"Russel! Come quick!" Basil screamed, running across the hall to the office. "The baby.." She stopped at the door, out of breath. "What about it, Basil?" Russel asked, getting up from his seat. "Come quick!" Basil screamed, grabbing his arm and forcefully taking him along with her.
"Alice.." Russel pulled his arm free from Basil's grasp, approaching the table. "It's a boy.. His name will be Salem." Alice told him, her voice hoarse. "You've named it? No Alice, its just an experiment." "Russel.. No.." Alice replied. "Alice, you don't look so good dear. Can I get you anything?" Basil took her hand, speaking softly. "No, stay away.. Please just don't let him hurt my baby.." Alice pleaded, her hearing going fuzzy. "Russel, there's something wrong, she's so pale.." Basil said, attempting to comfort the crying woman. "She doesn't matter to me anymore." Russel told her, prying the screaming child from her arms. "Please Russel, i'm begging.. I don't have much time left.. Just let me spend my remaining time.." "No, Alice. Your time is already up." Russel told her, prying the screaming child from her arms.
Alice was exhausted but she couldn't sleep. It had to be around five in the morning at least, if not later. She was up all night worrying about her son. What would Russel do to him? All she could think of was the worst. "Still can't sleep?" Basil entered the room, handing her a glass of water. "No, why would I be able to sleep after that?" Alice asked her in a snarky tone. She took the water and drank it. "Thank you, you really looked like you needed that. You're dehydrated Alice, you don't look good." Basil told her. Alice handed the white haired woman the empty glass of water. "Can you please go check on him? I'm begging Basil.." Alice pleaded.
Timeskip (I got this trust)
Salem sat up in his bed, an old mattress set on the floor by planks of wood. His eyes hurt from crying and his small body was covered in bruises. He lifted his shirt to inspect the damage. The metal plate inserted into his stomach was bruised around the edges and seeping blood. He wondered what was of the metal markers on his back as well. The triangular metal pegs led from the back of his neck to his tailbone. It no longer hurt but he felt discomfort on hard surfaces. Russel has designed this experiment to replace the child's digestive system and expel the need to eat. For the dog who bites at the hand that feeds it was born to starve.
"Salem, are you up? Oh honey.." Alice confronted the crying child, pulling him into her arms. Salem let her, finding a comfortable spot on her lap. "Mommy, what's it like out there?" "Outside? Well, it's sure been a while.. It's cold most of the time, and there are lots of people." Alice explained to him. "Why can't I go out there.. It seems so peaceful." Salem told her. "Well, you're sick honey. You have to stay in here so your dad can make you better." Alice told him. She carefully set the child on his feet and got up, placing her hand on her stomach with a sigh. "Mommy, are you alright?" The child asked. "Yes honey.. I'm fine. I'm going to check on your father now, alright?" "Alright. See you mommy." Salem replied.
"Salem, get up." Russel opened the old creaking door to find his son inspecting his wounds. He immediately stood and looked at his father, still grasping at the shirt he wore. "What's wrong?What is it now?" Russel demanded of him, clearly annoyed. "It hurts." The child whimpered. "Hurts? You had it done three days ago, of course it hurts, twelve." Twelve. The number on his back. The twelfth model of Russel's "perfect" design. Russel truly believed that this child was nothing more than flesh to be infused with metal and cords. A lowly experiment with no other purpose. "Go on now, it's time for your maintenance. I'll meet you there." Russel told him. Salem nodded and made his way to the dark hallway.
The interior of the room was dark, aside from the flashing lights and containers of bright neon purple. Salem found his way to the table and climbed up onto it before Russel appeared behind him to turn on the lights. "Good, now are you ready? Today i'll just be recalibrating your back." Russel said. "Yes sir." Salem replied as he appropriately positioned himself on the table. Russel stopped him to remove his shirt, lowering him back down onto his hands and knees. "You always forget that, don't you." Russel said as he placed the familiar mask back on his face. The purple fluid was highly toxic and breathing it in would most certainly cause major discourse. "I'm going to remove the peg on your back now." Russel told the child as he felt a tug on his back. He flinched in displeasure, tucking his knees underneath his chest in attempt to distract himself from the feeling of his insides being poked and pulled at. Russel removed the peg from Salem's back, which was now flooded with blood and the purple fluid. He attached a long hose-like machine into the now open hole in his back, flooding his internals with the fluid from a new container. He shuddered, digging his fingers into the wooden desk. With a click and more pressure it was over.
"Russel walked through the corridor, opening the door to the lab's infirmary. "Alice, someone is here to see you." "Hm..? Oh, Salem.. Hello my dear.." Alice replied from her bed. She was hooked up to everything you'd find in a hospital and more. Salem, her son, was now older and could understand what was happening. He knew she was dying. "Mommy.." The young boy said in almost a whisper. "Oh Salem.. I'm so sorry honey. I wish this could be better, but some people are just destined for the worst. Come here, give me one last hug." Alice told her child. Salem looked to his father for approval before approaching his mother. He climbed onto the bed, giving Alice a better look at him. He was tiny, for an eight year old. His body was covered in incision scars and bruises. Russel had obviously been mistreating him. Alice reached out and pulled him in close. He winced in reaction to her touch. "Goodbye little one.. Please be something some day.." Alice whispered before going limp. "Mommy? No, Mom.." Salem cried as he clung to his mother's body. Russel grabbed him by the shock collar fastened to his neck and tugged him off of the bed. "On your fucking feet. Now. In the world i'm creating there won't be any emotion slowing me down. You're a failure you little piece of shit." Russel said, hitting the young boy in the face. He continued to hit him until he was bloody and crying.
YOU ARE READING
Project Twelve
General FictionSalem was a lab experiment that gained ideas of his own and decided to put his father in his place. After being tormented to become a god he escapes and finds life as we know it. But will the outside world treat him better than his father?
