It had been almost a hundred years since her mother died and Ava had resigned herself to her fate, mostly. Then he came along. Experiment 17, better known to Ava as Ralph. He had been abducted (by Ava) when he was in his late twenties so that Father could experiment on a fully grown male. Ava, of course, was expected to help. Expected to ignore the screams and pleas for mercy, expected to be her Fathers little girl. And she was. Two weeks of torture later Ralph began talking to Ava. He asked about her. How was she feeling, did she miss her mother, how old was she, had she ever thought of escaping, so on and so forth. Ava didn't respond at first, but soon she began talking to this man. Soon, she began to feel something. She hadn't felt something in a long time. It stirred a hunger, a hunger no food could quench. That was when she argued with her Father. She had argued for his life. Ava shook her head and went back to listening outside the window. No time to dwell on the past.
FOILS 2
- Thread starter sceltae
- Start date
sceltae
Member
"Ang!"
Her eyes squeezed shut, Angela returned weakly to Dad. She didn't know why she kept going; they were words that had to be said, and they both knew it, but the feeling of digging her own grave intensified as she went on.
"She was sick, Dad, and every time we went to see her you would be extra-careful with her, and you always brought up the fact that she was dying," she rambled. "What would happen to us both after her death. How much you would miss her. The money. The house. The dog, how much the dog would miss her- it was like you were looking for an excuse to talk about it. The last thing you do to a sick, dying person is treat them like a sick, dying person."
She looked up and held his gaze.
"But she didn't die," Dad said, without a hitch.
"She left because you didn't know when to shut up."
Dad paused. "That's not why she left, Ang."
Suddenly, Angela's face broke. She shook her head slowly, neck creaking. "She didn't leave because she didn't care about us," she said with finality.
"She left because she got better and found a... better opportunity," Dad said slowly.
"Is that what you call it?" It was then that Angela hit the table; it cracked and fell apart with a heavy THUMP, and Angela cried out with the pain of a broken hand.
Her eyes squeezed shut, Angela returned weakly to Dad. She didn't know why she kept going; they were words that had to be said, and they both knew it, but the feeling of digging her own grave intensified as she went on.
"She was sick, Dad, and every time we went to see her you would be extra-careful with her, and you always brought up the fact that she was dying," she rambled. "What would happen to us both after her death. How much you would miss her. The money. The house. The dog, how much the dog would miss her- it was like you were looking for an excuse to talk about it. The last thing you do to a sick, dying person is treat them like a sick, dying person."
She looked up and held his gaze.
"But she didn't die," Dad said, without a hitch.
"She left because you didn't know when to shut up."
Dad paused. "That's not why she left, Ang."
Suddenly, Angela's face broke. She shook her head slowly, neck creaking. "She didn't leave because she didn't care about us," she said with finality.
"She left because she got better and found a... better opportunity," Dad said slowly.
"Is that what you call it?" It was then that Angela hit the table; it cracked and fell apart with a heavy THUMP, and Angela cried out with the pain of a broken hand.
sceltae
Member
"Ang!"
"Don't touch me."
They drove Dad's half-packed truck to the hospital. The decrepit, squat ex-elementary school had been closed down on the grounds of a bug infection and recently re-opened as a local clinic. Nobody was in the parking lot except a couple of smelly teenagers under the streetlamp. There was no air conditioning, so Angela's hair steadily rose in curls as she and Dad waited.
A number of difficulties presented themselves.
First, the nurse wouldn't accept that a fourteen year old could single-handedly break a table.
Second, Angela had bruising on her otherwise intact bones.
Thirdly, as the nurses noted quietly to the doctor, the girl seemed scared. She kept looking over her shoulder at the window.
"Don't touch me."
They drove Dad's half-packed truck to the hospital. The decrepit, squat ex-elementary school had been closed down on the grounds of a bug infection and recently re-opened as a local clinic. Nobody was in the parking lot except a couple of smelly teenagers under the streetlamp. There was no air conditioning, so Angela's hair steadily rose in curls as she and Dad waited.
A number of difficulties presented themselves.
First, the nurse wouldn't accept that a fourteen year old could single-handedly break a table.
Second, Angela had bruising on her otherwise intact bones.
Thirdly, as the nurses noted quietly to the doctor, the girl seemed scared. She kept looking over her shoulder at the window.
