Vii could feel his inner warmth, his realness that proved this was not a bad dream. He seemed to involuntarily flinch when she touched him, like when you are pricked on the finger by a nurse when you least expected it. She inwardly frowned. Maybe she had used too much force. His name seemed familiar - maybe they had met before. But this was just a nightmare, wasn't it? Perhaps she was dreaming about people at her school or something, and because it was a dream she couldn't remember him.

"Well, come on then, Andrew. Let's go home, if it exists in this dreamworld." She tore off the bottom of her dress to make it easier for running, and indicated he do the same. When he was ready, she grabbed his arm and started running through the woods, turning sometimes to make a confusing trail. Faster and faster they sped along, branches whipping Vii's face and her brown hair streaming. Running was always something that came naturally to her. As she ran, she thought about the last things she could remember.

She was walking, backpack over one shoulder and daydreaming. A black Hummer had driven up to her, and she eyed it, wary. Continuing walking, the driver of the van stuck her head out of the window and asked for directions to the library. Vii pointed it out. It was very near her house. Vii was about to turn the corner to her street.

And that was all. Frowning as she ran, Vii pondered her visions off the black abyss. Andrew was keeping up well with her, and she realized she was still holding his hand, Quickly, she dropped it, and they came to a dirt road.

Looking to him, she asked, "What should we do now?"

Lionel woke from a shocking dream again, since he was put in an experiment they had been worse and more conmen, worst of all others had been brought in, likely taken from their homes like he was. he propped himself up in his bed, he was boiling and it felt like he was going to collapse much like the dream he had just had. A man completely covered with fire would have scared anyone however when it was you on the burning end it was almost terrifying.

As he tried to get his thoughts together he felt as if he was burning up hotter and hotter, it had been an almost regular occurrence since the test and he could only imagine what those other people had been going through, soon the heat was unbearable and he was yelling for help however no help game, he was always monitored but it didn't mean they had to do something if he felt unwell.

He yelled in pain as he suddenly burst into flames, he ripped his arms from the chains that held him and got his bed and ran to find water, alarms rang and soldiers grabbed weapons to take him down if they had too. when Lionel turned a corner he was faced with a firing squad of soldiers in riot gear, they opened fire however the bullets simply bounced off him, Lionel ran towards and knowing a bad situation when they saw it they threw themselves out the way.

as he ran down the corridor he was unbeknownst to himself picking up much speed and soon he he saw a window, he threw himself out of it without much care and was blinded by the sun, his vision cleared almost instantly and he was falling fast, if anyone was looking an experiment had gone wrong and he was a fireball.

he continued to fall floor after floor until he smashed into the bottom of a hillside near where some people had been resting.

Richard scrambled up cursing his luck. He gets out of that place to have fireballs flung at him? He wasn't about to wait around. He saw the fireball burst out of the building he ran. He ran down the side of the hill he had collapsed on, stumbling due to his numb legs. Come on legs, move faster! He heard the fireball crash into the hillside where he had collapsed onto and he continued to run. Eventually he came around the back side of the building and froze. Two men. They were dressed as delivery men, but even so they would turn him in. Just his luck. His only option was to run toward the building to put it between him and the men, as there was no other cover nearby. So against his whole being he ran toward the building. He sat on the ground around the corner from the men and listened for a while but soon tuned them out. Just talking about delivery things. Then from under the truck he saw two pairs of feet. People running, towards the truck. Towards him!! How had they found where he was. The delivery men seemed unaware of these approaching footsteps. He was doomed!

But then the feet dissappeared. They went into the truck. Why? Mabye the "researchers" here sent someone out to deal with an especially sensitive package. Richard waited some more time then another thought occored to him. What if they were escaping too? His heart lept. It made sense. Nothing else would cause people to be desprate enough to hide in a refridgerated truck. Mabye his luck was turning around. He looked around the corner and saw the men had gone into the loading station, he guessed it must have been a while since they went in now looking back at their volume. Which must mean they were coming out soon. Time to get moving. Richard forced himself to dash through the open and to the back of the open truck. He stepped up on the step and quickly glanced around the truck. He didn't see anyone. Perfect! The others that went in here must be escaping too! There was no other reason for them to hide! But no time to find them now, right now he ran the risk of being heard. He turned behind a row of milk crates and crouched down. Now all he could do was wait.

Richard almost laughed then. It would be the second time in a few hours that absolute blackness would be a godsend for him. If only he could hide until they closed the truck.

