Test Subject 17

2. Ghost of the Past (3)

"Are you okay?" a voice asks. I open my eyes, trying to see past the blurriness of the tears. A guy stands in my living room, crouched in front of my shaking and broken form. He looks very concerned.

I sit up immediately, wiping the tears from my eyes to see two deep green ones staring back. I stare at him, millions of memories run through my head. Something about him seems so...familiar. "Can you hear me?" he asks a little louder. I nod shakily and he stands, offering me a hand up.

"W-who are you?" I ask, my voice full of pain and distrust. He smiles at me and my heart skips a beat, but doesn't give me an answer. I stare at him, trying to keep my cool. "Why are you in my house?"

"I was walking by. Heard someone scream," he states, still holding his hand out to me. I take it and he pulls me up to my feet, making me wobble a bit. "Why don't you sit?" I nod slightly, relaxing back on the sofa. He reaches next to me, turning on the lamp, and that's when I get a good look at him.

He's changed so much. His light brown hair isn't shaggy and messy like it used to be, but in a nice, even buzz cut, which astounds me. He hated getting his hair cut. His eyes are the same color, but there's something different about them. They look colder and more mature, somehow making him more hot. He wears a black suit that almost looks like the pajamas I wore as a kid, but I can still see the outlines of muscles. His arms got longer, as did his legs, and he stands similar to the way he used to, only straighter. The hands I would hold as we played Ring Around The Rosie are more defined with long, nimble fingers, but more firm. They're still just as soft to touch accompanied by the same volts of electricity when even the smallest part of him touches me.

"A-AJ," I breathe, almost too scared to say anything. Like if I do, he'll disappear and blow away in the wind. Hope surges through my veins as happy tears start to flood my face. The guy looks at me confused.

"Afraid not miss, sorry. I don't know who AJ is. Are they supposed to be taking care of you?" he inquires, looking around my home. I shake my head and he turns back to me. "Oh. Can I get you anything miss?" That's when I noticed it. The sapphire coloring in his eyes that means his ability is active. No wonder I'm so calm. A strange man is in my house. Granted it's my old friend, but still. Anyone who didn't know him would freak out. Heck, I would. But it makes me wonder...does he do this often?

"No thanks. I should be okay by myself." I smile at him and he nods, checking me out. Instantly I feel exposed, but some strange and demented part of me doesn't care and wants him to keep looking. And maybe a bit more. Stop it! This person isn't Alex.

"Wel,l I hope everything is okay. Also, don't leave your door unlocked it's...unsafe." The way he says the last word makes me shiver a bit. He smiles once more and leaves. I let out a huge breath, but I still don't feel alright.

"You're so different now. What do they do to you?" I whisper, staring at the closed door. This was definitely not Alex. Alex would have waited until someone else came.

I close my eyes, trying to picture the goofy, careless, smiling kid I grew up with and compare him to the man who just left my living room. I see the similarities, but not many. The kid I know wouldn't have walked in without knocking is something that stands out the most. I laugh despite my state of mind and shake my head.

Thinking about it now actually, the kid I used to know is gone. He's not coming back. He can't. He shouldn't at least. Alex left me that day and I told him not to come back. And if this is him, why come back now?

Sighing I stand, slightly shaky from my mental breakdown, and lock the door before heading upstairs groggily. I go into my room and sit on my bed, still fully clothed and I really don't care. Crying took a lot out of me. Laying down fatigue floods my body and it's almost everything I can do not to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

I was always good at listening hard enough to stay awake in case the soldiers came for me again. A dreamless state starts entering my brain, but slow, quiet footsteps sound on my roof.

Now I can't just sleep. The window opens and someone jumps inside, landing softly on the floor. I know who it is instantly. Since they couldn't get me, they sent him to kill me, knowing it would be more hurtful to me since he's my friend. The bastards.

He walks to my bed and I can feel the added weight as the bed dips down. Like a sadistic i***t, my heart starts racing and thousands of fantasies run through my mind, none of which I have time for.

"Good luck with that," I say, sitting up. He stares at me in shock, falling over. I stand up and stare back, no one dares to breathe a word or move an inch.

End of Chapter 2