Prologue

A blaring sound pulled me out of my dreamless sleep. I sat up on the bed, trying to shake off my grogginess. The glass cell where I'm being held in allowed me to look around. It was dark everywhere, save from the red emergency light in the hallway that did a perfect job of adding extra eeriness to the deserted laboratory. The laboratory machines and equipment were as organized as usual. The surveillance cameras' light blinked on and off like fireflies. I wonder if they're still watching me…The alarm continued wailing in the background. Is the facility on lockdown? Why? Did they leave me here? I stood up, the glass paneled floor icy cold against the bare skin of my feet. The air felt chilly, as if the air conditioning was turned up too high. My white linen gown did no good shielding me from the cold. In hopes of warming myself up, I draped some of my hair over my shoulders. Better than nothing. I tentatively gave the glass door a little push. I was expecting it to stay closed, as it always does. To my surprise, it swung open. My heart gave a tiny leap. I took a step out of the cell, the cold of the metal flooring sending shivers up my spine.

The side of the hallway to my right is impossibly dark. Emergency lights facing the other laboratories on my left provided dim but ample light for me to see where I'm going. I've got no other choice then. My footsteps made no sound as I cautiously traversed the empty section. I peered through the glass of the other laboratories. I could see nothing but my reflection in the pitch-black glass. I went straight, following the emergency lights and hoped I wouldn't get lost. It felt like forever, as if I was walking in a continuous loop.

Suddenly, I found myself under the last emergency light. The alarm comes to an abrupt halt, as if it has been waiting for me all this time. An unwelcome thought enters my mind.

Is this another test?

The rest of the hallway stretched out in complete darkness. A sense of dread fills me. I can't go back. The other side's the same as this. I took a deep breath and walked into the darkness, sticking to the wall. My heart beat in my ears. I can't see anything. My ears ached from the deafening silence that enveloped the area. The alarm doesn't seem too irritating now. My hands slightly trembled against the cool wall. My eyes searched wildly for a light source. A small dot in the distance was easily spotted by my light-hungry eyes.

My legs moved seemed to move on their own and wasted no time running towards the light. I got too careless and paid for it.

I fell through an open section of the metal floor, water cushioning my fall. The water was cold as ice. I struggled to find my way up for a gulp of air. The complete darkness didn't really help. Before I knew it, my head burst above the water. The still air felt like daggers of ice on my face. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.

I thought I was alone then I felt something move beneath me.

Fear flooded all through me. There was something deep under the water. My senses alerted me to get away from it immediately. The presence felt familiar and alien at the same time. I felt something like a tentacle wrap itself around my right ankle.

I only managed to let out small yelp before it pulled me down to the coldest, darkest recesses of the water.