Guys, the picture is the cover of the story that inspired me to write this. It's by Liz's original creator, Suzukiwee1357 and NightAngel285. I sternly suggest that you read that one too. 

I opened my mouth to scream, but I was in so much agony, no sound came out. The pain that crashed over me as the ooze singed my skin was unbearable. Even now, I wouldn't wish that sort of pain on anyone, even my worst enemies.

A jolt ran along my spine, and I tumbled to the ground once more, writhing. My vision blurred, and I didn't even have the strength to cry as I felt my bones and muscles rearrange inside of me. I knew I was mutating, but that didn't stop the instant rush of panic rushing through me as the goo seeped into me. It started in my head, the bone crushing force within racing through my veins. I thought I'd cracked my head open, as I held my temples in my hands, managing a small whimper. From there, the mutation spread to my limbs, encasing them in pins and needles. Pins and needles, and fire, and even more pain. A chilling ripple ran through my skin, and despite the feverish state I was in, my whole body now felt like it was covered in agonizing, rough goose bumps.

My hands clenched into fists, as my body continued to mutate. As I felt the strange disturbance in my system working toward my abdomen, my back arched as my spinal chord felt like it was being split in two. It must've been the most painful and drastic part of my changing, since I actually think I blacked out from the pain for a while. 

When I finally came to, the ooze hadn't yet finished its work. I felt my legs stretch and reform, as my hands clawed the concrete in torment. The never-ending torture eventually stopped, but the transformation didn't. I soon couldn't spread my fingers as far as I used to. The same for went for my toes-- I could no longer move them individually. A drip, drip somewhere in the sewer now blared in my ears like a police siren, as my hearing sharpened. The darkness suddenly came into focus, and I glimpsed the scene around me.

Kraang bots lay limp beside me, but I didn't see the little pink alien freaks inside of them. They'd probably left after they had laughed at the sight of the human girl writhing in torment. The energy from the laser guns had long since died out, but it didn't seem like I needed their light any longer. I made a move to stand, but every cell in my body screamed in protest. I crumbled back to the ground, wincing as my back twanged in complaint. I moved each of my limbs, tentatively testing out my new form through a haze of tears. I cried out as I tried to shift my left arm. Apparently that ooze didn't heal wounds.

After what felt like days, but was probably only a few hours, I managed to drag myself to the end of the tunnel, pulling myself up as black spots scattered around my vision. I peered through my tangled hair, which had somehow managed to remain untouched during my anguish, at where the next tunnel led. Nothing. I recognized absolutely nothing.

Another surge of pain racked my ankle, and I clung to the wall, gritting my teeth and easing myself into a sitting position. Though my hair still seemed intact, my clothes were not, as I stared at the rags that covered me. I sighed, reaching behind me to finger where the Kraang had shot me, somewhere in my back. I ran my good hand down my spine, along my tail... wait, WHAT?!

I jerked my head down, ignoring the searing pain that rushed through me, as I stared in horror at the extremity now attached to my lower back, yelping in fear. What... what had they done to me? I glared at my new tail, almost as long as my legs, before examining the rest of my transformed body in dread. The explanation for not being abel to move my fingers and toes the same: I had webbing between them. I ran my fingers along my skin, which now felt scaly. 

I reached an inescapable conclusion as I finished my examination: I was a mutant. A freak. A normal girl, turned into some kind of reptile with a tail. No matter how much I had wanted to avoid that, or ignore it, it was true. I began to shake uncontrollably, my body overtaken by a new sort of trauma, as terrible as my first experience-- sadness.

I howled in rage and agony, wailing, "No, no this can't be happening. No!"

The events of the day returned to my thoughts, only worsening the sense of abandonment I was going through. I laid on the ground, truly wishing more aliens would discover and destroy me. I had nothing left to live for, after all.

"Mom," I sobbed, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get on the bus. I should've been faster, I should've tried harder. This is all my fault. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

The silence returned once more, but this time, it wasn't comforting. I hopelessly tried to drown out that silence, and a song my mother used to sing to me came back to mind. I began to hum the tune, the notes bringing me back to carefree times... Good memories, almost managing to stomp out the terrible ones... Almost. 

It wasn't enough. I started singing the lyrics softly, before I began to belt them out, hearing my voice echo through the tunnels.

"When the evening shadows and the stars appear,

And there is no one there to dry your tears,

I could hold you for a million years, To make you feel my love," I sang during the lulls in my tears, "I know you haven't made your mind up yet,

But I will never do you wrong.

I've known it from the moment that we met,

No doubt in my mind where you belong."

I didn't want to stop, and after everything that had happened, I remembered my mother's face. Sweet, warm, loving, caring. I smiled faintly as the tears continued to flow, and I continued to croon, "I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue,

And I'd go crawling down the avenue.

No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do, To make you feel my love."

It pained me so much to write this chapter. I am on the verge of a full-out breakdown right now. The lyrics are from Make You Feel My Love by Adele. See you next chapter, my lovelies. :'(