048 Broken

Gwen

Michael, Keith and Ingrid entered my room later. Micheal smiled at me, but I could not smile back. I felt ashamed. I felt belittled. The thought that I would need help getting around broke me. I hated being dependent, and I hated being a liability, but the ISA had made my nightmares a reality. All my life, I had trained and disciplined myself to defend myself and others, to be stronger and to be enough. I hated it and never listened when asked to back down. I always ignored orders because I wanted to help and prove myself. Now, look at me. Marcus never wanted me to do anything, to begin with, and with what the humans have done, I will have no choice but to obey when they ask me to hide or stand down. I won't be able to fight or do things I love doing. It would have been better to never have legs than for it to be taken from me like this.

I held my tears, not wanting to break down in their presence. Ingrid looked uncomfortable, but she didn't need to. She was the one that got us