Common Experiment #10010
typos in the journal pages are intentional
I wanted to crawl out of my skin, out of that husk of a meaty container.
by
That's how Sam O'Terry felt for almost his entire existence. This thought plagued his mind even as a young child, a disease that would constantly say "you're too different, you're too grotesque, you will never fit in, you're losing more than an eye, you're missing your humanity." And wouldn't you believe in this single voice that keeps repeating awful things to you day and night?
By his teen years the damage was already done. In an unfortunate domestic accident at the age of 3 Sam lost his left eye, and was lucky to escape with his life.
Losing half of your sight was not a problem for him, losing what was, according to him, vital part of his human face was the true disgrace. Seeing the other kids, ALL of them with a perfectly harmonious face, was a blow to Sam's stomach every single time, and at a certain point kids can simply turn... cruel.
○ February 6, 2009
○ February 8, 2009
○ February 11, 2009
The isolation and lockdown didn't last long for Sam. Mom and dad were at home with him, each one living in their respective rooms, but Daisy returned to her dorm after making sure everyone had masks and hand soap but... never came back.Despite being the perfect stereotype of the annoying, over-achieving, older sister, Sam loved her as much as one sibling could love another. His chest skin was peeling off and the brown rash had spread all over his body by this point, but he ignored common sense and sneaked out the house to make his way to the dorms in his faithful old bike, now as beaten up as Sam himself.
Bad decision, Sam
That was the first time the boy witnessed the madness. Zombies was the only word he could think of when after only a few blocks away from his house a mob of diseased people were walking apparently aimlessly. They noticed him too.
Sam's heart started beating after a few days of stillness, he didn't even notice the difference until now. "They're going to eat me" was the thought that hushed through his mind, making him firmly grasp his bike's handlebar, he needed to flee, but before he could do that... Some of the citizens in the mob stopped and waved at him, smiling.
They were just people
There was no need to run, no need to hide, just friends to make. They noticed Sam's half-rotten body and approached him with... cupcakes? They just wanted to assure him that the panic and isolation wasn't needed, and informed him that a cure had already been found.
He could finally help his parents, he could help Daisy too!! He thanked the kind lady who talked to him for almost an hour, now the rushing was to bring good news.
* * *
Everything was normal again. Centropolis was as busy as ever, people walked down the streets with shopping bags and coffee cups, even the birds were chirping a melodious tune.
L'Amour's cure worked and saved Subeta. But there were some who didn't want the cure, they considered the virus a cure in itself and would remain undead. Sam was one of them, finding in his new skin and in his new people a peace he never had before, he was finally equal to his peers.
And the plan was to never stop growing his skin, and to never let his heart stop beating again. He was happy.
by
Nayona
