Strange Happenings
Midnight. They always came at midnight. The chimes from the old grandfather clock in the den jolted Daniel out of his restless dreams. It wasn't the chimes that woke him so much as the knowledge that They were coming. It was the same horrifying ritual, every single night.
The room was illuminated by an eerie pale green glow. Three figures in haz-mat suits stood around his bed. One of them held a large briefcase, another held a gun, and the third--the apparent leader, from the way he acted--was making entries into a large handheld computer. Daniel tried to escape, to run, to even move, but some unseen force held him in place, as immobile as the bed itself. The leader looked up from his computer and signaled to the one holding the briefcase, who set the case down and began to open it. Daniel strained to see its contents, but couldn't from his position. If only he could move...
The leader reached forward, grabbed the bedcovers and--
The shrill blast of Daniel's alarm clock filled the room. He'd had that dream again, the same one he'd been having every night for nearly a month. Except that it didn't feel like a normal dream. It felt more like a memory, but one that had been partially forgotten. Anyway, Dan had more important things to worry about, so he pushed whatever it was aside for the moment. Today was the last day of school, finally. All he had to do was survive his last few final exams, and he'd be home free. He wasn't about to let a creepy dream get him down.
***
Dr. DiCaoz glanced over his biology classroom. "Is anybody still working on the final?" he asked tiredly. He paused for a moment, then said, "If everybody is finished, you may talk quietly amongst yourselves for the remainder of the period." As the class erupted in chatter, he went back to nursing his hangover.
Daniel loved his biology class. It wasn't just that he was good at it, or that it was the last class of the day. By some bit of luck or fate, he happened to be in the same class as his four closest friends, Gassan, David, Pammy, and Jake. Gassan, David, and Pammy had become absurdly popular since coming to high school. Gassan was Lebanese and therefore "exotic," David was a star swimmer, and Pammy was a cheerleader. In retrospect, popularity was an inevitability. To the other popular kids, Jake an avid follower of the Furry subculture (he called it a craze, but nobody else did) and Daniel, the introspective writer, were social liabilities. Still, Gassan, David, and Pam never let their newfound "friends" keep them away from Jake and Dan. Privately, Daniel was grateful that he had managed to befriend the four people who appeared to be immune to high school drama.
"So, what'd you guys think?" Pammy whispered.
"I'm pretty sure Dr. Di is a nutcase," Gassan answered quickly. He was met with a chorus of approval from his companions.
"Anyway," Pam continued, "are we having our annual Thank-God-The-Schoolyear's-Over party tonight?"
"I can't go," Jake said, "I've got a convention."
"I can't go either," said David, "My dad's taking me camping. He's on a back-to-nature kick."
"I'm visiting my grandma," Gassan said. Pammy rolled her eyes.
"Alright," she sighed, "when do you guys get back?"
"Sunday"
"Sunday evening"
"Sunday, but it'll be late."
"So," Pammy continued, "is Monday night alright with everyone?"
***
The days passed quickly. By the time Monday arrived, he had gone an entire weekend without his mysterious dreams. He was mostly relieved, but part of him wished the visitors would come back so he could find out what they were up to.
The streets were charged with an eerie calm. A summer storm was coming. As Daniel reached Pam's door, he couldn't help but feel a strange foreboding. Something was decidedly wrong. He rang the bell.
"Come in," called Pammy. Dan opened the door and found friend sitting on the floor in a tidy circle. They were all staring at him, an unsettling hunger in their eyes. "We are playing Truth or Dare," Pammy intoned mechanically. "Please, join us. Truth or Dare?"
"Please choose Dare," Gassan said, in the same unearthly voice.
"The Truth is never any fun," agreed David, still in the same tone. Throughout the exchange, none of the four took their eyes off of Daniel.
"Is everything alright?" he asked. "You all seem...different."
Pammy answered in the same monotone as before: "We are collectively unnerved at a series of recurring dreams we have been having. Perhaps you too are experiencing these visions?"
"Yeah," Dan said, "but I'm not acting that weird about it."
"Perhaps," Pammy said, "All will be made more clear if you answer this simple question: Truth...or Dare?"
Written by Zodiac on 31 May 2008
The Dare
"Dare," Dan said shakily.
"Very well," Pammy responded, "your dare is to go to Area 50. You are familiar with Area 50, I trust?"
Jake jumped in: "It is a military complex on the outskirts of our town. It has been abandoned for a long time, though, so it will pose no immediate threat to you."
"It is nothing to be afraid of," said Gassan, "consider it to be something of a rite of passage."
"If you are truly afraid," said Pammy, "then we will accompany you."
Daniel stared at his friends incredulously. They had never acted this strangely before, and they had certainly never gone for childish dares before.
David appeared to sense his hesitation, and added, "perhaps Area 50 is somehow related to...Them."
Dan knew what that was about, and David was right. There seemed to be some connection between his nightly visitors and the military base. He couldn't quite place it, but the link was there. "Actually," added David, "all this talk of Area 50 has sparked my curiosity." He didn't sound the least bit like his curiosity has been even remotely sparked."
"I, too, am interested," agreed Pammy disinterestedly.
"As are we," said Gassan and Jake in eerie unison.
"Perhaps," Pammy went on, "we should go to Area 50 ourselves, whether or not Daniel is interested." The four of them stood to leave. Pam stopped for a moment, and asked, "Are you joining us, Daniel?"
