Little warning that this chapter has a lot of violence and gore in it. If you are squeamish, you mind want to skip this and the next chapter. Also, because of this chapter and chapters in the future, I might change this story's rating to M. Let me know what you think of that in a review.
With that said, enjoy!
Ashley was told to close the basement door behind her as she and Clara walked down the steps. She did it without question and the two girls made their way down to see what truly was hidden below their home.
Beside a small section of wooden boards close to the staircase, the floor was carved into a circle to make room for a huge dome. The item itself was metal around the base that extends from the floor. To create the dome itself was glass that was somewhat dusty but still shone against the dim lighting of the room.
Ashley had looked over and noticed that not only was Mitch already inside the dome but Him was holding the door open, gesturing for the girls to enter as well. His curves stuck within the shadows, clinging onto him like tape. The only things that stood out were his sinister green eyes and sharp jaw.
"Come on girls~!" he chimed. Ashley could feel the hairs throughout her entire body standing on end. "Go on~!"
Clara nodded and gulped, stepping inside with Ashley a little way behind. Him then sealed it closed.
Ashley stood away from both of the other kids, her eyes focused on Him. She already knew what was coming. She just wanted to see how the others were going to react.
Him stared back at those pink eyes before shifting to his dusty reflection on the dome's surface. He then crossed his arms and smiled widely. But it wasn't out of glee, more like curiosity and a hint of amusement.
"Now kids, what I want you to do today is simple. A chore really." he hummed, pacing around the outer rim of the dome. Once he reached the stairs for the second time, he stopped and stared at the kids themselves.
There was nothing there but interest. Ashley knew why. He wanted to see who was going to make it out. But it seemed like he knew who was going to win this fight. Who was the creme of the crop. Who he was betting on to take it all.
His eyes darted to Ashley. Only for a moment.
He then headed back to the center of the dome, right by the door.
"It's so easy even a baby could do it. Unintentionally." he nodded. "Yes, what I want you three to do is fight one another."
"Oh that's easy!" Mitch piped. "I use to beat up puny girls all the time at the orphanage!"
"No you wouldn't!" Clara snapped back. "Pulling our hair and taking stuffed animals is not beating us up!"
"I do more than that! Jaiden can...c-can…" he turned to the redhead, looking slightly confused. "what's the word Ashley?"
"Vouch." she answered immediately.
"Yeah! That! Jaiden can vouch for me! Thanks Ash."
Him chuckled a little. "How precious~! You kids helping each other~!"
Ashley couldn't tell if he was being honest or sarcastic. Either way, his tone was very sweet but not too overwhelming. It had to be sarcasm, right?
"Now then," Him stated, hands behind his back. "let me finish my instructions so we can get on with this."
"But didn't you say you want us to fight each other?" Mitch asked.
"Yes, yes I did but I wasn't finished." the man's smile grew into something wicked, something sinister that Ashley had no name for. It was so full of venom that just looking at it made her sick. "I want you kids to fight...to the death."
"W-what…?!" Clara squeaked as Mitch's eyes widened.
"Yes yes, you wanna be on the top of the food chain, don't cha?" he started to chuckle again, this time sounding more wicked. "Then kill each other! You kids have been training with one another for so long, months! Then put your skills to the test and kill each other!"
Him's eyes looked crazed and slightly distant. If Ashley didn't know better, she thought she saw a demon within the man. He looked disconnected, especially with the lighting. It was as if bits and pieces of him were submerged in darkness and it was ready to engulf him.
She shook her head before staring straight. Now wasn't the time to be dwelling on things outside of the dome. No, this wasn't just a dome. It was a battlefield. She was going to war against two people that she had considered siblings. That were her siblings.
And now, she had to kill them.
Clara's eyes widened incredulously. It almost looked as though her big purple eyes were going to fall out of her skull. She was the closest to the door and she ran for it, her eyes welling up with tears.
"N-no!" she sobbed, banging on the door. "No! No no no no no! I don't wanna kill them! They're my friends! T-they're my family!"
Ashley and Mitch continued to watch her scream and sob. It almost sounded inhuman, seeing her beg and cry for her life.
This was not something children should be doing. Children shouldn't be pegged against one another, forced to kill each other. Children shouldn't be injected with unknown chemicals and blood just to keep them alive. Children shouldn't be put in this situation by the people they were told were their new parents.
And yet, here they were and it was happening whether they liked it or not.
Clara screamed, banging against the glass door profusely. It didn't break, it didn't shatter. It stayed strong as she banged against it with all of her superhuman strength. After awhile, her clenched fist slid against the surface and she sobbed.
"...l-let us out of here p-please…" she said through sniffles and sobs. She stared up at Mr. Him. "W-whatever we did, we're sorry! W-we'll be good from n-now on! We promise!"
Him stared at Clara with a look of bewilderment. He blinked a couple of times before going into hysterics, laughing like a maniac. Mitch and Ashley watched this, the former looking confused while the latter simply stared.
