Kingslion Falls

Date: 1/26/2017

That was her name. We met at the hospital, she didn't look injured or in pain, but something must have happened for her to be there. She was covered in dirt and her clothes were all tattered. Eyes darting around the room. There was no doubt she was strong. One of the doctors (dream me's aunt) found her unconscious on the East side of the building outside. She says she doesn't remember anything, but it's obvious she's hiding something. She knows something. I was at the hospital that night because my dad was working late and mum had to attend an incident on the road. So I was the lucky guy (apparently I'm a guy) who had to drop of the box of files to aunt Erica. I thought while I was there I may as well visit Marley, who was my brothers best friend before he died. He's only new on the job. We were midway through our conversation when Erica came over with a frantic look in her eyes. "You need to come with me NOW" it was hushed but still aggressive. We followed her back to the section she worked in and then into an old hall that was taped off for remodeling. There she was. Sitting in one of the waiting chairs against the wall. "Be calm. Act just like you were two minutes ago. Have a seat by the desk." Erica whispers to us before entering. Why did she need us? Why did we have to be calm, was there something that would make us not calm? We both did as we were told, walked straight to the desk at the far end of the room like it was something we'd done a thousand times before. Erica went to the girl, who was now searching the bookshelf beside her. Not really sure what it was she was hoping to find. My aunt was trying to talk to her, though I couldn't make out what she was saying. Confusion spread across the girls face and Erica sighs and walks toward us. Exasperated she says "I can't get her to talk, all she does is shake her head." "what happened to her? All that dirt... " Marley trailed off. "It's not all dirt... she's lost some blood, it's mixed in with the dirt and dried on her skin. There might be some sort of infection but I can't be sure. She won't let me close enough to her to check for wounds." "Jeez" "She doesn't seem to be in any pain, which puzzles me the most." Erica said, looking over her should at the girl. She was standing now, looking at the flyers and handouts on the noticeboard. Although she didn't look like she was reading them, more so looking at the pictures. "Do you think she's..." Marley started. "I'd have to do a blood test" Erica interrupted. Marley raises an eyebrow at my aunt, asking the question we both thought. "Outside, behind the east wing. She was just laying there, unconscious. What else was I supposed to do?" "How did she even-" I walked off on their conversation, heading toward the girl. Who was she? Was she one of them? If so, how did she get here? All her muscles tensed, ears flinched in my direction. A strange movement, animal like. She heard me coming up behind her. Still, she stayed put. Either she was scared still or waiting for me to move closer. If she was one of them I was in trouble either way. I stopped. "Can you read?" No reply. I moved so that I could see her face, she might not speak but maybe her body language can tell me something. That's if she can understand what I'm saying. "Are you hurt? Pain?" again, she stood still. Unchanged. Her eyes bore into me, something inside me screamed danger. Something else screamed move closer. "Okay..." I said and started walking in a circle around her. Her eyes followed me as I moved, confused, wary. Just as I reached my arm out to touch her shoulder she had me pinned to the wall, arm twisted behind my back. She was strong, I'll give her that. I could hear my aunt Erica and Marley hurrying over now. "Do not... Ever." The girl said aggressively, pushing me further into the wall. Each word, every vowel pronounced with such precision. Not only did she speak our language, but she spoke it with more prowess than half the townspeople. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Erica and Marley's footsteps stopped at the sound of the girls voice. "Of course," I said. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again." She let go of my arm, which would undoubtedly bruise after this. The girl now wary of us more than ever moved back towards the chair she sat in earlier. Erica shot a look of surprise. "You got her to talk." she said "I mean, it was a little unconventional-" "But nonetheless impressive." Marley smiled. Erica, now facing the girl, tried talking to her again. "Can you tell me your name?" No luck. She gave my aunt the same glare I received a few minutes ago. Understanding the threat, my aunt retreated back to the desk with myself and Marley. Both their expressions read the same. What do we do? "So...we know she speaks. What's next?" I say, breaking the silence. "Well, I've tried questioning her but that doesn't work." Erica sighs in frustration, "she's not giving away anything. I need to get that blood test." "We've dealt with unwilling patients before," Marley replied. "maybe we just go for it." he added cautiously. "What are you saying, Marley? That we just go up to her with a syringe? She won't have a bar of it, you saw how she was with Nick! She won't comply." "No, I see what Marley is saying..." I look at him, his face uneasy. "if we don't give her an option. We could use the straps-" "We can't restrain her and take her blood by force! That's unethical and could very well end up