by Eve Langlais
Who’d dressed her?
She reached for her horn and almost sighed as she found it the same length she recalled. That wasn’t always the case. She’d woken up more than once to find it shorn down to a nub. Sphinx claimed they did it to help her. After all, it wasn’t as if it hurt.
It didn’t, yet she preferred people leave her horn alone. This was the longest it had ever gotten. Shiniest, too. All that liquid iron in its diet.
Ignoring the partially open door that begged exploration, Emma eyed the two other doors in the room. The one with just a plain round knob probably led to the bathroom. The chain on the other was a good indication it led outside. Outside equaled freedom.
She took a few steps in its direction before slowing and stopping. Where would she go? She had no idea where she was. She might emerge somewhere busy. Not exactly something she could do. Going out in public was a normal person activity. Emma was a woman with a horn. People wouldn’t stop to talk to her and find out what she was about. Like Oliver, they’d assume she was a monster, and the pitchforks would come out. Or guns. Or cuffs. Didn’t really matter what they used to capture her. Blood would be spilled, and she’d be scrubbing her horn furiously, blinking back tears again.
And my horn will shine bright like a diamond. The idea had a giddy appeal she ignored.
Perhaps rather than leave right away, she could find out more about her situation. After all, she wasn’t tied down. Whoever took her even took the time to put her in clean clothes.
“I see you’re finally awake. Care to join us for breakfast?”
The query startled Emma. She whirled and noticed a face peeked through the doorway, the porcelain skin framed by vivid red tresses. Yet it was the eyes that captivated. They swirled with colors.
Which could only mean— “You’re like me,” Emma exclaimed.
The ruby-red lips curved into a smile. “Not quite. Those of us given a second chance at life are quite unique. But despite our differences, we do share a common bond, which makes us family.”
“You were at the clinic, too?” Emma asked, unable to hide a hint of skepticism. Apart from the strange eyes, the woman appeared beautiful. Contacts would make it easy for her to go out in public.
“I wasn’t at the clinic itself, but I received the same treatment you did. Join us for breakfast and we can fill you in.”
“Us? Who is us?”
“More people like you and me. You’re safe here, Emma.”
Said every predator to draw in their prey. Emma chewed her lower lip. “Who are you? Where am I?”
“I’m Jane. As to where, you’re in a safe place.”
“Don’t bullshit the girl,” shouted a gruff voice. “We’re only safe until some asshole finds us again and tries to ventilate us.”
The woman called Jane rolled her eyes. “Oh, stop being so pessimistic, Jett. The only reason we got caught last time was because someone left her daddy a message telling him where he could join us.”
A different female voice replied, “How was I to know he went over to the dark side?”
The friendly arguing was what got Emma’s feet moving until she’d crossed the room and peeked through the door into a larger suite equipped with a tiny kitchenette and too many people for the space. Three of the four chairs around the tiny table were filled, and another person sat on the couch with a baby in her lap.
Emma hesitated in the doorway, noticing the fact that they all appeared normal. No horns, tails, or wings. It made her self-conscious.
Jane noticed. “Don’t be scared.”
“I’m not.” A total lie that she hoped the other woman didn’t hear. “I don’t want to freak them out.” She didn’t point to her horn, but Jane flicked a glance to it.
“Oh, please. Do you seriously think any of them care about that? You are among friends, Emma.”
So she kept saying. That didn’t make it true. “How do you know my name?”
“Because you’re the only unicorn in the world. Adrian was so happy to hear you survived the helicopter crash.”
“You know Dr. Chimera?”
Those red lips curved into a mischievous smile. “I know him very well actually. And so does everyone in this room.”
Emma looked at the other woman. “He fixed everyone here?”
“Most of us,” Jane corrected. “Me, Luke, Jayda. Then there’s Becky, who worked for him and kind of took the cure on purpose. Only Jett and Margaret are still normies but we’re working on changing their minds.”
