Lizzie's Room

Lizzie walked up the twisting stairs, the dusty curtains. She slipped through a slim wall and stepped over piles of insulation....just to reach her hidden nook. Lizzie carefully removed the blanket that stood as the top of her tent and slipped in. It wasn't much--a stuffed bear that looked like it went through WW1; a picture of her father; a few insulation-stuffed pillowcases; two half-full bottles of water--but it felt like the closest she could get to home. She curled up on the makeshift pillow and hugged her bear to her chest, wishing so badly that she had a chance to meet her father.

I nearly hit the ceiling, jumping so high. I released a high-pitched shriek and encased myself in a frozen cocoon with my eyes shut. "Don't hurt me!" I trembled.

I peeked from a crack in my hands and saw that it was only Emile. I melted the ice around me and looked at this...creature (Emile didn't classify as normal to me. Even as a mutant, he was that weird.) with uneasiness. "What are you doing here...?"

I nodded and looked him over, frowning. "You look younger." I grimaced and stood up. "What kind of chemicals?"

"Not dangerous at all." I snorted then lifted one of his arms. "How are you feeling?"

My grimace got more noticeable. "That's just...weird. But I guess it's doable." I shrugged and offered him a warm cream soda.

I shrugged. "No problem." I blew on the bottle to cool it down and walked across the creaky floor to the window. Outside was a perfect view of my dad's statue in the graveyard. Wow, look at me. Over here moping about something that happened around 15 years ago.

My eyes fell on the lock that would open the window. If only I had wings...then I would get shot down for being even less of a human--I shook the thought away and sat on the ground.

I nodded slowly and smacked my lips. "Yup. Just thinking." I said quietly. I pushed a piece of hair behind my ear.

I looked at him with eyes narrowed again. "I have a question."

I patted the space beside me for him to sit. "Why don't you ignore me? I mean...Half of the guys here didn't know I existed--never said anything when they found out. I'm just surprised you didn't leave my in that fridge."

I released a frosty sigh and sat back against the window pane. "Why d'ya have to be so nice?" I grumbled.

I laughed quietly and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You. Mean? Okay." I rolled my eyes. That sounded ridiculous.