Ava watched as AngelA went into the hospital but decided that a closer look was necessary. She ported in to the janitors closet and walked out quietly. "Excuse me, miss, are you lost? You shouldn't be here." Ava looked at the small Asian nurse in front of her and nodded. Her scrubs would fit nicely. After depositing her into the janitors closet Ava went and watched Angela from a more comfortable view. She even examined the x rays. Her healing powers were growing stronger already. Remarkable.
sceltae
Member
The nurse was tall and wore a plastic shirt printed with Care Bears, stained with coffee. Dad frowned at her red smile.
Without an introduction, she asked for Angela's broken hand, and rolled her eyed when Dad asked her to be careful. "I know what I'm doing, Sir," she said, and proceeded to demonstrate just how fresh out she was out of nursing school.
"I think your hand looks fine," she announced to Ang.
Ang blinked. "It... it doesn't feel fine."
"How does it feel?"
"Not fine."
Dad stood up straight from leaning on the wall. "Maybe you should do an x-ray."
The nurse shook her head, dismissing Dad, who thought she may have had too much coffee, judging by the extent to which her fake smile stretched her face. She looked manic, the type of thing that would jump-scare you in a video game. She turned tail and left- Ang commented that you could see her underwear through her pants, and laughed dryly. After 20 minutes, she came back in for Ang's x-ray.
Dad had too stay in the room. When Ang returned, he was in the exact same spot she had left him in.
As they waited for the x-rays, she asked for the story behind the hand. Ang asked Dad to retell it. Her throat felt tight, because her hand felt fine. She could move it. With a feverish discomfort, she realized something was very wrong.
Then they received the x-rays. Ang squirmed.
"Well, sir. This tells a different story."
Without an introduction, she asked for Angela's broken hand, and rolled her eyed when Dad asked her to be careful. "I know what I'm doing, Sir," she said, and proceeded to demonstrate just how fresh out she was out of nursing school.
"I think your hand looks fine," she announced to Ang.
Ang blinked. "It... it doesn't feel fine."
"How does it feel?"
"Not fine."
Dad stood up straight from leaning on the wall. "Maybe you should do an x-ray."
The nurse shook her head, dismissing Dad, who thought she may have had too much coffee, judging by the extent to which her fake smile stretched her face. She looked manic, the type of thing that would jump-scare you in a video game. She turned tail and left- Ang commented that you could see her underwear through her pants, and laughed dryly. After 20 minutes, she came back in for Ang's x-ray.
Dad had too stay in the room. When Ang returned, he was in the exact same spot she had left him in.
As they waited for the x-rays, she asked for the story behind the hand. Ang asked Dad to retell it. Her throat felt tight, because her hand felt fine. She could move it. With a feverish discomfort, she realized something was very wrong.
Then they received the x-rays. Ang squirmed.
"Well, sir. This tells a different story."
"Your a nurse right?" Ava turned and looked at a young woman who questioned her. She was holding a child, a little boy with brown hair, maybe three years old. "What do you require from that query?" The woman shook her head and held out her child to Ava, blinking back tears. "I-I was backing my car up and I thought my husband had him in the house, he ran out and I hit him and now he won't wake up! Please help!" Ava shook her head and looked back at Angela. Nothing interesting there. She took the child in her arms. "Follow me. " she turned and headed down the hallway, it was a small hospital. Everyone else was busy, and Ava was bored. She would improve this little one. Maybe even start her own experiments.
sceltae
Member
The nurse looked at Dad. Dad looked at the nurse. Ang was in the middle of it, feeling like a liar.
But how could this have happened? she thought.
For a second, the nurse's fake smile started to melt off.
"This is strange," she started. "These scans show little Angie's hand is just fine."
Dad made a face. The nurse held the x-ray up for him to see. Angela glanced under her outstretched arm and gasped; what was that alien-human-psycho thing doing here? She almost swallowed her tongue. They couldn't ask her any questions now, not when she was sweating through her -shirt, experiencing the previous night all over again.
Meanwhile, Dad was shaking his head at the x-ray. "Look, her hand was broken. Your scanner is wrong." He frowned at her. "Don't give me that look. She's telling the truth."
"Look, sir. Many kids little Angie's age do silly things for attention. Maybe the table was old. You are the new people at the Helter Mansion, right?"
Dad nodded rustily.
"That furniture is ancient. And maybe she just thought her hand was broken. There are several possibilities. But the scanner never lies." The nurse put her hand on the doorknob. "I'll notify the doctor and you can pay at the desk."
