Chapter 1:

Heighlee had to be careful, she couldn't let the supervisor know what she was doing. She couldn't let anyone know that she was keeping very close tabs on the newest experiment. Katie Bell was progressing very well, now that the DNA kicked in she was growing fast. Faster than a normal child, but still not as fast as she could have been. Heighlee wasn't exactly sure what kind of DNA mix they had put in the syringe when she'd gotten the order to put it in their latest test subject.

She only hoped that Katie would survive.

That's about as much as anyone can hope for in this horrendous place.

The following days were tricky, as Heighlee knew they would be. She had to be sure that the supervisor had no reason to dispose of her as he did to Addie. She'd cried for her partner when she heard the screams. But there was nothing she could do and she knew that, so she let a few tears flow then she took a deep breath and moved on.

The first sign of Katie's powers came about 8 weeks after Heighlee and Addie brought her to the School. It'd been a routine day for Heighlee, and she hadn't expected to see any progress from Katie for quite a few months. So when she found Katie sitting on the floor outside her crib she was very surprised.

"Katie!" she said, "What do you think your doing down there? Your supposed to be up here, in your crib." Katie laughed and clapped her hands. Heighlee scooped up Katie and placed her back in her crib. She looked at Katie's steadily growing hair and her eyes. They were so precious. Her hair was

She was growing exactly at the rate the scientists had hoped. And the weeks steadily passed.

Heighlee despised herself for her own choice of a job. But she couldn't back out now. Not after being introduced to Katie. She promised herself she would never leave Katie alone in this horrid place.

The weeks had passed quickly. Heighlee watched as Katie grew from a one-year-old looking two-month old baby girl to a 3 year old in a matter of months. Katie's body wasn't the only thing that grew at a surprising rate, her mind grew even faster. At 4 months, Katie could fully form sentences. At 5 months, Heighlee spotted yet another one of her powers that would take a little more time. On her back were two little bumps protruding from her back.

The only thing Heighlee could do was watch over this little girl and figure out a way to keep her safe.

"Eighty-one," the supervisor called over the intercom. "Update on subject ninety-nine in report room 312 stat."

Heighlee rushed down the hall, up the stairs, round the corner and into the small room to meet her superiors.

"Well?" one of the men in a gray lab coat asked.

"Ka - um, Subject ninety-nine is progressing steadily. Her wings are almost 6 feet long. She – the subject – is no doubt a smart one. Subject ninety-nine is already showing signs of great power.

"As far as knowledge goes she can complete any 2nd grade puzzle or maze that you give her."

"What about her . . . special abilities? Hash the subject progressed in that area yet?"

Heighlee took a breath to steady herself. "Yes, she can walk through objects. She's gotten out of her cage more than four times in the last two weeks when she was bored. She has not yet tried to escape the room she's enclosed in."

"Excellent," the scientist wearing a pure white lab coat said. "We'll begin our testing with the little things: Small electric doses, blood work, plumage samples. See what we can get her to do."

Heighlee only nodded, and she knew it was coming soon, she'd always known they'd start testing her at some point. But she's just a little girl!

"Oh, sir," one of the scientists said to the main superior. "What are we supposed to do about subjects ninety-five and ninety-six?"

"Move them to room 246. Dr. Nichem can assist you. She's due back to her station soon anyway." Heighlee, astonished looked at the superior. No one had ever called her Dr. Nichem. She'd only been called number eighty-one since she was hired.

"Yes, I'll help." Heighlee said and followed the scientist into the hallway.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I don't think we've been introduced, I'm Dr. Herrol. You can call me Ian." He added with a gentle smile.

"Heighlee, Heighlee Nichem." Heighlee said as she shook hands with Ian. "What's been done to subjects ninety-five and ninety-six?" She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"They injected ninety-five with avian DNA, like ninety-nine. Ninety-six, they injected with feline DNA. Here, take a look."

They walked into the room and saw the subject (who was a girl) ninety-five trying to comfort subject ninety-six (who was also a girl).

"The animal instincts in them don't clash with each other? How old is the avian-mix? The feline-mix?"

"Surprisingly, no. You've got to promise you don't tell anyone this. . ." He glanced around nervously. "I've sort-of given them names. The girl with the wings is, well I call her Miu. Because it means feather in Japanese. The girl on the right, the one with ears and a tail, her name's Kasumi, because she actually likes the water."

"I named subject ninety-nine," Heighlee confessed. "I named her Katie Bell. I don't know why, it just seemed to fit."

With a shared smile and a shared secret they moved the two girls to room 246, which was coincidentally Katie Bell's room. "Look's like we'll be working together from now on," Ian said.

"Yes, it certainly does."

AN:

Hey readers! I hope you like this installment of A Story Not to be Forgotten! Please don't give up on this, I really want this to actually go somewhere, but it's just taking off. Sorry about the year jump there, but don't worry, I'll rewind a bit with Katie Bell's Perspective.

Speaking of which, does anyone have a good nickname they might think Katie Bell could have?

*Note on the Names of Miu and Kasumi*

I was originally going to have them be Max and another girl, but Max is going to come in later. SO DON'T WORRY. The flock will be in here, and you'll see how they'll play out... but anyway...

Miu and Kasumi:

Miu in Japanese means Beautiful Sky. So I thought it fit for a bird-kid. :)

Kasumi means mist. So for a water loving cat, and you'll see. It fits. Just trust me. :)

PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW. I hate to sound desperate, but you wouldn't believe how happy it makes me!

Well, until next time!

~Jezi Raewin