Written by Zodiac on 02 June 2008
Area 50 Arrival
Daniel looked at his friends nervously. "Al...alright," Daniel said reluctantly, "I will go..."
"Nice to have you coming David," Pammy exclaimed. All David could do is let out a sheepish smile. "We will meet at Area 50 at 9 P.M. tonight, everyone can run by their houses and grab anything we may need. Flash lights, snacks, etc."
"I am just going to relax at my house until it is time" David said
"We'll I will see everyone then," Gassan said. Everyone soon dispersed and left to their respective houses.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Later at 9 Daniel met his friends at the base.
"Everybody ready to go in?" Pammy inquired.
"Yeah!" Gassan shouted.
"Let's do it!" As did Jake.
"Sure am" David said
"Unfortunately..." Daniel murmured.
David looked around and saw the front entrance directly ahead.
Far down to his left a hole in the fence could be seen.
And to his right a large tunnel could be seen. Though it was pitch black, so somebody better have a flash light.
Written by Shuusuke on 03 June 2008
Split Up
Last week had been the last time ‘they’ had visited Daniel, and ever since then, strange things began to happen. Daniel had been seeing things, and exploring through this kind of place was not helping him handling things any better.
They had decided to split up, in order to cover the grounds better. Pammy went with David, of course, and Gassan was left with Jake. That ultimately left Daniel for himself, and the guy couldn’t be anymore worried.
He wasn’t even into any of this, but why did he have to be the only one who had to go by himself?
Written by Stella Purple on 10 March 2017
No Pain No Gain
Daniel watched his friends disappear from his sight, Gassan and Jake waltzing all too assuredly through the front gates of the complex while Pammy and David entered the ominous tunnel. As the last bright beams of Pam’s flashlight were consumed by the darkness the knot of unease in Daniel’s stomach tightened. He glanced down at the only remaining path open to him, the hole in the fence.
“Awesome...” he muttered. He took a deep breath then slid down the small hill to the base of the metal barrier. He placed his hand lightly on the jagged edges of the hole and quickly ducked through. He felt a sudden, sharp pain on his palm and instinctively jerked his arm back to his side, raking one of the deteriorating prongs of the fence across his skin. The mighty shout that had been gearing up in his throat was stifled into a grunted curse as he cradled his clenched hand.
Blood and pain trickled down freely from the cut until Daniel finally made himself take a look. He felt sick. Honestly he almost just wanted to go home, retreat from this whole mess and forget it ever happened, but on the same note he wanted to know what was going on with this place, those dreams, his friends. He also wasn’t too keen on being the one to spoil the fun of the “Mystery Team” up there, so he pressed the injured palm to the edge of his shirt with hopes to stem the bleeding and continued on.
He tried to keep himself distracted by focusing on his surroundings. A few hulking machines lay broken and scattered on the ground, slowly being soaked in by the cruel grip of nature. It was summer yet the night felt oddly cool as he passed by the mechanical behemoths. It left him more unsettled than before. He decided to focus on twiddling the fingers of his right, unharmed, hand instead.
The teenager started at a loud clang beneath his feet. The sound continued ringing and echoing as a small pebble bounced innocently into the gaping mouth of a deserted military bunker.
Written by Flutterbest on 04 December 2017
Faux Light
Daniel stepped hesitantly into the entrance of the bunker. There was a series of red lights lining the wall but an odd gloom pervaded the narrow hallway. He placed his right hand on the wall to guide him as he slowly descended the stairs. The metal was rough under his fingertips and he could tell it had been left in this state of disrepair for a long time. Since that was the case, Daniel couldn’t help wondering why the lights were still operating.
When he arrived at the bottom of the steps he could already see a junction coming up. He traveled a few more steps, letting his hand hover over the wall so he could take a closer look at the new passageway that branched off to the left. It appeared nearly identical to the corridor in front of him except for an eerie glow that hung like a fog at the end of it.
Daniel moved back until he felt the cold wall against his palm again. He was strangely comforted by the solid, steady panel. He kept a careful eye on the uncanny gleam as he shuffled forward and away from it. He stopped abruptly when a sudden chorus of sputtering whirs erupted and several bright lights flashed in front of him. For a brief moment a red screen flashed in front of him before disappearing. Startled, Daniel stumbled back from the unexpected contraptions. He desperately flung his hand out behind him to catch himself, grasping the air as he fell. He took a sharp intake of breath as the cut that had just begun trying to heal itself twisted underneath his weight.
Written by Flutterbest on 13 December 2017
Cattails
Daniel whirled around and launched himself to his feet. He scrambled to regain his balance as he barreled up the stairs. He repeatedly reached out to the wall and even the ceiling as he climbed higher, almost as if to assure himself he was still somewhere real, somewhere man-made, somewhere human. He’d had enough of creepy lights and weird things happening to him.
Finally he burst out of the bunker and stumbled weakly to the ground. He didn’t bother with getting up right away even though the pain in his hand was screaming in protest from the pressure. He needed a moment to catch his breath. He shut his eyes tightly, his head was pounding. The sickly sweet smell wafting through the air wasn’t helping his headache either. He sluggishly lifted his eyelids and waited for his eyes to adjust to the deep nighttime.
He was hovering over a patch of strange plants. They reminded Daniel of cattails, with fluffy looking cylinders waving in the subtle wind around him, but thick leaves crawled rampantly through the plot unlike any cattails he’d ever seen or heard of. The leaves were oozing a sticky gel all over themselves.