"What? But we didn't even have a surgery or anything-"
"The clinic runs on contributions from all of our guests."
Dad held up his hand as the nurse turned to leave. "No. Ang-- by the way, it's Ang, not little Angie-- is telling the truth, and I don't care what you say. Right, Ang?"
He turned for her confirmation, but she was too busy craning her neck, trying to follow the aline-thing as she walked away with someone's child.
"Ang?" Dad said softly.
She looked at him with wide eyes, hesitated, then shook her head slowly.
But how could this have happened? she thought.
For a second, the nurse's fake smile started to melt off.
"This is strange," she started. "These scans show little Angie's hand is just fine."
Dad made a face. The nurse held the x-ray up for him to see. Angela glanced under her outstretched arm and gasped; what was that alien-human-psycho thing doing here? She almost swallowed her tongue. They couldn't ask her any questions now, not when she was sweating through her -shirt, experiencing the previous night all over again.
Meanwhile, Dad was shaking his head at the x-ray. "Look, her hand was broken. Your scanner is wrong." He frowned at her. "Don't give me that look. She's telling the truth."
"Look, sir. Many kids little Angie's age do silly things for attention. Maybe the table was old. You are the new people at the Helter Mansion, right?"
Dad nodded rustily.
"That furniture is ancient. And maybe she just thought her hand was broken. There are several possibilities. But the scanner never lies." The nurse put her hand on the doorknob. "I'll notify the doctor and you can pay at the desk."
"What? But we didn't even have a surgery or anything-"
"The clinic runs on contributions from all of our guests."
Dad held up his hand as the nurse turned to leave. "No. Ang-- by the way, it's Ang, not little Angie-- is telling the truth, and I don't care what you say. Right, Ang?"
He turned for her confirmation, but she was too busy craning her neck, trying to follow the aline-thing as she walked away with someone's child.
"Ang?" Dad said softly.
She looked at him with wide eyes, hesitated, then shook her head slowly.
Ava laid the little boy down on the bed and told the mother to wait outside. There were all sorts of things to be done. First, get him back to a healthy child, treat any broken bones or fractures. Then, improve the health. Make him stronger, faster, smarter. She could do more in her Fathers lab, but she did enough. Didn't take long either, an hour, maybe two. She came out. Of the door and the mother was still waiting, crying." The child is fine. Next time call an ambulance or look behind you." She nodded. "May I-may I see him?" Ava shrugged and nooded her head as she walked away, back to where Angela was.
sceltae
Member
"My hand isn't broken anymore." She cleared her throat and shook her head. "It must have been... like... maybe I overreacted or...."
She kept mumbling to herself. Dad grudgingly paid for their time, shooting dark looks at the people at the front desk. He stopped her just outside the front door, a big hand gently on her shoulder. She didn't meet his eyes.
"What bothers me, Ang, is that we both heard bone snapping."
"That was just the table, Dad."
"You broke the table."
"We could've put the microwave on the table and it would've broken. Listen to the nurse."
She looked up. Dad's face was flushed. He had that face on. That Don't-Tell-Me-I'm-Wrong face. She made a noise halfway between a whimper and a grunt, a sort of plea for him to just give it up.
"What do you think happened, Dad? I went Incredible Hulk and magically healed?" she snapped, then caught her tone, remembering their argument earlier, and how guilty she had felt afterward. "Just listen to the nurse."
"No, there's something weird going on here. You and that nurse are not going to tell me to doubt my own senses."
"I don't know what happened, Dad! I'm just tired. I'm just tired and I want to go home."
She kept mumbling to herself. Dad grudgingly paid for their time, shooting dark looks at the people at the front desk. He stopped her just outside the front door, a big hand gently on her shoulder. She didn't meet his eyes.
"What bothers me, Ang, is that we both heard bone snapping."
"That was just the table, Dad."
"You broke the table."
"We could've put the microwave on the table and it would've broken. Listen to the nurse."
She looked up. Dad's face was flushed. He had that face on. That Don't-Tell-Me-I'm-Wrong face. She made a noise halfway between a whimper and a grunt, a sort of plea for him to just give it up.
"What do you think happened, Dad? I went Incredible Hulk and magically healed?" she snapped, then caught her tone, remembering their argument earlier, and how guilty she had felt afterward. "Just listen to the nurse."
"No, there's something weird going on here. You and that nurse are not going to tell me to doubt my own senses."
"I don't know what happened, Dad! I'm just tired. I'm just tired and I want to go home."
