Pacing the room, I couldn't sit still. I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. Who were these people? What are they going to do to me? Biting my nail, I had to think. I needed to escape, so how am I going to do it? I don't have any help, all I have is me and I'm not particularly strong. Holding my hands down at my sides, I looked up from my concentration after hearing the familiar footsteps of Erik. Around this time he comes to feed me. Looking over to the bed, I still had the tray from last night's dinner. Quickly picking it up, I flattened my back against the wall the door is on.

Hearing the jingle of metal keys, he opened the door and stepped through "Amelia?..." searching for me, he went to turn around, and that's when I hit him. Whacking the metal tray against the back of his skull, I prayed that God would forgive me. Hearing Erik groan, he dropped to his knees as I heard the tray he was holding clatter to the ground. Wincing I hoped no one had heard that, there aren't any people besides him and a few Doctors anyway. Surely I will be safe. Hitting him again, I made sure he was completely knocked out. Placing my tray on the floor, I crouched down low before sifting through his pockets.

Patting him down, I grabbed the keys and what looked to be a security card with his picture on it. Taking a quick look at him, his youthful face looked peaceful besides the small gash on the side of his head. Running out of the room, I locked the door behind me with one of the metal keys. I don't have much time, I need to hurry. Looking left and right, I decided to follow the direction of where Erik had come from. Quietly moved down the halls, I made sure not to get caught by the odd person here and there.

Looking around, I had no idea where I was going. There were no signs or pictures, just endless halls. Using my judgement, I followed down a corridor when I heard a feminine voice call out; but it was more of a cry. Frowning I followed the noise. Was it one of the girls? I have to help them. Getting closer, the cry also got louder "Hello?" I said quietly but loud enough to hear.

"Помоги мне" (Help me) frowning, I couldn't understand what she was saying. Turning a corner, I peeked around to make sure no one was there before walking along. On either side of the hallway were several metal doors similar to mine. Using the voice as a source of location, I eventually found which room it belonged to.

Looking the door up and down, I was too short to reach the sliding slot in order to peak in, so I bent down on the ground to whisper into the gap underneath "Hello? What is your name?"

"Помоги мне" (Help me) it said again. Hearing the chocked sobs, I couldn't help but become worried. What was wrong? Why was she crying?

"I'm sorry. I don't understand what you're saying" looking at the keys I didn't know which one to use, so I tried each and every one until I could find it. Looking over my shoulder every now and then, the fifth key I had tried worked, as the lock made a clicking sound. Pulling the heavy door open, I squinted as the inside of the room was dark; almost completely pitch black "Hello?" I called again "can you understand me?"

"…I want…m-my mother. Please" cried the voice "please. I want my mother" feeling my chest tighten, I felt the wall next to me; trying to find a switch. Feeling a plastic box of some sort, I turned it on to look around before gasping and taking a step back. It wasn't a girl – I didn't know what it was.

Looking at the huddled women as she sat crumpled in the corner, she hugged herself tightly as she tried to squish her body closer to the wall. Roaming my eye over her skeletal like body in shock, I couldn't help the sudden dryness in my throat. She had yellow blisters the size of pennies all over her face, legs and arm – she only had one arm. The other one on the left, was nothing more than a bloodied and infected stump. She must be in so much pain. How could someone do this? Looking up her body and to her head, her once blonde hair was tattered and almost none existent; all that was left were a few thin wispy patches "What happened to you?" I said quietly, taking a step forward.

"Please, please. I don't want to live…please. Kill me" she said looking down. Tears streamed down her eyes as she continued to cry. Plucking the courage, I couldn't just leave her. I need to take her with me. Taking a step forward, she wailed with a loud cry before pushing herself away from me. Watching her, she turned her body sideways and clawed with her hand at the wall. Was she scared of me?

"I'm not going to hurt you" I said holding my hands up. Walking toward her, I crouched down "please there's nothing to be afraid of" that's when I heard it – his voice.

"…I wouldn't be so sure, little dove" feeling my heart stop, my eyes went wide. He had found me, already. Standing up from my crouched position on the dirtied floor, I slowly turned around and looked up to meet the face of Doctor Gregov. My courage had now vanished, and was replaced with absolute fear. Tsking me, he waved a finger back and forth in front of my face "you've done a very naughty thing" taking a step forward, I winced as he grabbed the back of my neck with a powerful grip. Pulling me out of the room, he turned to bellow at the wailing women "Будь спокоен!" (Be quiet!)