"What's so…?"
"You really think you kids are going through all of this because you were bad!?" he snickered. "Ah, that is hilarious! I wish Jo was down here to see the look on your face!"
He slammed his hands against the dome, scaring Clara and causing the other kids to jump a little.
"You're doing this because it's what Jo wants to see. You're doing this because I'm curious on where he wants to take this. All you kids are are our little guinea pigs. Our test subjects, our lab rats. Do as we tell you, and you'll be rewarded with the necessities. If you don't, Jo will just cut you off."
"C-cut us-"
"He'll stop giving us blood." Ashley stated, cutting Clara off. "And then we'll die just like Susie and Joey."
Him beamed at the redhead. "My my, so smart~! You deserve a sticker as soon as you take down these two weaklings~!"
"Two?!" Mitch gritted his teeth. "I'm no weakling!"
Green eyes shifted towards teal ones. "Really?"
"Yeah! I can fight! I can fight real good."
Him backed up from the door, amusement and interest in his body language. "Then show me. Kill Clara."
Clara blinked. "Huh?"
"Alright!"
Mitch's eyes dilated, becoming crazed as he lunged towards Clara. The girl was frozen with fear for a brief second before running away. The brunette quickly followed her around the dome, the black girl screaming and crying all the way.
"Get away from me! Get away from me!" Clara screamed like an animal at death's door. Her eyes shifted to Ashley and she reached out. "Ashley! Help me!"
Ashley did nothing, her eyes simply staring ahead. She didn't look at Mitch, she didn't look at Clara, she didn't even look at Him. She stayed vigilant. She remained emotionless.
Clara realized this and stopped running for a millisecond. That small window of time was enough for Mitch to headbutt her from the air, directly into her back. Her eyes widened as she crashed to the ground, tumbling and rolling on herself until she was back against the dome, inches from where she was a minute ago.
Her glasses had smashed in her fall and the glass from it got into her eyes. She screamed and wailed from the pain, blood seeping from her eyes like tears. Her body had been fine other than minor scratches and bruises. Her eyes were the only thing holding her back from fighting.
And this was the perfect opportunity for Mitch to strike.
He landed on the ground on his feet and took a running start towards her. She began pulling the glass out of her eyes and opening them to see even though it hurt. All she saw was red as she was suckerpunched in the face.
Clara screamed and cried as she was punched and kicked by Mitch.
All of the kids were strong and powerful thanks to the serum. But all it took was strategy and quick thinking to kill someone, Along with lots and lots of force. And Mitch, being the boy that he was from the start, had a slight advantage in the force department.
And it was plain to see.
Each punch to the face was bringing Clara closer to death. Each kick making the sounds of bones being shattered apparent to Him and Ashley. The blood started to flow like a waterfall, circling around the child being killed and the kid doing the damage.
Clara died as soon as those blows crushed her brain. Mitch kept hitting her face, every attack making a crater form within it. Her eyes, tongue and teeth were pressed up against the back of her skull, becoming mush in the process. Her blood suddenly started turned darker, mixing with the Chemical X that had entered her system and it soon made her blood black.
Him watched in twisted amazement as Mitch backed up to survey the damage of what he had done. Clara's body went completely limp, sliding around a little in the mess of fluids. The boy was also covered in the blood and X, his eyes looked crazed and dead. He stared down at his work with an insane grin on his face before his eyes shifted to Him.
He then said with that twisted smile. "I...I did it...I killed her…" fat tears fell down his face and he didn't wipe them away. He just kept grinning as he sobbed. "Is-is this what you wanted? Are you...are you happy?"
Him nodded once before shifting to Ashley. He grinned at her and her frown tightened. As he looked back down at the crying boy, he answered him. "Yes yes Mitch, you did a very good job killing Clara. Your Daddy is very happy~!"
Ashley felt sick hearing that word. That man will never be her father. Her father died years ago.
"But do you know what would make me happier?"
The man pointed a sharp nail at Ashley and she looked around it. Him let a small laugh slip as he answered his own question.
"If you killed Ashley too." he pressed a hand against the glass hovering above the boy's head. "Won't you do that for Daddy? Then I can get you all cleaned up and we'll do whatever you want for the rest of the day. How does that sound~?"
Mitch nodded once and turned. He harshly wiped his eyes free of tears and snorted up the snot running down his face. He spat it on Clara's corpse before he grinned crazily.
"Ash~!" he chimed, eyes wild. "You won't mind if I killed ya, right?"
Ashley said nothing, putting herself in a fighting stance. Her body shook but her eyes were filled with determination.
She was not just a dumb girl. She was not just some bookworm. She was not a stepping stool for Mitch to crush under his feet. She was not going to die. Not now, not ever.
She was going to live.
TL;DR: Clara is dead and Ashley is now up against Mitch.