Ava almost laughed. The experiment was denying that she had powers, and the old man was believing her! They were on their way home now, but Ava beat them and stole a few pieces of bread and a can of soup, making sure to leave everything unlocked and open. This would cause some tension, possibly another fit of strength and healing could be observed.
sceltae
Member
When they got home, they found the house lit up like a lantern. Every light was on, blaring through the open windows. Even the front door hit the frame softly in the light wind. They rolled in silently, spectating.
"No, that's...." Dad strummed his hands on the steering wheel. Ang, did you leave the lights on when we left?"
Angela looked slowly from the house to Dad. "Just the kitchen light...."
They exchanged glances. After a moment, Ang kicked the car door open. She marched to the door, disheveled and determined. Dad yelled at her to wait.
"Wait for what, Dad? Somebody's in our house!" Her voice hitched at somebody. "I'm not doing this anymore. I can't live like this for another day. I'm gonna kill someone!"
Dad ram I[ and grabbed her arm. "Don't be ridiculous, just get back in the car. I'll deal with this."
"I know I'm ridiculous! I see imaginary aliens and hallucinate broken bones! I don't care if I'm crazy or not, I'm going in there and ending this!"
"No, that's...." Dad strummed his hands on the steering wheel. Ang, did you leave the lights on when we left?"
Angela looked slowly from the house to Dad. "Just the kitchen light...."
They exchanged glances. After a moment, Ang kicked the car door open. She marched to the door, disheveled and determined. Dad yelled at her to wait.
"Wait for what, Dad? Somebody's in our house!" Her voice hitched at somebody. "I'm not doing this anymore. I can't live like this for another day. I'm gonna kill someone!"
Dad ram I[ and grabbed her arm. "Don't be ridiculous, just get back in the car. I'll deal with this."
"I know I'm ridiculous! I see imaginary aliens and hallucinate broken bones! I don't care if I'm crazy or not, I'm going in there and ending this!"
Ava decided to go back into the house. This would be an interesting conversation to be sure. She sat down on their couch and dust flew off as it creaked under her weight. While she waited she ate her bread and drank the soup out of the can getting tomato paste down her shirt. Not a bad meal.
sceltae
Member
Angela ran into the house.
She cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled, "Where are you?"
She cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled, "Where are you?"
sceltae
Member
Angela, reflexing with her ballerina training from second grade, jumped and spun, then grabbed the alien-thing's shoulders.
"You've been everywhere lately! Are you even real?"
"You've been everywhere lately! Are you even real?"
sceltae
Member
(bye!!)
Dad came into the room in a rush, yelling, "Hey!"
Dad came into the room in a rush, yelling, "Hey!"
sceltae
Member
Angela let go of Ava.
"See, Dad? Tell me you see her, Dad!"
She spun around, and held out her hand- suddenly, Dad fell to the ground, bleeding from his temple.
"DAD!"
"See, Dad? Tell me you see her, Dad!"
She spun around, and held out her hand- suddenly, Dad fell to the ground, bleeding from his temple.
"DAD!"
sceltae
Member
"Dad, Im so sorry... Dad, are you okay?"
Angela pushed past Ava, but when she reached out to touch Dad, he stepped back.
"Dad..."
She turned toward Ava. "You made me do that."
Angela pushed past Ava, but when she reached out to touch Dad, he stepped back.
"Dad..."
She turned toward Ava. "You made me do that."
Ava furrowed her eyebrows. "I did not make you do anything. You accidentally wounded your Father in your anger, not unlike another experiment I know." Perhaps if I make her angrier, I can fin out the extent of her powers. This should be an interesting experiment, much like the Hulk.
sceltae
Member
(is she destroying the hospital or mansion?)
Angela grabbed Ava's arms.
"Stop it! All youve been doing since I met you is say things I dont understand. Experiment? Is that all I am? Like Frankenstein? Is that what you did to that little boy in the hospital?"
Angela grabbed Ava's arms.
"Stop it! All youve been doing since I met you is say things I dont understand. Experiment? Is that all I am? Like Frankenstein? Is that what you did to that little boy in the hospital?"
(Whichever you prefer.) " You are an experiment, so am I. That little boy in the hospital? All I did was fix the brokenness inside him and improve him slightly. I could have done more, but I chose not to. You have to face responsibility. I have done nothing to you. You are the one who hurt your father. You are the one who has done all of these things. I have simply observed."