"What's your name?"

"Zero."

"Do you know why you're here?"

"Because I'm different."

"Right. We can help you. You'll be normal and then we can return you home."

Zero sat in his testing room. "TEST NUMBER 17." A mans voice spoke over the intercom. "ARE YOU READY ZERO?" Zero nodded. He looked down at the small wooden box. He did this for half an hour. Then another. Not moving. Zero's eye started twitching as he stared at the box. Until he cracked. He quickly grabbed the box and threw it against the wall, which smashed it.

A nurse quickly came in, picked Zero up, and took him out of the room. "Nurse Hally?" Zero asked, trying to hide the sadness behind his voice. "Yes dear?" She replied. There was a pause. "Why can't I do it? Every test that they've given me has always failed..." His voice cracked. "Zero,"Nurse Hally sat Zero on the ground and looked at him in the eyes. "It doesn't matter if you ever do it. At least you're trying, and that's all that matters. You're still young and you have a lot left to learn." A soft smile appeared on Zero's face. "I'll keep trying for you Ms. Hally."

"Thank you Zero." She took his hand and continued to walk down the hall. "Now let's get to your room"

A few months pass and Zero still fails all his tests but he's not sad. He knows that Nurse Hally is cheering him on. He can feel it. As long she's there he can do anything. Most times he's happy that he fails his tests because he can talk to her. Their walks down the hallway. Telling each other jokes and laughing 'til they cry....
                 But that can't last forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    "I quit!" Nurse Hally yelled. "And I'm taking Zero with me!" The main doctor walked up to Hally and put his hands on her shoulders but she quickly backed away. "Now Ms. Hally." His voice was cold. "You don't need to do this. Just take Zero back to his room." Zero stood at the entrance completely silent, not wanting to interfere.
"No." Hally spoke. She took off her lab coat and handed it to the doctor. "I told you I quit."
There was a long silence. Just as she was about to turn around, the doctor suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Hally in the head. Her eyes grew dull as her body collapsed on the ground.
"It didn't have to end this way."
     Zero ran up to Hally and started shaking her. "Hally?" He whispered. "Come on Hally.....Get up..." Tears started rolling down his cheeks. "...please" His voice cracked as he broke down.
   
      "Zero. Step away from her." The doctor spoke. Zero stood up and faced the doctor. He glared at him without a word. The doctor then noticed something. Zero's eyes. Normally he only had one red eye but now both of them were red and they glowed. "Zero- I...calm down. That's an order."  Zero wasn't listening...and the doctor was now dead.

  Another snuck up behind Zero and stunned him. She caught him as he fell back. "Take him to sector five for testing."