Fractured

Chapter 3

The girls were let out once again. They made the forest into their designated hangout area. They played various games together and even stood in a circle holding each other's hands while they sang songs. This was the only time they felt free, like they were children. In fact, this was the first time Sirin had smiled since the passing of her mother. Unfortunately, that smile didn't last long. When the children were called back in, they were taken somewhere different. They were escorted onto an elevator and taken down to a floor with poor lighting and surrounded by what looked like holding cells.

"DON'T HURT THE CHILDREN!" Someone yelled from a distance.

"Sirin, do you think this is where the screaming we heard last night came from?" Bella asked in a hushed tone. Sirin looked around seeing people wearing the same clothes as her and Bella locked up. It didn't take long for Sirin to realize what was going on. The scientists were conducting experiments on humans. Sirin and Bella were placed into a cell together with a girl they didn't know, stripped of their names that were replaced by mere numbers. Sirin knew she and Bella were next. They heard screaming and crying coming from various directions. Sirin stood by the cell gate with her hands gripping the bars tightly as she watched Galina be escorted into the room and the door shut behind her. Sirin watched hoping the door would open up soon and Galina would walk back out unscathed. The last thing she wanted for her friends to get hurt. When the door open and the two scientists that escorted Galina into the room walked out without her, her heart sank. Then they pulled Avrora out of the cell.

"DON'T HURT HER!" Sirin screamed hoping they would listen. Avrora looked up in Sirin's direction and gave her a soft smile. Sirin looked at her with wide eyes. Was Avrora trying to tell her not to worry about her or thank her for caring? Avrora went into the room and just like Galina, she didn't come out. She continued to watch as they dragged out Agata. Unlike Galina and Avrora, Agata put up a fight to the point she had to be restrained. Bella approached the cell door after hearing Agata yelling at the scientists that did their best to maintain a tight grip on her as they carried her into the room.

"What do you think they're doing in there?" Bella asked. Sirin shrugged her shoulders in response.

"They strap you to a table and use a needle to inject some type of liquid into your veins then document how you react to it then change the dose depending on how you react. Very few have survived the first shot. Judging by the fact the girls who were just taken in, didn't make it out. Their bodies were probably tossed in the trash like the others" The other girl in the cell spoke. Both Bella and Sirin had a look of horror on their faces. Soon, the scientists approached their cell, opening it then grabbing Sirin taking her down to the lab where she was strapped to a table. When she was told at the hospital that she would be helping people by potentially preventing more causalities, this isn't what she imagined. She never expected to become some lab rat just to entertain a few scientists who only cared about results and not anyone's well-being. It made Sirin curious if her mother was also a test subject and if she was treated this way while she was in the hospital. No one bothered to treat her while they were there, and no one showed any remorse when she died.

Sirin! Wait for Mama!

Haha! You can't catch me, Mama!

After they were done with her, she was taken back to the cell where Bella waited for her. She tried her best not to cry fighting back the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks that were splotchy in color.

"We're going to die, aren't we?" Bella inquired as her body began to tremble. She hugged herself in an attempt to comfort herself but failed as panic overwhelmed her. Sirin just stood there watching her best friend have an emotional breakdown. Sirin averted her eyes feeling guilty that she couldn't reassure her that everything was going to be okay when she wasn't positive herself. "I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." Sirin didn't want to die either. No one wanted to die. No one wanted to be locked up in a cage being used as guinea pigs for an experiment. Sirin wanted to be outside playing in the snow with her friends and singing songs in the forest like they did before they became test subjects. Most importantly, she wanted to be with her mother.

Come, Sirin! Try on this blouse for Mama!

She then heard footsteps in the distance then get louder as they approached the cell. The gate creaked open as two men in lab coats walked in. Sirin recognized the men from the hospital. Bella coward as she backup till her back hit the wall.

"It's your turn." One of the men said as they approached Bella grabbing her by the wrist.

"HEY! LET GO OF HER!" Sirin shouted. It didn't surprise her that she was completely ignored. Usually, they would be dragged to the lab and strapped to the table like they did with Sirin before. However, this time one of them held Bella down as she flailed her body around like a fish trying to break free. The other scientist pulled out the syringe injecting the contents into Bella's vein. After they were done, they let go of Bella and left the cell observing from the outside. Sirin rushed to Bella's side. Tears welled in Bella's eyes as the pain radiated throughout her body.

"KYAA! IT'S KILLING ME FROM THE INSIDE!" Bella exclaimed as she could no longer handle the pain. She then clung to Sirin in desperation. "DON'T LET THEM PUT THAT THING IN YOU!" She begged. Sirin was at a loss of words for a moment. Bella grew weaking as the life in her faded away. Sirin held Bella tightly in her arms.

"Please don't leave me Bella" Sirin mumbled. She knew Bella was already gone.

"Subject expired at 11:12pm" A scientist said as they dragged Bella away from Sirin.

"DON'T TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!" Sirin pleaded as she reached out to Bella while sitting on the floor of the cell. With that, Sirin was once again all alone. "God, if you can hear me; I need power" she mumbled to herself.

If only I had power