Experiment: Apocalypse (Reddit Crew AU)

chapter 4

Apnoea
Noun: Apnea
Temporary cessation of breathing.
From Apnous 'breathless'

The clothes provided are similar to wet suits, the thick material clinging to their skin. Diesel exits first, walking back from the bathroom to where the chambers are. While they've been gone, the machines next to the water chambers have been hooked up, and the metal tables have been pulled close again. Diesel stops near the doctor, unsure of where to go next seeing as only two nurses remain. The rest had filtered out of the door to attend to other business.

By now, the whole group had caught up.

"Change of plans..." The doctor mumbled. "Not that it concerns you, but our other nurses have more important business to attend to." He paused, glancing around at them. "Go stand by the chamber with your papers next to it."

Naturally, Diesel started at the first chamber, and then the second, looking at each paper forum. He finally got to the end, seeing his full name plastered on the front.

"Just my luck." He muttered, standing at the eighth chamber. He faced the chamber, the gentle hum sounded way louder now he was face to face with it. The artificial blue hue reflected on his face and his eyes followed the bubbles flowing from the bottom upwards.

"One of you has to go first. Any volunteers?" Silence followed the doctor's words. The hum of the machines became background noise.

"I will." His voice cut through the silence, shocking everyone. Heads turned to look at the 3rd chamber, and even the doctor had a bewildered look on his face for a split second, before wiping it with a smile.

Both nurses stepped towards him, and Henry gulped. He stepped closer to the machine, and then they were grabbing needles, pushing wires into the machine and he could feel a sharp prick in his arm. He sucked in a breath, going rigid as the needle slid into his forearm. He made the mistake of looking at the wire and watching fluid from the machine go into him.

One of the nurses grabbed his other arm, steering him behind the chamber to where there was a stepladder planted firmly on the ground. He looked at the doctor for confirmation and the doctor gave a nod towards Henry. He sucked in a breath, getting ready to climb in, when a strong hand grasped his neck. He gasped, having no time to protest when he felt a large needle drive into his neck. It stayed in for a second, and it was like Henry was frozen. He couldn't do anything; move, speak, think. And then he felt the needle slide out of his neck.

He cast a dirty look at the nurse who manhandled him, before sliding down into the water.

The water is ice cold, and Henry gasps as it covers him. His teeth chattered, hands immediately going to wrap around himself. The rest of the group watches in shock and some sort of horror as his whole body submerges. Bubbles float up from where he tries to hold his breath but fails.

And then he started screaming.

Ani, at the 4th chamber, flinched back when his mouth opened violently but only bubbles floated up. His hands gripped into his hair as he moved around screaming with his eyes closed. And then he went slack. His knees bent, feet just grazing the floor, and his hands slipped from his hair to float in the water. His eyes stayed fluttered closed, and no bubbles were coming up.

Henry's lungs were burning. The need to breathe was the only thing in his mind as he clamped his mouth shut, a muffled scream escaping. His head felt like it was on the verge of exploding. So he breathed in, while simultaneously screaming out in the pain submerging his head. His whole body was beginning to ache, starting at his neck where he had been injected. And in his head Henry had realized that 10, maybe 20 seconds in this water wasn't enough to drown him. Besides, why would they want to drown him? While he was screaming he had time to think, but not much time because by the time he figured out he wasn't 'drowning' his whole body had gone slack and his vision of the blue water went fuzzy before his eyes closed.

"He'll drown!" Brandon shouted out, looking panicked as he stood at the other side of Henry's chamber, watching the bubbles come up from his mouth- of rather, the lack of bubbles.

"We know what we're doing." The doctor snapped. Both nurses were approaching the ladder now, beginning to climb. The machine he was hooked up to beeped, and the other 7 watched as they fished Henry out of the chamber. None of them understood what in the hell was going on, only that it was about to happen to them too.

A mask was slipped over Henry's face, attached to the machine. They gave him no time to repair before sliding him down into the chamber and sliding the glass lid over the top. His seemingly unconscious body drifted around in there, swaying to the movements of the water and bubbles moving in a circular motion at the bottom.

Both nurses were around his machine now, and the whole group were waiting with baited breath. They had only known Henry for a day, but they were still incessantly worried. That, and this was about to happen to them too.

"Successful, sir." One of the nurses informed the doctor.

"As predicted," he nodded. "How long til he..." He gestured lazily with one hand.

"His body reacted to apnea perfectly fine despite having no training. He should wake up in the other world in less than five minutes. Of course, for him it will feel like seconds."

"Set the rest up. Record the results for each one. We have a long first day ahead." He told them, folding his hands behind his back. His narrow eyes scraped around the room, locking with each person. His eyes drifted to a stop when he saw Henry. Even though he was a doctor, he felt sick seeing someone like that. As long as it's not me, he reassured himself, tilting his chin up. Still, his gaze didn't leave the 3rd chamber.

In many ways, he looked dead in there. But in other ways, he had an ethereal gleam to him. His hair floating above him, pale skin contrasting the blue water and dark hair. His eyelashes seemed darker under the water, fluttering slightly. And anyone who came in would say that he maybe looked like a mermaid, a supernatural being, other-worldly. But to the people in that room, who had seen him scream in pain and heard the muffled noises of his underwater struggle, they would agree that he looked dead and not ethereal at all.