She strips her clothing, leaving it in a pile on the ground. When she steps into the shower, she hears a computed voice and jumps in surprise.
“Good Evening, Miss Wardgrave. My name is PAM. I am your Personal Assistance Monitor. I am here to help with any need or service you may require.”
A computer in the shower… Are they serious?
“Uh, hi, PAM. I’m Glacier.”
“Would you like me to assist you with the temperature of the water? If not, you can switch the settings to manual on the power menu.”
Glacier stands in the middle of the shower cubical, naked and stunned, listening to the voice reverberate from the ceiling. From where exactly, she isn’t sure.
“Uh, thanks, that would be good.”
“How hot would you like your shower?”
She hesitates, “Um, can I please have it cold?”
The showerhead projects sharp jets of water, dousing her face. The water cleans the cut across her forehead, a stinging sensation echoing across it.
Glacier doesn’t feel the cold; she never has. It simply feels like the water is the same temperature as her skin.
She closes her eyes and turns to face away from the projectile, then tilt her head back. The water runs through her snow hair, the knots slipping away with the currents.
Her shoulder stings where Michaels had stabbed her with the barbs of his stun rod. The memory is suddenly fresh in her mind, and her body jerks from the remembrance of the raging electricity coursing through her bones in powerful waves.
Opening her eyes, Glacier notices the water gathered at the bottom is now a frozen sheen of ice. Her feet stay planted firmly against the what would be a slippery surface, but Glacier doesn’t feel the slipperiness that accompanies it.
Glacier leans her hand against the wall as a brace before slowly moving her foot against the ice. Expecting her foot to slip, it surprises her when it doesn’t.
It feels like walking on concrete.
Glacier has perfect balance and stability. But when the water continues to freeze at the bottom and blocks the drain, the cubical starts to flood.
“PAM, could you please make the water warm now. No…hot; make it really hot.”
Glacier quickly moves away from the pouring water to refrain from being burnt, and wait on the opposite end of the shower. The bathroom floods with thick steam, clouding the mirror and glass with condensation.
The ice cracks before it melts into the hot streams, and rinses down the drain. When the last of the ice is gone, Glacier asks PAM to make the water warm, and finishes cleaning herself.
How did I do that? How is it even possible?
Once Glacier is done, she steps out with her mind reeling from what happened. She dries herself off and changes into her clean clothes; the silk feels like feathers against her skin, the softest she has ever felt. Glacier walks out into the bedroom with her clothes under her arm and turns off the lights, sitting down on the bed.
As she continues to dry her hair with her mind whirling over the ice in the shower, her eyes are drawn to the small flask on the bedside stand. Glacier pauses before lowering the towel and reaching for the grey bottle.
After she folds her clothes and towel at the end of the bed, Glacier walks back into the bathroom, only switching on the vanity lights. When she is in front of the mirror, she ignores her damaged face and turns to observe her shoulder where Mr Michaels had dug the barbs of the stun rod into her skin.
Glacier can see the small holes as her back is exposed with only thin straps supporting her nightgown. The piercing marks look slightly bruised and irritated. Glacier shakes the bottle with quick movements before twisting her arm around and spraying the small holes. The spray is wet, clinging to the skin. Shortly after, Glacier starts to feel a small tingling.
The tingling slowly morphs into a more intense pain, and Glacier cries out. She muffles herself with the length of her thumb. Shoving it in her mouth and biting through the pain as her other arm quivers. Glacier can feel an intense itch burn across her skin as she breaks out in a sweat. Watching through squinted eyes, Glacier observes as the holes slowly close.
Glacier gives a small, muffled cry right before the pain starts to dissipate. Finally releasing her hand, she notices teeth indentations from biting so hard. Looking over at her now completely healed shoulder, her eyes widen.
It worked…
Glacier and her father had been working on a formula that could heal any flesh wound. A few days ago, they had come to the conclusion that it could only be administered as a spray. Glacier had taken the prototype from her father’s room. If it had been successful, it would have helped thousands of elementals.
With an antidote like this, it will be easier to win battles. She can erase any of her flesh injuries from the previous battle.
I might actually have a shot at making it to the end.
Glacier heaves in a few deep breaths as she regains her composure and wipes her forehead. With an elastic Glacier finds in one of the bathroom draws, she ties her tough curls back into a bun at the nape of her neck and splashes some water on her face to relax her. Glacier braces her hands against the edge of the counter, staring at her reflection challengingly.
“You need to win.”
~
There is a quick rap on her door, causing Glacier to jolt awake. She looks out the window, and the sun is shining brightly behind the curtains. Glacier looks around for a clock but does not find one.
“Uh, PAM?”
“Yes, Miss Wardgrave?” PAM’s computerized voice sounds.
“What is the time?” Glacier’s tired voice is barely audible as she rubs her eyes, moving the covers away.
“The time is seven fifty-six A.M.”
Glacier nods to herself before grabbing the robe from the end of her bed, wrapping it around herself and walking over to the door.
Since when are people awake at this hour?
The same as last night, when Glacier is close enough the door opens out into separate panels, disappearing behind the wall. Standing on the other side of the door is the boy who had delivered her dinner last night. He smiles at her again, but this time his smile is different, almost apologetic.