“Not likely. With my luck, I’d end up something stupid like a roach or a dumb llama.” Jett, the dark-haired man who’d taken her from the ruins, shook his head.
“You all seem so—” Emma hesitated, not knowing what word to use. Sane? Who was to say those who turned were crazy or just following a natural impulse? They certainly appeared human. Could speak, too. How nice it would be to converse with others who might understand.
People who won’t see me as a monster.
“Seem normal? Because we are. Most of the time. We aren’t going to try and eat you alive, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Speak for yourself,” the blond guy said with a smirk.
“Luke!” the woman bouncing the baby exclaimed. “Behave yourself. You’re scaring her.”
Jane smirked. “That’s Luke’s wife, Margaret. She keeps him in line. Don’t worry. If he tries to bite you, she’ll smack him. Come on and join us. You have nothing to fear.”
Taking a deep breath, Emma crossed the threshold into the other room and once more took in details, from the interested gazes on the faces to the lack of any kind of pity or disgust.
On the contrary, someone exclaimed, “Hot shit, she really is a unicorn.”
“Told you so,” said smugly.
Looking at the dark skinned woman, unsure if she should be peeved or complimented by the comment, Emma realized she recognized her. “You’re Dr. Cerberus’s daughter.”
“Call me Jayda.” The woman raised a hand to salute then nudged the guy beside her. “This lug beside me might seem familiar, too.”
“You’re Dr. Chimera’s guard.” It took a wrinkle of her brow to match the name to his granite face. “Jett?”
“Yup.”
“Luke,” offered the third one sitting at the table, his hair blond and messy, his eyes a vivid green. “One of the first Chimera screwed around with.”
“I thought you went nuts.” She slapped a hand over her mouth. “I mean—Sorry—”
Luke laughed. “I did go a little crazy for a bit. But I got my shit together once I met Margaret.”
“A good thing, too,” said the woman on the couch with a bright smile.
Jane pointed. “In case you didn’t figure it out, that’s Margaret and their son, Lorcan.”
“And you’re a group?”
“Kind of,” Jayda said. ”There’re a few others, too. Marcus, my nicer half, is in the other room with Adrian.”
“Dr. Chimera?” Emma interrupted.
“Yes, Dr. Chimera is here with us. As are Becky, Jett’s wife, and their girls, who are in the bathtub again.”
“Only because I told them they couldn’t go swimming in the pool yet. Damned thing is green and disgusting.” Jett shook his head. “I’m going to hit town today and look for parts to fix the pump.”
“You said you have children here. Are they…” Emma glanced at Jane, unsure if she should say anything.
“They’re special, too. The only ones who don’t have special genes are Jett and Margaret. But you don’t have to worry about them. Despite the fact they’re mundane, we like them.” Jane grinned as Jett huffed, “Mundane my ass.”
Introductions were all well and good, but Emma had a more pressing concern. “Why am I here? Actually, how did I get here?”
“We went looking for you. One of the guys who also survived the chopper crash made it out of the mountains. Given one person survived the helicopter crash, Adrian said it might be a good idea to check out the cli
nic and see if there were more survivors. Are there any others?”
Several pairs of eyes turned to Emma, who realized they waited for an answer. “Yes. Kind of.” She sighed. “Depends on your definition of survivor. Seven of us made it out of that chopper.”
“Do you remember their names?”
“Yes.” Names, faces, the fear she would evolve like they had. She named them. “Xiu. Barry. Jacob. Janice. Felice. Marco. Kelly.”
“What of doctors and staff on board?”
“Dead.” She ducked her head, her heart pounding as she waited for them to ask how.
They didn’t. Rather they wanted to know, “Did you stick together after the crash?”
“Some of them did.”
“Were you one of them?”
“Not at first.” How to explain she’d wanted to return to the clinic when all they wanted was to escape. In the end, given how a few of them devolved, she didn’t regret her decision. When no one said anything, she realized they were waiting for her to elaborate.