“And all over my hand...” he sighed. He tried to brush some of the gunk off his hand and slowly shifted to a sitting position. He stared down at his left hand; the sap-like secretion covered the palm of it like gauze. This gunk wasn’t going anywhere apparently. He sighed again and stood up. He made it one step before pausing again.
Had he just heard footsteps? The undeniable crunch of dirt repeated itself. Daniel’s heart was racing. He had no idea if those footsteps belonged to his friends or someone, or even something, else and at this point he wasn’t sure he cared. All he knew for sure is that they were coming closer.
Written by Flutterbest on 18 December 2017
Back Underground
Daniel didn’t know what was coming but he didn’t want to stick around to find out. His eyes dashed over the scene, looking for some place to hide. The stairs of the bunker loomed menacingly only a couple feet away but there was no way he was going back in there. If he did return to the hellish shelter he’d probably just get lost or run into something else he didn’t want to see. Besides if it wasn’t his friends, he had a feeling whatever was walking towards him would know their way around the underground facility much better than he did.
There were also the morose machines littering the place but he knew they’d only offer temporary solace if he hid behind them. What other options did he have? He ran for it.
Within seconds he was already sweating heavily and his lungs were burning. He knew he wasn’t the most athletic guy but the sweeping fatigue that hit him so quickly was startling. The pounding in his ears prevented him from hearing anything else. The edges of his vision were even beginning to blur. He didn’t see the hatch until he rammed his foot into it.
It may have been sheer sense of pride that stopped Daniel from toppling over yet another time that day. Instead he stood, rubbing his toes through his sorely beaten shoe, with an expression of frustration and mild indignation. The grimace slowly faded as a flicker of hope ignited inside of him. He grabbed the handle of the half buried door and pulled. The rusty hinges groaned in protest and resisted the measly strength Daniel had left with all their might but finally subsided and let the door swing open. Without giving himself time for second thoughts, Daniel jumped in.
He landed awkwardly amid a sea of colorful wires. The sprawling maze continued as far as he could see both in front of and behind him, insulated by futuristic looking white walls. By some miracle he’d managed to avoid tugging on any of the cords when he fell.
His chest felt tight even though he had significantly recovered from his mad dash. He assumed it was just anxiety, nervousness...but he was safe. He stood up shakily, carefully maneuvering around the wires. He reached for the door’s handle and solemnly shut off the entrance. He was safe...for now.
Written by Flutterbest on 23 December 2017
Behind The Scenes
Daniel took a second glance at his surroundings and after a few moments of consideration, decided to continue in the direction he was facing. He crawled slowly, trying to be careful of the mishmash of cables smothering the passage.
It wasn’t a comfortable way to travel. His feet grew increasingly clumsy as the tunnel stretched on. They banged violently against the floor and walls, reaching much farther than he even thought they could. They were also starting to cramp painfully inside his shoes...it felt tight. In fact practically everything felt tight. His chest still felt tight, his back was beginning to ache from being so hunched over, and he could never get a deep enough breath of air. Part of him worried that he’d made the wrong decision by closing himself in. The other part refused to believe that so he kept crawling. Besides other exits popped up above him every so often so it’s not like he was permanently trapped...right?
***
Daniel’s nails kept scratching against the metal, sending chills up his spine with their accompanying screech. He could’ve sworn he’d cut them just a couple days ago. An insanely irritable itch was harassing his hand too and it suddenly occurred to him that the strange plant he’d run into might not have been as harmless as it seemed.
“Fantastic.” His murmur came with an unexpected squeak and he clamped his mouth shut in surprise, fiercely biting the inside of his lip. He slammed his fist onto the floor, growling in frustration. Once again his nails scraped against the ground. He groaned meekly and focused his attention back in front of him.
A low hanging wire dangled in front of him. It’d be a bit of a squeeze but he knew he could pass under it easily enough. He lowered himself closer to the floor carefully and inched forward. His nose barely passed through before he felt an odd pressure on his head and a blaring alarm went off.
Written by Flutterbest on 26 December 2017
Reunited
The alarm sang viciously in Daniel’s ears. It filled his mind with ringing and one desperate thought of wanting to get out of there. Now entirely disregarding the wires, he scrabbled his way along as quickly as his apparently malfunctioning body would allow. He leaped at the first exit he saw and brusquely shoved the door open. While he was struggling to lift himself out and away from the shrill sirens he felt something furry brush against his ankle. He kicked his foot wildly in attempt to shake it off.
“A fucking bug, really? Don’t you think that’s a bit of overkill!” he shouted, not even able to hear himself. With renewed ferocity he pulled himself out the vent and tumbled onto the hard ground outside. He could still hear the alarms. Quickly he lurched back to his feet and slammed the door shut. Silence, finally.
After he calmed down a bit from the excitement, Daniel wearily started walking again. For all he knew, someone could be on their way to check what had happened. It was best to keep moving.
***
Daniel was frustrated. Ever since he and his friends had arrived at Area 50 all he had been doing was running. He hadn’t found out anything about anything. He wasn’t even good at running anymore, his feet still felt incredibly awkward and it was all he could do to not trip every five seconds. He didn’t know where he was either. He was sure it was still on Area 50 grounds but other than that, no clue.
