Transformed Chapter FourA Chapter by Tabitha M.Lungs burning, muscles on fire. Something grabbed her leg, ripped through her jeans and tore through her flesh. She screamed in agony, falling to the ground.
She woke with a start, gasping for breath. She scrambled to her feet, almost falling when pain shot up her leg. The doctor was nowhere in sight; nor was anyone else. She was alone; her only company was her empty stomach and constant pain. Her leg was swollen causing the stitches to pull uncomfortably, even just standing was hard. So she leaned her back against the bars as she slid to the floor, her hospital gown wrinkling loudly as she moved, and pressed her leg against the cold floor. She had a feeling infection was forming in the slashes on her leg. Maybe it would kill her, she thought with a sort of dark happiness, but she knew it wouldn't. The Doctor would get what he wanted and she was going to make him suffer as long as she could stand to.
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The day was long. Longer than any other she had suffered through. She would give anything to go back to the hell hole she once called school. It would be paradise now, even with her foster parents. Her heart actually ached to see them again and she couldn't even stand them. They had used her as a simple source of income, only giving her attention when it meant punishment but at least she had been safe there. They weren’t the worse humans on the planet. She had definitely dealt with far worse. Tears of longing leaked from her eyes, slid down her cheeks. Maybe if she hadn't left that night, she'd still be there. Safe.
Infection took over her leg and fever took over her body. Everything around her was a blur. She had long forgotten about her hunger, but she didn't know how long "long" actually was. She couldn't grasp a sense of time anymore, couldn't even try. It could have been weeks for all she knew. She fell in and out of consciousness frequently. When she was awake, she would stare at the ceiling, crying as her body screamed in agony. "Oh, Larissa, you're awake." The Doctor's voice scared her. She hadn't heard him in days, or she thought it had been days, anyway. He walked over to the cage and looked down at her. "You look to be in bad shape, Miss Mange," he said with a disapproving click of his tongue. "I could help with that, you know. If you're willing to cooperate?" She stared at the ceiling with clenched teeth and falling tears. She already knew her answer, and she was mad at herself, but she couldn't take it anymore...it was just too much. She balled her hands into fists. "Fine." Her voice was deep, scratchy, and thick. She couldn't remember when she spoke last. The Doctor seemed very, very pleased. "Just in time too," he said, a stupid grin plastered on his face. "I don't think you would have lasted much longer. Deidre, you're assistance, please?" Deidre met the doctor at the cage, looking down at Larissa with pity in her eyes. "How can I help?" "Roll that bed over here." He motioned with his head as he gathered up his own needed supplies. Deidre moved the hospital bed beside the door to the cage. He passed her the key to the lock and resumed organizing his instruments. She fit the key into the lock and opened the door. Larissa saw Deidre wrinkle her nose as she helped her to her feet. Larissa couldn't blame her. She had been marinating for a while, after all. As soon as she was standing, Larissa's stomach lurched and she fought the need to vomit. Intense pain immediately shot up her leg, causing her knees to buckle. Deidre caught and steadied her. "You okay?" she asked. Larissa grunted, still fighting the urge to puke while regaining her sorry excuse for balance. "Never better." With Deidre’s help, and several excruciating limps, Larissa made it to the hospital bed. It was nice to touch something soft. She relished it, but her moment of bliss was ruined when the Doctor opened his mouth. "Okay, Larissa, here is how this is going to play out," he started, pulling a chair up to the side of the bed. His kind, caring, doctor voice came on. It made her sick. "I'm going to put a butterfly needle in your arm. Which will be attached to a tube when you start to change. I'll also need you to keep your mouth open so I can get a DNA swab." She nodded, exposing her arm to him. He cleaned the area, having to use two alcohol pads, then slipped the small needle in easily. She didn't even feel it. "So, how exactly do I change?" she asked, watching as he attached a syringe to the tube that led to the needle. She also cast a glance at her leg, and grimaced. She quickly averted her gaze back to the syringe. Blood was prettier than infection. "You just have to think about it," Deidre explained. "Imagining it happening might help too." Larissa just nodded. She'd try her best. "Whenever you're ready, Miss Mange," he said with a smile. She took a deep, shaky breath and closed her eyes… and thought about her body transforming and becoming part animal. Her body raged with her skin stretching and bones moving. She didn't have to remember to keep her mouth her open... her screaming took care of that. She didn't know how long it lasted, but it felt like an eternity. Sweat was dripping from her face by the time the pain came to a screeching halt. