Thriving In Chaos: Hope

Kwatro

PCTTO: ArtStation

Colet's POV:

I awoke to the sound of machines whirring around me. With a groan, I slowly pried open my eyes, only to be met by the blinding glare of the light overhead. Struggling to take in my surroundings, I realized that my hands were shackled to the sides of the cold, metallic bed on which I lay.

"What happened?" I whispered to myself. The memory of someone administering an injection and the shadowy figure of a person loomed in my mind just before darkness engulfed me.

Looking around, I began to make out the details of my environment. It appeared to be an antiquated laboratory strewn with scattered papers and shattered containment tubes. The air was heavy with the pungent smell of chemicals, and streaks of blood adorned the unforgiving concrete floor.

As my consciousness gradually returned, I was greeted by a soft voice echoing through the haze. Struggling to focus, I turned to locate the source and found her standing at a distance to my right. She cradled a folder filled with documents in her arms, dressed in a pristine white lab coat that hinted at her professional demeanor. "I assume you were the one who injected me earlier?" I inquired, the bite of accusation lacing my cold tone. Amused, she chuckled softly and began to approach me, her every step deliberate until she reached a halt by my side. Her gaze roved over my form, scrutinizing, before she nodded in affirmation.

"That's right. After you defeated all those Zekes, I didn't know if you were a friend or a foe. It was just for my own safety that I did what I had to do," she solemnly explained. She pulled up a chair and seated herself beside me with her legs elegantly crossed and her raven-black hair meticulously tied in a bun. "Those Zekes that you killed, they were supposedly experiments in this lab. As you can see, with the broken containment tubes scattered around, they had managed to escape and mercilessly kill almost all of us. I am the only survivor left, and I know 'thank you' is an understatement for saving me, although it was unbeknownst to you." Her lips curled into a grateful yet weary smile as she waved a tarnished key in her trembling hands.

"If you can prove to me that you are of no harm, I will release you from your restraints," she said and made her way to one of the computers. 

I gave out a loud sigh, and she just laughed. "What's so funny? That I'm tied to this stupid bed?" I asked with annoyance in my tone. She looked up from the computer and snapped her fingers. "Keeping quiet'll give you an advantage over me, releasing you from those restraints." She shook her head in disbelief and continued to do her business. 

After a few minutes, she returned to sit beside me and propped her chin on her hand. "Explain yourself. How did you come about with this lab? This place was hidden as far as I know." she raised her brows in curiosity. 

I heaved a deep sigh, feeling the weight of the situation as I met her stern gaze. "I was traveling with my friends when we found ourselves being relentlessly pursued by a horde. To escape, we sought refuge in this building. The ground beneath me gave way as we ran, and I tumbled into the darkness below. My friends tried to rescue me, but the horde was closing in, and I urged them to go on without me, promising to find them again soon. In that moment of desperation, I stumbled upon a narrow gap and managed to use it to fend off a couple of Zekes, using their bodies as a barrier to shield myself from the others. While navigating this treacherous passage, I came upon a metal door. I never expected that behind it, a group of Zekes were lying in wait, ready to attack. The rest, you know, is history," I explained, casting my gaze upon my restrained hands.

Her unwavering gaze bore into mine, and her presence grew more weighty. "Were you and your friends heading somewhere?" she inquired, her arms now crossed.