Chapter 4 “Unexpected Changes”
Chapter 4 “Unexpected Changes”
Bria sat on the edge of their worn couch, her mind racing as she tried to process everything that had happened. She looked down at her hands, half-expecting them to change, to do something abnormal. The memory of her sudden transformation in the kitchen was still fresh, the sensation of her skin shifting, and her body adapting in ways she couldn’t understand. She felt like a stranger in her own skin.
“What am I, Bobby?” Her voice was shaky, tinged with fear. “What’s happening to me? I don’t even know what I am… or what I can do.”
Bobby sat across from her, his brows furrowed in concentration as he tried to find the right words. His mind, though sharper than ever, struggled to piece together an explanation that wouldn’t sound like pure fantasy.
“Bria… I think… you might be a meta human,” Bobby began carefully. “I know it sounds crazy, something out of a comic book or a movie, but… what else could it be? The blue light, the sudden changes… it all points to something extraordinary. Hypothetically speaking, if that energy we were hit by last night was some kind of catalyst, it could’ve triggered these changes in your body, in our bodies.”
Bria’s eyes widened. “A meta human? You mean… like those super-powered people in sci-fi stories? How is that even possible?”
Bobby rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of his words. “It’s not impossible, Bria. Just… highly improbable. But given what we’ve seen and felt… I think we have to consider it. This could be real, as real as it gets.”
Bria nodded slowly, but the unease in her chest didn’t subside. “I… I just need to get out for a bit. Clear my head. We’re out of a few things anyway. I’ll go to the corner store, grab what we need.”
Bobby wanted to protest, to keep her close, but he knew she needed space. “Alright. Just… be careful, okay?”
Bria forced a small smile and grabbed her purse, leaving the apartment. The morning air was cool against her skin, a welcome contrast to the heat of her thoughts. As she walked down the street, she saw utility trucks lined up along the road, crews working tirelessly to repair downed power lines. The city was still reeling from the energy wave, and everywhere she looked, signs of the aftermath were apparent.
As she neared the corner store, Bria noticed a man standing just outside the entrance, hunched over and clutching his sides. His body was convulsing, muscles twitching under his skin as if trying to escape. His face contorted in agony, sweat pouring down his forehead. She could see his veins bulging unnaturally, his eyes bloodshot and wide with panic.
Bria’s heart pounded in her chest as she realized what was happening. He was mutating, just like she had in the kitchen. But for him, it wasn’t just a brief moment of adaptation—it was an excruciating process, like his body was being torn apart from the inside.
She tried to focus on her task, pushing open the store’s door and stepping inside. The bell above the door chimed, and she felt a strange sense of relief being in the small, familiar space. She grabbed a few essentials: bread, milk, some canned goods. Her hands were steady, but her mind was racing.
As she approached the counter, the clerk, an older man with graying hair and a weary expression, glanced toward the door. “Did you see that poor guy outside?” he asked, his voice low. “Looks like he’s going through hell. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Bria nodded, avoiding eye contact. “Yeah, it’s… it’s awful.”
She paid for her items and hurried out of the store, trying to keep her eyes forward, to avoid looking at the man who was still writhing in pain. But as she walked past him, she heard the screech of tires. A white van sped down the street, stopping abruptly beside the man. The doors flew open, and four figures, dressed in dark, nondescript clothing, jumped out. They moved with precision and cold efficiency, grabbing the man roughly. He screamed, a sound of pure terror, but they didn’t flinch.
Bria’s heart raced as she watched them throw the man into the van like he was nothing more than a piece of cargo. One of them slammed the door shut, and within seconds, the van was speeding away. It veered dangerously close to Bria, the force of its movement making her instinctively flinch. Before she could even process what was happening, her vision blurred, the world around her seemed to warp and twist, and then—
She was standing in her living room.
The grocery bag slipped from her hand, hitting the floor with a dull thud. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the couch, trembling. Bobby, who had been tinkering with the toaster and a handful of wires, jumped up, eyes wide with shock.
“Bria?! How… how did you…?” His voice was thick with disbelief.
“I-I don’t know!” Bria stammered, hugging herself as if trying to keep her body from falling apart. “I was outside, and then… I don’t know what happened, Bobby! I think… I think I just teleported!”
