Genesis (ONC2022)

Day five: Part One

Word count →_→ 961 words

"Are you sure?" Misty asked the next morning when Emilia met up with her.

Emilia had related her strange observation to the assistant.

"Yes, I thought I was seeing things but it kept popping up. If only I had all the proper equipment I could do more extensive tests." Emilia said.

"What if I can get you some equipment?" Misty suggested.

"Misty, are you sure? You could get in serious trouble with your boss." Emilia said, moving closer and lowering her voice to not attract any attention.

"Don't worry about me. Even if I get in trouble, if I can save him, myself and everyone else from a career ending disaster then I'd gladly break all his rules." Misty replied. "Besides, even though it was stated that the procedure could wield unexpected side effects, we did promise Alex that we'd do everything in our power to safeguard his life."

"You're right." Emilia said with a sigh of exhaustion. "I just hope you don't get into trouble though."

"I hope so too." Misty replied. "In the meantime, I'll go get some air, you can head on in."

"Right." Emilia replied before turning away from the woman.

After putting on her biohazard suit, she made her way to the isolation part of the lab. Everyone was going about their usual day to day agendas. Nothing much had changed, much to her despair. The sleeping figure still remained where he was, unconscious for an undetermined amount of time.

She walked up to the bed in slow unsure steps.

"Hey, Neo." She began with a sad smile. "You've been asleep for an awfully long time. Well, okay, maybe not that long."

She gave a short humorless laugh.

"It's getting boring here without your obligatory movie character references. You really need to wake up." She continued.

Letting out a deep breath, she pulled a chair towards her and sat down.

"Wow, I must be the most unlucky person ever." She went on. "I guess I jinxed it. Now naturally the one guy I liked in a long time is dying. That's the most messed up scenario ever."

With a final sad smile, she placed her hand on his cheek.

"I... I don't know if you can even hear me but even if you can't, I'm just going to say this." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "I think I'm in love with you. I know I shouldn't be but, well, I can't help it. So I hope you get better and then maybe I'll try to be bold enough to tell you all this when you're awake."

With one final sad smile. She pushed the chair backwards so she could stand up.

Having gotten it all off her chest, she went about doing her daily routine checks.

☣️☣️☣️

It was cold. It was dark. He could not see anything no matter how much he tried. It was as if he was trapped in a never ending pit of darkness.

The worst part, he was all alone. He didn't know how he had gotten there but he was so alone. He didn't want to be alone.

Where was everyone? Had they all left him too?

Did they decide to abandon me the same way papa did?

He wanted to get up and find the light. To find someone, anyone else if it meant he wouldn't be alone but he couldn't. His body was drained of its strength. He was too weak, it felt like he hadn't eaten in months, years even. His throat was very dry and incredibly raw. He was so thirsty he could drink an entire tank of water.

Where was he, anyway? He couldn't even remember how he had gotten there.

Pushing himself up, he tried to get up. He managed to, eventually, despite the pain and the great amount of effort although he didn't know if he could even stand up.

It was taking him all of his strength just to sit up straight. His attention was suddenly turned to the figure that had appeared in front of him. For a moment he was relieved by the fact that he was no longer alone in this cold dark abyss. That is until he realized that he was looking at a reflection of himself.

Oh great, I'm definitely losing my mind. That was the thought that crossed his mind as he stared at his reflection.

Except, why did his reflection have golden eyes? Creepy.

He was still trying to understand what was going on when his reflection stretched out its right hand, reaching out to him.

His eyes widened in surprise when he suddenly realized that this was no illusion. He wasn't hallucinating. Okay, maybe he was because there was no way his reflection was supposed to speak out to him.

Yet he heard his own voice very clearly in his head.

Live or die.

☣️☣️☣️

Sighing out in frustration, Doctor Eli Bossing pushed the phone aside as he reached for the remote control so he could browse the news channels. Having had no communication with the rehabilitation home, he didn't know how he was supposed to react.

As part of their agreement, the team was supposed to continuously be in contact with the rehabilitation home so they could monitor their previous test subject. This would enable them to note any irregularities and side effects in time.

However, the people running the home had gone silent. It was odd. Usually they were quite responsive but they had gone silent twenty four hours earlier.

The most annoying part about it was that his partner didn't seem concerned at all.

His train of thought was suddenly interrupted when he took note of the sudden broadcast.

We interrupt this news broadcast to give you a special report. There have been multiple fatalities at a local rehabilitation home for animals after the inhabitants of the center are reported to have gone feral due to a rabies outbreak.

The news team have yet to get a comment from the center's management team.