The Manipulation Room

Chapter 31 - Immortality

Manipulation Room victim no. 837365
Name: Aspen Hall
Age: 87 years old
Occupation: Retired 
Family Member: 32-year-old son, Ean 
Description: Hit, with incredible force, over the head with a metal hammer, resulting in a cracked skull. 

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Ezra sobbed quietly into my shoulder whilst I kissed his head and it was just such a beautiful moment. So painful, yet raw and real. He finally sat up, wiping tears from his cheek with the coat I'd draped around him. He kissed my cheek and stared into my eyes, "I love you so much, Lyric. Please never leave me...I don't know what I'd do if you did."
I smiled at him, brushing my nose against his, "I love you too. So, so much." I whispered.

I giggled, "You know, if Kierra saw us right now, she'd freak out."
"Because we just got kidnapped and nearly killed by President Thanatos or because we just kissed?" He laughed, kissing me lightly on the nose after he said 'kissed'. "Definitely the kissing part." I chuckled. "Double date!"

He laughed, resting his head against mine. "How'd you think they're getting on right now?" He asked. "Well, it's been a while since we went missing. They're probably out looking for us." I replied. He nodded slowly, "We should get out of here. Tell someone about what we know."

I nodded in agreement, "You're right, let's go." I got up off the floor and held his hand, pulling him up. Taking one last painful glance at the lungs in the tank, Ezra turned away and we walked to the door.

"Sitka! Over here!"

We shot each other fearful expressions. "Who's that?" I whispered, my eyes wide with shock and fear. Ezra grabbed my arm and pulled me behind the door, into a deep gap in the wall. We crouched down together, our legs twisted and our fingers interlocked. Ezra ran his finger up and down my knee, planting sweet kisses on my knuckles. "Soldiers?" He whispered. I nodded slowly.

"Yeah? Oh, come on, Magneto, we're not allowed in here." The other soldier chuckled, heartily. "This place is f**king twisted, man." Magneto responded. Sitka scoffed, "Thanatos is the twisted one here. That man definitely has a screw loose."

"D'you know what he's planning on doing with Cedric Allen-Blue?" Magneto asked, before we could hear the shuffle of papers.
"I think he's taking the brain, but he also spoke about taking some muscle from the leg so the body didn't go to waste."

Ezra pressed the palm of his hand to my mouth to muffle the sound of me gasping. "Ssh, it's okay. We're okay." He whispered, staring deeply into my eyes. I nodded, so he removed his hand and placed it on my leg.
"Another brain? Bloody hell, someone needs to tell this guy his plan ain't working." What plan?

The other soldier hit his chest, letting out a laugh, "We are members of the Delta Battalion. It is our duty to serve him." He said in a mocking tone that made the other soldier laugh.

"Think about it though, no one can live forever." Sitka explained. "He's crazy if he really thinks performing experiments on every aspect of the human body in such vast quantities will really find him the answer to immortality." The other soldier scoffed.

Ezra leant backwards, but too slowly to be normal. When he spoke, his voice trailed slowly, like his words were unwilling to take flight. There was a sadness and disbelief in his eyes, the blue too glossy. "Holy sh*t..." He gasped, his hands flying to his mouth. The words I'd just heard them say caused my insides to curdle like milk with lemon. It revolted me. I would never look at the Manipulation Room the same way again. Disgust. Total disgust.

Of course, he was using people who were unwilling, to find the answer to immortality. He wanted to live forever. It made perfect sense. What he'd said to us before...'the opposite of death.' The opposite of death is living, and immortality. I gasped, clasping my hands over my mouth to muffle the sound of my pure shock.