While he was grumbling, his friends David and Pammy were making their own trek. After being turned around endlessly upon entering the dark tunnel, they’d finally given up and decided to investigate elsewhere. Unbeknownst to both parties, they were heading directly for one another. It wasn’t long before they spotted each other.
Despite the unusual behavior earlier that day, David was relieved to see familiar faces. A tired but genuine smile lit up his face and he opened his mouth to say something; however he was cut off by a shrill shriek.
Pammy’s voice rose only higher in pitch as she grabbed David’s arm and stared at Daniel in horror. David’s initial gasp had been drowned out by the girl’s scream but he looked equally startled, if less disturbed. Taken aback, Daniel replied with his own surprised squawk but what came out sounded like a cross between a cat’s whine and a feminine screech. Neither were things he expected or wanted to come out of his mouth. The panic that had been a constant the entire day was beginning to creep back into Daniel’s head. He held up a hand to signal Pammy to calm down but it had the opposite affect...and not just on Pammy.
Daniel’s hand was covered in soft white fur. He jumped back in shock from the sight but of course couldn’t run away from his own hand. Sharp claws stood out menacingly in response to his unnerved state. His eyes hopped around frantically, taking in his new appearance. Not only was his hand covered in the downy fluff but his entire body. A glance over his shoulder showed him the proudly twitching brown and orange tail hanging from his backside. He now also understood why he’d been so shaky when walking; his feet had been replaced by the long, delicate back legs of a cat. He was hardly concerned with that however after seeing his chest was amply curved. His distressed, mewling cry sounded with a volume nearing the sirens he’d just escaped.
Written by Flutterbest on 29 December 2017
Believe Me
Daniel was a girl. Daniel was a cat girl. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god...” Daniel repeated this mantra to himself under his breath, holding his head lest it explode with the enlightenment of this revelation. His voice was too hoarse to keep screaming and now a quivering web of silence had been spun in the air around the young man and his two bewildered friends. Pammy was still clinging to David and they were still giving each other disconcerted glances but neither had made a move to leave. A small squeak escaped Pammy’s lips when Daniel finally lowered his hands and stared directly at them. He raised his...now her voice. “Guys...it’s me.”
David opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Pam. “It’s me? Listen, we don’t know who the hell you are,” she stated fiercely, her eyebrows furrowed. Her voice dropped to a lower pitch as she added, “And it might be better for both of us to keep it that way.”
“No, no...please,” Daniel begged. He stepped towards them shakily, trying to be more delicate on his—her slim feet.
“Stay away from us!” Pammy lifted her flashlight in brave warning but looked a mouse caught in a trap. The bright beam temporarily frazzled Daniel’s vision and he suddenly realized he had been seeing perfectly fine in the pitch black evening. He couldn’t help scoffing to himself. He supposed the situation wasn’t all bad. His head snapped up in surprise when David actually spoke.
“Wait, Pam, just wait a minute. It doesn’t seem like she’s looking for a fight, okay? You aren’t, are you?” David looked into Daniel’s feminine, feline eyes desperately and she nodded back at him. “See? Just hear her out for a second okay?”
Pam reluctantly lowered her arm, leaving herself unguarded. “Fine,” she murmured. Daniel gave David a thankful smile and mouthed “thank you” before properly speaking.
“It’s Daniel.”
Pammy’s flashlight flew to the ground as she guffawed in disbelief. “What??” David cried, equal astonishment scribbled over his face. Daniel held her hands up to stop them.
“I know, I know...it’s crazy. Trust me I wouldn’t believe it myself if it weren’t...” she paused and looked briefly down at her chest once more. “Myself.”
“No way...” Pammy shook her head. “There’s no way. How do you expect us to believe you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t expect you to really...” Daniel trailed off. A few seconds later she snapped her fingers, it only created an underwhelming thud thanks to the plush fur covering them but her eyes were still lit up. “I bet I can tell you something only I would know.”
Written by Flutterbest on 31 December 2017
Explaining
Daniel’s friends watched her warily.
“Like what...?” Pammy asked, her tone blanketed in suspicion. A lopsided grin appeared on Daniel’s face.
“Pam, do you remember in the fifth grade when you got your hair stuck in th-” Daniel was cut off by Pam quickly.
“Alright, alright, we believe you! Now wipe that look off your face before I do it for you,” she huffed. Blush crept up her face at a questioning glance from David. “It’s him. That’s all you need to know.”
“So how did you end up like...this?” David asked quietly. He inched closer to Daniel and hesitantly reached for her ears, pinching them lightly as if to punctuate his question. Daniel pushed him away, feeling heat on her cheeks. She wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment, anger, or both.
“Don’t do that! Sheesh...” she muttered. She crossed her arms tightly and with a slight pout left on her face tried to think of an answer. “I’m not quite sure honestly. A lot happened.”
“Well, nobody has plans after this do they?” Pammy looked around for any daring sign of disagreement. When she was satisfied she took a deep breath and added. “Good. We’re ready to listen to a lot.”
***
Pammy was tapping a finger thoughtfully to her lips as Daniel’s long, chaotic story drew to a close.
“Well that was...something,” David said. Daniel chuckled lightly and nodded.
Pammy’s eyes narrowed. “Wait a second. Daniel give me your hand,” she ordered. Daniel raised her eyebrows in confusion but obliged the strange request. Pammy inspected the hand closely before dropping it and stating, “Your cut is gone.”
