Shame: Red Coffins
He continued to change the channel. There were over 1000 channels, and still nothing to watch. Then again, it was 3:00 in the morning. He had fallen asleep during the day and now he couldn't go to bed.
The room was horribly quiet when he had turned the TV off. He grabbed his red uniform coat and made his way to the Mess Hall. He thought that some warm milk and cookies would do him in.
The walk down the dimly lit hall was unbearably eerie to him. He was constantly looking over his shoulder, as if waiting for Kat or Cruger to surprise him from behind.
The door slid open and the dark cafeteria was revealed. The shadows of trees looked as if they were attempting to crawl towards him.
"Alarm code 62563." He said quietly, almost whispering.
"Welcome to the cafeteria Cadet Landors." The computer greeted him. "What may I serve you this late. Suggesting a fat-filled dessert for your midnight pleasure?"
The ranger made his way to the ordering glass. Then, as he was about to make his order, the computer shut down, causing the room to become eerily dark once again. In one motion, he turned in fighting position. A shadow quickly shot across the room and exited the Mess Hall.
"Stop!" He yelled taking his blaster form its hoister.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
The ranger peeked around the corner. He caught a glimpse of something running towards the basement area. Not wanting to make any noise, he quickly made his way across the hall, not bothering to yell.
He aimed his blaster towards the end of the stairs leading to the basement. Darkness. He wouldn't be able to see a damn thing from up there.
The metal stairs clanged as he made his way down. He had only been down here once, the first day he got here and attempted to escape, thinking it was an exit. He remembered seeing something down here. A door, he believed, with a marking not of SPD.
He flipped one switch, dimly lighting the basement area. The shadowed creature made its way towards the strange door.
"Hey, stop right there or you'll force me to shoot!" He yelled to it. The creature paused for a moment only to turn and stare coldly into his eyes.
He watched the shadow made its way through the door. There was something wrong behind the door, something horribly wrong. He knew he wasn't meant to see it, but it was like something drew him to it, as if he was possessed. He placed his hand upon the door. It was cold as ice. He searched around the door for a keypad, but found none. It was as if the door was not meant to be open by anyone, not even Cruger.
He smiled. A door couldn't block him. He would just molecularize though it, but would want to know what was on the other side?
He prepped himself for molecularization. He placed his hand upon the door again and closed his eyes. He should have kept them closed.
Twelve of them. Twelve tubes filled some red liquid containing 11 men wearing nothing but red boxers. The room looked similar to the lab upstairs except that this room was much larger than the lab and cobwebs had covered most of the controls. He walked down the line of tubes, his eyes widened, jaw dropped.
He soon noticed the dust covered on the control panels. He stood at the last one. A man, in his thirties or so, with a muscular toned body and a crew cut. This one seemed very familiar, like an aunt who's name he had forgotten. He blew off the dust from the gold plate. He stepped back as he read and the picture became clear.
"Jack." He turned quickly to see Cruger walking towards him.
"You…you knew about this, didn't you?" He said aiming the gun at him.
"We had to, as a last resort. It's not something we're proud of."
"Look at them! Most of them are still in their twenties! They couldn't even have a life because of you! You…you're a monster."
"Jack no…."
"And you were probably planning on making another tube just for me, right? Oh, you are sick. Did you even think of their families, their friends?"
"We took that into consideration, but there was no other way Jack! You have to understand! WE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE!"
Jack was silent. He turned to the tubes. A tear fell from his eye. Their lives taken away. The burden of being a red ranger.