in an investigation or law suit!" Erica aggressively whispered. "No. We're doing this by the book, and if she doesn't cooperate then we'll have to hand her in to the department. They'll know what to do." she said, as if trying to convince herself. "Are you kidding? There's no way we can hand her over, you know what the Department will do to her!" Marley whispered back, anger in his eyes. "They don't give a shit about what's ethical." Erica looked down, of course she knew. She just didn't want to believe it, she wanted to believe they were telling the truth. That what the department was doing was for the benefit of the whole. "Besides, it's not like she's on the books anyway. Correct me if I'm wrong but hiding her in here and ushering us to help isn't exactly standard practice." I say, finalizing the argument. It was decided. Marley would use the straps to keep her legs from kicking us and I would strap her arms to her sides so she couldn't grab at us. Erica's job was to keep her from hearing or seeing us. Both Marley and I were in the office behind where she sat, waiting for the all clear. Erica walked up to the girl, syringe up her sleeve and out of sight. "Look, I understand this whole event has been very stressful and we haven't exactly given you much reason to trust us," she said in her calm and even doctors tone. Marley and I slowly crept out of the office as my aunt spoke. "but you refuse to talk and we can't help you." she continued "I'm sorry..." pausing, Erica took a step back. "You're not going to like this." Marley managed to strap her legs securely to the chair she was sitting in, I however was having difficulty trying to secure the strap around her arms. Her strength nearly caused me to lose hold of the strap. Marley was able to help me, securing it while I held it in place. She was breathing heavily, angry and frightened. Pulling against the straps. Erica pulled out the syringe and the girls eyes widened. Every bit as wild as she looked. She shook her head, objecting to what was about to happen. The look on Erica's face was pained. "I'm sorry, this will only hurt a little. Just a pinch." I felt sorry for her. If she really was from the other side of the wall then she had already been through hell just get here. Blood tests were commonly feared, and people on this side understood the necessity. To someone who had no idea what was going to happen, the process must hold fear beyond anything I've ever known. She was terrified. Tears began to well up in her eyes, still angry. Really it was admirable. Despite being at the mercy of who she considered her enemies she remained every bit as ferocious in just the way she sat. While the tears that fell down her face suggested fear, the severity in her stare said otherwise. "No, no!" she let out, in the same force as before. "Get that away from me!" she spat, a little less power in her voice. Still somehow managing to sound more like a command than a plea. Shocked, Marley looked at me, then we both looked toward Erica. She was as surprised as we were. Although we already know Ew she could speak. We hadn't gone through the trouble of securing her only to release her now. Erica still needed to test the blood. Marley nodded. "We need to do this." my aunt said apologeticcally and stuck the syringe in the girls arm. She winced, more of surprise than pain I suspected. Erica collected the blood and went over to the office, where she could examine it. Marley covered the area in her arm with a small bandage. The girl snarled at him, baring her teeth. "What are you doing with it?!" She demanded. Taken aback, Marley answered. "We're testing it." "I'm not stupid!" she snapped. "I know what you've done to my people! What you continue to do to them." not knowing how to respond, a confused look spreads across Marleys face. "Your people? What do you mean, what happend to them?" I spoke up. She spun her head to face me, searching for something in my expression. Just then Erica walks out of the office. Her expression unreadable. "I've had a look. The blood count is significantly higher than normal, and... " she hesitated before speaking again. "and what? Continue." ushered Marley. My aunt moved toward the girl, speaking this time directly to her. "and, it appears your cells are mutating. Whatever was wrong it's completely healed itself." the room fell silent. Marleys mouth hung open for a while before he corrected it. Erica furrowed, as if piecing together a puzzle. Wanting answers I looked them both in the eyes. "You already knew this, didn't you?" I waited for a response from the girl, but none came. As I should have expected. I walked behind her, and for once the girls face matched both Marley and Erica's. "What are you doing?!" She needed to know we weren't her enemy. That we only did what was necessary, she was not our prisoner. I unfastened the straps around her arms and legs and walked back in front of her. Rubbing at where the straps held her arms, the girl answered with a simple nod. "You're one of them. You're from over the wall." she stood. Her face directly in front of my own. Eyes filled with anger and something new. Uncertainty. "You got what you wanted." she said. Just as she went to move away Marley spoke up. He'd been so quiet, observing the scene unfold before him. "We didn't get you name." For the first time the girl smiled, her posture straightened as she lifted her head. Tall and proud. Looking every bit a strong and fearsome warrior. "My people call me Kingslion."