Shameless Chapter Fifteen

I know where you were last night.

No matter the horror of the words I find an eerie numbness to them. At least I'm away from my mother. I stare down at the note trembling in my hands, and rub my thumb across the ink. My mind wanders...who would write this? Why? I never told anyone...they...who could have....

The sound of clashing metal snaps me out of my trance. Eyes wide, I scan the area around me, and without a sound, shove the note deep into my pocket.

My hair blows into my eyes, and I spit out strands of it.

My breath is a cloud of white gas in front of me, and I turn my head to the left, following the sound.

"Clarabelle Reese. Its been a long time, hasn't it?" My muscles tense. I don't dare turn around.

"Oh. Jumpy, now aren't we?" A laugh follows. "Who are you?" My voice is low, and I look at my shoes, petrified of staring into the eyes of a killer.

"Oh, don't pretend, Clare. You know who I am." A hand rests on my shoulder and I begin to shake. His hot breath whispers in my ear, "I held your hand when they killed Cyrus. You healed me when the doctors beat me. We were friends, Clare." His other hand slowly falls down to my waist, "And I always wanted to be something more..."

I can't take it anymore, I whip around and all the air is sucked out of me. I stumble and step away from him, shaking.

"Daniel."
                              * * *

I look at the rim of the mug and shake. I can't help but look at him. Again. I pull the blanket around me tighter and sniff. "Why did you write that note?"

Daniel looks at me, his curly blond hair falling over one unearthly blue eye. "I missed you, Clare."

Without thinking, I let myself smile, but soon common sense kicks in. I slam the mug down and stand up, my finger shaking. "No. No. No. No. No. No. You're dead! I saw you die! They killed you, Daniel! I saw them!"
 
Daniel's brow furrows, and he stands up, coming to me. He cups my face in his hands, and as I stare terrified at him, I see the twinkle of tears in his eyes.

"I was protecting you, Clare," His voice is so soft I have to ask myself if I actually heard it. I shake my head, tears streaming down my cheeks, "You never came back. Why didn't you find me? Why-"

"I'm so sorry, Clare. I'm so, so sorry." Staring into those eyes, those bright, bright blue eyes, I feel safe again.

But without warning, the feeling leaves me, and I'm left with anger. I slap his hands away.

"You left me, Daniel! You lied to me! I spent the last eight years blaming myself for your death!" I scream, a sob morphing into it.

Daniel's concern drains, "I did what I did to protect you, Clara! You don't understand! You never understood! And you never will!"

It felt like a dagger went through me, and I stand there, gaping at him. "You know, I did everything I could to save you."

"It wasn't enough, Clare! I was still put into the Switched program! I was still tested on!" His blue eyes shine with hurt and anger.

Something inside me snaps, and I look up at him with eyes blazing with anger.

"My mother came back for me, Daniel."

That gets his attention, his muscle relax, and he takes a step towards me, "What?" 

"She's here. She adopted me, Daniel."

He stands there, frozen. "Why?" I clench my fists, "I don't know. But she's here and she somehow convinced the Council I'd be fine with it."

Daniel stares at me, "Clara...I...I didn't know. I didn't mean-"

"It doesn't matter anymore. It's done." I wrap my arms around myself, and without meaning to, I mumble, "And I think Jonah knows."

"Jonah? Who's Jonah?"

My mouth goes dry, and I stare at him. "He goes to my school...he...helped me, when she came to get me."

"Why are you smiling?" He asks. What? "I'm not smiling..." But as I say it I know its not true. Heat rises to my cheeks and I bite my lip.

"It doesn't matter, as long as you didn't tell him what we are," Daniel says. I shake my head, "I don't even know what we are, Daniel."

He comes to me, and as a lost habit, I melt into him. He strokes my hair, and I breathe in his musty scent. I missed him. After a minute, he pulls away, and looks at me. "We are mistakes, Clara. You know that. We were a lab accident. An experiment. The damn government didn't care what they did to us, as long as they could control the Marked." He strokes my cheek with his thumb, "We weren't meant to be here, Clare. We're just accidents."

I shake my head, my lower lip quivering. "No...no. We...we were meant to-"

"Clare. They took out your skull. They damaged your DNA so you didn't think or have senses of a human. Your body is fifty percent robotic." Tears stream down his face as he cups my face in his hands, "Your body isn't even real skin, anymore, Clare."

"They didn't mean to do that!" I scream, a sob muffling my words. "They didn't mean to...they...they didn't." I cry, shaking my head. "I don't wanna be a Chrom. Daniel! Tell me I'm not a Chrom!" I scream.

Daniel whispers, tears streaming down his face, "I'm sorry, Clara. I can't do that."

I sink down to the ground, my body shaking, monsterous sobs racking my body. "No. No. No. No."


The lab was trying to help me, altering my DNA.

But all they did was kill my real body.


I was an accident. A mere mishap. My real body had been dumped somewhere, the human me.

My skin wasn't real. My brain wasn't real. Everything I was, was artificial.


I was a Chrom.

Reviews

[Horizon K.]

Intense! Confused about who is a killer though.

[The Fallen]

O.M.G A chrome?! and who is this mysterious Daniel he seems pretty sweet, and since they r both chrome maybe there can he something more? Perhaps a love triangle will form here? Cannot wait for the next chapter

[Emma Marie Taylor]

XD I love you Olivia, you always make me wanna write more. Thanks! XD

[The Fallen]

Loll Well as a major fan of you and your book, I am glad I make you want to write more :) that is my job after all Aha Honestly this is a amzing book, like if It was in a book store i'd buy it in a heart beat

[Emma Marie Taylor]

Thank you! That really made my day!

[The Fallen]

Your welcome, Now ONWARD