Species Unknown [Book 1: Aves]

FOURTEEN

Day 31
C.R.O.S.S. Laboratories
Aves Department
Testing Room

AT FIRST, EVERYTHING was fine. Elias was breathing normally despite now inhaling pollutants. Nevertheless, I stayed by his side, watching his face to look for any sign of discomfort.

Time moved excruciatingly slow. The heart monitor's steady beeps were like the neverending ticks of a clock, making the experience even more unbearable. Time had a funny way of extending moments that you just want to be over.

The minutes dragged on as I stood by his side, my patience waning with each breath he took. I decided to focus on that. His breathing. Telling myself that he was fine. That we would be fine.

I was surprised how much I grew to care about him. I'm not going to lie, at first, I was terrified. Not so much of him, but of the kind of people who could do that do him. When I first laid eyes on his wings, I knew that humanity had crossed a line.

I could only assume that the product of such a monstrous decision would rival his creator in madness. Yet Elias was kind. It took weeks for me to uncover that kindness, buried beneath a shyness caused by decades of solitude. But it was there nonetheless, and it made my heart swell.

How could so much good come from something so evil?

Looking around the room, my disgust grew. The walls were decorated with glass cabinets filled with the sleek shapes of test tubes and vials. The metal tables were scattered with an array of syringes, scalpels, and scissors that glinted under the harsh fluorescent lights.

I shut my eyes. I tried to picture what it would be like to grow up in this environment. So cold and dangerous. To never know the warmth that's friends give you, but only the sharp stab of a needle or the tight grip of shackles. To always be watched by people who want to hurt you, people like me...

My self-hatred grew. How could I do this to him? He opened himself to me, was kind to me. Yet here I am, watching him suffer like the rest of the white coats in this suffocating facility.

But what was I to do?

I knew my options and this was the only one. If we didn't complete this test, Elias would die. Though if something goes wrong, he could still die. The situation was hopeless, and all I could do was stand idly by while the fate of my Elias was being decided.

My chest ached as I felt the hopelessness of our situation sink in. I was useless. I couldn't help him. He could die right now and there would be nothing I could do about it.

But he isn't dead yet, something from deep inside me said.

I felt my body relax with the thought. He wasn't dead yet. All hope was not lost. I could still hear the heart monitor beeping in the background. There was hope. I could hear his soft intakes of breath from my place beside him and I matched my breathing to his. When he inhaled, so did I. Inhale, exhale. Inhale-

My eyes flew open when the next breath didn't come.

Panicked, I looked down at Elias in alarm. His face was scrunched up in concentration or pain, I wasn't sure. His mouth was open as if he were gasping for air but could not take a breath.

My heart raced as I rushed to his side.

"Elias?!" I cried. Panic rose up in my throat like bile threatening to burst. Quickly, I reached for the respirator mask to remove it but before I could, a sweaty hand clamped down on my wrist.

Looking down, my eyes met Elias'. His soft blue eyes burned with determination. He knew what was at stake. This must be done.

To my relief, his next breath finally came, but it was followed by a fit of labored coughs that caused him to release his grip on my wrist. I pushed back the stray wisps of my unruly hair that had fallen in front of my face as I kept my eyes fixed on Elias.

When his eyes met mine once again, I knew he could see the concern flooding my features.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take it off?" I whispered, watching him try and calm his breathing.

He shook his head yes and, begrudgingly, I stepped back.

I let out a long breath and watched as he closed his eyes to focus on his breathing. His chest rose and fell in an unsteady rhythm and I found myself short of breath. As if I were suffocating alongside him.

I shut my eyes once more and did nothing to wipe away the hot tear that rolled down my cheek. I am a monster. How could I do this? He won't be fine. We won't be okay-

"Aurora," Elias rasped, breaking me from my thoughts.

My eyes snapped open and I saw him watching me. His usually bright blue eyes seemed duller when they met mine as if clouded by the smoke he was inhaling. I saw movement at the bottom of my vision and looked down to see his hand tentatively reaching for me.

My heart clenched and I was overcome with the need to go to him. With hasty steps, I made my way back to where he lay. Before I could grasp his outstretched hand, he reached up and brushed my cheek with his thumb, wiping away my tear.

Out of the corner of my vision, I saw his wrist and the scars that marred it. Clasping his hand, I drew it away from my cheek and on an impulse, brought it to my mouth. Pressing a small kiss on the inside of his wrist, I felt his hand tremble beneath my lips.

"Aurora," he whispered again, his voice was much clearer now.

My eyes met his once again and at that moment I knew that we would be okay. That somehow we would make it out of here because I am not sure what I would do without him.

Leaning closer, I brushed a clump of sweaty hair off his forehead as his eyes watched me. I could hear him exhale as I continued my ministrations. It seemed to calm him, and so I kept doing it, desperate to provide whatever relief I could.

I am not sure how long we stood like that, with his hand in mine as I ran my fingers through his ebony's strands, but suddenly a loud beep echoed through the room.

Tearing my eyes from Elias, I looked around to see that the respiratory tank that had been supplying the pollution had shut off. I could hear the rushed cadence of heels from outside the hall grow increasingly louder until the door was forcefully swung open. Dr. Pierce stood in the hallway, her eyes wide with triumph as she clutched her tablet tightly to her chest.

"You did it!" She smiled as she made her way towards us. "I was in the data room the entire time monitoring his progress, the way that his body can filter the particles is outstanding I have never seen-"

She rambled on, checking the various machines through the room and taking down data, but I had a different goal in mind. Turning from her, I looked back at Elias who was still laying way too still for my liking on the table. His half-lidded eyes watched me as I reached over to slip the mask off his face.

"You did it Elias, it's over. You're safe." I whispered, brushing his hair to the side and letting my fingers trace down the side of his face.

"Safe..." he repeated softly.

A smile touched the corners of his mouth before his eyes fluttered closed, falling unconscious. I would have panicked if not for the now steady beeps of the heart monitor assuring me he was going to be okay. That we were going to be okay.