Setting
INK
Will sighed as he looked out of the window of the small cafe, clearly tired. The teenager yawned softly as he absentmindedly stirred the coffee he had ordered. He had never really been a morning person, and he had been forced to wake up especially early this morning for some sort of 'cordial meeting,' as they had put it, with the folks from TT Labs. Not that Will particularly wanted to go, though, but perhaps it would be a good idea to tell those creeps to bugger off.
Oops, better go, Will thought sluggishly, realizing that he would likely be late for the gathering. Quickly draining the last of the bitter brew that sat in his cup, Will proceeded to the counter, paid his bill, and exited out of the small place of business into the bustling streets of SmileVille. Although it was only just past seven, the narrow streets were already packed bumper to bumper with compact sedans in every color you could imagine, their groggy and irate drivers sourly beginning their daily commute to work. William felt a slight twinge of envy course through his body; these people had lived normal lives, most likely loved by their parents. These people had never known the horrors of an experimental laboratory, or felt the agony of hypodermic needles plunging toxins and mutagens into their veins-
Calm down, Will instructed himself, taking a deep breath until the moment passed. He couldn't blame the innocents who walked these streets for the horrors he had faced any more than he could blame the waitress at the cafe for the terrible quality of the coffee he had been given. The only people to blame were the scientists... and his parents. Will twinged at the thought of those people, the couple who should have loved him, yet sold him away to TT Labs simply for the fame and glory. They didn't see him as anything more than a paycheck.
Will snapped out of his thoughts as he turned into a small alleyway off the street he had been travelling. It was dark and dank, as one would expect an alley to be, and was somehow still dimly lit, even though it was bright out. Will could hear the squeaking of rats as he knocked on a dilapidated wooden door. The entry creaked open and he was lead inside by a woman, a woman Will recognized from the facility. She was one of the lead researchers, and Will had heard plenty of stories about her. In fact, he had a few tales of his own; he remembered the woman's presence during the intense testing he underwent to test the limits of his powers. The young man was now on full alert; the thought had not escaped him that this might very well be a trap, and he was positive he was not returning to the labs today.
William took a seat in a dimly lit room. It, like the rest of the building, seemed to be in a state of slight disrepair. The hardwood floor beneath Will's feet was warped and cracked from age, while the off-white paint on the walls was chipped and peeling. The ceiling was pockmarked with water damage, and looked as if it might cave in at any moment. The entire room was lit by a bare light bulb, which flickered so much that one could only deduce that it was nearing the end of its lifetime.
"I trust you know why you're here, sweetie?" The scientist asked him. William nodded in response. It was obvious that they wanted to take all of them back; the Nowhere Kids, that is. They'd have a hard time doing that, that was for sure.
Slowly, the other Nowheres arrived. One by one, the teens filed in the room, taking the empty chairs until all of them were full. The last to arrive was a scrawny ginger kid. Will remembered him vaguely from the labs; the scientists hadn't let the experiments mingle much, but it didn't take long for the redhead to imprint on one's memory.
"What are we here for?"
The person standing at the front of the room smiled. Her face was shielded from view with how little light was shown in the building. Miles never let down his guard. The entire set-up wreaked of a trap, but he knew better than to call out on it. "I've called you all here as a Nowhere Kid," the woman spoke. She seemed a little tall to be a teenager, but then again, not everyone in the room looked exactly their age either. There was a pause and Miles got ready to stand. "And also as a dutiful scientist. Your parents wish for your returns children. I'm only here to bring you back to where you belong." Miles went to stand and the woman slammed her hand on the desk, making him rethink his actions and pause. "Miles, please, sit, listen to what I have to say at least." She cleared her throat. "If any of you happen to reject my kindly offer of returning you back to the safety of the laboratory, then I'm afraid we'll have to take drastic measure. In the next room we have a special batch of experimentees that are 'programmed' to find and take you in by force. Now, you have the choice to stay and go back with me or be hunted down like wild game." She smirked because she knew the answer she was going to receive. "How about it?"
Miles was the first to laugh. His voice echoing throughout the room and bouncing off the walls, catching the pink-haired woman off-guard. He stood casually and walked to the far end of the room, by the door. "Animals aren't that bad," he commented with another laugh, this one more childish and less eerie than the last one. "So I think I'll be on my way." He looked around at the other four, not completely caring for their replies. "Who wants to come with?"
