Security Breach (Revised Entry)

Chapter 2: Bloody Night

As he woke up, he heard a faint buzzing from the light fixtures above him. His body was in pain, and his muscles and joints were stiff as if he had been asleep for weeks. When he opened his eyes, he was startled by the bright fluorescent lights on the ceiling, except for one ventilation shaft on the nearby wall.

The young one found himself confined within the walls of a small, cramped room that bore an eerie resemblance to a prison cell. The dimensions of the space were meager, measuring a mere 4x3x2 meters, leaving the occupant feeling trapped and claustrophobic. The only apparent entry or exit point was through a strange steel door, bereft of any traditional handle, which led the boy to ponder whether the handle might be situated on the opposite side. A large window, occupying almost the entire wall to the right of the door, provided the sole source of natural light, while the plain, undecorated wall ahead of it offered no clues or distractions. As he shifted restlessly on the cold metal shelf that served as his bed, the young man wondered what could have possibly led him to this desolate and foreboding place.

The boy groaned as he slowly woke up and rubbed his tired eyes while gazing out the window. It was dark outside, but a few lights illuminated the unfamiliar room. The machines and devices in the room were unlike anything he had ever seen before. However, he did recognize a cylinder in the room that reminded him of the 6,000-gallon tanks he used to work with in the past, which brought back painful memories.

As the boy stirred awake, he immediately noticed that he was dressed in a pristine all-white outfit with long sleeves and tights that covered his ankles. He couldn't feel any footwear on his feet. A sense of uneasiness settled in as he tried to recall how he ended up in this unfamiliar situation. He slowly got up from his bed and stretched his limbs, attempting to ease the tension in his body. As he made his way toward the door, he began to feel a growing sense of panic. He pounded on the door with his fists, hoping to attract the attention of someone outside, but the silence only intensified his anxiety.

Once he realized that no one was coming to help him, he gazed up at the air vent in the room. It was situated high up, but it was located just above his bed. Upon inspection, he noticed that the vent was missing some bolts, which made him think that he could potentially reach for it and remove it. Without hesitation, he climbed onto the bed and positioned himself directly under the grate. With all his might, he leaped up and, despite his small size and slightly emaciated form, he was able to extend his tiny fingers and grip the seams of the grate firmly. Using all of his strength, he pulled himself up and grasped the vent tightly, using his legs to aid him in his attempt to remove it.

The object on the wall finally came off with a snap after a few minutes of struggling. This caused the young boy to lose his balance and fall onto the hard steel floor, resulting in a grunt of pain that echoed throughout the room. However, he quickly got back up and showed no signs of injury. He then crawled into a dark and frigid vent that measured 45°F, determined to continue his journey despite the harsh conditions.

The young child, akin to a nimble rodent, maneuvered his way through the labyrinthine vent shafts using his heightened senses of hearing and touch to guide him through the oppressive darkness. Despite his uncertainty of direction, he continued to move with a singular purpose, understanding that persistence was key in his quest to locate an exit. With the tenacity of an ant within its maze-like habitat, he pressed on, determined to find his way out.

As he made his way through the maze of vent shafts, he spotted a light shining through a grate at the bottom. He crawled towards it and could hear the sound of his movements echoing through the vent as he hit the cold metal floor with each arm and leg.

When he finally arrived, his suspicions were confirmed that it was a grate with light under it, however, when he looked through the grate, he saw an alarming sight. There was a crimson liquid pooling on the floor with some splatters, and the boy imminently what it was... blood.