“I eventually ran into a few.” Drawn by the thought of being with someone. Not alone. “It didn’t last long.” The madness was already gripping them, and she wanted far, far away lest it infect her, too.
“Have you been living in the clinic this entire time?”
Emma nodded. “Once I found my way back. It took me a few weeks.”
“And did you find anyone at the clinic?” asked Jayda.
“You mean other people?” She shook her head.
“What of the thing in the ruins? The oil slick?” Jett asked.
“I don’t think you can call him a person anymore,” she said sadly. “I think the blob was left behind when they evacuated the clinic. Or it came out of hiding once no one was there to guard it. It already haunted the place when I arrived.”
“And it didn’t bother you?”
“No.” Not much ever bothered her.
“And you never saw anyone else?”
She did, but those appearances were always one-offs. Like that time she caught Kelly watching her bathe from the woods. Next thing she knew, she woke in the forest, face down in a pile of leaves. Her horn in need of another bath.
“Nope. Nobody, except for Oliver.” Thinking of him, she wondered where he was. Not that it mattered. He’d betrayed her. Filming her without consent. Posting the video. Putting her in so much danger because he hated monsters.
He hates me. The reminder made her sad.
“Oh dear. She’s looking pale, and here you guys are badgering her. Sit down, Emma. You look famished.” Margaret rose from the couch and handed the wiggly child to her husband, who bounced the baby on his knee.
Emma found herself tucked into an empty chair, and a plate of pancakes slid in front of her. Fluffy hot pancakes. And syrup. Not the real kind, but she didn’t care. It was sweet and sticky. She devoured it and chugged the glass of orange juice. The first freshly made food she’d had since the evacuation of the clinic.
Only once she pushed the plate away did she realize she’d never actually heard what happened to Oliver.
Don’t care.
Just like this group didn’t seem to care she had a horn sticking out of her head. If they were to be believed, they were like her. And yet weren’t. For one, they weren’t raving lunatics. They talked amongst each other, sharing a joking vibe and camaraderie that showed a close bond and intellect.
“Have you been friends a long time?” Emma blurted out.
For some reason, this made Luke laugh. “Fuck no. When we first met, some of us hated each other.”
“But…” Emma couldn’t help but frown. “If that’s the case, how come you’re all here together?”
“Common enemy. Common goal. And a discovery that, in spite of our differences, we are the same,” Jett replied.
“Not quite, Mundie,” teased Luke.
“Don’t start, wet dog.”
And the banter recommenced. It washed over Emma and warmed her, especially since she didn’t feel excluded.
Jane helped Margaret with the dishes while Jett left to check on his family. Only once the last plate was tucked away did Jane fix Emma with her kaleidoscope eyes.
“If you get hungry again, let us know. We have food. Plenty of it.”
“Thank you.” The idea of fresh meals already made her situation a hundred times better. But she still didn’t know what they wanted from her.
“Feel like telling us a few more details about what happened since the crash?”
“Not really,” she said with a wan smile. “It’s kind of boring and pathetic.”
“That would be a refreshing change.” Luke’s drawled reply.
“How did you survive?” Margaret asked. “I thought the clinic was supposed to be leveled.”
“Only the upper layers,” Emma said. “The stuff below ground remained mostly intact. So I had access to food and clothing, even my old room and bed.”
“I’m surprised more of the survivors didn’t follow your lead.” Jayda frowned. “The other escaped projects always returned.”
“They returned while Adrian was in residence. Once he moved, they followed.” Luke glanced at Emma. “Have you seen any of the others since the winter passed?”
She shook her head.
“So they could be dead,” Jayda remarked, drumming her fingers on the table.
“I thought you said someone walked out of the mountains?”
Jane joined them at the table. “Someone did. But the cops got to him before we did. Now we don’t know where he is.”
“What’s his name?”
“John? Jack?” Jayda said, grabbing her phone and tapping on it.
“Jacob?” Emma offered.
