We Were Strangers in the Dark – Chapter 1

By MyNameIsCAL

A new story before the new year. Happy holidays to everyone! Hope you enjoy this one.

-Max's POV-

They took me in the night. I had been in bed, restless from my parents who had been arguing. Dad had shown up, shouting about something, screaming that he would win custody over me. I didn't want to go with him. Mom knew that. Even he knew that. But he was going to fight anyway, and it was hard not to say that I inherited some stubbornness from him.

They dragged me out of bed and drugged me. The last thing I could remember was silence. I wondered if my younger brother, Ari, had heard anything. But I didn't have the chance to scream out. I hoped he and Mom wouldn't miss me too much. Then it was darkness. I almost didn't remember what happened when I came to.

And when I did regain consciousness, I was alone, or at least that's what I thought I was. I was in a poorly lit room, my vision fuzzy, and still unable to move. There was talking coming from somewhere, muffled.

"Prepare her. We must have things completed in the morning."

The voice was stern, and it reminded me of something, maybe a movie I watched or some teacher I had. I was lying on the ground, I realized.

And then I sensed someone else. A figure appeared from the shadows.

"I'm sorry," the figure said, bending over me, the voice hoarse. "But don't give up. You can't let them win. I wish there was more I could do for you."

And it would be a very long time until I met the person who spoke those words to me. But through all the pain and suffering I would endure next, I held onto them dearly.

-Three Years Later-

The only people I ever saw were the scientists. I was never called by name, but only by number. They claimed I was the biggest success they ever had. Out of all the kids they kidnapped and gave wings to, I somehow stuck out to them. I had never seen the others they talked about, and I longed for someone to talk to. Seventeen years old and I felt like life as I knew it before was eons ago.

But time in solitude put life into perspective. I wish I had savored it more, and now here I was, hopeless on ever being normal again.

"It's time to move on to Phase Two," the scientist told me. "It is time to integrate you with your own kind, to prepare you and train you for the world's next biggest revolution."

I learned not to question or speak to the scientists when they spoke to me. I wanted to survive.

Handlers, as I liked to call them, escorted me down a white hallway. I was used to this, being pushed from room to room and then back to my cage every day. They never spoke, never showed emotion. Expressionlessly, they opened a door and shoved me in. I turned and it slammed behind me. Things happening without explanation? I was used to that.

I thought the room was empty, but my heightened senses told me there was someone else present.

"It's been a long time."

But I couldn't mistake the voice. It was the same one that had spoken to me all those years ago, telling me not to give up.

"I…Well….Who are you?" I finally decided that was the appropriate question to ask before I jumped to any other conclusions.

He stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself in the dim lighting. Almost a foot taller than me, he made me want to cringe away.

"I'm Fang," he said, sticking his hand out.

"I'm…I'm Max." I shook his hand.

He let go of my hand, backing away into the dark. "No one ever comes back, eve."

"What do you mean?"

Now that my eyes had adjusted, I could see he was sitting up against the wall now. He motioned me over, pointing to the space next to him, and I took a seat.

"The scientists," Fang paused, as if he was unsure of where he was going with what he was saying. "They feel you're an accomplishment. They haven't locked you away with their…failures."

"Failures?"

"The other experiments. Ones that are too powerful, or too weak, to exist among others. Or so the scientists believe. They get locked up elsewhere. I'm guessing you haven't met any of them."

I shook my head, feeling a little confused. "How long have you been here?"

"Seven years." He let out a sigh. "You should get some rest. They're going to drag us out for testing again in the morning. They always do."

Days dragged on. Periodically we were removed separately, but we talked little, as if he wasn't sure he could trust me. Although I was ready to trust anything, or anyone, who could give me even just one ounce of hope.

But I learned he had broken out a few times since I had first met him. He had made it just a little over a month, saying that New York City was only a day's flight away.

"They find you eventually," he had told me. "But I never fought back because I never had anything to fight for. I was on the streets, and well, I was tired I suppose."

It always seemed like Fang had more to say, but our communication skills were out of practice, and there were times where we sat in silence and spoke of nothing. The scientists were making us work together now, and half the time I felt like we knew what the other was going to do, that it didn't take a whole lot for us to complete the obstacles the scientists threw in front of us.

Fang had no problem with doing what they asked us, but I was quite tired of it. It made me wonder how he lasted seven years.

"Fang?"

"Hmm?" It was dark, and the two of us slept little. I was starting to think I needed to start some conversation.

"The only reason I lasted so long was because of what you said to me when they first threw me in here."

His usual tone of voice changed, maybe he sounded surprised. "I've said that to everyone they've thrown in here. Not one of them has come back. Except for you."

"I…I just wanted to say thank you."

"I'm glad I could help someone."

I smiled, but I knew the gesture was lost because we sat in pitch black darkness.

"I want to get out of here," he suddenly whispered. "I think that we could make it, and get far away from here, together."

"I'll do anything," I replied, "to get out of here."

Hope this all sounds good for you. Thanks for reading! New chapter soon, and for those of you that follow my other stories, I promise I'll get you some updates before the end of 2010!