Bobby rushed to her side, his mind racing with possibilities, theories, explanations. But seeing Bria so scared, so vulnerable, pushed all of that aside. He gently took her hands, trying to steady her.
“It’s okay, Bria. It’s going to be okay,” he said, though his own heart was pounding. “We’ll figure this out, I promise.”
But Bria couldn’t shake the horror of what she’d just witnessed—and what she’d just experienced. She buried her face in Bobby’s chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Bobby held her close, but his thoughts were already spiraling. The van, the men, the mutation… something was happening in the city, something far bigger and more dangerous than they could have imagined. And now, with Bria’s powers manifesting in such a dramatic way, there was no telling what would come next.
The city was changing, and so were they.
And whatever was coming… it was only the beginning.
Nick sat on the edge of the hospital bed, his mind swirling with questions and fears. The sterile smell of antiseptic hung in the air, and the constant beeping of nearby machines did little to calm his nerves. Nurse Thompson entered the room, a bundle of clothes in her hands. She gave Nick a small, reassuring smile, though her eyes held a flicker of concern.
“Here,” she said softly, handing him the clothes. “These should fit you well enough. Better than that hospital gown, at least.”
Nick took the clothes, glancing at her gratefully. “Thank you,” he said, his voice hoarse from the lingering anxiety. He began to change, pulling on the worn jeans and a plain T-shirt. The fabric felt rough against his skin, a stark contrast to the smooth hospital gown, but it was a welcome change. As he dressed, his thoughts wandered back to everything Nurse Thompson had told him. Meta-humans. Experiments. Cover-ups. It was too much to process.
Nurse Thompson watched him, her expression softening as she sensed his turmoil. “Nick,” she began gently, “we need to get out of here. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it becomes. But we have to be careful.”
Nick nodded, finishing with his clothes. “How do you plan to get us out?” he asked, the weight of the situation pressing on him.
She took a deep breath, her mind racing. “The hospital is on high alert, especially with all the meta-human activity. But there are still shifts, rotations of the CDC doctors, and security. We’ll have to move during a change, and we can’t afford to be seen. The key is timing.”
Nick leaned in, listening intently. “Okay, but what’s the route? How do we avoid them?”
“There’s a service elevator not too far from here,” Nurse Thompson explained. “It’s mainly used for maintenance, so it’s not closely monitored. We can take it down to the basement, where the loading docks are. From there, we should be able to slip out with the supply trucks. But we’ll need to move carefully. The CDC doctors patrol the lower levels, especially now.”
Nick’s eyes narrowed in concentration. “And what about once we’re outside? They’ll notice we’re gone eventually.”
Nurse Thompson nodded. “We’ll need to find transportation quickly. There’s a parking garage adjacent to the hospital—less guarded. If we can make it there, we can find a car and get out of the city. But Nick…” She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. “If we get separated, take this.” She pulled a small USB drive from her pocket, pressing it into his hand. “This has everything I’ve gathered. You need to get it out, expose what’s happening. Don’t let them find it.”
Nick stared at the drive, the gravity of the situation sinking in. “I won’t let them stop us,” he promised, his voice firm. But even as he said it, he couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that clung to him.
Their eyes met, a moment of understanding passing between them. In this bleak situation, they found a bond—an unspoken connection forged in the face of danger. There was something about Nurse Thompson that drew Nick in, her courage and determination shining through her fear. And in her eyes, she saw something in Nick too, a strength that she could lean on. It was more than just a shared mission; it was the beginning of something deeper, something neither of them had anticipated.
They spent the next hour carefully discussing every detail of their plan, going over each step and anticipating any obstacles. Nurse Thompson explained the layout of the hospital, the timing of the rotations, and the potential risks. Nick listened, his mind racing with thoughts of escape, but also with the growing feelings he had for Nurse Thompson. He couldn’t help but notice how she moved with purpose, her resolve unshakable despite the terror that surrounded them.
As night fell, the hospital’s lights dimmed, signaling the shift change. Nick and Nurse Thompson exchanged a glance, the unspoken signal passing between them. It was time.
They slipped out of the room, the door closing with a soft click. The corridors were eerily quiet, the usual bustle of the hospital replaced by an oppressive silence. The only sounds were the faint hum of the fluorescent lights and the distant murmur of voices from the nurses’ station. They moved quickly but cautiously, keeping to the shadows.