“You’re right! Man I guess that’s one good thing that came from this, huh?” Daniel joked, growing tired of the dreary and serious mood. Pammy stared her. “What?”
“What do you think could’ve done that?” Pam questioned but from her face Daniel could tell she already had an answer in mind. Memories of the weird plant came rushing forward.
“Those plants?” Daniel whispered.
“Ding, ding, ding!” Pam clapped her hands slowly for a little while, letting her sarcastic appreciation sink in. “And who knows what else they might’ve been capable of? I mean...cattails? Really? Could you get more obvious?”
Daniel groaned. Of course! It felt so obvious it hurt.
“I say we go back and poke around that bunker you found. Maybe there’ll be answers there,” Pammy suggested. Daniel hated to admit it but she was right. It might be the only clue they had.
“But what about Gassan and Jake? Considering what happened to Daniel, don’t you think there’s a chance...” David let the thought slip into silence. They all understood what he meant. Daniel sighed. David had a point too.
“So...what should we do?” Pammy asked. Why was it always Daniel who had to decide?
Written by Flutterbest on 02 January 2018
Returning
“We should go back to the bunker,” Daniel said. “The last time we saw the others was when they went through the gates, right? It could take us ages to find them. At least we know where the bunker is...at least I think I do. Besides, if Jake and Gassan did get in trouble we might find something that can help them too.”
Pammy nodded in agreement but David seemed to hesitate. Pammy patted his shoulder gently. “Don’t worry, we’ll look for them after,” she assured.
“Yeah...alright,” David agreed. They collected their minuscule belongings and their spirits then headed on their way.
***
The exhausted trio wasn’t spared the relief of their journey ending when they reached the foreboding entrance to the bunker. Instead they gave each other the best encouraging smile they could while being so stamina-drained and slunk down the stairs.
The same disturbing chill Daniel had felt when entering the place by herself the first time was returning to her as she took in the familiar steely walls and monotonous, blinking lights. It made her hair stand on end. Despite the alertness of her fur and the constant swishing of her tail, Daniel felt almost lethargic. She relied on her companions to guide her until they reached that dreadful junction. She stopped by herself then and once more considered the options.
Written by Flutterbest on 06 January 2018
Guests
“I don’t think we should tempt those weird machines,” Pammy warned. Without replying Daniel turned and started down the passageway to the left. She was ready to submit to a fate of being drawn in by the unnerving glow but her meandering gait was interrupted by David.
“Come on. Pammy thinks she found something in one of the rooms,” he said. Daniel hadn’t noticed when the two had temporarily disappeared from her side. She’d almost forgotten there were doors in the hallway. She nodded slowly and followed David back to Pam.
The room they walked into smelled musty with an unpleasant undertone of acidity. There were broken beakers and chemistry equipment lying toppled on the floor and a layer of dust coated everything. No one had been there for a long time.
Pammy was hunched over a metal table shoved against the back wall of the abandoned lab. She beckoned them over without looking up. When they arrived behind her she stabbed her finger at a yellowing piece of paper. It had a sketch of what looked to be the cattails Daniel had so unfortunately stumbled upon. Daniel grabbed it excitedly. Her eyes swept across the page hurriedly. The writing was jumbled and smudged in more than a few places, leaving it to be a confusing piece of literature. Daniel listed off the keywords quietly as she read.
“Genetic mutations, cattails, experiments...Project Zero?” she paused. Her friends looked as confused as she was. “What the hell is Project Zero?”
“I don’t know...” Pammy began sifting through the other pages scattered on the table, searching for some other hint.
“Ah but I do.” The three investigators jumped at the deep voice of their unexpected guest...or unexpected host more like it. They whirled around to face a tall figure hidden in the shadows. Daniel uttered a short hiss and brandished her claws, Pammy doing likewise with her flashlight. The figure stepped out into the dim light, hands raised in surrender. It was an old man, his hair stark white. He was wearing an eye patch, a tattered lab coat, and a calm smile. “Please, do not be alarmed. I don’t mean you any harm.”
Neither Pammy nor Daniel lowered their weapons.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Daniel asked. Her tone was sharp but her voice was shaking slightly.
“Oh it’s not about what I want but what you want. And you want to know about Project Zero, correct?” the man replied, still smiling. He didn’t get a response. “Project Zero is a group that like many people in this complex--including myself, work with genetics and well...transformation. I can see you’ve already experienced this firsthand?”
Still he was given no response and continued, ever as mild-mannered. “As for me, I believe Project Zero chooses less than favorable methods to receive results unlike the likes of Zeta or myself. It is quite unfortunate.”
“Can you do something about...this?” Daniel had relaxed slightly and made a sweeping gesture over her torso. The man appeared pleased.
“I can...if you want me to. You seem to have adapted to it quite well,” he remarked. Daniel felt about ready to growl at him she was so peevish but before she could form a clever retort she was distracted by a delicate touch on her arm. She looked down to see Pammy staring at her, eyebrows furrowed.
“Are you sure you trust him?” she spoke softly.
“I don’t but he’s the only useful thing we’ve found in here.” Daniel didn’t bother speaking quietly and turned back to the man immediately after she finished the sentence. He was already leaving the room, hands clasped behind his back.
“If you want my help, you should follow along,” he called. Soon after he began humming a tune Daniel had never heard before. The melody melted slowly into the very walls, becoming disconcerting background music to Daniel’s thoughts as she tried to decide whether it was worth it to follow this mad stranger.
