Emilia's Point of View

Alone. That is what my life consists of every day. My father made sure that the nurses and doctors were too terrified to talk to me.

I had no friends to call my own. One friend would be enough to make me happy. Maybe I wouldn't be so lonely and would know how to keep a conversation going.

Darkness surrounds every inch of my cell. My cell was nothing too extravagant just a bed in the corner. A dresser and a couple of books piled neatly on top.

Some days I was allowed to get out of my cell. When I was out people would avoid me like the plague. It made me sad to know they purposely avoid me.

Was I too scary? Or were they afraid of what I am? Those were the thoughts that ran through my mind.

Even though they were scared of me I still managed to smile in their direction. That would cause them to go wide-eyed and scramble away from me.

They were terrified of me and I understood. But that doesn't mean it hurt any less.

Getting distracted from my thoughts, the cell door opened. My father stood there with a smile. "Emilia it's time for your examination," he spoke.

I nodded and stood up, he beckoned me to walk out. We walked through the hallways to go to the examination room.

This was a normal occurrence that happened every week. Father takes my blood and checks my health to see if there are any complications.

Father didn't want me dying anytime soon. If I die, all the seventeen years he spent on me would go to waste.

He opened a white-colored door and pushed me inside. Eyes snapped in my direction. Some of the doctors started trembling when they noticed who I was.

"Greg strap Emilia on the chair. Ashley get the syringes and test tubes," father demanded.

The sound of his voice snapped them out of the trance that they were in. Immediately they shoved Greg and Ashley to get the supplies.

Greg was a short chubby man, he was in his late forties and had grey hair. Ashley was a beautiful older lady with little to no wrinkles.

I sighed when I noticed Greg was nervous to ask me to sit in the chair. I smiled at him and walked to the chair.

Sitting in it he nervously shuffled forward to strap me in. Father patted him on the shoulder," Greg don't be so nervous she won't attack you unless you provoke her."

I flashed him a smile that shows my teeth. Greg squeaked and stumbled away. Ashley set the tools down on the table and walked away.

Grabbing the syringe father inserted it in my shoulder. He pulled the end of the syringe upwards to collect blood.

Once it was filled up he poured it in a test tube. He repeated the action five more times. As the last drop of blood fell in the test tube, I felt dizzy.

Father unstrapped me and I stumbled out the chair. "Woah don't fall now Emilia, I need you to still be able to walk back to your room," he chuckled.

"Cell," I said. "What?" He said confusingly. "You said room it's not so I corrected you," I deadpanned.

Chuckling he responded, "It's a place where you sleep in so it is your room"

I sighed out, "A cell would be a better word for it. I'm not allowed out, only when you need something from me. Even when you let me out to roam around it's only for 30 minutes."

Suddenly my face erupted with pain as my head turns from the force of a slap. I put two fingers to my lips when I felt a wet substance on it.

It was blood, I licked my lips and chuckled. "Why did you slap me? Did my words make you realize that that is the truth?"

All I got was a glare in return when we made eye-contact. He started smirking and lifted an eyebrow, "Take Emilia back to her room and don't let her out until the next examination."

My hands started trembling, I knew what he meant. I would be submerged in total darkness and would not be fed any food. Father would only allow me to drink water and nothing else.

They would take away my books. That is the only thing connecting me to the outside world.

I felt stabbing in my neck and turned to see Ashley with a syringe. Black dots start dancing across my vision.

My eyes start to open and close. I try to force them open but to no avail. 

______________

Waking up I feel my head pounding. I groan and sit up on the bed.

I look around and let my eyes adjust to the dark. I sigh sadly when I noticed my books weren't on top of the dresser.

Why do they torture me by taking away my books? They teach me about the world and gain knowledge about certain plants or animals.

I know why I'm able to see perfectly in the dark. Being part tiger helps me have better eyesight than a regular human.

For the next couple of days, I've been trapped in my cell. Bored out of my mind while I starve. 

