CHAPTER SIX: PREDATOR VS PREY

I woke up to the sound of running water. Suspended mid-air by multi-colored cords tangled with wires as the black liquid they submerged me in spiraled down a drain. My insides burned like hot grease pumping through my veins. I fell to the floor, unable to steady myself on the slippery floor. Things started happening one after the other as people in white hazmat suits piled into the room. I tried moving my limbs, adjusting to the land of the living. Their bodies smelt like harsh bleach as they worked to dislodge me from the cords that were attached to my pod. Glancing around the room, I noticed the world seemed much smaller and things that I hadn’t paid attention to before were much more intense in stimulating my senses. Each of my senses working in overdrive to make sense of the world around me. I stood up, rising head and shoulders above those in the protective suits. Every bit of noise made crashed like thunder in my ears. I raised my left hand, unable to recognize it beneath the layers of bandages that wrapped themselves up to my forearm. A cool sensation shocked my body as I looked down to find a gloved hand pressed against my stomach. One worker in the protective suit poked and prodded at my flesh while another motioned me towards an examination table a few feet away. I lifted my left foot, shakily, still dizzy from all the sudden stimulus. Aided by the other workers as I placed it down on the tile outside my pod, wobbling the entire time. I worked my other foot, feeling for my toes as I placed one in front of the other at a snail’s pace until I reached my destination. The first worker maneuvered in front of me. Spreading my legs while tilting my head upwards as they prodded my body even further from my neck down. Others worked in unison, sticking monitors to every inch of my body while one worker separated from the group. They took out a large syringe with a blue capsule that they injected into my arm as a rush of cold invaded my body. 

“What are you doing?” I asked, completely unfamiliar with the baritone voice that escaped my mouth.

The worker ignored me while they continued to palpate my muscles between their fingers and take notes with a recorder.

“Excuse me? What are you doing?” I asked again. 

This time, I leaned forward, almost falling over to make eye contact. I tried to work the Noblesse-like arrogance I practiced for so long the best that I could. Blinking a few times as the view of the world around me changed into a nightmare straight out of a horror film. I stared at what should’ve been the hazmat worker’s face, but what I saw was a disfigured grab-bag of blue, red, and yellow. 

“You look disoriented Recruit SS-13. Are you seeing something that you would consider out of the ordinary? If so, please let me know. They have tasked me with making sure everything is in order while I do your preliminary examinations. You may experience some disorientation or vertigo, but that’s normal for those who have undergone intensive gene therapy treatment.” A woman’s voice said.

The news shocked me to an extent. I survived? Everything made it out in one piece, so I think I'm lucky. No extra toes or missing fingers.

“I’m see….I’m seeing things I shouldn’t. Your face…it doesn’t look like a face.” I said, doing my best to remain calm.

The female worker stopped for a moment before continuing on with her examination unbothered.

“What does my face look like then, Recruit SS-13?” She asked.

“Like a three-year-old with poor color selection doodled on it.” I chuckled nervously.

The scientist moved from my stomach to my legs after pressing on both sides of my ribs for a short time.

“That just means the retinal therapy was a success. You have gained infrared vision.” The worker said. 

I kept on blinking as my vision switched from normal to the Picasso like world that I wasn’t used to. The scientist didn’t stop recording herself as she examined the rest of my body.

“Recruit SS-13 has no muscular atrophy or deformity that could be seen from a preliminary examination. His muscles have formed correctly with no noticeable dips or hernia present.” The female scientist took out a small hammer out of her pocket as she knocked it against my knees. “What you’re seeing now are hot and cold spots created by my body. Reflexes are working fine with a substantial increase in sensitivity and reaction speed. You’ll get used to it soon as you learn to control it. Don’t pay too much attention to it and go about your daily activities as usual. You’ll also experience some latency in your biomechanics, but again, it’s something that takes time to become accustomed to.” 

Infrared vision? Latency? Biomechanics? That’s a lot of big words.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but with all due respect, what the fuck are you talking about?” I asked, the forced courtesy left my tone.

The female caretaker jerked nervously at the sound of my agitated voice. She craned her neck upwards to look directly at me while she spoke.

“As I’m sure you’ve been told before by the commander, for the past two and a half months, we have put you through extensive treatment and surgery to make sure you would be fully equipped for your training unit. You now have strength, speed, reflexes, and other capabilities you will learn about in the coming weeks. Please be patient as we work to make sure you are healthy before then. Now, lie down please so that I may continue your examination.” The female caretaker said with a sigh.

Unsure what supposed capabilities I had gained, I laid back down on the cold leather table. Letting them go to work. I bet Ricky would freak if he saw me now. Can’t little bro me no more, that’s for sure. A smile crept onto my face.

“I’m glad to see that you’re still able to smile. Fair warning though, Recruit SS-13. The pain medication will diffuse rapidly in your body because of your heightened metabolism. I suggest you prepare for what’s in store.”

I twisted my head to look at the floating mash up of colors that was the female worker’s face.

“How bad will it be?” I asked.

“Best advice I can give? Grit your teeth.” 

###

The next few hours became hell after my pain killers wore off. It started off at first with the burning sensation that was bearable in the beginning. That was until it transitioned into a pain that made me question my existence. I wailed out to be put out of my misery. Beating my head against the wall. Suck it up, Davu. You chose this. Don’t start bitching now. Glory comes at a price. It’s time to pay up. I stepped back, throwing a punch at the wall, gnashing my teeth. I focused on a single spot that I imagined as I started hammering away. Everything I saw was dyed in red, as my body grew hotter by the minute, trembling with rage. The spot I created in my mind came to life becoming a massive blotch spreading its wings. I took quick breaths, unable to tire myself out. It was hard to tell time with no windows or a clock, but I knew instinctively quite a bit had passed. That’s what pissed me off the most as the bright red spot transformed into a moderately deep hole. My stomach rumbled with remorse. Shit, that’s great now. I’m starving. I thought as my hunger eclipsed the rage. 

