Cynder Underground

Chapter 2. The underground lab

The taller figure pulled me into their room, it was as dark as coal in their room but all I could see was their glowing orange eyes that looked like Amber in a limelight. "Are you the one who gave me that pin?" The figure grabbed another pin and placed it in my hands. "So I'm guessing that's a yes..." I noticed they nodded. "Not a talker huh?" I asked I saw them walk up to a switch and turned it on.

I shield my eyes then looked at them...a Doberman was my first thought they stood about 5'5 and still had those glowing eyes I looked down at the Dobermans arm and all i saw was not what I was expecting...their arm was all wires and metal...i swallowed hard. Was I gonna die?! My head screamed for me to leave but if curiosity killed the cat, than that cat is 50 feet under by now.

"Earth to whoever you are, did ya hear me!" The Doberman finally grumbled. "Yes I can read you loud and clear. Especially loud..." I crossed my arms and tapped my foot on the ground they didn't say a word after that. "Gonna give me your name I don't have all day!" I shouted they covered my mouth with their real arm and then whispered in a sour tone. "I'm steel and only steel don't call me anything else.." I licked their hand and they pulled their arm back defensively and cringed. "You are sick, you know that kiddo." They wiped their paw on their grey robe. "Your more salty than the ocean...clamy paws" I made a sound like "bleck." As I stuck my tongue out. They shook their head. "You are so lucky I'm keeping my cool to save your hide..." I rolled my eyes. "Am I, am I really?" Steel pinned me to the wall I was leaning against. "You keep smart mouthing me you will never find your brother and make it out alive..."

That's what really got me to shut up was my brother. "Wait..." I said "how do you know who he is?!" Steel glared at me "I saw both of you being taken to your rooms..." I figured and nodded in agreement but then told him. "What room is he in, do you know?" Steel shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't. I'm sorry." He kept staring at my ear tag. "Something wrong?" I asked he quickly looked back at my eyes. "Your ear.." He reached for my tag, but I pulled my head away and winced. He slowly and gently approached me and I started to cry I couldn't take any more pain for I thought he was gonna rip out the tag. I saw his expressing go from stone cold to a softer, more sad expression. "Kiddo...c'mon stop...i was gonna get it off for ya..." I looked back at him trembling in fear. "Stop that...im not gonna hurt ya!" He rubbed the soft fur of my floppy ear I relaxed a bit I felt him grab the ear tag and shush me. "Shhh...its ok it's only gonna hurt a bit..." He snapped the plastic of the ring quickly but no ear was damaged. "Thank you..." I murmured. "No problem." He answered. "Now before we find your brother it's about time I tell you about the underground lab."

I swallowed hard..."the Underground lab? That's where we are huh..." Steel nodded slightly. "This lab, which we all just call the underground Lab or UL for short, is a cruel place that has been around for about 10 years." He then jumped past Me and slowly opened the door to see a slight shadow coming down the hall.

"Kid, I'll tell you more later but you gotta get back to your room for a moment..." He sounded a little rushed. "But Steel-" I began, he grabbed me with his metal arm and pulled me to the door, even though his arm was quite cold it was the warmest touch that she's gotten from him so far...
"Kid please, go to your room and put your collar back on, but make sure you twist it the other way so they don't know that you broke it..."

I nodded and ran back to my room, I quickly put that dreaded collar back on and twisted it around. I noticed that my ear tag was gone too so I tucked my ears and my snout under my gown and looked out the window to see Steel giving me a thumbs up. I bolted back to my bed and sat down.
Then that knock, the awful, three pinged knock...then the door opened. "Miss Cynderrrr! We have your food ready!" Doc Mel put a tray down on my side table and then nodded at me. "We will start testing later! But for now! Eat up!" He cackled again and left the room. I looked over at the bowl that was on the tray. It looked like noodle soup...i picked up the soup and took a sip. It was bland, but it was food, and I was hungry...so I ate up and saw Steel knock on his window and signaling me to come back in. So I did and came back to his room. He patted my shoulder. "Good job kid..." He sat down on his bed.

"Hey kid." I looked over at him. "How much do you love your brother..." I looked down at my feet in sorrow. "I love him a lot steel...more than you could ever know..." He got up from his bed and looked me straight in the eye. "Wanna go find him..." my eyes widened. "You're really gonna help me and my brother get out of here!" He nodded then said. "Not only you too but all of us..." I felt tears of joy in my eyes. He pulled me by my wrist again to his bed, he then reached under the mattress and pulled out something scribbled on paper towels. "Now..." He began. "Here's the plan..."
(End of Chapter)