Turning off the light, he grabbed the keys from my slender hands before locking the door. Keeping his tight grip on my neck, he pushed me to follow him down the hall "Please. I'm sorry" I squeaked out.

"If I were you little dove. I would stop talking" heading his warning, I closed my mouth quickly. Continuing to walk me through the halls, I didn't know where we were going, but I knew it wasn't to my room. Nothing around me looked familiar. Using a key card to open a black bared door, Gregov began to whistle an earie tune. Going through a few more section gates, this Facility was much larger than I thought, and much more secure. I doubt I would have made it out of here now that I've seen all of this "you're lucky" spoke Gregov while we walked "I can't do too much to that body of yours"

"What happened to her? What did you do?" I demanded suddenly, I wanted to know. I needed to know. What is this place?

"She's one of many, just like you" he said nodding toward me. Like me? What does that mean?

"Are you going to do to me, what you did to her?" I asked, my tone fearful of the answer.

Shaking his head "No, no, no. You're special. You're not like them" he said as if it they were filth "you're here for a greater purpose. Our experimentations can only take us so far, and lately we've run out of options. We already have the perfect Soldier. Now, we need to make more. Unfortunately our resources for genetic manipulation have not succeeded in producing anything worthy. This…" he said nodding to himself in appraisal of what was to come "…this is the next step in something powerful. This is…evolution" listening to his every word, Gregov sounded like a madman. Someone who needed help.

"Please. I just want to go home" I said begging with the man. I didn't ask for any of this. I was never bad. I never misbehaved and I did well in school. So why is this happening to me? What have I done? Coming to a stop, two Guards in uniforms stood side by side out front of a blue door. Where they waiting for us?

Signalling with his hand, the Guard opened the door and I was pushed inside. Looking around, the room was empty besides a seat in the middle. Trying to take a step back, I squirmed as Gregov pulled me toward the seat "No! You can't do this to me" letting go of me, his grip was replaced by the two Guards as they dragged me down to sit.

Forcefully, the Guards kept me still as they tightened my arms and legs with the brown leather straps connected to the chair. Holding my jaw open tight, one of the men pushed in a grey mouth guard and I bit down. Taking a step back from me, Gregov nodded for them to leave "you shouldn't have run away. I told you, trouble comes to bad little girls that are difficult" squirming in the chair, I could barely move as he wheeled a metal trolley over to me. Watching him as he turned on the machine on top, I listened as the buzzing noise of electricity sounded before he turned around. Holding two metal rods in either hand he walked behind me. Placing them against my temples, I jolted while digging my nail into the arm rest. Pain. White hot pain. That's what it felt like. As if a thousand nail were being driven into my skull "this will make you behave"

Slumping forward into the chair, my whole body ached with pain. It felt like eternity before Gregov had left me to sit, still strapped into this chair. It hurt to breath or even think, but I couldn't help the images that flashed across my mind. My mother, my brother. Despite being here. Being tortured. I wanted to know if they were alright. I didn't care about me. I just wanted to see their faces, to know that they were still alive.

Hearing the blue door groan as it opened, I didn't bother looking up. I hadn't the energy "Amelia?" it was Erik. Hearing his footsteps, he walked over to bend in front of me "Amelia. Look at me. You need to look at me"

Squeezing my hands around the end of the arm rest, I managed to find the strength to look up "What do you want?"

"Why did you do that?" he said quietly, as if someone where listening in; even though there was no one in the room but me and him "It will only cause more problems if you struggle…what you did Amelia. You're lucky to still be breathing" if I could laugh, I would. Breathing. At this point I was starting to wish I wasn't, but the will to see my family again is strong. So I must fight.

"I want to see my family. I don't want to be here" I said, my voice croaky and my breathing raspy.

"I know…which is why you must learn. There won't be any second chances Alena. Your value isn't irreplaceable. They won't hesitate to kill you. Do you understand?" resting my head against the back of the chair, I tilted it. My mind was still fuzzy, but I understood what he was saying.

"You're one of them. Why do you care if I live or die?"

Hearing him sigh, the muscles in his jaw tightened "Because you're strong. Because if I help you, you will survive this place. I see more than you think. But if this going to work, you must trust me. Can you do that Amelia? Can you trust me?" looking into his brown eyes, and over his face. I didn't know what made me think that I could, but there was something about him. Something different.

"I trust you"