“That’s it. There’s a picture along with some article online. Here.” Jayda spun her phone around, and Emma leaned forward to look.
The thin features were easily recognizable. “That’s him. He’s one of the seven I told you about who walked away.”
“Can you tell us what happened? Why did the helicopter crash?”
The question she dreaded finally came. “One of the patients got loose and killed the pilot.” Emma didn’t tell them which one. Technically she didn’t know for sure. The fact no other patient was loose didn’t require disclosure.
“You had Sphinx on board?”
“Yes. He’s dead.”
“Good.” Luke didn’t hide his pleasure in the news. “Man was a grade-A asshole.”
“Did you ever see anyone at the clinic after the crash? I don’t mean survivors,” Jayda explained. “Any helicopters land or do flybys? Maybe even a drone?”
Emma shrugged. “It took me a few weeks to return. And once winter hit, I didn’t go out much.” Just daily peeks for fresh air and real light.
“Tell us about the thing in the ruins.” They kept asking her questions. Getting her to detail what remained of the clinic, the blob, and the thing in the lake.
The tone of the room turned serious, but she didn’t mind because no one threatened. They just wanted to know…everything.
And since Emma had nothing to lose, she answered every question. Unfortunately, her answers weren’t very interesting.
Jane tapped her lower lip thoughtfully. “Given we now are aware of seven people who survived the helicopter crash, we might need to go poking around the mountains a bit more.”
“Before that, we need to go back to the valley and handle that thing in the lake.” Luke’s lips pulled taut over sharp teeth. “You up for a hunt, Jayda?”
She pushed off the counter. “I’ll see if I can hook us up with a harpoon before we go. We can’t have any of the patients that escaped killing people.”
“Surely you’re not worried about them getting out of the valley.” Emma bounced her gaze between them. “The blob can’t stand sunlight, and whatever is in the water is bound by the lake.”
“For now. But they might still adapt, or more people might go exploring like that fellow we found you with.”
&
nbsp; “Oliver?” The reminder meant she couldn’t keep pretending he didn’t exist. She had to warn them. “You can’t trust him. He wants to expose the clinic.”
“So we discovered,” Jayda said sourly.
“Don’t worry about Oliver.” Jane’s tone was meant to be soothing. “We’ve got him contained.”
“You have him?”
“He’s in the other room with Dr. Chimera.”
Which immediately drew her gaze.
It took all of her willpower to not approach the door. To toss her head and say casually instead, “What do you want from me?”
“Become a part of our group.”
“Doing what?” she asked.
“Figuring out a way we can survive. How to stay out of sight. Finding others and giving them safety too.” Jayda’s gaze fixed her. “Will you join our cause?”
Asked to be a part of something? To not be an outsider? As if there was any question.
“Tell me what I can do to help.”
Chapter Eleven
Oliver woke but couldn’t move. Not a single limb. Eyes wide open, he stared at the unfamiliar water-stained ceiling.
Where am I?
Last thing he recalled he was in the valley, Emma was being put on a helicopter, and some guy with a gun shot him.
But not with a bullet, Oliver realized. Which explained the groggy feeling in his mind and limbs. They’d drugged him. Then kidnapped him.
He was a prisoner. Both wrists and ankles were tied. It brought a thrashing panic to his body that got him nowhere.
When he stopped heaving, a dry voice said, “I wouldn’t bother. Jayda is quite good at keeping people restrained.”
“Who are you? What am I doing here?” And the one question he didn’t ask: What are you going to do with me? Because it didn’t take much of a leap to realize anyone who had him tied down probably wasn’t up to any good.
“My name is Doctor Adrian Chimera, and you are here because you poked your nose in places you shouldn’t.” A man stepped into view, younger than the images Oliver had managed to dig up. Somewhere in his early thirties rather than the mid-forties he should have been according to birth records. His hair was dark and lush. His body fit and his gaze sharp. No sign of the wheelchair in his high school pictures.