“Morning miss. I have your breakfast.” His tone is off as he watches her approach. Glacier returns his smile in hopes that he won’t stare anymore. She quickly grabs the dome that had her dinner from last night still trapped inside, and trades him.
“Did you enjoy your dinner?” His question is fair, and Glacier can tell he is trying not to stare openly at her.
“I wasn’t really that hungry last night,” she replies, in case he goes down and realizes that she hadn’t touched her dinner.
“Oh. Well, enjoy your breakfast.” Just as he goes to walk away with his cart, Glacier stops him.
“Wait!”
He turns around with a surprised gaze, and returns to where he was, leaving his cart.
“Yes?”
Glacier swallows her pride and asks him, “How do you open it?” Her voice is just above a whisper, but she knows he hears her when he gives her a peculiar look.
He presses his finger on the top of the dome in the centre, and a button glows under his touch. The dome cascades down around the plate below it, revealing poached eggs with a thick yellow sauce, buttered toast and cracked pepper.
“Thanks,” she mutters quietly, before shooting him another quick smile and disappearing back into her room.
How the hell was I supposed to know that was how you open it? Why is nothing simple here?
Glacier moves to the same spot on the floor as last night, and eats. The creamy sauce explodes with enchanting flavours on her taste buds; it is so delicious that she finishes the entire plate in a few minutes.
When she finishes, Glacier places the empty plate on the nightstand and strides into the wardrobe to find clothes for when she leaves for the stadium.
She changes into light blu
e jeans and a cotton t-shirt, some of the only casual clothes, leaving her feet bare. Glacier fixes her bun, and as she walks out of the wardrobe there is another knock on the door, louder than earlier.
Is it time to leave already? Melana said I wouldn’t be leaving until later…
Glacier steps in front of the door and it slides out as it opens, revealing the two men her father had attacked when they come to collect her. She hesitates at the sight of them standing there.
Why are they here?
Glacier braces herself for an attack when they step into her room. Suddenly Thomes appears behind them and enters the room as well.
“Good morning, Miss Wardgrave! And how are we this morning?”
Glacier blanches at his presence. Her eyes are wide but her lips form a tight line. A sudden, powerful anger Glacier feels from looking at him sparks hatred so strong, she knew she hadn’t felt anything as strongly.
The thought that her father’s murder stands before her, carrying the same weapon he had used against him makes her sick to her stomach. She feels knots tighten in her gut, and her skin burn hot with rage. A scream resembling a vicious cat bounces off the walls in an echo before Glacier launches herself at him in an animalistic craze. Her head tells her only one thing.
Murderer.
But before her hands can come remotely close to his throat, the other two guards swoop in and grab each of her arms, pulling her back to where she started. Glacier hisses and growls as she tries to shake away, but they hold tight.
“Stop behaving like a Critter, my dear. It is very unbecoming.” His voice causes her teeth to grind and her eyes to narrow with an unsuppressed rage.
Glacier quivers with anger she has no idea how to control, like a monster has awakened inside of her and taken over, refusing to let go.
“We’ll make this quick. I just have to deliver something from Chancellor Staren, then you can continue on with your day,” Glacier watches as he pulls out a gun of some sort, with a large, square barrel. Glacier stills at the revelation of it before she tries pulling back, away from him.
“No, please don’t!”
He ignores her plea as he advances towards her. The guards holding either arm rotate her until her back is facing Thomes. She senses Thomes behind her before his hand lifts her shirt. Glacier struggles against the guard’s strong hold, flinging her body side to side in efforts to avoid Thomes’ weapon. He growls in irritation before he orders the men to pin her on the ground.
They quickly slam her face down onto the carpet, and her nose explodes with pain when she hits the floor. Glacier cries out and continues to struggle against their unyielding hold. Thomes lifts her shirt again, exposing the small of her back. She feels the barrel of the pistol against her skin and her body quakes with fear.
A severe shot of pain punctures her flesh, and Glacier feels something latch deep into her skin, as well as something move just beneath her flesh. Her throat dries from her muffled painful screams, and heavy tears falling to the carpet. Her broken face rubs irritatingly against the fibres, but she feels too weak to move.
Glacier’s body slackens, the pain resonating through her back where she feels the piercing. She hears a small beep before a clicking, and her back twitches where the pain originates.
The guards relinquish their hold and step back cautiously. From the corner of her eye she sees somebody take a step closer until their shoes are a meter from where her face lies, soaked in tears and rubbed raw. The person crouches down, but Glacier can't bring herself to move as the pain reverberates up her spine.
Thomes watches her with curious eyes before he brings a small flat device out from behind him, and clicks a few buttons. “Now, let’s see if this works.”
His thumb taps a button on the small toy, and her back spasms with a current. Her mind suddenly teleports her back to Mr Michaels stabbing her with a stun rod in the shoulder just as a searing pain quivers up her spine.
Glacier screams out, her throat hoarse and croaky. The same chilling imaginary white cloth coats her, soothing her, before it expels from her skin like a brutal wave of rushing water. The sounds of cracking and splintering echo around the room, before a string of curse words and ‘woes’.
