When Night Breaks

Complete silence fell over our make shift house in anticipation for Samantha to return. Because of the intense urgency to see the report, we had pushed her to go to the police station that same day.

"Leo, you don't think I had anything to do with Ian's murder, right?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Nah man, I believe you," he answered.

I shook my head and stood up. Pacing the floor, I began to think of scenarios that would warrant cross DNA to be at the scene.

Could it be that I was being framed? Could the McKenzies be behind it, planting evidence to send a message? Or could there be others like me out there? No matter the answer, I dreaded the outcome.

There was a knock at the door and my heart froze. I walked to the large metal door and opened it to see Samantha.

"I did it," she said simply.

She came inside the house and pulled out her phone. I tried to read her face for some sign or some indication of what was on the report; I got nothing but confusion and fear.

"I took pictures of the pages in the file," she handed her phone to Leo.

He took her iPhone and plugged it into his laptop on his desk. Her camera roll was copied on his computer: numerous selfies at which Samantha blushed when they appeared, photos of her and Lacey, and then the police report. Leo closed all the photos except the ones we needed. He began reading the pages silently to himself.

"The coroner report shows he was viciously killed. Slashed to death and beaten," I cringed at the thought.

"What about the DNA?" asked Samantha.

"Okay. There was a trace amount of human blood found at the scene. It has markers in it that's close to yours, Jay. It's clearly no ordinary human's."

Samantha's face turned ghostly pale. I reached out and touched her arm; she neither flinched away nor acknowledged the gesture.

"Wait. Jay, I'm going to take a sample," Leo said getting up to go to his equipment cabinet.

I sat down beside Leo's desk as he tied a rubber band around my arm. He was going to take a blood sample and compare it to the one the report detailed. I was used to needles; they didn't bother me. From years of being shot up with strange drugs as a child to having samples drawn by Leo in search of answers, I had grown accustomed to the sting of a needle in my arm.

Leo stuck the needle in my vein and drew blood out. Samantha quickly looked away to avoid seeing the crimson liquid. Once finished, I stood and went to be beside Samantha. Leo took a drop of the blood and placed in on a glass slide. He took another sample from the vial and worked his scientific magic on machines I didn't even the name of.

After quite some time, Leo swiveled around in his desk chair and removed his glasses. He rubbed his temples and began to speak.

"The blood found at the scene was type O negative with cross species markers. Your blood, Jay, is AB positive but with the same markers."

"What does that mean?" asked Samantha.

"It means," Leo began, "that the DNA isn't Jay's but it does belong to someone like him."

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"I have no clue. And apparently neither does the police department."

It was clear that I hadn't killed Ian. I knew that despite Samantha and Leo saying they believed me, it took this development to truly eliminate me as a suspect in their mind.

There was no doubt in my mind that Nathan and Margaret McKenzie was behind Ian's death. I wasn't sure what role they played but I knew they were involved.

"What's next?" I asked Leo.

"I don't know. The police can't find out about you or anyone else with your messed up DNA. It would expose you and we know that wouldn't be good."

If the police did somehow link the DNA markers back to me, it could lead them to Samantha. That was one thing I could never let happen.

The thought of someone else like me made my blood run cold. If the McKenzies had continued their experiments that meant there could be multiple if not a dozen of us.

Us. It was the term the kids at the foster home used after we were changed. We were no longer humans. We weren't animals. There was no term that existed for what we were. So, we were simply us.

Once I escaped I had not used the term because I assumed it was just me. This new DNA meant I may not be alone anymore. That was a reality I couldn't handle.

I felt my head begin to spin, my hearing faded, and my surroundings were going black. The last thing I remember was Samantha yelling out my name. But, it sounded distant as if she was miles away.

I was out before I hit the floor.



I awoke on the couch; Leo was standing over me and Samantha was kneeled beside holding a cold rag to my face. As I slowly opened my eyes, Samantha spoke.

"What happened, Jay?"

"I don't know. I just got overwhelmed," I answered honestly.

"Understandable," Leo said. "You gonna be alright, man?"

"Yeah, I'm good," I shifted my weight to my elbows as I pushed myself up. I reached up and touched Samantha's hand which was sill rested on my face. She smiled and I asked how they managed to get me from the floor to the couch.

"Leo and I are tougher than we look," she said, flexing her arms to reveal a not-so-large bicep. I chuckled and Leo simply shook his head.

"Well thanks." I said, realizing the back of my head was sore. Apparently, I collided with the floor faster than they could reach me.

I had only passed out a few times in my life. Most of those were drug induced by Nathan or the rate occasion when Kara betrayed and attacked me with a needle full of sedative. Never before had I fainted from pure shock.

"You probably need some rest. I'm going to go ahead and go," Samantha said.

"No!" I spoke, probably too quickly. "I mean, you don't have to go."

The truth was, I didn't want her to go. I never did, but especially at that particular time. It was as if when she was there, the situation seemed a little more under control.

"Oh okay. I'll stay. But only for a little while. You need to just lie down for a while."

"I'm fine now, promise," I smiled as I stood up.

I tested my balance and my knees seemed to be on my side. Leo had retreated back to his desk to perform what I assumed to be more tests.

Leo's father was a scientist which was what caused Leo to pursue that field of study. Although, having a companion such as myself gave him plenty enough reason as well. Leo was brilliant. He often times didn't acknowledge just how bright he was. At only 29, he had a Ph.D in genetic epidemiology, had published many academic articles, worked at prominent universities and was working as a biology professor at the university in town. Although humble, he was brilliant.

Samantha and I spent the next few hours in my room. We sat on the bed and talked; it was what most of our visits consisted of.

I scooted close to her and pushed the hair out of her eyes. I traced the strand to tuck in behind her ear then ran my finger down her jaw bone. She breathed in as I felt her heart begin to pound faster. I smiled, cocking one side of my mouth up. I knew it was a small gesture that would send her heart racing even more.

I leaned in and placed my lips against the soft skin of her neck. My hand found it's way to her waist where I held her tightly. She pulled away and pressed her lips against mine. I loved kissing her. Her lips were always soft and warm; inviting and tantalizing. She was only the second person I had ever kissed but by far the only one I ever wanted to kiss.

My mind strayed from the other being with my DNA and shifted to the time I had with Samantha. Even though it was no longer just me in a group of strange humans, the only us that mattered in had moment was myself and the girl I held in my arms.