EvelynJanineKingston,
OnbehalfoftheesteemedBillingtonUniversity,itgivesmegreatpleasureto offeryouaplaceforadmissioninSeptember2087.
Sincerely,
FinneganFurst
ActingDeanofAdmissionsandPresidentofBillingtonUniversity
“Looklegitimateenoughforyou?”
Stuartranhisfingersthroughthehologram,expandingtheflickeringimage.
“Wow,yourphoneis reallyold.”
“Allofmythingsarereallyold.”
Heignoredherretort,hiseyeswideasherereadtheletter.“It’s
impossible…Smartsaside,thetuitionmustbeastronomical.Youcouldnever
affordit.”
“Igotascholarship.Itcoversmyfreshmanyear.”
“Thenwhat?Howwillyoupayfortherestofcollege?”
“I’llfindaway.Ialwaysdo.”
“Ican’tgetoverit.”HefinallytorehisgazefromtheletterandlookedatEve.
“TheBillington?”
“Theoneandonly,downinSoCal.”
“Iknowwhereitis,I’mjust—”
“Anass.”Sheofferedhimapatronizingsneerandshovedherphoneback
intoherpocket.“Pleasuredoingbusinesswithyou,as always.”
Sheheadedforthedoor,butjustasshereachedit,shestopped;shecouldhear
theradiofarbehindher,thevolumeraisedonceagain,nowtoitshighest
level.
“Now, to those out there who say, ‘Heck, give these people a break,’ I must correctyou;chimerasaren’tpeople.Justbecausetheylooklikeusdoesn’tmean they have the right to be regarded as people. They are aberrations. They are creatures.”
ThebackofEve’sneckbecamehot,tinglingwithafirethatsurgeddownher
spine and illuminated her entire body. Her vision faded to darkness, a thick blackthatpulsedwitheachbeatofherheart.Shedidn’tbothertostifleitthis time,despitethenaggingvoicethatbeggedhertostop,thatinsistedshewalk
outthedoorandneverlookback.Asshetookonelastbreath,sheallowedthe
powertoflowthroughher,makingitspresenceknownwiththeslightestflick
ofherwrist.
Thepatronsgaspedinhorrorastheradiodialspunfuriouslyasifsuddenly
possessed.Itflippedfromonechanneltothenext,finallystoppingata
boomingrockanthem,theheavybassandthumpingdrumsechoingthroughout
thetinyshop.
EveturnedtolookatStuartandtheothers.Theirfacesweredrainedof
color,theireyesgapingwithfear.
“Lookslikeyourradioisbroken,”shemumbled.“Youshouldprobablyget
itfixed.”
And with that, she left the shop, wincing as the sunlight stung her eyes and pouredacrossherface.Shecursedtoherself;shehadmadeamistake,clearly.
What she did—the looks on their faces, the terror in their eyes—was hardly constructive,andyetshecouldn’tshakethefeelingofpridefulretributionthat
festereddeepwithinherchest.Itwastoomuch,sometimes,tohearthe
opinionsofothers.Tohearthatshewasanatrocity—a creature.Afterall,she certainlylookedhuman.Herskin,blood,andboneswerehuman.Shewalked,
talked, laughed, and cried like a human. But Eve was not like other humans, becauseshewasachimera.
Tobefair,thecorrecttermwas humanovus:thenewhuman.Theywerethe
firstoftheirkind,anadvancedbreedwithallofthesametraitsandDNAasthe
standardhuman,exceptthat,forsomereasonmodernsciencecouldn’tyet
dictate,theirgenesweresimply better.Noamountofresearchcouldpinpointa specificcause.Thegeneticmakeupsofhumansandhumanoviappeared
identical,andscientistsofeveryfieldremainedfrustratedbythemysteryofthe humanovus,fordespitetheirphysicalsimilarities,thetwobeingswereclearly
soverydifferent.Thenewhumanswerephysicallystrongerwithunparalleled
musclememoryandstamina.Theywerefaster,theirenergyboundless,their
bodiesrarelyinneedofreplenishing.Theirimmunesystemandhealing properties were unimaginably resilient, causing doctors to speculate that the averagelifeexpectancyofahumanovuscouldeasilysurpassonehundredand
fiftyyears,thoughnooneyetknewforcertain.
