THE EXO COLLECTION | Into Your World [LUHAN]

Ch. Two | The Dome

My scientist leads me out of the testing room and starts on her way through the huge laboratory. Everytime we pass through this lab, an eerie feeling of nostalgia comes over me. I see some of the tools the apprentices carries in trays as they rush pass me, and memories come over me like blinding lights. I remember how I became like...this.

I was rushing to find the right wrench for my dad. I remember the urgency in his voice, how I managed to hear him over the extremely loud beeping coming from all over my parents' lab. All of the scientists working under them and along them were in panic. They were rushing right along with me to tranquilize the Quantum Generator. The generator--a machine my parents built  which formed cosmic energy. "Who knows what that stuff can do to a human being", they would say, "I guess we're just crazy enough to find out."  They never got to find out. They died before they could see it, because I was running too slow with that wrench my dad had demanded from me.

            I was so tired as I desperately trudded to my father as the machine went out of control and bursted. I was the perfect target as the quanta came over and hit me. I could see both of my parents holding hands--my mother crying her eyes out as she watched my father die due to a huge piece of shrapnel piercing through his heart. "Daddy! Mommy!" I screamed, but it made no difference. Neither of them would survive this catastrophe.

           The generator had seemed to  tranquilize on its own or something, because all of the remaining floating energy seemed to have sucked back into the machine. Other shrapnel pieces that were still in the air had followed in quanta's path, with one in particular coming my mom's way. "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed, again, but as I cried another blob of quanta had hit me in my backside. I simply fell over and watched as the shrapnel slice my mother's neck open.

I wanted to go over there. I wanted do something. But then the weirdest feeling came over me. I looked at my skin--it was glowing. I felt like I was disintergrating. What...is...happening? I thought. But it soon became too difficult to think. I felt like I was breathing in water, and the more I tried to think, the more water shot up into my nostrils. But that was all I did, was think....

I can't help but wonder if the reason why I have telepathic powers is because I kept thinking. I can't help but wonder if I tried to do something else, what would I have today. What if I tried to run some more? What if I got to my parents? What if I tried to heal  them? Would I have super speed? Healing powers? Super strength?

I walk closer behind the scientist as she leads me out. Everything in the room gives me a clammy feeling in my hands. The memories begin to be too much to bear and that pang of guilt I felt earlier is growing much stronger. All I want is to get out of this lab and get to the Dome.

The Dome, I thought. I began to smile as immediate relief and a sprinkle of excitement come over me. There are others like me in the Dome. Kai lives in the Dome. He may not be there when I get there, but people like him will. I'll finally be able to make friends who will truly be able to relate to me. I smile.  I won't have to hold back, will I? My smile becomes tighter and I am trying to fight a giggle at the thought. I remember the scientist saying that I was the second telepath.

Ha! I really won't have to hold back!  

More cheerful thoughts come over me as we finally exit the laboratory, but they are soon interrupted by the scientist again. "What are you thinking about, Little Miss Telepath?" She asks plesantly. I look at this woman, overwhelmed with excitement that she's found the last piece to Cadmus's puzzle.  

"I'm excited, I guess. Meeting other people who are--"

"Gifted?" She finishes with a word a lot nicer than what I was thinking.