My hands sliced into the water and I frantically kicked my legs behind me, pushing my body through the cool waves of the ocean in an attempt to get as far away as I could. I had been swimming for hours, and though my body ached from the physical activity, I wasn't tired. Instead, my mind was overwhelmed with what had just happened, replaying the events over and over again, in an attempt to comprehend what took place earlier. I couldn't understand, let alone believe what I had done.<br/><br/>"What have I become?" I thought to myself.<br/><br/>I tried reliving the last few years in my head, trying to understand what would have brought me to take a life, but everything seemed like a blur. All I could remember were the chants, the drills, the constant yelling and hammering of the words "No pain" being yelled into my ear.<br/><br/>My body felt different, heavier than I remember, and I couldn't remember the last time I slept. A thousand things were going through my mind when suddenly I began feeling the temperature of the water change. Sounds of laughter, chatter, and splashing filled my ears. I didn't have to exert as much energy as I swam and when my senses finally came to, I realized I had reached the shallow shores of a breath taking beach, filled with life.<br/><br/>I brought my feet to the wet sand underneath the water and lifted myself up, only grown out in pain. My hand immediately went to my left side where I realized I hadn't been stitched from earlier, but the bleeding seemed slow. It was then that I noticed I was completely unclothed.<br/><br/>As I made my way onto the warm damp sand, my tail scooped up a towel lying on the beach. I brought it up to my arm, wrapping it quickly around my waist to cover up as much of myself as I could, while trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. There was a group of ferals, accompanied by a woman, all of them in their late teens, swimming in the water not too far from where I was now standing. They all had a mixture of emotions on their faces, but I tried not paying much mind to them as I did not want to be noticed at this point by anyone.<br/><br/>I attempted to blend in the best I could, trying to get my bearings, but I couldn't help but feel like everyone was watching me. It had been far too long since I had been come into contact with anyone outside the facility, and even longer since I felt the warm rays of the sun penetrating my fur and blanketing my skin, or the crisp breeze whirling through the air. I attempted to take in as much of the weather as possible, when a newscast brought my ears to attention.<br/><br/>"......was attacked yesterday by a group known as The Poachers. Many ferals lost their lives but the resolve of the school stays strong as classes are in session. The Principal was adamant about continuing school as scheduled in an attempt to sh....CLICK"<br/><br/>The man in the beach chair changed the radio station to an uplifting song. I began walking up the beach, but after a few steps, realized that my body desperately needed rest. Noticing a set of rocks at the far end of the sandy shores, I started making my way towards them, my hand firmly cupped over the now bleeding gash in my left side.