Written by Flutterbest on 08 January 2018
Imhotep
Daniel stalked out of the lab, her two comrades following closely on her heels. She was annoyed that this man was so easily manipulating her decisions but she didn’t know what else to do.
“So who are you anyway?” she asked bluntly once the merry scientist reappeared on the horizon. He was leading them further down the passage but he didn’t seem concerned about the light at the end of it.
“Well, like I said, I work with genet--”
“That’s not what I meant. What’s your name, genius?”
“Ah. You three may call me Imhotep.”
“Imhotep huh...?” Daniel could’ve sworn she’d heard the name before but she was a writer after all, she’d heard and researched plenty of unusual names just to write three hundred word nothings. It was probably just some glorified geneticist he named himself after; he seemed the type to do such things.
The group turned into an archway only two doors down from what appeared to be the source of the glow. Luckily once they entered the ghoulish tint the light had given to all their features disappeared and was replaced by modern, fluorescent lights. What greeted them was what looked like a clean, upgraded model of the laboratory they’d just left. Chemicals bubbled in glass vials, a variety of microscopes stood sleekly on the tables, and files were stacked neatly nearby. One corner was taken up by several tall machines filled with a nearly clear fluid, disgusting and bizarre “specimens” floating in them.
“So this is where you do your work?” David’s eyes didn’t break away from the repulsive test subjects as he asked.
“That is correct!” Imhotep brushed off a few dusty stools and offered them to his obviously uncomfortable guests. Reluctantly they sat down, murmuring thank yous. “So would you like a snack? Something to drink?” The teens stared at him incredulously. He waved their judgmental looks off and laughed. “I’m joking, I’m joking! Kids are so serious nowadays. Now then, I’ll be right back. I’d advise you to not touch anything.”
Imhotep stepped into what Daniel had thought was a closet and shut the door behind him, leaving Pammy, David, and Daniel by themselves.
Written by Flutterbest on 10 January 2018
Are You Ready?
“How are you feeling?” David was the first to speak, concerned by the current and future well-being of Daniel. “Are you sure you want to do this? You can still back out. We can still run.”
“Do you think Danny wants to stay like this forever, David? Isn’t this better than running into those Project Zero guys?” Pammy reasoned.
“How do we know he’s not one of those Project Zero Guys? He could’ve just lied to us.”
“You don’t think I know that? Listen, Daniel isn’t the only caught up in this okay. We’re in trouble too,” Pammy paused before muttering under her breath. “Maybe you could consider worrying about more than just the cat girl?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know what it’s supposed to mean, all you’ve been doing is staring at her. Ogling.”
“Guys, knock it off,” Daniel interrupted. “I’m fine okay. I’ll switch back to normal and we’ll find the others then we can all just...go home.”
The brief fight ended right in time for Imhotep to return. He was carrying a syringe with an altogether too long needle at the end. It contained a purple tinged liquid. Daniel shifted nervously in her seat as he came closer.
“Are you ready, Daniel?”
Written by Flutterbest on 14 January 2018
Dark
Daniel took a deep breath. She bit her lip and her eyes wandered over to her colleagues for reassurance. Pammy nodded. David merely shrugged and offered a small smile. She looked back at Imhotep and nodded. “I’m ready.”
“Alright, I’m going to need you to lie down.” Imhotep dragged one of the tables to where Daniel waited and swiftly removed the clutter on top of it. He held out his hand to Daniel, who blatantly ignored it and lithely stepped onto the table. Soon she was lying on her back, straight as a board. “Relax, Daniel. This won’t hurt a bit.”
The young woman felt a pinching sensation on her right arm as the slim needle entered her veins. A flash of anger passed over her face. “After this,” Imhotep corrected himself. Daniel and Pammy shook their heads in unison. Imhotep continued unabashed. “You’re going to feel tired very soon. Don’t try to fight it.”
Daniel’s eyelids were feeling very heavy. She let them win and tuck a sheet of gray over her sight. She could still hear the other’s voices but her comprehension was gradually becoming more and more sluggish.
“Hang in there, Danny,” Pammy’s voice called.
“You’ll be alright...” David reiterated.
Imhotep’s smooth baritone came through clearest. “It’s too bad so many things had to meddle during your visit. I think you and I could’ve been friends, Daniel. Perhaps we still can. You’re amazingly susceptible to these experiments. Perhaps another time? Yes...perhaps another time.”
Daniel tried to reply but all that came out was a small, nonsensical babble. “Don’t try to speak,” Imhotep warned. “The process isn’t quite complete yet. Just rest.”
Daniel could still hear their voices but after the instructions to rest were given, nothing else made sense. Instead it was like a soothing lullaby had been created by the varying speeches. It comforted him. Him. Yes, he felt the changes albeit in a distant manner. While his mind floated peacefully in a sea of senselessness, his body had to be changing. He had to be returning to his old self, he thought. Wonders about his friends now swirled in his head. Where were Jake and Gassan? Would Imhotep help them get home when all this was over? When would this all be over? What did Imhotep mean by “another time?” Daniel knew the answers to none of this but didn’t feel worried or alarmed. He’d find out later. Curiosity killed the cat after all. He chuckled to himself as his vision finally gave in and went completely black.
