Who's the real Monster?

After a few more servings of breakfast I stayed to help clean the kitchen. Matt took care of the tables. Ed got started on the dishes. It didn't take long before we were all finished.

Matt and Ed were in the process of leaving the building to go outside again while I grabbed the two plates I had set aside. Ed caught me to ask "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking some breakfast to both Anderson and Edgar" I replied.

"Why would you do that?" Matt asked confused.

"They need food like the rest of us." Taking a look at both of them I added "This doesn't mean that I forgive either one of them."

"What if something happens? What if Edgar tries to attack you?"

With a smirk I replied "If he does I'll make him sorry that he ever laid eyes on me in the first place." They both looked to each other before Ed gave a shrug to an unspoken question. Matt said "Be careful."

"Always am" I replied.

I had to walk away so neither one of them could see the tears that were pooling at the corner of my eyes. Papi would always tell me to 'be careful' whenever I went to hang out with my best friends, Julian and Delilah. I haven't thought of them in ages. Steeling my nerves I made my way to the Solitary area.

Without Ed and or Matt by my side I was reminded that even though I'm surrounded by people who are like me I'm still alone. My intrusive thoughts came to haunt me 'I've been alone long before that night'. Taking a moment to breathe deeply I felt Nightmare try to comfort me the same way my Papi would by making small circles along my back.

Finally at Anderson's door I input the code on a keypad that Josh made up. Even though he's cringe it is a stupidly funny code to use, 1 2 3 4 5. Good thing he and I have watched too many movies, specifically late 80s comedies.

The metal door opened for me to see a plexiglass wall with small holes horizontally across that reminded me of another movie I saw about a cannibal therapist, I think. Seeing Anderson slightly startled as the door opened I was surprised that she was using a bedsheet for a makeshift toga.

"Come to gloat?" she asked.

Grabbing the knob right in the center of the wall I pulled it towards me to insert the food tray. Pushing it through I said "Nope, instead I brought food."

She looked down at the food carefully. I could see the gears in her heard trying to figure if it's been tampered with. "Why should I trust you?"

Catching the bite in her tone to reply "Why would I need to poison you? You're the prisoner now."

Her frown deepened. Trying to be the better person I said "I'll be back with more food later and maybe some actual clothes."

Walking backwards I knew not to turn my back to Anderson, ever. Closing the door in front of me I made sure the lock was set up before moving onto Edgar's next. Inserting the same code I saw the same floor plan from Anderson's room. Barely a second passed before something rammed out of one of the holes. Taking a quick look at it, I saw that it was a makeshift shive. A metallic one at that.

Waiting for Edgar to look I asked "Did you really think it was going to be that easy?" He grunted in response. I lifted the tray to show why I was here in the first place. Edgar looked from the tray to my eyes. Holding his gaze I told him "The food is safe. Had some myself earlier. Now go to the other side of the wall and wait there until I leave."

Giving him a few seconds to obey he decided not to move. Snapping my fingers to inflict pain. I could almost laugh at the way he tried to keep a strong face even though he was in anguish. Pointing to the wall he finally followed my orders. I released him of the pain. Doing the same motion as I did for Anderson I never moved my eyes off him.

Unsure I asked "What size are you apparel wise?" Edgar looked confused at the question. With a roll of my eyes I said "I'm getting Anderson some clothes and unless you want to stay naked I need to know your size." I think he said 'Large' under his breathe. Taking the same precautions as with Anderson, I walked backward to close the door in front of me. After hearing the beep that it was properly locked I went down the hall to go back outside.

Surprised that Nightmare had kept quiet all this time. All too soon that silence was destroyed with Nightmare saying I thought you wanted to me to keep my mouth shut.

Yes, I did and still do.

I don't understand why you fed those two.

I'm trying to be better than them.

Why?

Because I choose to be.

Still why?

They did the worst thing you could do to a human being. Even though they're fully human. I'm showing both of them that we still have humanity. Even though they treated the others and I like we were actual monsters.

Like me you mean?

I'm going to hate myself for saying this; You are an alien. A sentient being who deserve as much respect as a human being.

Then why did they hurt me?

Human beings hurt people and other beings that they don't understand, even more so if they are afraid of them.

Nightmare asked Is that why they hurt you like this? A memory flashed in my mind: Nightmare laid me down on the sand to hand dry me with a towel. I saw every inch of my body and recognized every part of myself aside from the surgical scar that was under my lower abdomen. Leaning against the wall I thought long and hard if I had misremembered that scar at all. Nightmare took the opportunity to speak up It's real.

Running into the first room I knew that would have a mirror. When the light turned on I lifted my shirt and lowered my pants to see the scar from my memories. It can't be I thought again. Touching it gently I felt a slight abrasion in my skin. It's real.

Another memory came to mind; I was in biology class in high school. We had to dissect a pig and I had to do the cutting. It wasn't till later that I found out that the pig I mutilated was a female.

