Born From Darkness by Maryjessie Pacheco (book suggestions .TXT) 📖

mom doesn't want to kill me and my dad's not leaving and...and...

"Talon, have you been there the whole time?"

"Are you okay?"

"Talon?"

"Talon?"

"Talon answer me!"

"Talon, pack your things! We're leaving!"

"Talon!"

"TALON!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Leave me alone! Just shut up!" I shriek, rocking faster, my nails piercing the skin on the sides of my head. When I open my eyes, the last things I see are the terrified looks on my parents' faces when they see the whispering shadows swirling around the hall. Then...nothing. 

 

Uncle David

I'm tired. So tired. Where am I? What happened? Images flash through my mind, but there are too many gaps for me to really understand anything. Someone sits down on the bed I'm apparently occupying.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" mom whispers.

"How long has he been out?" a voice I don't recognize asks.

"He's been this way since Rashel called you two days ago, so I'm guessing about two days," dad snaps, sounding extremely annoyed by the man's presence. I pry my eyes open little by little so they won't notice but also because it feels like someone glued them shut.

"I'd have been here sooner, but I don't exactly live next door," the man answers flatly. "Did you use it on him yet, Rashel?"

"Yeah, but we won't know for sure if it worked right until he wakes up." Used what on me? What aren't they sure worked? What's going on?

"Hey, I think he's awake," dad cries happily. Then, "David, wait! Your mask!" The man leans over me, his forehead inches from mine, and I'm horrified by what I see. The left side of the man's face has fat, ugly, purplish scars that are raised and shiny. His left eye is a freaky, dead-looking milky blue, scars tearing through the left side of his lips. His neck has thin angry, blood-red scars that seem to throb with every breath he takes. I suddenly become aware that I'm being held down...and I'm screaming my head off. Dad pulls me into a crushing bear-hug, my back against his chest. I thrash wildly as Scarface tries to inject me with something that'll probably make me go to sleep. I don't want to sleep. Not with him here.

"Talon, calm down! He's not going to hurt you," mom shouts, grabbing my hand. I relax slightly but still refuse to be drugged into sleep, which I now fear for some reason that has nothing to do with the freak trying to stab me. Scarface finally just holds his hands up in surrender and places the unused needle on a shiny, mahogany nightstand.

"Let go!" I scream, finally finding my voice. Dad suddenly falls backward, releasing me but not before his weight drags me with him. It's like I'm watching in slow-motion as I fall, another nightstand on the left side of the bed hurtling towards my face at an alarming rate. There's a loud, sickening crack, and my head snaps back painfully. My mom's screams are just a distant buzz in my ears as something warm flows into my eyes from an unknown source. I try, unsuccessfully, to sit up and discover I can't move at all. My forehead's throbbing and there's a searing pain creeping from my neck down to my spine. Everything starts to go hazy, but I refuse to give in to the pain; I fight desperately to stay awake, watching everyone frantically arguing over something. Me? Not important right now. Can't fall asleep. Stay awake! Stay...awake. Stay...s-stay...

"-something! People can die from a broken neck!" mom shrieks, the world spinning harshly into focus.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" dad answers bitterly, his hand raking through my tangled hair.

"Both of you! Shut up! Fighting over something so stupid won't keep him alive. We have no choice but to take him to a regular hospital; he can't find out about the Institute yet," Scarface growls. My parents glare at each other for a moment but listen. The Institute? What are they talking about?

"What's the Institute? And who's he?" I ask before I can stop myself. I sit up and stare at the creep, the unbearable pain I'd had before suddenly gone. Their jaws practically fall to the floor, their eyes like huge saucers.

"Talon...you hit your head pretty hard. Are you...okay?" mom asks with a look on her face that I don't really understand. I touch my bleeding forehead absently.

"It doesn't hurt that much. Just a scratch really. So, who's he?"

"Um...well-"

"You don't remember me?" Scarface interrupts, continuing when I shake my head. "I'm your Uncle David."

Confusion

"You're my uncle? My parents never mentioned any relatives," I said in a daze.

"Yeah, I'm your uncle, and it doesn't matter what your parents didn't tell you. Now you know."

"Why are you here?"

"Well, you're quite blunt, aren't you?"

"Answer my question."

"Alright, alright. I just thought I'd stop by to visit my nephew."

I glared at him in silence, looking from my mom to my dad slowly. There it was again; that uncontrollable anger began to bubble up inside me. 

"Talon?" mom squeeked, her eyes filled with terror. The room had gotten cold enough to see her trembling breath.

"Talon, stop it," Uncle David growled. "Control yourself."

 "Leave him alone, David. It's your fault he's upset," dad hissed, rushing to my side. 

"You wanted to kill me," I said, emotionless. "Why? What am I?"

The lights flickered as the room shuddered, anger and resentment coursing through my veins as if I were immersed in ice water. Painful, yet invigorating. 

"Stop it," David warned. "You have to stop before it reaches your heart. That feeling you're getting right now, it's bad."

I stood unsteadily and took a step towards my uncle, the ground beneath me freezing over. Once David put his hand up, I couldn't go any further. It was as if something were holding me back.

"Calm down," he said softly, pulling the syringe out from behind his back. 

"Don't you dare!" dad came up beside me and put a hand on my shoulder. Just like that, the anger was gone, and I sank to my knees, suddenly exhausted. 

Not Their Son

 Mom and David had stepped out, but I could hear them as clear as if they were right beside me.

"That's not the child I raised!" mom sobbed. "Is he even human anymore?"

"Rashel, you knew what you were getting into when you and Alex took him in."

Took me in? Tears filled my eyes as I stood and swung open the door. Mom looked at me, startled; David seemed to know I'd heard, his face grim. 

"Talon-" she started, reaching for my hand. I yanked it away and ran impossibly fast. It seemed unnatural to be running at this speed. 

Imprint

Text: All Rights Reserved.
Images: Google
Publication Date: 04-07-2012

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To Gina, my little sister and main supporter.