ANN*ETT
ANN*ETT is a pale young woman with bloodshot hazel eyes and long light blonde locks. Twenty-five years ago, she had been a human embryo, frozen in time on a petri dish by scientists who wanted to know whether they could genetically mutate already-fertilized eggs to manifest parts of other animals. Because this medical research was illegal at the time, all experiments happened behind closed doors. The scientists had transplanted stem cells from various creatures, including a vampire bat, hawk, snake, and tree frog to see what would happen.
Now at age twenty-two, ANN*ETT has grown into her vampiric wings, which are dotted with the red eyes grown from the tree frog cells. She is able to spontaneously grow a skin of serpent scales and hawk feathers when frightened or angered, but that has not happened for eight years. ANN*ETT has always been treated like a daughter by the lead scientist in the laboratory, and she maintains an innocence about the apocalyptic outside world...
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ANN*ETT brushed her hair absent-mindedly while gazing into the mirror. The warm, toasty smell of tomato and vegetable soup wafted in from the kitchen, and she felt her stomach start to grumble. Putting the brush down, ANN*ETT strolled into the adjacent living area, where several couches were positioned against the lab benches and chemical sinks. Her father was washing his hands.
"What is the outside world like?" ANN*ETT asked. She watched as her father hesitated, a familiar gesture that had often accompanied her questions about the outside world over the years. Her father wiped his hands dry and walked over to her.
"ANN*ETT," he said softly. "You will know soon, trust me. You are getting to that age where you deserve to know. For now, let's eat dinner." He paused before adding, "Maybe we'll go see what's like after supper."
ANN*ETT was surprised and thrilled at the prospect of finally seeing the outside world. She sat down with her father on a couch and began to eat.