Beyond the Borders

The Hold

I woke up to the sound of distant voices echoing through the sterile corridors of the facility. The facility i never entered. At least i didn't remember that. My senses, finely attuned like those of a doe, I immediately picked up on the urgency of the voices. I blinked trying to adjust to the dim light filtering through the small window high above.

Sitting up made the blanket, i was covered with, slide off my shoulders into my lap. I looked around the room. There was nothing but a small table with a chair and the bed i was lying in. I slowly stood up, feeling the cold surface as i stepped on the ground. The room was cold, quiet, only the voices in the corridor were heard. I was wearing a hospital gown, my hair was down. I looked around noticing a identification card on side of my bed. K. I. N. 143 was on it. I panicked as i saw that. It was now clear to me that i was in the place i was trying to get away from. My breathing started to be fast, I started shaking. "No, nononono No!" I immediately kneeled down and tried to pull off the card. I didn't want to associate with the name K.I.N. 143 ever again.

The voices grew louder, footsteps approaching. I was trying to rip the card off until the door slid open with a hiss. I got away from the bed and stood up then looked directly at the door. Two figures stood there silhouetted in the doorway - a scientist with a clipboard and a guard with stern expression. "K.I.N. 143 you're needed in the lab." the scientist said. As I didn't approached them, the scientist went in and grabbed my hand leading my out of my room.

We were walking through maze of corridors, my heart pounding in my chest. Every step felt heavier as the memories of my previous captivity flooded back. The sterile hallways and closed doors seemed to close in on me, a reminder of the prison I fought so hard to ecape. But it was ruined now. I was back. I was thinking.. what if i won't escape now? What if something worse awaits me?

As we entered the lab, my breath caught in my throat. The familiar array of equipment and monitors, the antiseptic smell - it all felt like a nightmare come to life. I clenched my wrist, my doe-like ears twitching with agitation. Dr. Harlow, the lead scientist, looked up from her workstation, her eyes narrowing as she took in my presence. "Ah, K.I.N. 143. Back so soon." she said, her tone icy.

I bristled at the use of my project number. I had a name now, a name I chose for myself. "It's Kinsley." I muttered under my breath, but the words barely registered with the scientist. It felt like she didn't hear me at all, or rather didn't want to hear me. There's no way I'm gonna listen to them when they don't even respect the smallest things. It's not like I have less rights than them, right? I'm a human too. Well, kind of..

"We have some tests to run," Dr. Harlow continued, completely ignoring my defiance. "Your escape attempt has set us back, and we need to ensure your conditioning hasn't been compromised." My anger flared. "I'm not your lab rat," I spat, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and fury. "You can't just drag me back here and expect me to cooperate." I pointed at myself with my finger as I was saying that. The guard tightened his grip on my arm, and I felt the cold steel of the restraints biting into my wrists as they put them on. They treated me like a goddamn animal, but I was not, I had more percent of human than of animal.

I fought the urge to pull away, knowing it would only make things worse. Dr. Harlow sighed, shaking her head. "You know the consequences of disobedience, K.I.N. 143. Now, sit." With no other choice, I sat down at the workstation, the cold metal of the chair sending a shiver down my spine. I watched warily as Dr. Harlow prepared the equipment, my mind racing with thoughts of escape. I had tasted freedom once, and I won't give up on it so easily. Not because they see me as some experiment they created. I have my own mind, my own body, my own thoughts and emotions, they have no right to torture me and experiment on me. Not anymore.

As the day wore on, I endured the tests with a grim determination. I had to go through some physical tests such as testing my agility and speed, strenght and endurance and much more. They even tested my senses for example how high frequencies I can hear, if I see in dark and stuff. The memory learning things were kinda fun tho, it just felt like we were playing a game if you ignore the machines that are connected to you during the whole process. The emotional and psychological tests were the worst. Why? Because they're provoking my stress trying to see what it takes for me to be fully stressed and how I cope with it. And as this wasn't enough, they use many forms of punishments to see my behavioral changes and my system of self-defense.