The Altered
Chapter 1 – The Project
As the sun sank below the trees, night began to creep into the forest. A man in torn white clothes was running, panting hard, glancing over his shoulder. Three men in black suits chased him, moving fast and closing in. They looked like shadows, calm and focused, with one mission—to catch him.
He stumbled on a hidden wire stretched across the ground, and suddenly, a net sprang up, trapping him tightly. He struggled, but it was no use. Bright lights snapped on, and the men closed in, grabbing him and dragging him back toward a large building looming in the distance.
Inside, the organization’s facility was cold and busy. Scientists and employees in white coats moved around, all working on something secret and important—Project Alteronium. The guards brought the captured man into a dark office where Mr. Carl Baton, the junior director of the project, was waiting. Carl’s expression was cold and angry as he walked up to the man, his eyes flashing with frustration.
“Why did you run, Rob?” Carl asked, his voice low and sharp. “Do you really think you could escape? The entire forest is under our control. Trying to leave makes you like a mosquito,” he continued, leaning closer. “One bite, maybe I’ll let it go. But if it bites again…”
Without warning, Carl slapped him, the sound echoing in the room. Rob looked up, face stinging, fear clear in his eyes. Carl smirked slightly. “Remember this: you’re not leaving. The experiments...they’re just getting started.”
Carl’s slap left Rob stunned, his cheek burning. Before he could recover, Carl grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the ground, and shoved him forward toward a waiting group of doctors. Four or five of them stood in white coats, faces hidden behind masks, their expressions cold and detached. Rob’s eyes widened in terror as they surrounded him, holding him in place.
One doctor stepped forward, holding a large syringe filled with a dark, shimmering liquid—Alteronium. Rob struggled against their grip, twisting and pulling, desperation clear in his voice.
“Please, don’t!” he cried, panic flooding his face. “Don’t give me that! I’m begging you!”
The doctor ignored his pleas, expressionless as he brought the needle closer. Rob’s struggles grew weaker under their hold, his breaths quickening as the needle pressed closer to his skin.
The scene cuts to Hampston School of Arts, a place known for its creativity—and sometimes, its rowdy students. In a bright hallway filled with chatter and bustling students, we see our main character, Auris, standing by his locker. With striking blue eyes and a calm, confident expression, he looked like he’d just stepped into the school that morning.
Suddenly, a group of guys approached him. They were the school’s known bullies, and they had their eyes set on the new kid.
“Hey, look at this guy,” sneered one of them, giving Auris a mocking glance. “Think you’re special or something? Trying to show off in our school?”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
The second boy chimed in, laughing but with a sharp edge. “Yeah, newbie. In this school, we’re the ones in charge. You’ve got no right to show us up. You try to look better than us, and…”
He paused as Auris interrupted, his voice calm but firm. “And what?” Auris asked, looking straight at them without a hint of fear. “What are you going to do about it?”
The boys were taken aback for a moment. One of them mumbled to the others, “Is he serious? He’s still acting all high and mighty, even when we could knock him out right now.”
One of the bullies couldn’t hold back anymore. He clenched his fist and swung at Auris, aiming to put him in his place. But Auris didn’t even flinch. In one smooth motion, he caught the boy’s fist in mid-air and twisted it, pressing down just enough to make the boy’s knuckles crack painfully. The boy cried out in pain as his hand went limp.
“You messed with the wrong guy,” Auris said coolly.
Enraged, the rest of the group charged at him. The next guy lunged with a wild punch, but Auris sidestepped and swung his leg out, tripping him and sending him sprawling to the floor. Another boy grabbed Auris from behind, trying to lock his arms, but Auris leaned forward and flipped the boy over his shoulder, sending him crashing down next to his friends.
By now, a small crowd had gathered, watching in shock as Auris handled each of the bullies with ease. The last boy, now visibly nervous, stepped back, raising his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, we were just joking!” he stammered, backing away.
Auris dusted off his hands, looking unfazed. “Maybe next time, pick on someone who’s actually afraid of you,” he said, and with that, he walked away, leaving the bullies nursing their bruises and their pride.
The school day continued, and word about Auris spread like wildfire after the incident with the bullies. As he took his seat in class, students whispered and exchanged glances, impressed by his strength and courage. Many of the girls were already smitten, and even some of the guys were talking about him, amazed by his energy and confidence.
Later, after school ended and the campus had mostly emptied, a senior student named Henry arrived with a group of about 10-15 guys. Henry was the notorious leader of the school’s bullies, and he was furious when he found some of his crew nursing bruises, with one barely conscious and clutching his injured hand.
One of the boys, trying to explain through his pain, looked up at Henry. “Sir…sorry, sir. We couldn’t take him down.”
Henry’s eyes narrowed, his anger simmering. “What do you mean, him?” he demanded. “Are you telling me all of you were beaten by one guy?”
The boy nodded, wincing as he spoke. “Yes, sir. He was just one guy…but when he hit, it felt like we were getting pounded by a hundred punches all at once.”
Henry’s fists clenched in frustration. “Who is he? What’s his name?”
The boy shook his head. “We didn’t catch his name, but…he looked good. Blue eyes, brown hair.”
Henry sneered. “Blue eyes and good looks, huh?” He grabbed the boy by the hair, slamming his head downward, and blood began to drip from the boy’s nose as he fainted. Henry muttered to himself, “I’ll make that pretty boy beg for mercy in front of everyone.”
Turning to another boy in the group named James, Henry ordered, “I want him on his knees, begging for his life. Tomorrow, I’ll beat him in front of the whole school.”
One of the boys in the back muttered under his breath with a hint of humor, “What, does he think his dad owns the school or something?”
Henry’s eyes darted to the boy, suspicious. “What was that?”
The boy quickly stammered, “Nothing, sir! He’ll be in front of you by tomorrow.”
Henry smirked. “Good,” he said. "This new guy has no idea what he’s in for.”
Writer’s Note:
Auris has just arrived at Hampson School of Arts, and within a day, he’s already disrupted the school’s hierarchy. But this is only the beginning of his journey. With Henry, the ruthless leader of the bullies, dead set on revenge, the stakes are getting higher. As Auris continues to make waves, an organization hidden in the shadows, conducting mysterious and dangerous experiments, begins to take notice—bringing new layers of danger to his life.
What secrets is Auris hiding? And how far will he go to protect them? The story is just starting to unfold, and trust me, it’s only going to get more intense. Stay tuned for more thrilling chapter updates—you won’t want to miss what comes next!