A high-pitched siren went off, forcing me to cover my ears as flamboyant colored lights flashed everywhere. Bloody handprints painted my face. I screamed at the loudspeakers to drown out the noise.

“Good evening Recruit SS-13, this is your medical officer speaking. I understand you’ve been at your little remodeling project for quite some time now. I’m sure you’re starving.” A man’s voice said, the blaring siren stopping.

Hungry. The only word he said that registered in my mind, too angry to listen any deeper as I remained silent.

“A man of few words. I like that. Anyway, your metabolism has increased because of the enhancements you’ve received. You’ll soon find yourself becoming hungrier more frequently, as you’ll need a vastly more substantial amount of food to remain functioning. In short, from now on, you and every other recruit that survived their enhancements will be on a tight meal schedule. Food therapy, if you will.” 

“Where the fuck is my food, then? I’m starving!” I said, more of a demand than a question.

“I was getting to that bit, SS-13. I was going to inform you about your new diet, but I see that your patience has reached its limits. After your meal, I will check back in. Please try not to make too much of a mess. The janitors have been a little peeved with your recruit batch these days. Bon appétit.” The male voice said. 

A click echoed in the background. Everything quickly became shrouded in darkness as the lights shut off. I blinked away the dark. My vision once again turned into patches of blue and small circles of red. Minor vibrations from the floor tickled my feet. This time, a vague picture of an animal formed itself in my mind. I sensed an enormous creature pacing around in the distance, blocked off by the walls that surrounded me. I could tell that whatever it was, it was big and pissed as I felt it scratch at the floor beneath with thick claws. My knees trembled while weirdly my stomach rumbled. I was hungry, angry, and afraid all at once. A mixture of feelings that didn’t seem to make sense while I shivered in the dark. But not for long, as my heartbeat slowed down and the trembling soon stopped. Something about the darkness was calming me while triggering something else entirely. I stirred restlessly in the silent abyss as my hunger grew by the second. A creaking noise echoed out, this time followed by the clattering of metal chains. I watched the wall of blue rise into the air. For whatever reason, my body crouched to the floor, every fiber of my being tensed.

 A low growl permeated into the air. A flash of red entered my vision, but not because of anger. I couldn’t tell exactly what it was in the dark, but what I could tell was that it walked on four legs as it bellowed out a roar. All the hair on my body stood on end. I know that’s not what I think it is…It can’t be a mother-fucking tiger. I instinctively backed away at first, my mind telling me I should run, to escape. But I didn’t. I wouldn’t. Hell, I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Anger bubbled up inside me, making me shiver all over again. My stomach rumbled even louder than before. Saliva dripped from my mouth. The muscles in my body began waking up. The tiger circled around me. I could feel its eyes on my back, searching, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. 

I stayed in place, unmoving. I didn’t need to. A feeling in the pit of my stomach told me it would come to me instead. That it would be an easy kill. But I was still annoyed. Insulted that it thought of me as prey. Fancying itself the predator as it trespassed into my space, my territory. In my moment of thought, the opportunistic overgrown house cat leapt at my back, its fangs snapping for my neck. Well, it would’ve been, if my body hadn’t moved on its own. I reacted to the vibrations the animal created right before it jumped. 

I flew into the air, somersaulting over the tiger, landing on its back, bracing myself as my hands reached for its jaws. It resisted underneath, but that didn’t bring it any results. I flexed my muscles, tightening my grip even further. I heard flesh tear apart as the corners of its mouth ripped open. Lifting it into the air with my hands clasped around its skull, slamming it into the floor below. My fists found their way to its stomach, pounding against its rib cage and battering bone. I dug my fingers into its fur covered flesh, shredding its insides. Exposing its lungs and intestines in the darkness. Everything became a blur of red and orange as I licked the splattered blood off of my fingertips. The creature spasmed even while it slowly died. I gripped its head with my fingers, digging in for a better grip as I crushed its skull. I’m the predator. Not you. 

I kept ripping, kept tearing, kept on scraping at whatever was left of the once apex predator while it struggled futilely in my arms, defecating on itself. All I felt was hunger and rage. Red painted the walls that surrounded me. I rose from the tiger’s mangled corpse, hands trembling when I saw nothing that resembled the hunter’s previous form. Finally, understanding what it felt like. What it was to be the predator and not the prey. To hunt something previously thought to be un-killable. To know what it was to be superior. I stood over its flayed corpse, blood and guts scattered everywhere. My hunger took precedence, and I was so hungry. I dug into its meat with nothing more than my teeth, ripping away what I could grab between my jaws, feasting. I ate and ate. Taking my fill. Immersed in the rancid smell and Haney taste of raw flesh. The pleasure of a successful hunt. My body shivered with each piece of meat I swallowed. My brain pumped more dopamine than I’d ever experienced. I was ecstatic after my kill. I could hear the crunching of bone as I ground them down in my mouth. The loud siren noise came back again, but I hardly paid any attention to it.

“I see you’re enjoying your first meal, SS-13. That’s good. The rest of your meals will be in the same fashion. You will hunt, and then you’ll feed if you survive. Over time, you’ll get used to that feeling of hunger, of pure rage and instinct. You and your fellow recruits will become true predators. Full-fledged Superiōrem.”

I listened to the man explain away while I ate. I didn’t care what he had to say. Already intending on becoming a Superiōrem. No matter what it took. Because the only thing I feared more than the pain was going back to be a Destros. Unwanted and unneeded.