There is nothing to do except stare at the wall or fall in and out of consciousness. Ashley has been leaving me a small cup of water every day while giving me pity looks. 

My thoughts go to the outside world, what would my life be like if I wasn't in the lab?  

Maybe I would be happier and would have more freedom. Would I have friends?

The sound of the door snapped me out if my thoughts. Squinting through the bright light I saw father.

"Hello, father has it been a week already?" I question while tilting my head.

"Yes, a week has passed. When you walk out this door Emilia I want you on your best behavior. If you misbehave I am going to punish you," father said.

Gulping as I thought about some of the scars on my back I nodded.

"Great now here are two sandwiches, hurry and eat them. I need to exam you today," father said while handing me the sandwiches.

I ripped them from his hands and greedily gulped them down. After finishing the sandwiches in a couple of gulps I wobbly stood up.

Walking towards the door I see father holding his arm out. He linked his arm with mine and guided me to the examination room.

Sitting in the chair I sat patiently while being strapped in. After twenty minutes I was done being drained of my blood.

Father spoke, "Emilia there is someone I want you to meet. Ashley will guide you to a room, you are dismissed."  With the flick of his hand, Ashley appeared from the doorway and grabbed my hand harshly. 

We walked to a door that looked identical to mine, a dull color of grey. Ashley opened the door and shoved me inside while locking the door. 

Landing to the floor with a loud thump I look around the room. It is submerged in total darkness exactly like my room. 

Except this room was bigger, hearing shuffling from across the room my eyes land on a dark figure. Suddenly two gold eyes are staring back at me which causes me to gasp. 

A sweet smell enters my nose but I don't pay mind to it and instead focus my attention on the gold eyes that are staring at me. The lights turn on and I cover my eyes from the brightness of it. 

After a couple of seconds, I let my hands fall to my side. My eyes again meet gold as I take in the person's appearance. 

He is a boy around my age maybe older. He is tall and has jet-black hair with a tan complexion. He was very handsome as my eyes roam his face that seems perfect in every way.

Thick black eyebrows paired with his gold eyes. Pink plump lips with a small stubble surrounding it.

I roam my eyes further down and see how well built he is. His muscles threaten to rip through his shirt.

Hearing a throat clear my eyes meet his as I notice a small smile present on his lips. My cheeks grow hot and I know that I've been caught checking him out.

Slapping my cheeks a little to clear the redness from them I manage to shyly wave at him.

He waves back at me and starts walking forward but is stopped by a mirror that is in the middle of the room.

I start walking forward to get closer to him. For some unknown reason, my body aches to be near him.

When I reach the mirror I sit down on the ground and put my right hand on the glass. He also sits down and puts his hand on the glass and smiles at me.

We sit there for a while staring at each other with our hands on the glass. I start to feel excited as I realize that we could be friends.

Excitedly I start tapping on the glass to get his attention. He looks at me confusedly.

Clearing my throat I speak," can you hear me?" He nods his head and waits for me to speak again.

"My name is Emilia, what's yours?" I question with a small smile.

"Lorenzo," he rasps out. I mumble his name and notice that he is staring intently at me.

"Nice to meet you Lorenzo, you smell like chocolate ice cream." I blurted out nervously.

He smirks at me, "you smell like roses." My eyes go wide," I smell like roses? Have you seen roses before?"

He nods," you haven't seen roses before?" He questions me.

I shake my head, "no, never are they more beautiful than in pictures?" He nods again," one day I will show you roses too"

I smile excitedly, "okay-" I was interrupted by father and a couple of the doctors on either side of us.

"Emilia it's time to go back now," he demands. "No father let me stay longer please," I pout.

He sighs irritably, "no, now let's go before I have you sedated again." I shake my head and turn to Lorenzo.

Meeting his eyes I notice sadness swirling in them. Waving my hand in a goodbye I walk towards father.

When I'm standing in front of him I fell a sharp pain in my neck. Black dots start to cloud my vision and I turn around to see Lorenzo with a needle in his neck.

His gold eyes are the last thing I see before my body hits the ground.