As they approached the service elevator, Nick felt a strange sensation wash over him—a tingling in his skin, a pressure in his chest. His vision seemed to blur for a moment, and he had to shake his head to clear it. Nurse Thompson noticed his hesitation.
“Nick, are you okay?” she whispered, concern etching her features.
“I’m fine,” he replied, though his voice was laced with uncertainty. He couldn’t afford to falter now. But the tingling sensation persisted, a subtle reminder that something was changing within him.
They reached the elevator without incident, the doors sliding open with a faint ding. The ride down to the basement was agonizingly slow, each second feeling like an eternity. Nick’s heart pounded in his chest, the reality of their situation pressing down on him.
The elevator doors opened, revealing the dimly lit basement. The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant and stale air. They stepped out, moving quickly through the labyrinth of pipes and storage rooms. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty space, amplifying their anxiety.
They turned a corner, only to come face-to-face with two CDC doctors. Nick’s heart leaped into his throat, but Nurse Thompson reacted instantly, pulling him back into the shadows before the doctors could notice them. They held their breath, the tension between them palpable as they waited for the doctors to pass.
After what felt like an eternity, the doctors moved on, oblivious to their presence. Nick let out a slow breath, his heart still racing. The close call had rattled him, but it had also brought him closer to Nurse Thompson, their shared fear and determination creating an unspoken bond.
They continued on, navigating the maze of corridors with renewed caution. As they neared the loading docks, Nick felt the tingling sensation return, stronger this time. His vision blurred again, and he stumbled, his body suddenly feeling too heavy, too clumsy.
“Nick?” Nurse Thompson’s voice was laced with concern, her hand gripping his arm to steady him.
“I’m okay,” he insisted, though he wasn’t sure if he believed it. His skin prickled with an unnatural heat, and he could feel his muscles twitching involuntarily. He didn’t know what was happening to him, but he knew it wasn’t good.
Before they could dwell on it, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. They froze, pressing themselves against the wall as two more CDC doctors appeared. This time, they were less fortunate.
“Hey! Stop right there!” one of the doctors shouted, his voice cutting through the silence.
Nick and Nurse Thompson exchanged a panicked glance, their plan unraveling before their eyes. The doctors advanced on them, their expressions hard and unyielding.
Nurse Thompson acted quickly, pressing the USB drive into Nick’s hand. “Go!” she urged, her voice a frantic whisper. “Get out of here! They can’t get this!”
“But what about you?” Nick’s voice was filled with dread, his heart aching at the thought of leaving her behind.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll hold them off. You need to get out and expose this, Nick. Please.”
Nick hesitated, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. But he knew she was right. He couldn’t let her sacrifice be in vain. With a final, pained look, he turned and ran, the drive clutched tightly in his hand.
As he sprinted down the corridor, he could hear Nurse Thompson behind him, confronting the doctors. Her voice was firm, but there was an edge of desperation to it. Nick’s heart twisted as he realized what she was about to do.
He reached the exit just as the sound of a struggle erupted behind him. He turned back, just in time to see Nurse Thompson grappling with the doctors, her face set in determination. She glanced up, their eyes meeting for a brief, agonizing moment.
Then she shoved the doctors back, giving Nick the precious seconds he needed to escape. The last thing he saw was Nurse Thompson being overwhelmed by the doctors, her figure disappearing as the doors swung shut behind him.
Outside, the cool night air hit him like a shock, but there was no time to catch his breath. He could still hear the chaos behind him, but he forced himself to keep moving, the weight of the USB drive heavy in his pocket.
As he ran through the deserted parking lot, the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. Nurse Thompson was gone, but her sacrifice had bought him the chance to escape. And now, it was up to him to make sure her efforts weren’t in vain.
But even as he fled into the night, the strange sensations in his body persisted. His muscles twitched, his skin burned, and his mind raced with an unnatural clarity. Whatever was happening to him, it wasn’t over yet.
And as he disappeared into the shadows, the hospital loomed behind him, a stark reminder of the horrors that lurked within. The CDC doctors had their secrets, but so did Nick. And he was just beginning to realize the full extent of what he was capable of.
The night was far from over, and so was the fight for the truth.