By human standards that should be where my womb is at. Looking anywhere that wasn't the mirror I started to pant. I couldn't breathe. The question kept replaying in my head How? Who? The only person I knew first hand that had medical training is Nurse Ratchet. Closing my eyes tightly I ordered Nightmare Find her. In an instance Nightmare took over my body.

Inhaling deeply I caught her scent immediately. Running down the hall I found myself in the threshold of the room where Nurse Ratchet had tortured me for a full 24 hours. Memories of this room brought back a gut wrenching pain. She did that? Nightmare asked me. Looking down at my arm where she carved the word 'Monster' that has barely begun to heal. Even if the scar fades one day I'll know it was there. I'll never forget.

Nightmare covered my left arm in shadows before entering the room. Noticing that there's a door on the other side of the wall that resembled the doors used in both the Green and Yellow Units. Nightmare grabbed and pull it to the side with a hard thrust.

Walking in slowly to see a twin sized bed in a makeshift office room I found Nurse Ratchet using a chair to prop against another door. Solely focused on her I felt my eyes change. Feeling Nightmare let me have more power I created tendrils waiting to use as I asked in a deadly calm tone "What did you do?"

Confused she asked "What do you mean?"

Grabbing her I screamed "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!"

She was within arms length of me still confused. Nurse Ratchet looked from the torture room, to my arm, then eyes trying to figure out what I meant. Deciding to give her a hint I elongated my index finger to trace the same area where she would've cut me the other day. Making sure not to draw blood I watched her face as she finally realized the answer I want to know. "I didn't do that" she said.

Fueled with rage I threw her against the wall to hear a pained gasp. Getting closer I heard her whimper. "I swear...I didn't do...that to you" she said in between more whimpers. Slapping her face hard I yelled "Don't lie to me!"

"Stop!" I heard a voice yell. Another woman came to stand in between us. Taking a good look at her I recognized her from the Green Unit. Alexia, I think. "Get out of my way" I told her. She shook her head before saying "No."

I warned her "Move. I won't repeat myself." Alexia shook her head again. Shifting my eyes from her to Nurse Ratchet I saw that she was cowering against the wall with her face covered. Alexia turned around to shield Nurse Ratchet from me. I grabbed Alexia's arm to pull her away then my vision went black.

Opening my eyes to see only darkness. Within the span of a second I felt my mind being brought into someone else's memory. It was of people hurting me, no not me, someone else. Nurse Ratchet. Am I in her mind?

The next memory was of me. The real me. Even though I lived through it no more than a day maybe two ago myself I felt all of the pain. It went beyond physical, it was emotional and even mental. I felt it all. Who's power is this?

That scar? I heard Nurse Ratchet thoughts. She made a report about it, later Anderson dismissed her report and said 'If you want things to stay the same don't report that again.' Nurse Ratchet dropped it after that. I could feel an intense fear. She was trying to protect someone. Alexia. She was protecting her.

Blinking to see myself grabbing ahold of Alexia I saw the unbridled rage in me. I hated myself for having that look not only in my eyes. Letting go of Alexia brought me back to reality. Looking to Nurse Ratchet I saw that she was hiding a Glasgow smile. Unsure of how she hid it before I knew she was as ashamed of her scar as I was of the one she left on me. Having an inkling of who may have given her that scar I took a slow step back.

I thought you hated this woman Nightmare asked.

I did and still do I replied.

Then why don't you kill her after what she did?

Because I just saw that she was forced to do the things she did to me and the others. She's not the real enemy I replied.

Needing to get out of there I said under my breathe unsure if either one of them heard me "Apologies Alexia and...Emilia."

Rushing to Anderson's room I ripped the keypad out of the wall. An alarm began to blare and some lights flashed as I pulled the door away to see the clear one in front of me. Yanking the plexiglass door off the hinges I walked into the room to say "Tell me the truth or I'll tear you limb from limb."

She backed away in shock. Using my tendrils to keep her still I asked "Did you sterilize me?"

Anderson replied "I have no idea of what you're talking about."

Squeezing her tightly I elongated my finger to trace it along the area of where my scar is at. Uncaring that I'm currently drawing blood I said "There's a new scar on my body that wasn't there before. Now answer me sincerly."

She pressed her lips into a hard line. I remembered her doing that when I was younger to keep from telling me a hard truth. Knowing the best way to get her to talk I used my finger to enter her mind again. Looking through her eyes I saw paperwork with the words "unknown scar" and "possible hysterectomy" then a call was made. To Ripley of all people who said "Who saw the scar? Who else knows about it?" She replied "Only myself and Nurse Ratchet." When Anderson tried pushing for more information Ripley ordered "Anderson when I say 'jump' you say 'how high'." Anderson barely had a chance to say "Yes Ma'am" before the line went dead.

Letting her go I asked "You knew?"

Stunned she replied "You wouldn't understand."

"Wouldn't understand what?"