Experiment Dome| Loop Of Time (Editing)

Chapter 5: A Rat for a Rat

    "Ben?? How'd you even get my address? Why are you even here and what do u mean it's 'urgent'?"

    Intrigued and a little concerned, I ushered him inside, making sure to lock the door behind him.

    Oliver darted between my legs, sniffing at Ben's ankles curiously.

    "Is everything okay?" I asked, offering him a seat on the couch.

    Ben hesitated for a moment, then sank down beside me. "Not exactly," he admitted, his eyes darting around the room before settling on mine.

    "Look, Jeremiah, there's something you need to know about the Vermoirs."
My heart hammered in my chest. "What is it?"

    Ben leaned in closer, his voice barely a whisper. "They're not what they seem."

    A shiver ran down my spine. This wasn't news I was expecting. "Explain," I urged, leaning forward as well.

    Ben took a deep breath. "The Vermoirs... they're not scientists. They're a cult."

    The revelation struck me like a bolt of lightning. A cult? It explained their secrecy, their unwavering dedication to the loop. But why?

    "A cult?" I repeated, bewildered. "But why? What's their purpose?"

   "I don't know all the details," Ben admitted.

    "But I overheard something a while back. Something about the loop being a... test. You know the term we always use. Experiment Dome."

    "A test?" My mind reeled, trying to grasp the implications.

    "That's what I heard," Ben confirmed.

    "Apparently, the Vermoirs believe the loop is a way to test humanity's worth.
Some kind of twisted experiment."

    A cold dread settled in my stomach. We weren't just trapped in a time loop; we were lab rats in a perverse experiment.

    Anger flared within me, hot and fierce. The Vermoirs were playing God with our lives, and it had to stop.

    "We have to do something," I declared, my voice tight with determination. Ben nodded grimly.

    "I agree. But what? We're outnumbered and outmatched."

    "Maybe not," I said, a thought striking me. "Anya mentioned something about neurotransmitters. Maybe that's the key.

    If we can figure out how they're manipulating the loop, we might be able to break free.

    "Plus well I haven't told you this but they have this blue object. Me and Anya did some research and it might've belonged to Kronos the god of time. Maybe they worship Kronos because they're a cult?"

    Ben's eyes widened. "You think so?"
"It's worth a shot," I said, a newfound resolve filling me.

    "We can't just sit here and accept this. We have to fight back."

    Ben placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip surprisingly firm. "I'm with you, Jeremiah. All the way."

    We sat there for a while, in silence. It wasn't exactly awkward though.

    Ben finally decided to say something.

    "We should also try to find out more about the Vermoirs' plans. Maybe there's a way to infiltrate their ranks and learn from the inside."

    I pondered this for a moment. "That could be risky, but it might be our only option.

    We could try to befriend one of their members. Someone who seems unhappy or out of place."