Experiment

Chapter 12: Memories

"Oh, my gosh . . ." Laura murmured, looking at the place that was called the Haven. There were roughly built houses everywhere, some bigger than others.

"Good you've come." Neo smiled. He had black hair, and was strong and tall, well, as far as Laura could tell from one inch. Everyone could look like that. "What's your name?" he asked Trudy.

"I'm Trudy." she smiled timidly.

"Hello, Trudy. So, you're the only one that escaped from the Facility?" He looked at her double-dosed condition, and shook his head. "I'm so sorry we couldn't come to you sooner. We send out rescue missions sometimes, but . . . they don't usually come back."

"I understand." Trudy nodded. "Someone also came with me," she said, showing him what was in her hand.

He widened his eyes. "Wow. The first ever butterfly hybrid, as well as the first one effected so drastically by the size . . . but . . . oh no . . ." Neo took a closer look at Laura, noticing how Laura was so very small. "It seems you put up a good fight. You're both double dosed." he frowned.

Trudy looked away ashamedly. "Yeah, we tried to get away one time, but they caught us and double dosed us. Only because she found her power we got away."

He nodded solemnly. "I'm a dragonfly hybrid, and I was supposed to be shrunk like her, but for some reason that was a side effect my body resisted. The scientists labeled me a failure and only kept me for further research. A spider hybrid named Drieda had a shape-shifting ability and got me as well as a few others out of there by pretending to be a guard. That's how this place was built." He looked like he was in deep thought. "Anyways, enough about me. Come meet the other hybrids. Wait, I forgot. What's your name?"

Laura smiled slowly. "Laura. Laura Hartford."

"Well, Laura, would you like to go on a fly-above tour?" He pointed to the sky. "It's pretty fun."

Her face lit up but then fell. "Sorry, I can't." Laura turned around and showed him her broken wing.

"Ah." he frowned. "I'll have someone take you to the healers later to see about fixing it. For now, you can look around with Trudy. I have to tell the others you're here!"

"Okay." Laura said as Neo flew off. She smiled to herself. He was kind of handsome, but there was something about him that seemed familiar. 

Laura looked at all the hybrids that were there. From what she could see, there was about fifty hybrids in the Haven, but there was probably more inside. Laura honestly thought there was going to be more . . .

Laura was snapped out of her thoughts by a bouncy girl, about 12 or 13, that trotted over to Trudy and her.

"Hiii!" they were greeted with a cheery smile from which appeared to be a cat hybrid. She had dark, chocolate-colored skin that also had patches of silky fur, cat ears, and a long gray tail that swished back and forth.

"My name's Christie, but most people call me Chess." she shook Trudy's hand and then looked over to Laura.

"Hi," said Laura. "I'm Laura, and that's Trudy."

"Hello, Laura. You're very pretty."

Laura blushed. Chess was really polite. No one had called her pretty since . . . since . . .

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10 years ago

Her mother laughed. "Come on, Laura!" Laura giggled. "No! You can't catch me!" She danced around and breathed in the fresh pine scent from the Georgia woods. Her and her mother were having a picnic. "I-I-I gotcha!!" Laura screamed in delight as her mother tickled her, then set her down on the grass. "Now, LaLa, you know you're beautiful, right?" she tousled Laura's hair and smiled at her. "Yes, mommy. I love you." Her mother kissed her on her head. "I love you, too." she smiled. "Now come on, let's get some lunch." they both walked back to the quilt spread, talking about all the things they were going to do when they got back inside.

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How had they been so cold to do this to her? How could they even live with themselves? She remembered how when she was about seven, they sort of distanced themselves from her, like she wasn't even their daughter anymore, like she was a stranger. What happened to those loving, caring parents? She shed a tear.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I say something?" Chess noticed her tiny tears.

"Um, no, it's not you. I'm just thinking about . . . before, you know?" she forced herself to stop crying.

Chess nodded.

"So," Laura said, quick to change the subject. "I was wondering if maybe you . . . had a cure for decreased height?" she blurted out, embarrassed.

"Actually, yes, we do."

Laura suppressed a cry of delight. "Is there one that can fix my wings, too?"

She thought for a minute. "I believe so. Neo got his wing ripped a bit once, so we whipped up a potion that could fix the wing! And another one we have might bring you back to your original size!" said Chess, also getting excited.

Laura looked up at Trudy. "Trudy, is it okay if I go with Chess for a while? You can meet the other hybrids."

"Okay, sure. Good luck!"

As Chess scooped up Laura, she knew she would need all the luck she could get.

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Hi! Yea, I know, I always leave you guys on a cliffhanger. But hey, that's only so you'll keep reading it! ;) Happy Easter, everyone! I love you all! Hmmm, I haven't given a name to you readers, have I? How about Little Hybrids? :) Comment, vote, and share if you like it! Also, if you want, tell me what kind of hybrid you would want to be!

_pure_imagination_