*???*

As I sprinted through the cold, desolate hallways, I suddenly realized that my wager with Jackson had been a foolish decision. Entering a remote building like this felt like flirting with danger, all for a measly ten bucks. It certainly wasn’t my brightest idea.

To make matters worse, this area of the city was strictly off-limits, so I had no clue what—or who—I might encounter. I probably shouldn’t have agreed to this bet, but of course, I couldn’t swallow my pride and admit I was too much of a coward to go through with it. I deeply regretted my choice.

Now, I was on a quest for something extraordinary to prove to my friend that I had indeed come here, which was part of the bet.

As I searched, I passed rooms that resembled glass cages. Most of them were shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the beam of my flashlight. Despite having heard stories about this place before, an unsettling feeling crept over me as I navigated the labyrinthine structure. With each turn, it felt increasingly unlikely that I would find my way out. After wandering for what felt like an eternity, I finally reached my so-called destination: a grand circular chamber adorned with various tables and scientific instruments. As I took in my surroundings, a faint yet ominous growling echoed from the depths of the room. My instincts screamed at me to flee, but instead of bolting, I pressed on, determined to find something astonishing before I escaped. Leaving empty-handed would render all my efforts futile.

Curiosity gnawed at me as I continued my search. At one point, I even approached the source of the growling, but the thought of what lurked in the shadows sent chills down my spine. Eventually, I stumbled upon the cages, and I regretted my decision almost immediately. When I got close enough to peer inside, horror washed over me. No words could adequately convey what I felt as I shone my flashlight through the bars. The cages were filled with grotesque creatures! They bore a chilling resemblance to humans—at least until you noticed the gaping holes punctuating their bodies, revealing a horrific display of internal chaos. Their organs pulsated in a disturbing rhythm, almost seeming alive despite their decay. Ribs jutted out at odd angles, and their skin, a sickly pale green, hung loosely from their skeletal frames as if it could slip away at any moment. I froze, my heart racing. All I wanted was to vanish, but my pride held me back from leaving empty-handed. Without a second thought, I dashed to one of the tables, snatched an object, and bolted away.

As I raced through the hallways, fear coursed through me, mingling with a gnawing guilt for abandoning those beings—if they could still be called human. One thought echoed relentlessly in my mind:

I have to save them.

Just before I reached the exit, a shrill alarm blared to life, cutting through the chaos. I had no idea what triggered it, but that was the least of my concerns. I took a few more hurried steps and burst through the door into the outside world.

As I sprinted through the neighbourhood, my legs felt like jelly, barely able to support me. Only the adrenaline coursing through my veins kept me moving, but soon, that strength began to wane, and darkness crept in around the edges of my vision.

Finally, everything went pitch black. Silence enveloped me.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard voices that sounded like my mother’s—filled with desperation. I struggled to open my eyes, but it was in vain. Fragments of their conversation reached me: “...we don’t... do...” and “...wake up...” were the only words I could grasp before I slipped back into unconsciousness.