Written by Flutterbest on 16 January 2018
Home
Daniel could feel soft blankets surrounding him and cool sheets hugging his legs. His body felt entirely relaxed and he had trouble bringing himself to move. Slowly, he lifted his eyelids. A warm light unlike the cold brightness of the lab lamps prodded his eyes painfully, giving them no leeway as his vision sluggishly adjusted. Finally a clear picture of a pale blue ceiling came into view. He was back in his bedroom.
A massive breath of relief Daniel hadn’t known he’d been holding flew from his lips and he closed eyes for a few moments more. He was back. It was really over now. After this realization settled in he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His vision was still blurry from sleep as he stumbled across the carpeted floor but the homey surroundings, however vague they looked to him, left a smile on Daniel’s face. He meandered fleetingly before wandering into the bathroom.
Out of pure muscle memory he flipped the light switch and ran cool water from the sink over his hands. He splashed his face a few times to help himself wake up and grabbed the small hand towel that he always forgot to wash. It felt so oddly routine, almost too normal, to be doing these things but what else had to be done? There were no creepy lights, no creepy guys, and no cat...ears.
The towel dropped unceremoniously to the floor when Daniel saw his reflection clearly in the mirror for the first time. He screeched in dismay, winding down to a pitiful whine of disbelief. His furry face, his pointed eyes, and those stupid cat ears, it was all <b><i>still there.</i></b>
Written by Flutterbest on 18 January 2018
Panic
Daniel rushed out of the bathroom and tore up all sorts of knickknacks in a desperate search for his phone. His worry was increasing with every drawer he scanned. So far he’d encountered nail polish, lipstick, and a variety of shiny bangles. He repeatedly tried to comfort himself with the possibility that Pammy had just left them behind one day. That had to be it, right?
After a few minutes of barely controlled chaos, Daniel’s cell was in his grasp. He took a deep breath and dialed.
Written by Flutterbest on 21 January 2018
The Call
The endless ringing was beginning to drive Daniel insane just before a feminine voice came through the phone.
“Daniel? What is it...?” Pammy spoke groggily, she’d obviously been woken up by the call, but seemed to snap back to the reality of what had happened the night before. Her tone grew concerned and hurried. “We’re back? We’re back. How are you feeling?”
Daniel replied with a drawn out groan then punctuated it with a small, hiccupped sob.
“What?? What’s wrong? Aren’t you back to normal?” Pammy asked. Daniel shook his head even though he knew she couldn’t see him. He struggled to find the will to speak.
“I’m still a cat...” he mumbled, one ear pressed to the phone, the other to his bed. Pammy sighed.
“Meet me at the old hideout in ten.” She hung up.
Written by Flutterbest on 23 January 2018
The Inconvenience of Pajamas
Daniel stared at his phone’s screen, glaring at the over enthusiastic brightness. “Tch,” he scoffed and dragged himself to his feet. He smacked his face lightly. “You can do this.”
Feeling more determined he sauntered over to the door. He turned the knob halfway before making the clever decision to glance down. He whipped his hand away from the handle and jumped back a few spaces for good measure. He was naked, nearly entirely. Boxers hung loosely to his...her hips and her breasts were completely bare almost as if to declare to the world “Hey, I’m here! Look at this! Woo I’m a cat girl!”
Daniel’s face was flushed and she quickly crossed her arms over her chest. She took another deep breath and walked over to the closet. Being careful not to expose herself again, she inched the sliding doors open. Her eyes were immediately assaulted by a barrage of girly clothes. Dresses and skirts seemed to stretch on for miles in that moment. Daniel grimaced.
“Oh c’mon, even Pammy wears pants,” she muttered and began rooting around the mess of hangers and fabric. Eventually a pair of jean shorts made their way into her hands. She hummed with mild satisfaction. “That’ll do.”
On the brink of not caring anymore, she snagged a random top from the pile. Once she was snugly in her new ensemble she threw on a pair of sneakers and zipped out the door.
Written by Flutterbest on 26 January 2018
Odd Family
Daniel treaded lightly down the stairs. She was more grateful for the impossible to clean, beige---possibly once white carpeting that coated the upstairs flooring than she’d ever been. The atypical things she’d found in her room had made her suspicious but she couldn’t jump to conclusions. All she knew for sure is she did not want her parents to see her like this.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs she surveyed the hallway warily. It was all clear so she scrambled across to hide in the archway that led to the kitchen...and the back door. She checked once more for some sign of people then booked it to the exit.
“Where you goin’, hon?” the man who spoke was friendly, almost to the point it was hard to take him seriously. Daniel spun around to face him, her heart beating fast. It was her father of course.
“D-dad?” she spluttered. She was expecting the worst but her father appeared unfazed.
“That’s me! You alright there, sport? You look worried.” He smiled warmly at her while he poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Tsk, don’t pry dear,” an airy, lightly weathered voice chided from the hallway. Soon after Daniel’s mother stepped into the kitchen. “A young woman needs her privacy you know.”
“What? She can talk to her old man. Isn’t that right, Danny?” He didn’t look at Daniel when he asked, absorbed in his drink and a recently unraveled newspaper. If he had chanced a look at his daughter he might’ve noticed her jaw dropping. Instead it was Daniel’s mother who pointed it out.
“Well gosh, sweetheart he’s right you look like you’ve seen a ghost!” she exclaimed. She placed a hand on Daniel’s forehead. “Do you have a fever?”
Daniel didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. Hon, young woman?? She couldn’t comprehend why they were acting like this.