He felt cold.....he could feel something tight pressing against his wrists and ankles. He didnt want to open his eyes, he truly hoped all of this had been a bad dream. "M-mom?" He called, knowing that she wouldnt be the one to answer. "Your mother is not here boy." A strange voice replied, the persons voice was like cracking ice, he almost couldnt handle hearing it. "W-where am I?" He questioned, struggling slightly agains the bindings. "Your not home, thats for sure." The voice retorted. Luis really did not like this person, and he desperately wanted to get up. "Im cold." Was the only thing Luis could manage to say. "Well now, isn't that a pity?" The person replied, cackling loudly at their own sick joke. Luis finally worked up the courage he needed to open his eyes. What he saw made want to shut his eyes and never open them again. It was a small room, with only a large filing cabinet, and a push-cart with a tray on top, full of medical tools. There was a low hum coming from the corner, Luis could not tell what it was. The person had now been identified as a man, a scrawny, pale man with greasy black hair and big, beedy eyes. He was wearing a large white coat, making him look even scarier, and long black rubber gloves that went all the way to his bony elbows. He smiled a crooked toothed grin as Luis layed eyes on him, it was enough to send one running for the hills. "W-who are you?" Luis asked, knowing it was a stupid question, did he really expect this man to tell him who he was? No, it was out of the question. "Never you mind boy!" The man snapped, his grin being pushed away violently by a pair of pursed lips. He took a long syringe from the table and waved it in Luis's face. "Would you like to know what I'm going to do with this?" The man questioned, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Well, if you value your life, your sure as hell not going to touch me with it." Luis replied, there seemed to be a new found courage churning up inside him. The man threw his head back, laughing maniacally, the noise was enough to make anyone in there right mind sick, but Luis held on to hope, for the moment at least. "Now, you just relax you big oaf, and let me continue my work." The man said as he leaned in with the syringe. "N-NO! NOOO!!" Luis shouted, as if to stop him with his voice, knowing it was futile. But then, as if he had been blessed by an angel, the lights went out, the humming in the back of the corner stopped, and he could feel the restraints on his legs and wrists weaken. "What the..?" The man asked the darkness, fumbling his way over to the medical cart. Luis struggled against the bindings, and with some surprise, he broke free quite easily. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, knocking the man into the cart with a loud crash. Luis covered his ears as the noise echoed, and he made his way for the door, feeling around the walls. When he laid his hands on a door-knob he turned it, but the door did not open. "You fool, did you think you could escape?" The man asked as he stood up. Luis threw himself against the door for a few moments, but stopped when he felt something pierce the lower part of his back, the man had stabbed him with the syringe. "AHHH!" Luis howled, tears welling up in his eyes. He turned to face the man, but only saw darkness, he swung his fists blindly, and after three swings, he felt a thump under his left fist. The thump was followed by a loud crack, which he could tell was the man's skull hitting the hard floor. Tears were streaming down his face now. "My god, I killed someone." He thought to himself, he began to panic, throwing himself against the door. After a few body checks, the door gave way, bursting off of its hinges. Luis found himself standing in a large hallway, and there did not seem to be an exit. He sprinted down the hallway, his medical dress billowing along with him like his shadow, and at the end of the hallway was a large spiral staircase leading down. He immediately hurtled down it, skipping a step every now and then, his feet felt like ice against the cold stairs, why was he barefoot? He did not have time for such questions, he reached another hallway, and at the end he saw a light, from the moon. "A window." He almost yelled with happiness. He ran for the window as fast as he could, covering his eyes as he dove out of it. He expected there to be a large impact, but suprisingly, he landed, almost softly, on a small hill of grass. He scrambled to his feet and took off running, not knowing which way he was headed.

He continued to run, not breaking his stride, even though his lungs stung for air. When he got to the road he saw a small silouhette in the darkness, it seemed to be as blind as he was in this situation, and he hoped to god it was a friend for he shouted. "HEY! HEY YOU!! WAIT UP!!" He took off after the figure, hoping to catch up with it, his feet were being pricked by sharp tiny rocks, but he wouldnt let himself be stopped. He was closing in on the figure, and he could make out long blonde hair on the figure, and what the person was wearing, a hospital dress, just like his. "HEY! HEY!!" He shouted with all his might, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, he was going to pass out from exhaustion soon, but he wouldnt let that happen until he caught up with the person. He was nearly 40 feet from the person when his vision went blurry, and he slowed down his pace, his breathe coming in short violent gasps that made him want to collapse. Luis thought only of his mother, and what she had said to him before he left the day he was abducted. "Remember hun, I love you." His mother's voice echoed in his head. "Oh, and dont forget the orange juice sweetie, thanks." The voice in his head was laughing, a sweet merry laugh, and it gave him the power to carry on. He leaned forward and ran on the pavement with all of his might, sharp rocks jabbing into his feet with every few steps, it reminded him dreadfully of the syringe wound that was still bleeding on his back. He was a mear 15 feet from the figure, when he called. "Please, wait up." It was almost inaudible, and then, without warning, his hulking frame collapsed on the side of the road. Luis looked up at the retreating figure. "C-come back." He pleaded in a whisper, his vision went hazy and he layed his face in the dirt.

