiny daggers sliced her skin, drawing blood. She barely managed to suppress a groan. A few even flew up and struck David Michael, who grimaced, clenching his teeth.

All was still for a few seconds as the tinkling peals of glass hitting the floor faded away, then Angelica spoke. “You couldn’t have prevented me from becoming a chopping board, could you?” Sarcasm? Was that what she had just inflicted on him? Fortunately there was a snort from above. She relaxed, and suddenly she just wanted to fly. She spread her wings, vibrating them so they carried her up out of the jagged, but thankfully large enough hole. Guiltily she thought about what a grand entrance she was making, but the way of the theatre ran in her blood. As soon as she had exited the prison, she spread her wings out to their full extent, the moon’s glow illuminating them. She opened her eyes just a crack to see David Michael’s expression. He looked... a whole jumble of emotions. Incredulous, relieved, amused, even awed. Then, as she felt herself begin to fall, she let them come to life again.

She enjoyed the feeling of wind rushing through her cocoa hair as she zoomed around the lab, pulling it back to stream behind her in a brown wave. She had to admit, it had taken her the whole and many painful falls to learn to fly with these wings. Although, truthfully, her new eyesight had helped. Something had changed, but from the moment she woke up, it had been different. They were like tiny cameras, zooming in and focusing on everything, helping her perfectly maneuver around any object in her way.

Finally she swept around David Michael and landed neatly beside him. He whipped around, eyes wide. “Well!” he finally said. She grinned.

“I know, right? I’m still a little amazed I can do it myself...” she shuffled her feet on the rim of broken cage, mind chancing to land on the subject of how the heck two big dragonfly wings got stuck on her back. Also, how her eyes were much more advanced, and why David Michael was different too. Because she now noticed that other than the wings, he had somehow changed too.

There was a gold streak in his hair, his eyes were flecked with gold and his nose was sharper. I wonder why… wait, why do I care? His nose is his own problem! She frowned and opened her mouth to say something, but David Michael beat her to it.

“Yeah, well, it’s not every day you find a couple of flying mutant freaks.” As soon as the words exited his mouth, David Michael looked horrified, wanting to recall them back, but it was too late. Angelica felt anger surge through her like a tidal wave. That was what he thought? Even though she was different now, that she was nothing more than a mutation? An experiment gone wrong?

She bit her lip, trying not to let her emotions control her, but it was so hard. She finally let them wash over her. She shot into the air, hovering for a second, glaring at David Michael, who cowered beneath, words on the tip of his tongue, his mouth opening—

She flew away. So fast, she hardly knew what was happening. All she thought about now was getting away from the awful truth.

Her eyes were almost closed as she flew, so fast that she could hardly see. Tears streamed out of her half-closed eyes, dripping into the blackness below. All of a sudden she slammed into some large, thick object. She had been going so fast the impact nearly cracked her skull. Her wing flattered and she fell to the ground, landing hard on her side. The shiny white tile beneath felt hard and cold.

“OWWW!” she pressed a hand to her nose. She was certain it had broken and was now bleeding. Trying to stifle the flow and control the pain, she breathed in and out slowly and deeply. After a few minutes she could raise her head and look at the object in which she had crashed into. It was ominous and tall, a wall of... white.

That must mean that this was…

Another prison.

“Whose?” she murmured. “Whose is it?” There was only one way to find out. She tremblingly raised her wings, then dropped them back down. What if?

What if the person was someone she loved?

Or someone she hated?

Or a complete stranger?