As the metal doors lowered around Collin and the other subjects, the silver carts slowly opened. By the time Collin could see his own hypnosite, the other subjects were blocked from his view. The pulsating draw he felt enticing his mind to connect was much stronger than last time. He idly wondered if the others would garner feelings of jealousy if they ever discovered the differences between theirs and his. Realizing he didn’t really know the difference other than size and coloration, he shrugged and decided it wasn’t a train of thought worth pursuing.
Inside the tray, under the glass dome, the hypnosite was not alone this time. Two water striders occupied the cage and skittered around; Occasionally they would even skitter over the dormant hypnosite, unaware of their impending fate.
“We chose the creature most similar to what you manifested on your first connection,” Doctor Charles said over the intercom, “Prepare yourselves, everyone, I will be activating the frequency for connection in five, four, three.”
Collin took advantage of the countdown by laying down on the floor. He closed his eyes and focused on the pulling pulse from the hypnosite. It felt strangely warm and appetizing of all things.
“Two, One.”
The high pitched frequency reverberated across the room. Collin, being ready for the sound this time, didn’t lose focus. Far more naturally than last time, the pulsating aura spread from the hypnosit and surrounded him. Fulfilling a craving he had been carrying for the past week, Collin dove into the feeling with an open embrace and once gain merged his mind with the hypnosite. This time when the world went black, a smile was spread over Collin’s now unoccupied body.
…
Collin snapped awake and found it hard to remember anything. That felt familiar, but also didn’t make sense. On its own, his body started burbling and shifting to grow four legs, eyes, ears and a mouth.
The exertion left him with a gnawing sense of hunger. It was hard to think of anything else, but why should he? In front of him, glowing with a pulse of life each, were two easy meals in the form of water striders. Collin didn’t understand the life pulse emanating from them, but it made it easier to follow their movements.
HUNGRY,
There was a damanding from within that was more of a powerful feeling than a thought. Collin obeyed without hesitation and pounced on the closest water strider. His mouth may have been small, but he was able to make quick work of the meal.
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Hungry
It was less insistent this time, but Collin still obeyed.
The second Water strider evaded Collin on the first lunge, but was caught on the next attempt. After eating the center portion, Collin was too full to finish eating the legs.
As the hunger stopped commanding, Collin felt a new sensation wash over him.
Rest
This feeling was less demanding and more gentle, but it slowly overcame anything else Collin could focus on. His body burbled and shrunk into itself as it produced a shell to surround and protect him.
Rest
The feeling pulsed soft and slow like a lullaby until Collin fell asleep.
…
Collin woke up inside his human body and slowly got to his feet. Falling asleep inside of the hypnosite had been an alien experience and he still felt groggy from it. For that matter, the whole experience had been alien. It was thrilling, yet terrifying all at once like being tossed around by a rollercoaster of instincts.
Collin still had the phantom taste of the water strider in his mouth. At the time, it had been delicious, but now, remembering the taste and texture, Collin nearly gagged. He tried to distract himself by watching the metal cart slowly close. On the tray, the Hypnosite currently looked like a butterfly chrysalis in shape and size. The collaboration was a darkish green and silver much like the hypnosite, but with hues of dull gray swirling in the mix.
One of the black clad mystery helpers. Carted the tray out of Collin’s room. None of the metal walls had come up other than his own so far.
“How long does this usually take?” Collin asked toward the intercom. No response came.
Chuck strolled into the room in person looking as much the Greek god as ever. He wore a beaming smile as he approached Collin.
Merrin followed close behind wearing a very stern expression behind her clipboard. She wouldn’t make eye contact with Collin. She seemed like she could really use a cup of coffee. Could Monkeys drink coffee?
“Typically it takes hours to form the chrysalis stage. Especially the first one, but not you. You are the first to ever pull it off in mere seconds. I had to come ask you in person, how did it feel?” Chuck said with wide eyes.
”Uh,” Collin thought back to the experience, “Honestly it feels strangely addicting, but the taste in my mouth is something from a nightmare.”
Chuck laughed, “Addicting? And you’re experiencing a transference of sensation? Fascinating. I’ll be honest with you, CX21, I have never gotten to experience the connection for myself, but I think you will be my ticket to understanding and breaking through that barrier. You are my pioneering hope.”
Merrin’s pencil snapped, “Sorry, still not used to my own strength sometimes.”
“Glad to be here,” Collin said lamely, “So you can’t transform?”
“Not yet,” Chuck said, “But I have a feeling that you will change everything for me. Merrin, double his weekly stipend.”
“Thank you,” Collin said. His own wide eyes mirroring Chuck’s.
”Well I’d better get back,” Chuck said, “I just wanted to congratulate you in person.”
“What’s next though?” Collin said.
Chuck chimed in, “Get some well earned rest. Your portion is done for the day.”
“The Doctor is right,” Merrin said, glaring back at Collin as they walked away, “You’ve done enough.”