When a butterfly flaps its wings, a new world is created. No wait, that's not right. When two paths diverge and you chose one over the other. Right now I have a lot of time to think.
For starters, I somehow traveled from France to Mississippi. I landed naked in a field of grass just outside of Keesler Air Force Base. Yes, I've watched the Terminator movies. But before I had a chance to rob a biker gang for clothing, I was arrested by the local military police.
After being forcibly dressed in a hospital gown, I was strapped to a gurney (for my own safety.) All before being loaded into an ambulance. No one told me where I was going, just muttering about me being a Jane Doe. I was tense, with thoughts of escape running through my mind. It was only when I saw the lights of the emergency room sign did I realize I'd been taken to the on-base hospital.
As I was taken past airmen and their families in the waiting room, I could hear the team of doctors tell the police that I was insane; possibly a danger to myself and others. Somehow, I went to sleep.
I could only assume I'd been drugged since my heart was racing too fast for me to actually rest. I awoke in an elevator. My mouth was unimpaired, but I couldn't speak or even scream. Vomit choked in my throat, as I struggled to breathe. My heart was racing so hard, I almost didn't notice how my vision was slipping in and out of focus. I could see I was surrounded by people; men, women, nurses, doctors, black, white, Asian, even Native American- all at once.
The image was layered, like watching a 3D movie without the glasses. I was expecting a headache, but none came. I could hear all the voices perfectly clear. They were talking to me, referring to me by different names; Fiona, Emily, Miss Davis, Mrs. Mercer, Patient Zero, the Female. But the one I kept hearing over and over was 'the Vessel.'
From what I could make out someone called, 'the child' was still missing, possibly destroyed, but they were still looking. At least a few dozen voices were helpful for this individual's safe return.
As the elevator stopped in, what felt like, a sub-basement level. As my gurney was wheeled into a room, the conversation shifted. Someone called, 'the man,' 'male specimen', and 'Project K,' he was still at large. That had to be Kai or maybe even Ken. It had to be.
"We have to send her back," said a male voice with a Russian accent.
"There's no place to send her back to," replied a mousy female.
"What do we do?" the voices layered over each other, rendering them indistinguishable. "What will we do?"
One woman came forward, her silhouette seemed to stand out from the others, casting an oddly neon glow. "We do what we have to." She had the voice of someone who smoked a pack a day and drank herself to sleep. But this sound was layered over what sounded like my voice. This woman had my voice.
As she came closer, her figure came fully into focus. She wore a lab coat over military fatigues, with her blonde hair pulled back in a messy bun. Her face looked tired, weary, somewhat angry, but also young. She looked about my age. As she moved in close, leaning over me, it became clear; the woman had my face.
"Take samples of skin, hair, blood, tissue, and bone," she said with cold confidence. "Burn the rest in the incinerator."
My lip trembled as I started to cry.
This caused her to chuckle. "Oh, fuck you, Bitch." The woman pulled a black glove from her pocket. She snapped it hard as she made a show of putting it on.
"You killed my baby, now I get to return the favor." She pulled out a knife with a laser blade.
"Please no," I said in a whisper. "You can let me go. I'll run, I'll probably die somewhere on the side of the road."
"I know you will. But I can't wait that long."
I could feel the heat of the blade against my neck. blistered formed as the red light touched my shoulder.
My life flashed before my eyes. I could see my parents, the day my father died. the day I left home, the day I... graduated from college?
I was seeing visions of military training, combat training. And then blood.
The other version of me lurched forward, vomiting blood. The knife dropped from her hand with a clank.
I was still strapped to a gurney, as the other women's body started to bleed into me. but she wasn't bleeding, she was melting.
My eyes darted around, trying to see the reactions of the rest of the doctors. Were they going to help their boss?
My vision started to pixelate. They were transforming into something; a dark mass of shadows.
I blinked a few times, causing my vision to clear. The room was getting brighter.
