Author's Note: So yes, I've been very inactive on writing for a long long time, and this is probably not going to change anytime soon at all especially now that I'm currently enlisted into the Army (Life just sucks like that). So I don't expect this particular story I'm writing to progress much like my other works including the PreCure Twin Soul plot. But I don't really plan to let things stay unresolved like this, so I'll try to make as much time as possible for writing.
Never have I felt more tired than serving the Army...
Anyway, about this story, it's inspired from the game Prototype (no, this is not a Prototype fanfic, it's just an original story shoved into the site instead of fictionpress), and I hope you all enjoy this little chapter.
"Get up, Subject 2020."
The hums of machines gradually died down as I slowly opened my eyes, beginning to take notice of my surroundings. A dull sensation of pain began coursing through my shoulders and neck simultaneously, increasing in large intensity with every second, and I bowled over and barfed in reflex.
The doctors around me jumped back with a mixture of revulsion and exasperation. "This makes it the 4th time in a row this year. We're running out of this month's resources just to stabilize his blood cells," one of the doctors said, shaking his head. Pointing to his partner, he added, "Go get the cleaner, and send the report to the boss." The other doctor made a couple noises as he retreated back out of the room.
I tried keeping my breathing steady, blinking back tears and willing myself not to groan and yell as now my chest joined my shoulders and neck in a world of hurt. The remaining doctor went about the long way around to my side, avoiding my pile of puke.
"You're a whole lot more trouble than you're worth, I'll tell you that," he said, slipping in a shot into my left arm. At once, the pain in my body began fading away, along with my consciousness.
"Sarah, you're food's getting cold. Get something to eat first."
"Connor's not up yet…those guys are just horrible…"
I yelled out as the pain exploded within my body the instant my eyes opened, reflexively clutching my arms and curling up in an effort to numb the devilish sensation.
Someone quickly grabbed my shoulder. "Connor! What's wrong? Where does it hurt?" came a girl's British accent.
I opened an eye as a tear rolled out of its corner, and saw a young blonde haired girl looking down at me. "Sarah," I croaked out despite my physical anguish.
"Oh thank God! Hey Matt! He's awake!" Sarah turns around and calls out behind her.
At once, footsteps thundered, unintentionally hurting my ears along with the rest of my body by this time. A white haired boy came into view soon after. "Connor!" he dropped to his knees beside me," How're you feeling?"
"Lousy, actually downright terrible," I replied through gasps between my ragged breaths. The pain within my body apparently has reached its peak, and began declining in strength; I stopped speaking as the powered cells in my body had begun its work.
We sat quietly for a while, Sarah clutching her torn up teddy bear and Matt outright staring at me. Finding something to focus on while the pain ebbs away, I let my mind travel back to the day I first met them both in this laboratory. Matt Spencer was in about a year in after I joined, 4 years ago, and Sarah Demile joined us a year after. Each time I was taken back from the laboratory, they would tell stories that arise from events transpiring outside the doors during my absence, and I did the same whenever one of them goes out. We soon have a form of familial relationship, where I became like an older brother to the other two.
The pain finally wore itself down to an acceptable level, before I broke the silence.
"I'm hungry."
Sarah and Matt both jumped, staring at each other, and back at me. Matt gave a laugh, and said, "I'll go get it. The food's cold by now, but at least it's something"
As Matt walked to the other end of the room, I asked Sarah, "What happened to you two while I was away?"
"It's was mostly quiet," she replies, "I overheard the guards talking about how they have new batches of kids coming in soon, and the older ones will retire soon."
"Retire," the word left my mouth like taking in the bitter taste of medicine. That surely means the end of something. But what can it be, the end to their experiments, or the end of our lives?
"And of course," Matt said as he returns with his arms loaded with a plate of rice and hotdogs, "that includes me and Sarah here."
"Matt!" Sarah raised her voice as she turns to him with a shocked face.
I stared hard at Matt. "What do you mean by that," I asked.
"It's just after you were taken away in the morning. Doctor Merci came in to hand out these cards to us." Matt held up a gold print card. It is foil tinted, with the small box in the bottom left corner where a thumbprint was etched on. There was there words, "Marked for Retirement."
I turned around to face Sarah, who sighed and produced an identical gold card out of her teddy bear's pocket.
"This does not sound good," I muttered, taking the card for a closer examination. As part of the Biological Weapon Program, I was fitted with an enhanced sense of sight, able to close in on faraway objects or scrutinize tiny images that are invisible to the average naked eye. Sure as I was that the card would have hidden some form of clue that marks the holder for Death instead of Retirement, the card proved to be clean.
"No, it doesn't," agreed Matt, pushing down another mouthful of rice before adding on, "I've been discussing this with Sarah for the last couple of weeks. Tomorrow happens to be the Re-Classification Day for the security department. A lot of the higher up and security personnel will be away from the island for a few hours. We can take this chance to make our escape from this hellhole."
Silence follows, only broken by Sarah, who apparently felt guilty about the idea this very second and began eating her plate of rice.
"You're kidding," I finally said in disbelief, "Do you even have a plan of escape?"
Matt considers me for a while, before saying, "I do have a plan. But to be able to pull this off, we're going to need your assistance, Connor."
"You want ME to be a part of your rebel group?" I nearly choked getting the words out.
"Yes. Haven't we been talking about this for a year, now? This is our chance, after four years. It's hard to say when we'll have another opportunity like this again," Matt said, with a hint of plea in his voice, "Connor, Sarah and I can't take much more of this. To be honest, I'd rather die now than suffer more of their immoral lab tests."
"Well…" I said, feeling uncertain. It's true that I brought up the topic of escaping the facility on multiple occasions the past year, but it was only done in an attempt to cheer them up whenever they are on the edge of losing their sanity. There have been stories circulating around about past subjects attempting to escape the facility themselves, all of which ended up in failure and interred in a small box.
"Connor, it's fine if you don't want to," Sarah said with a small smile, "I've always been aware of what your intentions really are whenever you've talked to us on the subject. As hollow those words may sound, I just want you to know that it has always given us hope to carry on those days after."
I was rendered speechless. Those two…they've taken my words deeply to heart all this time….?
"It's not really fine if you're not with us then, but," Matt gave a half-chuckle, "if you do decide against coming with us, we're still gonna go on our own. We kinda knew you would have reservations about executing a bold move like this, and that's why Sarah and I formulated this plan in secret for a while."
Ah, dang it. Guess I don't have a choice, do I?
"You formulated this plan that involves me in it in the first place. How are you going to go ahead on your own if I do reject your offer? You'd be in deep trouble for sure," I said, shaking my head in resignation.
Sarah's eyes widened. "So that means…" Matt began.
"…that I am in on your plan? Yes, that's what I'm telling you," I said, trying to suppress a grin while I attempt to force a stern look down at their stunned faces.
A grin slowly spreads across Matt's face, akin to a child who was about to pull a naughty prank. "Sweet. Let's do this. "