But above all else, the most extraordinary feature of the humanovi was the powertheyheldintheirminds.Therewasnoproofthattheywereinherently
moreintelligentthannormalhumans,buteachhumanovuspossessedone
particularbrainfunctionthatnootherhumanhadeverbeenabletoattain:the
powertomanipulateandmoveobjectswiththeforceoftheirthoughts.
Telekinesis—itwasatermlinkedtocountlesspiecesoffiction,andyetitwas now real, a mere fantasy come to fruition. Yes, the humanovi were, in fact, telekinetic,thoughthetitleitselfseemedsofrivolousandromantic,andthus
peoplebeganreferringtoitas“thegift.”
Asiscommonwithanysuddenchangeinmodernsociety,theappearanceof
humanoviwasmetwithfearandapprehension.Sometheorizedthathumanovi
weresimplythenextstepinthehumanevolutionarychain.Othersfoundthem
to be miracles, a gift to rid the human race of disease and weaknesses. Still, othersbelievedthatthenewhumanwasbroughtforthbyevil;theywere
powerful, toopowerfultobegoodorpure.Thusthedebatebegan—asdidthe riots,theprotests,thepersecutionandprejudice.Panicranrampantacrossthe
globeashumanbeingsbegantofeelincreasinglythreatenedbythepresenceof
humanovi.
Humanity’sfrightultimatelyledtothecreationofacolorfulnewterm.The
generalpublicdecidedtoregardthesenewhumansas chimeras,aparticularly interesting choice of word in Eve’s opinion. In the sixth grade, she’d learned thatthechimerawasacreaturefromGreekmythology:afire-breathing
lionesswiththeheadofagoatonitsspineandasnakeservingasitstail.
Duringvocabularydiscussionsinhighschool,she’ddiscoveredthatachimera
was also a fantasy or delusion of sorts. And through her own research she’d foundthatachimerawasalsoarandom,arbitraryblendofdifferenttissues:a
mutant.Andfromthat,sheunderstoodhowsocietytrulysawher—asa
fantasticalblendofmonstrousparts.
Afreak.
Evewasespeciallyfreakishintheeyesofherpeers.Thetypicalchimerawas
hardtodiagnoseinitially;achildwithgreatmusclememorycouldsimplybe
labeledasuperbathlete,andateenagerwhonevercaughtacoldwasjustseen
as the winner of the perfect attendance award. The only obvious distinction betweenhumansandchimeraswasthegift,andironically,apublicdisplayof
thegiftwasconsideredascrudeandtabooasstrollingthestreetsinthenude.
Mostchimeraskepttheirgifttothemselves,lockedawayindoorswherenoone
elsecouldseeorjudge—iftheycouldevencontrolitatall,whichmanycould
not.
Infact,amajorityofthepublicwasignoranttothedetailsofemergence—
thedeliveranceofthegift.Oncechimerasreachedtheirearlyadulthood,their
gift would develop suddenly, in what felt like a random instance of mental anarchy.Shootingpain,lossofvision,asenseofdisplacement,and,ofcourse,
theerraticmisfiringofthegift—theywereallassociatedwithemergence.
Scientistsmaintainedthatageandmaturitybroughtthedeliveranceofthe
gift,
althoughtherewasanexceptiontotherule:theemotionalintensityand
exaggeratedbrainfunctiontriggeredbyextremetraumacouldalsoprecipitate
emergence,atanyage.That,unfortunately,isexactlywhathadhappenedto
Eve,approximatelytwelveyearstooearly,attheageofeight,afterwitnessing
thegruesomedeathofherparents.
Evestoppedinfrontofthepawnshop,almosttooangrywithherselftotake
anotherstep,thoughherfeelingsofregretsoonsubsidedasherattention
driftedelsewhere:backtothepharmacy,orwhatremainedofit.Auniformed
officerwassweepinguptheshardsofglass,leavingbehindstreaksofa
yellowishsubstanceacrossthesidewalk.Shepeeredinsidethebuildingand
sawtables,cabinets,andchairsalloverturnedanddestroyed,alongwithasea
ofpapers,vials,andherbsscatteredfromwalltowall.
“CanIhelpyou?”
Evewinced;shehadn’tevennoticedthepolicemanapproachher,andwished
that,foronce,shecouldbetheslightestbitinconspicuous.
“Justlooking,”sheanswered,slowlysteppingawayfromthescene.“I’llget
outofyourway.”
