Subject 48

Resilience

"Is it dead?" Mrs. Smith inquires.

I look into it's crazed eyes one last time. Yep. She's dead.

I stand straight and tighten my grip on the axe in my left hand. I turn and use my free hand to give my group a thumbs up.

"Good," Mrs. Smith says to me. "Let's just hope we don't run into another one any time soon."

Agreed. I walk up to Dr. Thompson and shove the axe over to him. "I don't want it," he says. We both watch as a drop of blood slides off the axe head and onto the floor. I shove it towards him again. I don't want it either. He takes it from me hesitantly.

I look over at Master and Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Smith is holding one of our walkie talkies.

She says into the walkie talkie, "This is Cassidy Smith from group 1. We have had an odd encounter. We are all okay. I'm just checking up on everybody. How are things over there group 2?" She took her finger off the button.

Almost immediately after, Dr. Todd's voice comes out. "Other than some unpleasant sights we don't have anything to report. Group 3?"

Silence.

We wait a few seconds. More silence.

"Group 3?" Mrs. Smith pleads into the walkie talkie. Still, nothing but silence.

Dr. Thompson swears. I want to swear, too. But I can't. Mrs. Smith is becoming antsy. But she isn't one to freak out much either. That happened one time and that was because she was caught off guard. But this is different.

"Something happened to them," she proclaims. "We made sure that everybody's walkie talkies were set to full volume and were on the same channel before we left. We even checked the battery and functionality of each one. Something happened for sure." Her expression changes from worry to determination. "I'm going to either help them or die trying!" She points to Dr. Thompson. "And you're coming with me!"

Dr. Thompson swears again.

---([])---

The two of them took our flashlight and one of our walkie talkies, but I'm not worried. We also brought a lantern and a second walkie talkie for the purpose of splitting up. Me and Master were told to wait in this very stop until they return.

So, here I am. Waiting in silence, for something, anything. Then, Master asks me, "Are excited to leave this place?" I smile and nod. He frowns and turns around so I don't see his face and he doesn't see mine. "Well, I'm sorry to say this, but you won't be leaving."

Wait, what? I'm confused.

"Feel free to help us find the exit, but you can't leave with us. We'd be putting too much at risk."

Am I hearing this right? This has to be a joke. I want to leave. I want to see the world. I want to learn about it. But I won't be doing any of that? Is this true?

"The world isn't what you think. It's not all sunshine and peace. It's nothing like you would expect, Subject 47. You dont want to see it. Trust me."

I dont trust you. Even if the world really is that bad I still want to see it. Right now the lab is much worse than it could possibly be out there. I'm leaving, and that's final. But how?

Something on the wall glints in the light from the lantern. A fire extinguisher. Luck is on my side.

I need to do this quickly, quietly, and successfully on the first try. He still has the pistol so if he turns and sees or if it dosen't work first time around, I'm a goner.

Master continues talking, which is perfect for me. "We all want to get out. Each and every one of us probably has family waiting at home for us to come back. Except you."

I carefully lift the fire extinguisher off the wall. I admit, it's heavier than I expected. I've never held one of these before and I'm now realizing how tricky this might be.

"This is your home. This lab is where you have all your memories."

He still has his back to me. Not even a glimpse. Master really is too trusting of me. But he is right. All of my memories are in this lab. I've never been outside it. And that is exactly why I must leave.

"As previous tests have shown, you don't remember anything before you came here. You dont remember the world, where you came from, who you used to know."

Quit your monologuing already. It's already over. I'm right behind you. I win.

With all of my strength, I raised the extinguisher to the height of my shoulders. I would prefer it to be higher, but I just can't bring it up any higher than this. At least it'll work.

I'm blocking out anything he is saying. My rage is built up inside me. My anger. My hatred. I use it to my advantage. It makes me stronger. I want to say something to him before I do it but I can't. He made me this way.

I swing the extinguisher at him, it hits him in the the head and BAM. Master is lying on the floor, out cold.

I stare for a bit at what I have done. But that doesn't matter. I can leave. I lean down over Master. Blood runs down the side of his head. He looks like he's breathing, meaning he's obviously alive. Before standing up, I take his pistol.

Now that nobody is here to watch me I take the lantern and make a run for it.

Freedom is within my grasp. All I need to do now is not run into the other groups and find the door before them. This'll be tough.