Subject 48

Freedom

I'm running as fast as I can. I have no clue where I'm going. All I know is I need to run. I need to leave. I need to see what it's like outside the lab.

It's hard to run fast when you're carrying your only light source in one hand and a gun in the other. Also, I don't think I've mentioned this but the other reason why I volunteered to go unarmed was because I have no idea how to use a gun. If I get into a situation where I actually have to use one, well, I'm screwed.

Something cuts through the air. A loud trill. It's somewhat high pitched. After a second of wondering what that was, it hits me. It stop cold in my tracks. I'm an idiot! I couldn't realize it was a woman screaming!

It was too high to be Mrs. Smith but too low to be Doctor Hamilton, the one in charge of group 3. That sounded more like . . . Dr. Bravura from group 2.

Darn it. Group 2 was the only group who hadn't had anything bad happen to them. Now I wish I had stolen the walkie talkie, too.

I quickly look around. I quickly realize where I am. I'm right outside the infirmary. There should be some useful stuff in here. I stop right before opening the door because I remind myself what else will be in there. Blood, corpses, more of those half dead creatures. If I can make it through that I should be good to go.

Here goes nothing. I open the door and wince. But nothing comes out at me. Nothing moves. Everything is quiet. Odd.

I shrug it off and start gathering things that might make me seem more like a normal human to the outside world.

I grab a lab coat off the back of a chair that looks seemingly unharmed. I get a face mask to cover my mouth. Very convenient for me. I snatch a blanket off a cot. Remember, heat is extra important for me. I grab a bunch of bandages, just in case the outside world really is as bad as Master said. I gather some water bottles because it's always nice to have them on me just in case. And finally, I take and empty a backpack to store all this stuff in.

Long story short, I now have a lantern, a pistol, a lab coat, a face mask, a blanket, a lot of bandages, some water, and a backpack. I'm good to go.

I load everything except the lantern into the backpack and zip it up. I have to admit, the blanket was tricky but after a minute of teaching myself how to fold I figured it out and it fit. I put the gun within its folds just to be on the safer side.

I sling the bag onto my back, putting my arms in through the straps. Before I leave, something on the desk catches my eyes. A small notepad and a pen. I snatch them up in my hands. I take the lid off the pen and scribble onto my hand. It writes perfectly fine. I slip them into a smaller pocket of the backpack.

Now that I have the backpack, everything is so much easier to carry, in turn making it easier to run. I spent more time than I liked in there. Now, I'm back to running into complete darkness, oblivious to what was happening with the other groups. I notice now that I have been ignoring the blood on the floor. Earlier, I had to tell myself to do that, but now I'm used to it. The idea of me thinking this much blood is "normal" is kind of freaking me out.

But it's okay. I just need to keep running. I'll run into the door eventually. I've never seen the front door because I've never had to go to it. And by that I mean Master never let me go near it.

I stop. Why did I stop? Maybe it's the corpse in front of me that made me stop. It's Doctor Hamilton. It seems like I've found group 3, but that's nothing to be happy about. Mrs. Smith was right. Something did happen to them.

Then I hear a sound to my left. It sounds kind of like gargling. I turn to my left and see him. No, it's not Subject 48. Instead, it's someone worse. I wish it weren't true but the resemblance is undeniable. This is Doctor Edwards, the first person attacked by 48.

He's staring at me, not doing anything. I think his neck is broken. What gives me that idea? His head is basically on his shoulder. Poor guy.

Snap out of it! This isn't a man anymore. This is a monster. I step backwards slowly. As soon I no longer see him I start sprinting in the other direction.

I happened again! He didn't attack me! This is insane. Is there someth in ng wrong with me? Or is there something right with me? I don't know.

Okay I'm getting tired of running.

I stop again for a break.

Really, I'm getting tired in general, but I can't sleep here. No way.

Once again, something seems off. I see it now! I dim my lantern. A light that's not from my lantern. I start running again.

Please dont kill me! Please dont kill me! Please dont kill me!

I turn the corner and there it is. More light than I could ever expect. I turn my lantern off and walk towards the doors. I'm like a fly to honey. I can't resist it. I must enter it. I enter the light.

I walk through and find that I'm squinting. Too much light. I look behind me and realize I didn't enter anything. I exited something.

I exited the lab.

---([])---

I'm standing on some sort of scratchy green stuff. Even more than that, the green stuff was everywhere. It seems to stretch out for a while. Better start walking.

It's so hot out here. That's good. I'll be feeling more energized in a while. Hopefully. I'll need to drink more water because this is hotter than I'm used to.

As I begin my journey to find other people I question all the things that had happened in the lab. People looked and acted like Subject 48, but they weren't him. Did he make them that way? Did he turn them into corpse-like creatures? What is Subject 48 and what are these other creatures anyway?

They're dangerous, that's what they are.

I'm really lost in my own thoughts. But enough about those creatures. There are other things to think about right now.

Like the door exiting the lab. I thought it would've been locked, but it wasn't. Actually, it wasn't even closed. Thinking about it now, it would have been best if the door was locked. Then I wouldn't be assuming the worst. What do I mean the worst? I mean that one of those creatures got out and found it's way to the rest of the world.

I've walked for a while. I'll stop for just a bit.

I place my bag onto the soft ground and open it up. I take out the lab coat and face mask and put in my lantern.

I put on the lab coat, the long sleeves providing me with even more heat. I put on the face mask. In case you haven't figured it out yet it's one of those masks you are told to wear when you are sick.

Now I probably look like a mad scientist, but at least I look human.

I pick up the backpack and put it back on. It's a bit heavier and bulkier compared to before, but it works.

I continue my trek. Just like in the lab I have no idea where I am or where I am going. All I know is that I am determined and I am going to find people.