“Notsofast.”Theofficerextendedhisfinger,beckoningherforward.He
cockedhisheadtowardthepharmacy.“Youknowanythingaboutthis?”
“Aboutwhat?”
“Thechimeramedicalclinic.”
“No.”Evecrossedherarms,hershoulderstense,herstancedefensive.“Why
wouldIknowanythingaboutit?”
“Look,Iknowwhatyouare.”
What she was: as if she were an animal or an object. No matter how many timessheheardit,itstillstungjustasmuchasthefirst.
Shesneered,offended.“ThenyoushouldknowthatIdon’thavemuchofa
needformedicine.”
“Clinicslikethisareillegal,youknow.Ifyouwereinanywayinvolved—”
“Don’tyouhavemoreimportantthingstoworryabout?”sheinterrupted.
“LiketheInterlopers?”
“Wehandleraidslikethiseveryweek.Youlet usdo ourjob.”
“Imostcertainlywill.Infact,I’llleave rightnowsoyoucangetbacktowork.”
“Holditrightthere,I’mnotdonetalkingtoyou—”
Hedidn’thavetimetofinish—araspycrycapturedtheirattention,followed
byaseriesofcrashes,fromdeepwithinthepharmacy.Suddenlyashort,stocky
policemanranoutofthepharmacydoor,scuttlingthroughthetaped-offcrime
scenewithatrailofbloodoozingdownhisforehead.
“It’shere,”hepanted,hisfacewhitewithterror.“Idon’tknowhowwe
missedit.HOWTHEHELLCOULDWEHAVEMISSEDIT?”
“Missedwhat?”anotherofficerasked.
Hisquestionwassoonanswered.Anothernoisesoundedinsidethepharmacy:
aloudboom.Again.Andthenagain,thepoundingfollowedbya
shrillscreech.Eveknewwhatwascoming—shecouldhardlybelieveit,but
therewasnootherexplanation—andthenitstormedfromthepharmacy,its
enormouswingsbreakingthroughtheshop’sframe,leavingagapingholein
thebuilding.
Thethingstoodoversevenfeettall,yetitsbodywasleanandgaunt.Itsskin
was grey and slick like rubber, puckering at its joints and around its bones, whichprotrudedgrotesquelyfromitsflesh.Long,spindlylimbshunglimply
fromitshairlessbody,andeachhandandfoot—iftheycouldbereferredtoas
such—wasadornedwithsharptalons.Twoimmense,bat-likewingsexpanded
fromitsback,waveringslightlywitheachfervidbreathittook.Finally,itsface
—itsbald,wrinkledskull;itslarge,blackeyes;itsmouthfilledwithhundreds
of foot-long, needle-like fangs in a glistening silver—yes, its face was the mosthorrifyingsightofall.
ItwasanInterloper.
Thecreatureshookthedebrisfromitsback,lettingitflyacrossthestreetlike specksofdandruff.Itarcheditsshoulders,stretchingitsskinfaracrossits
bones,andthen,withadeepbreath,itletoutagutturalroar.
Evejumped,staggeringbackwardwiththehordeofpolicemenwho
scatteredacrossthestreetlikefrightenedchildren.Oneliftedhisgun,hishand shakingsoseverelythatthefirearmnearlyfellfromhisgrasp,andfiredtwo
poorly aimed bullets at the creature. The Interloper hardly reacted; instead it swipeditswingdismissivelyatthepoliceman,knockinghimoverwithasingle
blowandsendinghimtopplingintowhatwasleftofthepharmacystorefront.It
stomped forward, its inky eyes scanning the terrified faces until it abruptly stopped—whenitsawEve.
EvehadseenanInterloperbefore,butneverthisclose—closeenoughto
heartheairpuffingfromitsslit-likenostrilsandfeeltheslighttremorofthe groundasitpacedfromsidetoside.Shewantedtorunaway,butherfeetwere
firmlyrootedtotheconcreteasifunresponsivetoherscreamingthoughts.She
wasscared,yes,butnotasscaredassheshould’vebeen.Afterall,the
Interloperwasstaringrightather.
Itinchedforward,tiltingitsheadslightlyasiteyedherupanddown.Ittook
a step closer, and yet Eve still could not move. Its teeth—God, its teeth were likeawfulknives,andshecouldseeherfaintreflectionineachandeveryone
ofthem.
