Laurie Peloski

> *Laurie had spent 21 years of her life as the Harpsburg Hunter, and 16 of those as a mother. She was in her late 40's now and if her own count was accurate she had ended 468 lives inside the city. Harpsburg sat in the most industrious part of New Hampshire. Some called it New Hampshire's Manhattan with how dense it was. Laurie had helped keep it clean by taking necessary actions. Sure, she had left some to be arrested, but for most, a simple death is all they deserved. Laurie was more than happy to give it to them."*
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> - Ashlin the Anubi
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When she was a child her hometown had lead in its rivers. Just as water does, Laurie became poisoned as the town's water supply quickly took on the metal from the river. Most suffered much later in their lives, Laurie suffered quickly. Developing a rare affliction know as Monroe's syndrome she found it increasingly harder and harder to regulate her emotions and gratification delayment as a child. There are somethings you can't explain to an 8 year old...like why she is poisoned for the rest of her life, or why she kept feeling so hungry. And there are some things you can afford when both of your parents work for minimum wage, like medication, therapy and time. Besides, Laurie had to contend with four older siblings who cared not for her. WIP

What her parents could afford was the T.C.I.S.'s offer of a free experimental procedure. Her family knew nothing about "Kahunae" and only knew that it offered a chance for Laurie to talked to, reasoned with. A new body awaited her and she would look different...but she would not wake everyone in the house at 2 am screaming. She was shipped away for 6 months as her body received gene therapy as one of five initial subjects for Kahunae testing and conversion. Her parents left her in the care of T.C.I.S. scientists, having signed away most of her rights. Laurie had no escape or argument for what was about to happen to her. The "first five" were regarded as unanimous failures. Kahunae were an attempt to integrate geminian XNA and bodies with human DNA and compositions. All subjects require weeks of immuno-therapy to get their bodies from rejecting their new body growths, slowing production. Laurie suffered 6 months of painful body growth and cerebral grafting. The bio-developers claimed her new demi-brain would eliminate the symptoms of Monroe's Syndrome. It didn't. Laurie awoke from her last surgery afraid and confused. Her body wasn't hers...and her mind didn't change...at least not in a good way. She had a larger brain...but the compulsions were still there. She became worse, quickly, once she left T.C.I.S. custody. Her poisoning was never addressed and the pain worsened. It was those first few weeks home that she hurt the most. She developed the condition known as *Carnoterria*, giving her the compulsion to consume flesh, preferably raw. Now she had a body to satisfy those needs.

Laurie grew up shut in. Everyone inside her family knew about Laurie's inner animal, and nobody outside was allowed to see in. Laurie was kept on a tight leash, pulled tighter every time she had an incident at school. Soon her new home was the closet. Anytime she "couldn't behave" she was locked in the closet where her young claws would hurt anyone. When she outgrew the closet, the garage became her new home. It had locks too.