Lionel got up shrinkingly with most of his body still burning, looking at his hands his skin had turned to stone and he smelled horrific, he couldn't feel the pain of the burning and the shock had mostly worn off now. he began walking towards a road with half of his body still on fire. he was going to find the nearest town and find help, then he would expose the horrible place he had escaped from.

(by the way I saw my guys house, this is incorrect as he lives/will live in an apartment.)

Lionel had been walking for who knew how long and his brain had started to fall asleep when a car began holding speed with him, a plump, sweaty man held his head out the car and spoke to him, "hey you don't be needing any help do you son?" the man asked with a texen accent, if the man was from this area it meant he was a long way from home. "I don't know know where I am they wouldn't tell me," Lionel said to the man. "well that's just terrible but uh don't that fire hurt ya?" he asked almost staring. as soon as the man mentioned fire Lionel's brain woke up again. "I'm sorry" he said before he pushed all his weight on the car, it flipped over and the man was rendered unconscious from the bump. to anyone walking or driving by it would look like he passed out and hit something. Lionel noticed the fire had gone out and he was completely naked, luckily he spied some cloths in the back of the man's car which were packed up ready to be sold, out of the many types of cloths he took some baggy pants, a green shirt, a black jacket and some rather formal looking black shoes, he would need them more than the man and he had saved him from getting involved in this so it was good enough for a reward.

Luis groaned as he was turned over, clapping one hand to his forehead. "Oooh, my head!" He shook his head as he sat up, wincing as he put his feet under his large form, and plopping back down to the ground with a thump. He noticed Samantha and scrambled to his feet, holding his hands in front of him as balled up fists. "OH!, you waited for me." He forced a small grin to his face as he lowered his hands. "Were you in that place too?" He questioned, he knew it was a silly thing to ask, but that was all he could manage to say in the state he was in at the moment. Not waiting for a reply, he sat down on the side of the road, massaging his bloody feet, whimpering like a wounded dog. "Man, what was that place?" He asked, not really to Samantha, but to himself, only out loud. Luis pulled a small shard of rock from his foot, wincing as he did so, and tossed it aside. "Im Luis by the way, and thank you for waiting for me, I dont know what I would have done if I was out here alone." He tried not to sound scared, after all, he didnt want to look weak in front of her.

Briar rose up from her bed, noting the lack of hovering doctors and bright lights. Last time she had been awake, they had told her she was an accident. But surely they must have meant she was IN an accident. She ripped needles out of her arm, feeling a strange energy course through her as she stood up. Briar resisted the urge to spread her fingers out and see what would happen, like some sort of superhero, but instead took note of herself. Her brown hair was considerably longer than before, and her nails had grown long and sharp. Oh, and she was wearing a dress. The artist wanted to draw this scene, picturing the exact strokes she would use, but coud not find a pencil.

Sighing wearily, Briar walked out the door. In her head, she formed a picture of a desert, thinking about the landscape and how to embellish it to change it to a sea. She turned a corner and saw three doctors huddled together, whispering. As the thin girl came into view, they seemed to not notice her as they looked around frantically. One of them, the woman, whispered something about the heat before she collapsed. Briar raised her eyebrow. The remaining men didn't seem to see her and she walked by casually. She finished her sketch in her head of the ocean and mentally added color. The two men behind her, though she did not notice, struggled with their throats as if drowning. But they were still in the hallway.

Briar saw a delivery truck ready to leave, so she slipped inside of it and sat on a crate. Her mind was blank of pictures, just thinking about the past. As it stopped, the girl silently hopped off and walked down the street to her house, narrowly avoiding being hit by a flying boy. Again, she raised her eyebrow. Her attitude was something of benevolent and omniscient.

Lionel found himself at the edge of a city with the name 'Manchester'. "this can't be right, manchester is back home in England, where's the blody rain?" he asked himself. "figures they would steal the name anyway" he mumbled before pressing on into the city. there was a lot of people walking around doing their shopping or something or other, he stopped outside a small house with a sign tapped onto the window that said 'attic room to let'. he took the sign and knocked on the door.

