*lifts open the lid of my coffin*

"I LIIIIIIIIVVVE"

OTL

All Soul Eater characters belong to Atsushi Ohkubo, etcetera, etcetera.

~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~

I woke up and immediately shut my eyes again from the blazing lamps set above me. Reflexively, I tried shielding my eyes from the oppressive light with an arm.

My arm remained motionless.

Alarm rushed me as I remembered last night's events. I forced my eyes open, staring listlessly at the shackles rendering me immobile.

Where the hell was I?

My eyes soon adjusted to the light. I immediately wished they hadn't.

I lay on an operating table in what appeared to be an operating room. Unusually large stitches snaked on the walls and ceiling. The smell of anti-septic tinged the air. My heart started racing when I saw a cart carrying various surgical tools gleaming next to me.

Stifling the urge to scream, I tried to remain calm. There was always a way out of a bad situation, no matter how terrible. I just had to find it.

Unfortunately I was interrupted from my thoughts when I heard someone step into the doorway behind me.

"Excellent, you're awake."

I strained my head back to look at him, and our gazes locked.

It was his eyes that would be solidified in my memory. Tarnished green irises pierced into me behind the glare of his glasses. I had the unsettling sensation of my soul itself being scrutinized. Insanity rippled in the depths of his eyes. His presence itself was minatory and overshadowing.

There was little doubt in my mind that I knew this man.

"Dr. Franken Stein," I said stonily, not letting any fear creep into my voice, "The greatest meister to ever graduate the D.W.M.A. You were partnered with my father once. But that doesn't mean you can kidnap me without any repercussion. Let me go."

"Straight to the point, just like your father." Stein smiled slightly, which could almost be seen as warm, but looked sinister in the glow of the lamps. "You have nerve talking to me in that attitude considering the circumstances you're in."

"Let me go. Now."

"That isn't an option. After all, you're the only viable test subject for my experiment."

The terror I tried so hard to smother began steadily oozing into my brain. "What the hell are you talking about? W-what experiment?"

He started twisting the large screw set in his head. "Unfortunately, it would be problematic if I told you. You would undoubtedly feel excessive stress knowing what would happen to you. The experiment would be much more difficult for both of us. And we can't have that now, can we?"

The scientist walked over to a cabinet, searching through its contents for something I cared not to know. I just wanted out of this nightmare.

I strained against my restraints, trying to find any yield. To my rapidly escalating horror, there was no way I could've slipped out.

"Ah-ha! Here it is." Stein said a bit too cheerfully. I froze and stared at the vial in his hand. He picked up an empty syringe and jabbed the needle through the vial's covering. "This is an anesthesia. It's my own special blend that goes into effect much faster than standard sedatives. Incredibly useful."

"Y-you aren't going to use that on me, a-are you?" I said nervously as I watched as the clear fluid slowly filled the syringe. I've never liked needles, but I hadn't really been afraid of them either. The needles I knew were only used by trustworthy doctors seeking only to protect their patient's well-being. Shots were only momentarily unpleasant and were a fair price for defense against diseases. But this needle seemed to emanate a sinister purpose. It scared me.

"Of course I am" Stein casually replied, as if I was asking him if he was going to attend his best friend's wedding. "Can't have you aware as you're vivisected, now can we?"

Oh god, this can't be happening. I've always had a strategy, a plan. But now I had no idea how to get out of this situation. No one ever taught me what to do if someone was about to unlawfully vivisect me. Of course, every student at the D.W.M.A. is taught what to do if they or their partner was kidnapped. I had no doubt that if this circumstance was as simple as abduction, I could've dealt with this. But not this. Not with being cut open while still alive. I had no clue how this worked, I had never been under the knife before.

My captor silently regarded my quickly disintegrating mask of composure. I could have sworn a flicker of sanity shine through the fog of madness in his eyes. "Close your eyes and try to breathe evenly." He said gently, like the kind of doctor people would trust. "It'll only hurt for a few seconds."

So convincing were his words that I complied. If I ignored the pressure of the bindings holding me against the table I could almost believe I was in a normal doctor's office, having a normal vaccine injection. That I could deal with. This illusion was fragile, but if it kept me from breaking down I would maintain it as long as I could. A mad delusion to protect my sanity. I needed at least some sense of control.

Dissociation was my best and only strategy at the moment.

The doctor touched my arm.

No problem.

Disinfectant was dabbed on a patch of my skin.

Don't think about what's next.

A flare of pain comes from where the needle jabs into my flesh.

I am not okay.

I can feel the restraints again, keeping me captive.

My fantasy of normalcy was coldly ripped away.

This madman who kidnapped me was going to slice me open like some fish ready to be cooked.

I am absolutely, 100% not okay with this.

Thrashing feebly, a scream was locked in my frozen throat.

I could feel my body numb as the drug flowed through my veins.

I was caught in the grip of a terror greater than any fear I have ever felt before in my life.

But even as blind panic took hold, a heavy torpor steadily smothered my being. It was getting harder and harder to keep my eyes open. I wasn't sure if I should be grateful or not for this. Everything was becoming muddled and chaotic.

The still rational part of me urged me to fight. I needed to leave! I needed to escape! Nevertheless, such alarming thoughts were stifled quickly, leaving me no time to ponder my fate.

Sleep beckoned, and I had no strength left to disobey.

The last thing I remember thinking about was how much I hoped that this was all just a horrific nightmare, and how I was irrevocably mistaken.

~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~02~

I'm not too sure what I think of this chapter. To be honest, I wrote up the last half of the chapter relatively quickly so I could get this published in time for Kishin Revival Day. And some of it was way more different from the original draft. So yeah.

To all those here for the blood and gore: next chapter won't disappoint you ;D

As always, reviews are appreciated!

! Edit 4-22-2016!

Removed sentence saying that Stein was wanted (i.e. by the law). For reasons I cannot say because it would spoil things.