The Reddit Trials

Chapter 1

Colleen hummed a happy tune as she made her way home from the laboratory. Her hair was pulled in a messy bun, and her glasses were halfway off her face. She held a small stack of papers in her arms.

She pushed the door to her home open, "Diesel!" She called. "I'm home!"

Her son came practically running out of his room, "Hi, mom!" He greeted her with a smile and a hug. "Back from the lab, already?" He asked.

Colleen nodded, "Not a very busy day, no new experiments. And Mr. Warren said I needed to take a short break before you were introduced to the lab."

"Oh that's right!" Diesel said, "I'm going to the lab tomorrow!" He recalled. Colleen had wanted Diesel to work at the lab much like her and her husband, since he was just a child. She was practically ecstatic he'd finally get to see the lab, and her research and test subjects very soon.

Diesel paused, and gazed at his mother a second, "Wait," He said, "If you're done- What about dad? Shouldn't he be permitted a break too?"

Colleen smiled warmly, "You know your father, always so caught up with his work.." She said, though she didn't meet her son's gaze, opting to stare at the ground. "He insisted he stay..He won't be home until tonight."

"Uh-huh," Diesel said, "Well..that's alright."

Colleen opted to change the subject, "Hey, what do you think we should do for dinner tonight? I was thinking chicken."

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Later that night, once dinner had been made, and eaten, Diesel's father, Thomas, came home.

Thomas, in stark contrast to Colleen, was a gruff, cold seeming man. He was much older than her, as well. How their marriage came to be was a mystery.

He pushed the door open, and announced his presence with a loud, "I'm back!"

Thomas walked into the kitchen, where Colleen was washing dishes. "Good to see you're home, Tom!" She greeted with a grin.

He nodded her way, "Yeah."

He gazed around the room, "Where's Diesel?"

"Oh, he's in his room, on his video-game thing!"

"Right." Thomas nodded his head, and turned on his heel, making his way to Diesel's bedroom.

Colleen faltered, wanting to follow, or maybe stop him- her husband was hard on their son.
She decided to do neither, watching as her husband marched down the hall to Diesel's room.

Thomas pushed Diesel's door open, and sure enough his son was playing some videogame, sitting on his bed.

"Diesel," Thomas said, getting Diesel's attention, though not actively facing his son. He instead gazed around the room, looking disappointed with the state of it.

"Oh," Diesel said, pausing his game and facing Thomas, "Hey, Dad, what do you need?"

"I want to talk to you about the lab."

"Oh.." Diesel mumbled, setting his game controller down, and turning to sit looking at his father.

Thomas sat down across from Diesel, on the bed, pushing a few pillows away from where he sat.

"You're going to start work in the lab soon, and tomorrow you're going to get to begin studying under your mother and I," Thomas started.

Diesel already knew this, of course, but he knew better than to interrupt his father.

"And I think I should prepare you for what the experiments are like."

Diesel nodded mutely in response.

Thomas took a breath,
"The experiment children are not to be trusted," He started, "And I expect that you do not interact with them unless instructed by me or your mother."

Diesel nodded, "Of course dad, I wouldn't-"

"I'm not finished!" Thomas interrupted.

"Not only do I expect you to steer clear of them, I expect that you don't do anything aside from what is instructed of you in the lab."

Diesel nodded for the third time, as that seemed to be the only acceptable response in this conversation.

"We wouldn't want you snooping around in things that..Aren't your business." Thomas finished his voice taking on a dark tone.

Diesel was- to say the least - incredibly taken aback by his father's words. He'd never snoop around the lab, but the way his father spoke- it made him want to.

"Of course, dad, I understand."

Thomas nodded, staring down. "Right. Good talk, son."

With that, he stood, taking one more scornful look around the room, before leaving and closing the door behind him.

Diesel blinked, as the door shut with a soft "click".

"That was..weird." He mumbled.

Ultimately however, he decided not to dwell on it.
Instead, he grabbed the video game controller he'd set down when his father had abruptly walked in. Might as well finish his game.

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"Diesel!" Colleen cooed, shaking her son awake the next morning. He'd fallen asleep while playing videogames.

"Hm? Mom?" Diesel mumbled, barely waking up.

Colleen and Thomas stood at his bedside his mother looking extremely excited, while his father looked just as stone-cold as ever.

Diesel sat up straight, "What is it? Is something wrong?" He asked- confused as to why his parents would wake him up so early on a Saturday.

Colleen grinned, "Nothing's wrong, sweetheart! But today is the day you go to the lab! Get up and get dressed, we're heading there soon!"

Diesel visibly paled, "oh. Wait- Oh!" He said, rushing to get out of bed and get dressed.

Thomas shook his head.

.   .   .    .    .

Dressed now, and ready to go, Diesel stands by his parents.

"Ah, I can't believe you're already so grown up! And heading to the lab!" Colleen said, wiping a tear from her eye.

"It's not that big of a deal, dear." Thomas said, looking unimpressed.

"Of course, you're right," Colleen said dismissively,
"Now, let's get going."

Thomas and Colleen left Diesel's room and started on the way to the lab.

Diesel paused when they passed the front door, rather than walking out of it.

"Wh-"

"We're not going that way, darling." Colleen said simply.

Diesel didn't question further, but looked puzzled.

Their house was big, but not that big, so they didn't walk for long. Ultimately Thomas and Colleen led Diesel to the door to their basement.

"Wha-" Diesel started but was cut off again.

"Right down there!" Colleen beamed, "There's a reason we kept this door locked up tight!"

His parents seemed perfectly at ease.

Meanwhile Diesel was completely baffled. One of the most top secret labs- the most serious experiments was right under him for years and years.

Colleen pulled out a key, and pushed the door open, "Well, let's go! I can't wait to show you my research.." She mumbled as she started on her way down the stairs.

Diesel cast a glance at his father, who stood just a few feet behind him, and started on the way down the stairs.