Andthen,unlessshewasmistaken,shecould’veswornshesawthecreature
smile.
Anothergunshot,andanother,andthenfinallyaswarmofbulletsshoweredthe
Interloper,sendingyellowfluidburstingfromitsperforatedskin.Itswattedat
theballsofleadliketheywerepesteringinsectsandunhingeditsjaw,roaring
loudlyasstringsofsalivasprayedfromitsteeth.Withonelastbreath,itglared
atEve,undeterredbythebulletsstillburrowingintoitsflesh,andthenitfinally boltedintothesky,beatingitswingsuntilitsoaredoutofsight.
“SONOFA-GODDAMN-BITCH!”apolicemancried,hisfacebeetredashe
kickedtherubbleathisfeet.
“Can someonecheckonhim?”anotherordered,pointingathiscomradewho
wasstilllyinginaheapontheground.
“IsweartoGod,thosethingsarelikeraccoons.Giant,ugly-assraccoons.
Viciousshitswithaknackforpickingfightsanddiggingaroundinthe
garbage.”
“I hatethosefreaks.I HATEthem.”
“Howcouldwehavemissedit?Wecoveredtheentirepharmacythreetimes.
Howthe helldidwenotseeit?”
Theramblingsoftheofficersfadedintothebackground,becomingnothing
butadistanthazeinEve’smind.Hereyeswerestillsetfirmlyonthesky—she
wasn’tsurewhatshewaslookingfor,astheInterloperwaslonggone,butfor
somereason,shecouldn’thelpbutwatchthecloudsabove.Maybebecauseshe
knewthatitwasupthere,watchingher.
TheInterlopershadarrivedwhenEvewasjustababy,andthoughshehad
never known a life without them, the slightest mention of their existence still sentachillthroughherbody.IfEvewasamonster,thentheInterloperswere
the offspring of Satan himself, though neither was true. The Interlopers were aliens:creaturesfromsomewherebeyondthisworld,surelyofanothername
andpossiblyfr
omanothergalaxyaltogether,buttherewasnowayforEveor anyoneelsetoknowforsure,becausetheyweresimplyimpossibletoengage
inconversation.Sure,theycouldspeak—amultitudeofhumanlanguages
alongwiththeirowndialect,surprisinglyenough—butcommunicableand
friendly they were not. Regardless, they had made their intentions more than clear:theycametoEarthseekingonethingandonethingonly.
Chimeras.
WhathorrendouslyterribleluckforpeoplelikeEve.Alreadytheentire
globehadbeenupinarmsaboutthechimerapopulation—andthenthe
Interlopersarrived,andthemajorityopinionwassolidified:chimeraswere
intolerable.Acurse.Damned.Fornotonlyhadtheybroughtfearintothelives
ofhumansacrosstheplanet,butthey’dalsobroughtaflurryofwingedaliens
whoterrorizedtheirhomes.
Goddamnchimeras.
Fortunately—asifasilverliningwasevenpossibletofind—whilethe
Interloperswereterrifyingenough,theyhadyettoprovethemselvesinherently
dangerous.Theywerenothingmorethanscavengerssearchingfordata,blood
samples,andanythingelsethatcouldtellthemmoreaboutchimeras.Some
speculatedthattheysoughtthechimeras’healthandstrength,thoughthat
possibility was widely rejected; the aliens were already nearly impossible to kill,andalthoughbulletsandbladestorethroughtheirskin,thedamage
appeared to be insignificant to them. Many assumed they were after the gift,
andthattheydestroyedfacilitiesliketheShangWuHolisticPharmacyin desperatesearchofsomething, anythingthatcouldrevealthekeytothepower they insatiably desired. And while initially people revolted and rebelled, they soonlearnedtosimplystayoutoftheInterlopers’way.Afterall,notasingle
unprovokedInterloperhadeverattackedahumanorchimera.Theprovoked
ones,however—well,thatwasadifferentstoryentirely.
“Cansomeonegetherthehelloutofhere?”
Eve blinked; she was still standing in the middle of Haight Street amid the chaos.Spectatorswerebeginningtogather—andthelastthingsheneededwas
peoplewatchingher.
“Hewaslookingat her,youknow,”anotherofficeradded.
“Probablywantedtotakeherwithhim.”