Project: EUPHORIA

Part 2 - Glass Box

As the metal compartment plunges deeper and deeper into the dark foundations of the skyscraper, Jane could not help but feel the immense pressure. The dead air right below their feet, the metal platform that separates them from death and the fact that their lives now rely on cables has suddenly introduced itself into Jane's mind.

Flashes of images that she's able to somehow taste.

Is that real pressure or is she just imagining things? How deep is this elevator going? Truly?

For her it seemed an eternity since they all stepped inside and seen the natural daylight, the eerie brilliance and familiarity of the building.

But moments after, just before her thoughts begin to drown her the elevator slows down. Stopping at a smooth halt that made her stomach somewhat queasy. A small chime echoes as the doors opens, revealing a similar yet a completely different interior design to what she was used to. A long hallway made out of glossy marble stretches at a straight line.

Roxanne steps outside, the click and clacking of her heeled office shoes echoing throughout what seemed like an entire stretch of hallway they are walking through.

Jane has never felt so lost, the feelings of doubts and betrayal begin to stew in her mind. Since when did this place exist? And why has she never been notified of its existence? She examines the thick polished walls, the metal tubings stretching along the corridors positioned in such specific angles to maximise space and the white circle of lights in the middle of the floor built right through it. It made the whole place feel extra terrestrial.

They pass through multiple doorways to different rooms, both to their left and to the right. Jane already felt like they have traveled to some place else, despite being her first time in this area she's already having difficulties trying to recall what the upper parts of the building was like.

At last they reach the very end of the hallway, into a room with a sliding metallic door. Roxanne reaches out with her right hand, placing her entire palm on the centre of the door, it seemed like it was fingerprint locked as the door begins to slide sideways into the walls after a few seconds.

They walk into a control room, a man sits wearing a lab coat just like Jane's. A control panel glows infront of him, emphasising his beard, the sharp angles of his face and the glint of light on his seeing glasses. Next to him is a screen with different camera angles of another room, Jane looks up and realises it's a live feed of the room right in front of them.

The room she finds herself in is much dimmer, right in the middle of it is a large glass box glowing brightly.

A containment box inside a containment cell within a containment sector. Are they THAT paranoid? Should she be paranoid?

Jane turns her head towards the left side of the room where a small hallway full of thick sliced plastic curtains laid out 2 metres apart leading to a thick glass doors connecting to the smaller containment box in the middle. A decontamination walkway?

Jane's heartbeat begins to pick up a pace. She suddenly felt cornered, felt trapped like a helpless animal.

"Where's Alexander?" Roxanne's voice cuts through the small control room they all gathered in. Jane catches her own breathing picking up a pace just as well with the mention of Alexander's name. She tries to hide it as soon as she could.

"He said he will join us as soon as possible Ma'am." The man operating the control panel answers turning his head back to the screens in front of him to avoid Roxanne's piercing gaze.

"For fuck's sake, let's start now. He'll have to join when he feels like it." Roxanne mocks and Jane presses her lips together slightly to hide a smile she felt was going to fall out of her mouth.