Subject 2763

Chapter 7

"Things are getting riskier. This may be my final log. Subject 2763 has not reverted back into their original host state. though I have found a way to secure it and, if all goes well, keep myself out of harm during further experimentation. If this fails there's a good chance the subject may kill me."

*click*

....

*click*

"Tennisball. If I'm gone and you're looking through these tapes, I want you to know that I-...... Don't try to fight it. Keep yourself safe. For me."

*click*

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Golfball waited patiently for the ice to melt completely. Her nerves clawed at her stomach, making it impossible to keep still. Her eyes were glued to Evil Leafy as she turned from ice blue to the familiar piercing red. She wasn't quite sure if Evil Leafy had regained consciousness until suddenly the lights around her began to flicker.

Golfball looked around in shock before realizing the lab had no lights. The only visible light source was the bubbling vats of lava that lay beneath her and the buzzing cage that contained the subject itself. But the room around her still became noticeably darker. Golfball quickly clicked on her tape recorder.

"The subject has woken from subduction. It's made no attempt to escape the cell as of yet. As I've recorded the behavior of 2763, it appears to have the ability to manipulate light around it, or at the very least can effect my ability to see. As of now I'm unsure how this ability functions. I'll have to do more tests with brighter lights."

Golfball clicked off the tape recorder and approached the electric cell.

"Hello Subject 2763."

Leafy could hear Golfball address her. But she couldn't respond back. She couldn't do anything. She was completely frozen in place again.

"Can you speak to me?" Golfball asked. It was a genuine question. She was unsure if the silence was the subject's anger towards her or a genuine inability.

Leafy tried to call out to Golfball. She wanted to beg for freedom. To at least ask what was happening to her. But no part of her body would move. She was stuck in place.

"Well if you cannot answer me, perhaps some more physical experiments are needed. I wonder what would happen if I submerged you in water..." it was a bluff. Mostly. Golfball was curious about whether or not the subject could drown, or even die at all. But it was mostly just talk to test if the subject was really mute or not.

Leafy began to panic. No. No no no she couldn't let Golfball hurt her again. She was so scared. She didn't want to die. Maybe if she could just do what she did last time... it wasn't hard to teleport before. But she had no idea how she did it. And it didn't end so well for her. Maybe if she was just a little faster....

Leafy focused her concentration on Golfball. She just needed to reach her. That was the one thing she was certain of. If she could get close enough to Golfball, everything would be ok. No more pain. No more suffering. No more being trapped. She just had to get over there.

Leafy focused hard on where she wanted to go. And in the blink of an eye she wasn't where she was standing before. But she wasn't in front of Golfball either.

Leafy's vision went white as a burning sensation quickly spread through her body. She tried to scream out in pain but once again her mouth would not move. She tried to close her eyes but they were stuck pried open. It felt like when Golfball had electrocuted her, only there was no way to writhe away from it. It coursed through her body, pulling at her skin and burning her from the inside. It felt like she was being ripped apart and burned all at once. She tried everything to pull away, but she couldn't focus enough on moving herself anywhere. She was stuck in place, so close to freedom and yet unable to get out.

Golfball meanwhile looked on in delight, unaware of the pain Leafy felt. The trap had worked. Instead of teleporting in front of Golfball, the subject was only able to teleport into the electric wall.

Leafy tried to scream out for help, to move away, to do anything to show how much she was hurting. But it was impossible. She was completely immobile.

She didn't care about escaping. She didn't care about getting revenge on Golfball. She just wanted to be safe. She just wanted to go back. Go back go back go back.

Golfball jumped as the light of the room quickly dimmed once more. Even the light of the cell diminished. Golfball watched closely as Subject 2763 itself began to flicker in and out of the cell wall, until it eventually teleported backwards, now back within the cell itself.

Leafy felt relief wash over her as the pain drained from her body. All thoughts of anger and revenge towards Golfball had completely left her mind, and so she began to feel her joints un-stiffen before she completely collapsed under the weight of her own legs. Leafy choked out a sob at the realization that she was able to move again. She curled up on the ground and shut her eyes tightly, rubbing her sore arms and whimpering at the feeling of her singed body hitting the cold laboratory floor.

Leafy's body shook as she began to cry. She was so scared. She was always so scared. This laboratory had done nothing but hurt her over and over again. She was confused and scared and she didn't know how many times she'd have to get hurt again. Leafy was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the click of the tape recorder, nor did she realize Golfball was speaking.

"The containment cell was successful in keeping the subject at bay. After realizing it could not escape from the cell, the subject reverted back into the host body. The host seems to be in great distress. I can only guess taking the form of the subject has been causing it pain. I will attempt further communication about this experience with the host in the future"

Golfball clicked off the device and turned to address Leafy.

"I take it you're in a lot of physical distress. Could you describe your pain level to me?" Golfball asked, her voice cold and stern.

Leafy shakily looked up at Golfball, using one arm to drag herself across the ground, pulling her closer.

"Please..." leafy begged through a strained voice "let me out... I just want to go home...."

Golfball looked down at her. There was no emotion behind her eyes. Her face was cold and pitiless.

"You can't ever go home, Leafy. I'm never letting you out."

Normally a statement like that would have upset her. But Leafy didn't say a word. What could she possibly say? What could she do?

Golfball swore she would never see the light of day again. And Leafy believed her.