STRANGULATE | Markicest

52 | RECKLESS

"Edwards, slow down!" Equinox shouted.

    Dark kept walking down the halls, his cloak rushing behind him. Xilef only cast her a glance when she caught up.

    "This is reckless," she said. "We have three hours before this 'experiment' is even over. That gives us time to sit and wait—"

    "We've waited for long enough," Dark spat. They turned a corner, and Equinox nearly tripped on her heels. "I told Mark that I would be there for him. I failed."

    "You knew he was going to get hurt—no matter what," said Equinox. "What makes this any different?"

    "You don't know Antinstine like I do, Equinox," spat Dark. "You wouldn't understand."

    Equinox bared her teeth, glared at Xilef. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

    Xilef glanced down at her through the corner of his eye. They kept walking. "I trust Dark's judgement," he said simply. "You should, too." Equinox scoffed and shook her head.

    "What're you going to do when you find them?" she demanded. "Have you even thought about that, yet?"

    Dark breathed hard through his nose and stopped. Equinox stumbled a few paces ahead before whirling around to meet his gaze. It was red with fury.

    "Antinstine isn't someone who shows mercy, Equinox," he breathed, meeting her in two strides. "He's never friendly, or accommodating, or sweet unless he has a reason to be." He towered over Equinox, the rage rolling off of him in waves. "Can't you see?" he seethed. "He's planning something, and he's using Mark for it."

    Equinox stood her ground, frowning. "You can't just go out there blind."

    "I won't," he breathed, and he leaned back, gaze going half-lidded. His rage settled into that dangerous, uncomforting quiet. "I'll have Eyes filling me in every step of the way."

    With that, he resumed walking, Xilef close behind. Equinox clenched her fists and huffed.

    "If it'll make you feel better," Dark called out, "you can come with."

———

The changes were subtle, at first. The echoing in his ears, the clearer image of his surroundings.

    Ox lingered around Mark during the entire experiment, making sure everything went smoothly. Syl recorded data and conducted other experiments while Antinstine lounged around, laying on top of lab tables or slumping on the floor in boredom. Despite the casual manner of the experiment, Mark couldn't help but be on edge. As time dragged onward, the feeling didn't go away; he grew more spastic—paranoid.

    As the second hour ticked on and on, closer to three, Mark jumped at any sounds in the room. The padding of feet, the clinking of vials, the drips of water into solution. They echoed around him, through him—as loud as screeching cars or blaring music.

    There was no pain, but the room spun around him.

    Twenty minutes left.

    The room gave a sudden lurch. Mark swayed and gripped the edge of the table. His vision went blurry, and his ears rang with a sudden, piercing frequency. He slid out of his seat and fell to the floor.

    "Viper—" It was Ox. He sounded faraway, his voice swimming along with the other noises. "Viper, are you alright?"

    Mark breathed hard, his vision splitting like a kaleidoscope. Lights dazzled all around him, swimming with shadows, and he screwed his eyes shut to try and make it go away. His hands brushed against a body. He swatted it away.