In the Silence of Death

Chapter 8: Unveiling the Past

The morning light filtered through the lab's windows as Kate stepped inside for what felt like the hundredth time, though it had only been a few days since her first experience with the chamber. Her heart raced just thinking about it—the feeling of crossing over, seeing that woman on the other side, and the undeniable pull to return.

But the woman's warning haunted her just as much as her curiosity pushed her forward. Do not return. The words replayed in her mind, and yet, here she was, standing in front of Dr. Bennett's desk once more.

"Kate," Dr. Bennett said, his voice heavy with concern, "we need to talk."

Kate swallowed hard, steeling herself. She'd expected this. "About going back, right?"

Bennett nodded but didn't meet her eyes immediately. "Yes, but first—this isn't something we can continue without taking real caution. You crossed over too far last time, further than the chamber was designed for."

Kate frowned. "Further than the chamber was designed for? What do you mean?"

"I mean that your experience... it was more than just simulated death. You mentally went to places I didn't think possible for the technology to reach." His words were cautious, but the tension in his voice was clear.

Kate looked away, her thoughts darting back to the woman who had appeared to her, warning her not to return. The connection felt personal, visceral, like it wasn't just a random encounter. "You mean the woman?"

Dr. Bennett's gaze snapped to hers, his expression growing even more serious. "Yes. The figure you saw... she's not supposed to exist in any phase of these experiments."

"Then why did I see her? Why has she been in my dreams since that day on the beach?" Kate's voice trembled despite her attempt to sound firm. The boy who had drowned and returned had opened her eyes to the afterlife, and since then, this woman had haunted her dreams.

Bennett exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. "That's exactly what concerns me. If she's been tied to you for that long, the implications are... significant. You have a personal connection to something beyond this life, and it's not something we fully understand yet. The chamber—it's just technology. Highly advanced, yes, but it's still prone to malfunctions. Things can go wrong, and there's no telling what might happen if they do."

Kate's pulse quickened. "But I have to know. What does she want from me? Why doesn't she want me to come back?"

Bennett stood, running a hand through his hair. "Kate, the chamber kills you. Even though I can control some aspects, I can't control everything. Every time you go in there, you're risking not coming back."

His words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, but they didn't dissuade her. If anything, they strengthened her resolve. "I have to go back, Dr. Bennett. She's hiding something from me—something I need to understand."

Bennett studied her for a long moment, the conflict evident in his eyes. "I understand that this is personal for you. But understand this, too—technology has limits, and this experiment is dangerous. The chamber isn't magic. It's fallible. If something goes wrong, we can lose you."

Kate's throat tightened, but she nodded. "I know the risks."

Bennett sighed, his expression softening slightly. "Alright. But if we're going to do this again, we'll proceed carefully, and at the first sign of trouble, I'm pulling you out. No arguments."

She nodded again, the weight of the decision pressing down on her, but her determination unshaken. As she left the lab, the woman's warning echoed in her thoughts. Do not return. But despite the ominous words, Kate knew one thing: she was going back.