Lionel had agreed to help the elderly couple called Ogden and Betty Thrismore who were letting the attic to him for protection against some local thugs in return for free lodging, he had to admit he was quite the negotiator and some small time thugs would be no problem. he had begun searching the internet for any information concerning bio-mutation but all he found in 3 hours time was pathetic super-heros and crack pot theories that would make anyones head ache. "Hey err sir you going to join us for dinner?" Ogden asked from another room. Lionel shut the computer off and walked into the dinning room.

on the table was an assortment of food from meat to baby. vegetables to sweats and more. he sat down at the tale and thanked them before taking some fish. "so where are you from?" Betty asked him curiously.
"oh a small town" Lionel lied since the truth was he didn't remember.
"places like that sound so lovely, you know my great grandparents used to own a church in Wales and it was such a lovely place, you wouldn't have wanted to leave." she carried on while Lionel nodded his head. after the meal Lionel had left the house saying he was going for a run so the couple knew to just leave the key in the door if they went out.

Samantha, glad that the boy had managed to survive, grinned with relief. She was terrified of what might happen to them both, but she kept a stone-like face. "I'm Samantha. Samantha Ricardo." She hoped that Luis had heard of her, since she was varsity soccer and all. Not difficult, in such a small town with so little competition, but now she would have to remember her talent; being strapped to a chair for weeks on end did not help a person keep their skills intact.

She continued, "I don't know what that place is, but we have to get out of here, before they realize that we're gone." Samantha was unaware that anyone besides the pair of them had managed to make it out of the science facility.

Suddenly, in the approaching dawn, a beat-up old pickup truck pulled up nearby. "Hey, you's guys be need'n some help?" A toothless old man smiled goodnaturedly at them, so Samantha pulled Luis, who was also clad in a shoddy medical gown, to the truck. "Yes, please. Are you headed to Manchester?"

The man nodded honestly as the pair climbed into the bed of the truck, which was nearly empty. "I'll be passing through that town, so just hold on to yer gowns!" And with that, the vehicle raced down the road, approaching the little town.

Lionel had turned a corner and walked into an alleyway, not something a normal person would do considering he could be wanted as far as he knew, amnesia was the first thing he had noticed after he calmed down and it seemed a good idea not to get involved with anything too big.
"Hey! help me please!" a young voice yelled, maybe no older than 14. wasting no time Lionel ran towards the voice trying to pinpoint it as best he could. hearing the sound of a dozen switch blade knives it became apparent that he had been lured into a trap. a man slightly younger than himself walked into view with a knife and a small tape recorder playing the voice of a small boy crying for help while a dozen or so yobs followed behind him. turning around there was another wall of them behind himself.
"Your money or your guts, what's it gonna be?" the man said threateningly.
"hmm lets see... I think, your life!" Lionel yelled as he rushed at his assailant, somehow through sheer luck his fists had turned to fiery brimstone again and he made no reservations to use them against these pathetic yobs. he punched the leader in the abdomen and nearly sent him flying while the fire burned away flesh and cauterized it afterwards. A small barrage of punches later the leader lay dead in a bloody heap, it had been too quick for his gang to do anything.
"you men will redeem yourselves or die as well" Lionel threatened. there were many nods of agreement and many more people fleeing for their lives.

Richard sat down as Briar indicated him too. But when she offered for him to stay he shook his head. "I really should go home. My family will want to know I'm safe. After all, I've been gone for quite a while. Although, really, I appreciate the offer, Briar." He smiled at her then saw out of the corner of his eyes Vii laying on the couch. "Do you know what day it is, by the way? Because we'll need to go to school tomorrow if neccessary. If there is school tomorrow, tell me how Vii is then, and if there isn't... I'll walk over here. Sound good?"

Richard scratched the back of his head in befuddlement. "Yeah..." He started "I still must've been seeing things. I mean, a pure steel door? That's... That's... That's crazy." He laughed nervously about the thought and said bye to Vii as she left, hoping she would be alright. "Well." He said to Briar "I guess I should go too. After all, I don't know what my family's going to think and... frankly I miss them..." He trailed off somewhat, thinking. "I know!" He said looking up excited "Could I come over after school tommorrow? I'd bet it would be nice to have company after being alone so long..." Richard shook his head reprimanding himself "What am I doing? We're home right? So... See you at school tommorrow, Briar. I'll look for you."

With that Richard waved as he left Briar's house withone last wave back to Briar. But that door still haunted him. An illusion, right? It must've been. Nobody can bend a steel door. It's impossible. But it was REAL. That's how he escaped. It couldn't have been an illusion... Oh well. He was home.

As he entered his house he was greeted with tears and astonishment. And after surviving the interrogation of what happened from his family and their sympathy (Which didn't really help, as it was already over, but a nice gesture nonetheless) he retreated to his room that had been left intact. He lay down on is bed, which seemed so comfortable after such a long time, and drifted into the best sleep he'd had in a LONG time.