Written by Flutterbest on 28 January 2018
Special
“What the hell?!” Daniel couldn’t help being offended by the situation. She swatted her mother’s hand away, glaring. Her parents were startled and her mother’s face was growing in concern.
“Language, Danny! What on Earth’s gotten into you?” she asked.
“What’s gotten into me?” Daniel gaped. She wildly gestured at herself. “I have fur. I have ears. I have boobs. None of that’s supposed to be there! Just letting you know! No biggie!”
Her parents swapped knowing looks.
“Now sweetheart,” her mother began. She tried to place a comforting hand on Daniel’s arm but was shrugged off. “Everyone reaches a stage in their life where they feel this way and I know it must be difficult for you. You look different from your classmates but different can be good! Different can be special. You’re special Danielle.”
Danielle? Daniel stared at them, shaking her head slowly. She couldn’t believe she was being told this bullshit. She clamped her mouth shut resolutely and without another word turned away from her parents and walked to the exit. They called her name but she was already out the door within moments.
Written by Flutterbest on 31 January 2018
The Old Hideout
Daniel took a deep breath. The fresh summer air was a nice change from the stifling indoors and the chill in Area 50 the night before. She couldn’t pause too long to enjoy it though, worried that her parents would try to follow her. She stalked across the backyard to where her bike still leaned against the fence.
She was half expecting glittery tassels to be coming from the handles but the simple, dark blue vehicle awaited her as a nice surprise. She rolled it out into the back roads that ran through the neighborhood, hopped on, and took off. The houses blurred by, entangled with the familiar smell of freshly cut grass and charcoal burning on a barbecue. At least it was still summer, Daniel thought with a dismal smirk.
Soon the houses had faded and she was speeding through the lush green woodlands that bordered the city. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and added a warm atmosphere to her drive. By the time she arrived at her destination she felt focused and for once, calm.
The “old hideout” Pammy had mentioned was a small tree house the gang had built in middle school. It was barely a tree house really, sitting amid the branches of a squat plant and only a few feet off the ground but they had taken what they could get after being banned from building in their backyards. Of course it wasn’t technically allowed back here either; the difference was nobody bothered to check. Even the builders rarely did upon entering high school. That made it the perfect place to deal with this sort of...unusual situation.
David was waiting outside when the decrepit clubhouse came into view. He frowned sympathetically while Daniel wheeled her bike over. Daniel just shrugged in response.
“Pammy called me and the others. Everyone’s waiting inside,” David said. Daniel blinked. She’d almost forgotten that Jake and Gassan had been wrapped up in this mess too. She wondered what happened to them. In any case, they were back now too so she wouldn’t have to wonder much longer. She grabbed a branch for support and stepped onto the gnarled trunk of the tree.
“Let’s go in, shall we?”
Written by Flutterbest on 03 February 2018
Together Again
When Daniel and David entered the room they saw the others sitting in a circle on the floor. No one was speaking and they all seemed wrapped up in their own devices but when Pammy saw the two of them she leaped to her feet. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly and traces of a worried frown nipped at the corners of her mouth. She grabbed Daniel by the shoulders.
“I thought this was all supposed to be over...” Pammy bit her lip and paused before shaking herself a little. She smiled at Daniel. “I’m sorry. How are you feeling?”
“Alright I guess.” Daniel didn’t meet her gaze. “My parents don’t remember me...at least not the right me anyways.”
Pammy took her hand away. “I’m sorry...” she repeated. Jake, who had been gawking silently at Daniel since she arrived, cleared his throat. He stood up and walked over to them, abandoning the still quiet Gassan on the floor.
“So your parents don’t remember you?” Jake asked. His hand quickly replaced Pammy’s on Daniel’s shoulder. “That’s rough.”
“They remember me as this, a cat girl. There were dresses in the closet and they called me Danielle,” Daniel clarified, eying Jake’s hand suspiciously. “Don’t know I haven’t been taken by the government if that’s the case but whatever, right?”
“Dresses huh? I was wondering if it was uncomfortable wearing pants with a tail. Not that the shorts don’t look good.” As Jake said this he stared at Daniel’s behind and the tail snaking out from one of the leg openings, completely unabashed.
“No. It’s not,” Daniel replied dryly. It was a small lie. The bike ride had not been entirely comfortable with the new bump to sit on but there was no way she would admit that wearing shorts instead of a dress might not have been the best decision. Jake noticed the look Daniel was shooting him and swiped his hand away. He crossed his arms and grinned at her.
“Sorry.” He leaned in a bit closer again, a single eyebrow raised then whispered. “You know if being at home with your parents makes you uncomfortable...you could always stay with me.”
Written by Flutterbest on 08 February 2018
Refusal
“No thanks. I think I’m good,” Daniel said, scooting back a little ways. Jake shrugged.
“Whatever you say.” His voice had a sing-song tone to it. Pammy smacked his arm.
“Don’t be a creep,” she chided. Jake held his hands up in defense.
“Hey I wasn’t being creepy! Just friendly! I mean we are friends after all, aren’t we?”
Pammy looked unimpressed. Daniel waved his hand and spoke before the two could get another word in.
“Look it’s alright, I’m sure it wasn’t like that.” Daniel didn’t particularly like the thought of her best buds wanting to get it on with her. “Let’s talk about something else. I’m sure there are more important things to discuss like um...”
Written by Flutterbest on 13 February 2018