“Holy Crap! How the hell did she do that?”
“What is she?” Two unfamiliar voices shout out before Thomes replies.
“Men, she is what you call a hybrid.”
Glacier’s hair is tugged roughly from behind, pulling her head back at a painful angle. Another cry leaves her lips before she bites down to keep quiet.
“And the Chancellor told me to remind you to keep your mouth shut, or your little friend will be dealt with.”
He throws her face back against the ground. Too exhausted to fight back, she lies on the carpet writhing in pain. But Glacier doesn’t comprehend any of what Thomes was saying after ‘hybrid’. The word continues to circle her mind on repeat, taunting her.
I’m a freak.
Hybrid. Mutant. Monster.
~
Glacier wakes up foggy and confused. Her face is pressed into the soft carpet, but it feels wet against her sensitive cheek. Her skin is tight and her eyes itch without moisture. Glacier groans when she tries to move, her muscles tight and achy.
Why did I sleep on the ground?
Trying to push herself up off the soaked carpet beneath her, her lower back burns like a hot rock had been placed on her skin. She rolls onto her side and stands up carefully, trying to turn her back as little as possible.
Glacier treads over to the bathroom taking small, slow steps to avoid more pain, and her feet treed through large damp puddles on the carpet. She turns on the vanity light in the bathroom and paces over to the mirror. Her eyes are swollen and red, and her face flush despite the bruising. She turns her back to the mirror and lifts her shirt awkwardly.
She covers her mouth with her hand, gasping at the sight of a small black device with an unblinking red light attached to her flesh. Something similar to a beetle. The skin surrounding it is dark red with some bruising, burning like an infected fresh wound.
Tears fall freely down her cheeks before Glacier can swipe them away. Twisting her arm around, she gingerly touches the tiny flat chip. She sucks in a sharp breath as the area howls in pain, causing her to immediately retract her hand.
Grabbing the bottle of healing spray she used on her shoulder wounds earlier, she takes a deep breath before spraying around the wound.
Can’t get infected.
Side splitting pain follows soon after, and Glacier grit her teeth over the flesh of her hand once more. She feels the newly generated flesh heal around metal, and grooves form around the beetle-like chip. Hot tears race down her sore cheeks, and onto the bathroom tiles with an inaudible patter. She reaches for some toilet roll to dry her wet face.
“Miss Wardgrave,” PAM’S voice surprises her when it sounds through the titled room, “I am to remind you that your beauticians will be arriving to dress you in fifteen minutes.”
“Thanks, PAM,” she manages to croak out.
Glacier splashes her face with water before using the hand towel near the basin to pat her face dry.
She looks up, staring into her reflection. The girl that stares back is flush with blotchy red cheeks. Her eyes are dull, and her bruising is prominent.
I would like to see them try making this beautiful.
FIVE
INTRODUCTIONS
Overwhelming. Unbarred. Clean. Glacier could barely absorb her surroundings as a thousand and one thoughts circle around her mind at lightning speed.
Her eyes glance around as she enters through the colossal sliding gates. Although she can see all the riches that the earth elementals luxuriate in, home is the only place Glacier wants to be.
Walking through the large concrete doors that open out into the tremendously vast Terrain Stadium, Glacier notes the thousands of seats filled with an excitable audience, hungry for this year’
s elemental representatives.
Glacier walks in behind twins Neena and Keena, two girls with exceptional blue eyes. Keena’s short-cropped black bob is left down, and Neena’s shoulder length pin-straight strands are tied high in a slick ponytail.
Glacier knows they are all moving in an organized line, but she doesn’t look back to see who follows behind her as she tries to keep up with the girls. They all wear their region’s custom blue attire, the girls in elegantly slimming sapphire gowns, and the guys in a cobalt dress shirt and black slacks.
The twins are yet to formally introduce themselves to her, but Glacier knows them from the region. Keena is said to be one of the best defence elemental’s of their generation. Neena is as good as any other water elemental. Glacier heard rumours around the region that Keena bargained her participation for her sisters as well.
Glacier’s team had been surprised to see her. So surprised that they simply stood and gawked at her. All except for Aleena, the beautiful brunette with a sour look reflected in her hateful eyes.
Glacier’s dress dangles around her toes dangerously, slightly too long for her short, fleshy figure. The silk material clings to her curvy frame and the neckline plunges an uncomfortable depth. The two wide straps sit suitably on her shoulders, and the hem is a soft cut with a gradual blend, from baby blue to dark cerulean starting from her waist up.
The garment makes her feel like she is someone else entirely. Glacier’s white hair is tamed from her naturally frizzy ringlets, into large voluminous curls. She notes that for once her hair is tidy, compared to her usual tumbleweed of spirals.
The tightness of her dress causes the fabric to rub irritatingly against the newest feature on her lower back, reminding her of its presence.
“You stay quiet, you hear me?” Glacier turns at the sound of Aleena’s harsh words, finding a menacing glare directed at her. Lowering her head, she says nothing as she continues to walk, gradually growing closer to the stadium stage.
The Frozen Beginning (Elemental Diamond Book 1) Page 5