Crash!
Becca, in full armor, was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a giant humanoid rabbit.
A wave of energy washed over me. over and over. on instinct, I reached my arms toward my chest, pulling myself into the fetal position. My hands were free. My legs were free.
With each new reality, my clothes changed, as did my hair even my skin. My final form had tattooed hands and a massive, painfully swollen, stomach.
A furry hand grabbed my shoulder. The massive appendage felt like part of a mascot costume. But unlike the grip of Chuck-E cheese or Mickey Mouse, this hand was fully articulated and scary-strong.
"Get up," growled a male voice.
"I'm trying!" I couldn't stand up no matter how hard I tried. My legs were buckling under my weight causing m horrific pain in my back and hips.
The rabbit-man did not seem to care. He dragged me by my shoulder, pulling me through a portal. With a thud, I landed hard on my shoulder. I closed my eyes as pain shot up my arm. I couldn't move.
I rolled on to my back, as I struggled for breath. When I could open my eyes I saw a bright blue sky. I was outdoors? My shoulders felt wet and cold; I was in a field of green grass, wearing a crop-top and what I assumed were denim shorts.
I couldn't see my lower body over my massive belly. But i could feel the denim and i could feel that My shorts were soaking wet. "Please help me!" I shouted at the sky. I was in labor, I had to be. But I was alone; no rabbit, no Becca.
I moved like a turtle who had been placed on it's back, struggling with my arms and legs. After much trial and error, I managed to wiggle out of my shorts. Gripping them in my left hand I rolled my shorts into a tube shape to bite down on. I needed to push.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I pushed with every ounce of strength. My body felt like I was being ripped in half. I could feel something coming out. I knew I had to keep going. I tried to lift my head, but I could barely move. The baby could have been stuck for all I knew.
Just when I felt like I had no more strength, I saw my husband's face. "Ken?"
There were wrinkles around his eyes as he smiled at me. He was older, like a kind father or grand-father. But he was alive. "Hey, Barbie-girl."
I tried to speak, but no words came out. My vision drifted, as the pain washed over me. 'Please help me.'
"This is your world now, Barbie-girl."
A massive boot struck me in the face, over and over. I needed to get up, or else I was going to die.
A familiar Lazer knife slashed me across the chest, leaving behind a cauterized wound. My body sat up all on its own, instinctively moving away from Becca.
I expected her to be in armor but she was only in fatigues and combat boots. Not that it made her any less deadly.
Becca spat on my face. "I'm taking the baby. It's mine anyway." With her gloved hand, she pulled the baby out, causing the afterbirth to follow.
The horrific pain caused my vision to blur. I rolled on to my chest, leaning on my forearms as I struggled for balance. Only then did I realize, the baby was still attached.
I turned in time to see Becca use the laser blade to cut the umbilical cord. Time went in slow-motion as she held the newborn by its ankle, letting the little girl cry.
"Such a pathetic little creature," she muttered.
"B-but she's you." Was she really going to kill her own form?
"I know." Holding the child by the leg, Becca swung it like a doll, moving it closer and closer to the laser, not unlike an executioner. "I figure, killing off my original form will reset this world."
"You figure?"
"I'd rather die then-" Becca's sentence was cut off by a sudden burst of light. The rabbit-man grabbed the baby from her and teleported away. At least the baby would be safe or at least not dismembered by a laser blade.
I would not be so lucky.
Becca screamed an unholy roar. "I am sick of this trickster God bullshit! You and your stupid lighter!"
What about the lighter?
Becca charged at me, pinning my already weak body to the ground. Sitting on my legs, she plunged the laser blade into my chest.
I held my breath, waiting for the sweet release of death.
Becca looked into my eyes. "I could stay and watch you die, but I'd rather go rabbit hunting."
I closed my eyes, assuming that the next breath would fill my throat with blood. but somehow it wasn't.
"Get up," said a kind male voice.