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Everything looked different. Sharper, clearer. The Doctor was busy taking care of the blood and the DNA swab, but Deidre was smiling down at her. Deidre put a hand on Larissa's arm and whispered, "You're beautiful." The doctor came back and immediately drew another tube of blood and took another swab. "You make a wonderful African Wild Dog, Miss Mange," he said smiling from ear to ear. Larissa didn't speak. She was too absorbed in the feel of her new body. She looked at her arms. They were basically the same, except her skin was spotted, black and white and her hands were a little different. Her nails were pointed, like a dog's, and black while her thumbs remained the same; human and flesh colored. The scar on her left thumb, from where she had cut herself with a knife years ago, stood out as it always did. She didn't know what she looked like under her gown, but her shins and calves were covered in sparse black, white, and yellow fur. They hadn't reformed like Deidre's. Her head also felt heavier. "You can turn back now, if you want," the doctor said, hurrying away with his new collections. She kept her form for a little while longer, still awing over her body, but changed back when she started to feel nauseous and dizzy. It hurt, but she knew what to expect so it wasn't as bad. She leaned back against her pillows, her breathing labored. "Now, I'll just put your IV back in, and all the pain go away." He was ripping the plastic from a new needle as he spoke, but the needle never made it to her arm. Not that specific needle, anyway. Everybody jumped when the door was suddenly thrust open. The Doctor froze. Five people had burst through the door each of them having animal characteristics. A cheetah seemed to be leading the group. Larissa didn't know if she should be cowering in fear, or running towards them with open arms. She was hoping it was the later since they seemed freeze the doctor in place. Deidre's eyes were shifting from the group, to the doctor, to Larissa, and back again. Her body was tense, ready to react. "Lovely weather we're having, eh?" the cheetah-boy said, strolling towards the doctor. The needle slipped from the doctor's hand, clattering to the floor. His face took on a look of surprised fright. "Tyler!” he stammered. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Larissa's eyes stayed locked on the cheetah as he moved a step closer to the doctor. He appeared to be a little older than Larissa, but not much. He was shorter than the doctor, but she wasn't sure if she could judge height while he was in his animal form. His legs were feline, just like Deidre's had been. His features as well, but he didn't have the ears of a cat. His body was covered in fur, but it appeared to be thicker towards the back and much thinner in the front. He had the obvious coloration of a cheetah, but not just a normal cheetah; a king cheetah. Larissa wouldn't have known that if she hadn't spent countless hours watching Animal Planet. "You're not that hard to find, Doctor Evil," the cheetah said glancing around the room. "So this is your new secret lair? Gotta say, it's better than the last." He wrinkled his nose. "You should invest in some air freshener though. It reeks of clean." The doctor bolted, grabbing the specimens he had taken from Larissa, and running up the stairs on the opposite side of the room. "Get him!" the cheetah demanded, looking at a girl that appeared to share DNA with a tiger. Larissa only caught a quick glimpse of the tiger girl. She too had the feline legs and the sharp claws, but her face was far more human looking. Her body was covered in simple black stripes. A boy resembling the girl followed swiftly behind. The weretiger took off immediately, as did Deidre, both of them racing up the stairs. The werecheetah turned his attention to Larissa, giving her a smile and approaching slowly. "Hello, Larissa. How are you?" She scooted to the far edge of the bed, eyeing him up and down. "Fantastic,” she said through gritted teeth. "Well, that's good, because, frankly, you look like s**t." His half smile told her he was teasing, even though she knew it was the truth. When was the last time she had seen a brush? "What do you want?" she demanded. "We're getting you out of here," he said. "Taking you some place safe, away from him. And with a shower." That half smile peaked through again. Larissa decided right then and there that he was her knight in shining armor. He turned toward the others. "Go check the perimeter and find Olivia. Then meet me at the van." They all nodded and scurried away without a word. Larissa sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed, bracing herself for the pain, but it never came. He scooped her up off the bed with ease. "I can walk," she protested. "Not well, I’m sure," he said, smile forever filled with gentle teasing. He used his back to push the door open. That door led down a hallway, which led to another door. "Just want to get out of here as fast as we can so we can get you taken care of." He smiled down at her as he pushed open another door that led outside. Larissa never thought she'd be so happy to be blinded by the sun. When she looked back up at him, all traces of the cheetah had faded and a boy a few years older than her remained; and not a bad looking one at that, she admitted. Strong features, and light brown, almost golden, eyes. "What's your name?" she asked. "Tyko," he answered as he navigated his way through cars, careful not to let her dangling feet hit any hoods or side view mirrors. Her eye lids were growing heavy again. She knew she'd soon be unconscious. "That's a weird name," she admitted, laying her head against his chest. He chuckled. "It's a nickname. And what about Mange? That's not a name, it's a skin disease." "It's a last name," she mumbled, half asleep. "Doesn't count." His laugh was the last thing she heard before her body gave out and she fell asleep in her rescuer's arms. © 2015 Tabitha M.Author's Note
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Added on January 26, 2015 Last Updated on January 26, 2015 Tags: fantasy, shapeshifters, romance Author
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