After a moment's hesitation, Will stood as well. "I may not be sure of what I'm going to do from here on out, or how I'm going to do it, but I know one thing; I'm done being a lab rat for you. I'll be taking my leave as well, if you don't mind."
Oops, better go, Will thought sluggishly, realizing that he would likely be late for the gathering. Quickly draining the last of the bitter brew that sat in his cup, Will proceeded to the counter, paid his bill, and exited out of the small place of business into the bustling streets of SmileVille. Although it was only just past seven, the narrow streets were already packed bumper to bumper with compact sedans in every color you could imagine, their groggy and irate drivers sourly beginning their daily commute to work. William felt a slight twinge of envy course through his body; these people had lived normal lives, most likely loved by their parents. These people had never known the horrors of an experimental laboratory, or felt the agony of hypodermic needles plunging toxins and mutagens into their veins-
Calm down, Will instructed himself, taking a deep breath until the moment passed. He couldn't blame the innocents who walked these streets for the horrors he had faced any more than he could blame the waitress at the cafe for the terrible quality of the coffee he had been given. The only people to blame were the scientists... and his parents. Will twinged at the thought of those people, the couple who should have loved him, yet sold him away to TT Labs simply for the fame and glory. They didn't see him as anything more than a paycheck.
Will snapped out of his thoughts as he turned into a small alleyway off the street he had been travelling. It was dark and dank, as one would expect an alley to be, and was somehow still dimly lit, even though it was bright out. Will could hear the squeaking of rats as he knocked on a dilapidated wooden door. The entry creaked open and he was lead inside by a woman, a woman Will recognized from the facility. She was one of the lead researchers, and Will had heard plenty of stories about her. In fact, he had a few tales of his own; he remembered the woman's presence during the intense testing he underwent to test the limits of his powers. The young man was now on full alert; the thought had not escaped him that this might very well be a trap, and he was positive he was not returning to the labs today.
William took a seat in a dimly lit room. It, like the rest of the building, seemed to be in a state of slight disrepair. The hardwood floor beneath Will's feet was warped and cracked from age, while the off-white paint on the walls was chipped and peeling. The ceiling was pockmarked with water damage, and looked as if it might cave in at any moment. The entire room was lit by a bare light bulb, which flickered so much that one could only deduce that it was nearing the end of its lifetime.
"I trust you know why you're here, sweetie?" The scientist asked him. William nodded in response. It was obvious that they wanted to take all of them back; the Nowhere Kids, that is. They'd have a hard time doing that, that was for sure.
Slowly, the other Nowheres arrived. One by one, the teens filed in the room, taking the empty chairs until all of them were full. The last to arrive was a scrawny ginger kid. Will remembered him vaguely from the labs; the scientists hadn't let the experiments mingle much, but it didn't take long for the redhead to imprint on one's memory.
"What are we here for?"
The person standing at the front of the room smiled. Her face was shielded from view with how little light was shown in the building. Miles never let down his guard. The entire set-up wreaked of a trap, but he knew better than to call out on it. "I've called you all here as a Nowhere Kid," the woman spoke. She seemed a little tall to be a teenager, but then again, not everyone in the room looked exactly their age either. There was a pause and Miles got ready to stand. "And also as a dutiful scientist. Your parents wish for your returns children. I'm only here to bring you back to where you belong." Miles went to stand and the woman slammed her hand on the desk, making him rethink his actions and pause. "Miles, please, sit, listen to what I have to say at least." She cleared her throat. "If any of you happen to reject my kindly offer of returning you back to the safety of the laboratory, then I'm afraid we'll have to take drastic measure. In the next room we have a special batch of experimentees that are 'programmed' to find and take you in by force. Now, you have the choice to stay and go back with me or be hunted down like wild game." She smirked because she knew the answer she was going to receive. "How about it?"
Miles was the first to laugh. His voice echoing throughout the room and bouncing off the walls, catching the pink-haired woman off-guard. He stood casually and walked to the far end of the room, by the door. "Animals aren't that bad," he commented with another laugh, this one more childish and less eerie than the last one. "So I think I'll be on my way." He looked around at the other four, not completely caring for their replies. "Who wants to come with?"
After a moment's hesitation, Will stood as well. "I may not be sure of what I'm going to do from here on out, or how I'm going to do it, but I know one thing; I'm done being a lab rat for you. I'll be taking my leave as well, if you don't mind."