MACHINE

16. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dog, What a Hog, to Swallow a Dog

I entered the generator room. The generator was situated in the middle of the room, pumping electricity through countless wires spreading out into the walls, connecting the entire laboratory to its own source of energy. It stood there like a heart, pumping vicious, poisonous blood throughout the body of a foul beast.

I quickly set to placing the bombs in locations around the device, setting them to blow half an hour from then. If the generator blew, it would take most of the lab with it. Despite my dislike for the revolution, I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that this laboratory would never hurt anyone again. Botulinum would be ruined.

I heard a small squeaking sound coming from the walkie talkie strapped to my thigh. I unlatched it and held it to my mouth. "Ezra, is that you? Over."

"Prisoners almost out, wait a bit longer. Hold the generator room. Over and out." Was Ezra's reply, the sound of his voice muddled with static.

Suddenly, the walkie talkie was slapped out of my hand. I felt something hit the side of my head and I fell against the floor. The Deathmonger helmet on my head protected me from any real damage, but I heard my gun being dragged from my side. I scrambled up to look at who was behind me. Hovering over me was the scientist with purple lipstick I had seen before. His pale face showed a grin for the first time I had ever seen. His pupils were extremely dilated. He looked like he had sniffed cocaine all night.

The scientist, Dogbane, threw off his lab coat and tore the legs of his pants, revealing gleaming metal arms and legs. They extended and clicked into place, Dogbane now gaining several inches in height. Silvery claws, like that of a wild animal, marked his inhuman limbs. Bits of spittle dripped from his gaping smile onto the iron tiles below us. He tossed my gun to the other side of the room.

Behind him, I saw Oleander standing in the doorway, his face a mask of smug complacency. "Sic him, boy." Oleander said.

In seconds, the beast lunged towards me. I rolled to the side, ripping a metal pole from the wall and hitting Dogbane over the head with it. I ran to where my gun had fallen, nearly getting my hands around the grip. I felt claws sinking into my legs and dragging me backwards across the floor. One metal paw sunk into my chest, Dogbane's arms wrapping around my legs and pulling on them until they finally ripped from their sockets in my hips. I screamed in pain as my body was reduced to a torso. Dogbane now held me down and stared in my face with an expression of mindlessness.

"Stop." Commanded Oleander from behind him. He walked over slowly, and regarded me with a sly sneer. "I've been waiting for this. You have no idea how much trouble you've caused me."

Oleander removed my helmet as Dogbane held down my arms. "Kill him slowly, Dogbane." Oleander produced a large wad of saliva, which he spat on my face with contempt. He stepped around me, and began to attempt to disarm the bombs I had set.

Dogbane sliced open my chest, cutting straight through the thick black cloth of the uniform and the metal of the surface of my chest. He began to slowly rip out pieces of my inner workings. Not enough to completely shut me down, but I felt a numbing blanket of drowsiness set over my consciousness the like of which I had never felt since donning my android body. The pain in my chest eventually began to fade as all feeling drifted away from my body, and it became difficult to form a thought. I fell limp as Dogbane gradually brought me closer and closer to death.

"You know I tortured Lucas when you escaped." Said Oleander calmly. "His ridiculous robotic screams were quite entertaining. It was almost as good as torturing you."

A surge of anger possessed me. My thoughts were ragged and misshapen, but one singular thought formed repeating constantly in my mind. Lucas. Lucas. Lucas.

With one last burst of strength I reached my arms up and took hold of Dogbane's neck. I swiftly bent it to the side, and with a large crack his neck was broken. His body slumped over mine. My head fell to the side and my arms to the floor in defeat.

I stared at Oleander, his face now contorted in anger. "Dogbane was my favourite, you piece of shit." He spat.

Oleander left the bombs and the generator, the clock still ticking, and ripped Dogbane's corpse off of me, shoving him to the side. He dug his hands into the holes Dogbane had ripped in my chest. I could feel his course fingers wrap around the battery pack, now on dwindling energy, located near the back of my chest near my spine. I closed my eyes and waited for my life to end.