Tick. Tock.
Tick. Tock.
The sound of a small clock played slowly and elegantly in my mind. I turned slowly in my sleep, my bed moving to accommodate the change in my body's position. After a while, the continuous tick of the clock caused a strong annoyance inside as I slowly opened my eyes. My senses had not yet focused into reality as I could see nothing but the blurry outline of the room I had been living in.
Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes, my hands moving in a clockwise rotation as I let out a small groan. As my eyes finally focused, I looked around as I realised I was still in my prison. Standing up, I made my way to the mirror, taking in my appearance. My hair stuck out in peculiar positions as my eyebags looked horrible. My eyes were tinted with a slight red as my gown was crumpled around my waist.
Walking towards the bathroom, I washed my hair and face, the eyebags I had seen previously now have magically vanished away, and my hair straightened in an instant. Staring into the mirror, I peered into my shimmering blue eyes as they twinkled with such magic that I had not seen since my last encounter with Jolynn. Placing my hand on my lips, I moved slowly across my soft lips, taking in the sensation of my finger's touch. A small smile creeped across my face as I stared into the mirror at my reflection.
I felt this unusual sense of pride within myself whilst I stared at my own appearance. It was thrilling. The way my hair flowed down my body and the way my eyes shimmered with such glee to the way my lips and smile planted perfectly across my face. An unfiltered and pure perfection stood in that mirror staring back at me. Walking out of the bathroom, I slowly and smoothly placed on each pair of clothing as I hummed softly.
Fixing my appearance, I smoothed out my clothes as I sat down on my desk and began to write into my diary. Time passed as I continued to write down more and more, relaying more of my experiences, my thoughts, and my desires that were all boiling within me. My mind had blanked as the words came out fluently like the flow of a river. All the burning wishes that had been brimmed inside of me had perfectly been represented into the words I placed onto the paper.
A while later, I placed my pencil down and stretched my arms out, letting out an accomplished sigh from my mouth. Tilting my head, I stared up at the clock as I had realised how much time had passed away.
Looks like I lost track of time for a bit too long.
I thought to myself as I let out a small chuckle. Standing up, I made my way towards the clock as I stared at the metallic hands. The sharp edge glistened as the sound of ticking filled the silent room.
"Scientist, can you hear me?" I spoke softly, diverting my attention to the speaker.
I stood there; my arms fell to my sides as I bounced slightly on my feet, waiting for a response. Seconds passed, minutes passed, and nothing. No response from. Not even the static sound of the speaker came my way. I made my way closer to the speaker, eagerly waiting for a response that never came. Defeated, I turned around and sat at the corner of my bed, letting out a sigh.
"What's his problem." I mumbled.
"First, he never could get enough of me, always speaking when he the chance and now when I call for him, he's not there. Such an idiot, so dumb, idiot." I continued to mumble as I pouted.
Deep down, I had grown accustomed to him, to hearing his voice, to talking about the knowledge we both owned. And I knew I enjoyed it, and I couldn't get enough of it...of him. Laying back on the bed, I stared up at the ceiling. I turned and groaned as my body filled with boredom. Covering my face, I let out a muffled scream of annoyance as I wished that he would finally reply.
Suddenly, my ears slowly raised up as I heard the static sound quietly oozing out of the speaker. Getting up swiftly, I rushed towards it, eager to hear his voice again. I stood in front of the speaker, my arms clenched into the side of my gown as I bounced softly on my feet, waiting for him to start speaking. The slow, static sound that emerged from the speaker brought a chilly feeling into my body. It was unusual and ever so long.
Something is off. He doesn't take this long to speak.
I thought to myself. I slowly approached closer to the speaker as I looked straight at the middle.
"Who's there?" I asked my voice barely above a whisper. "Scientist, is that you? Are you okay?"
"I'm... surprised to say the least." A voice emerged from the speaker, one that was not the man I had eagerly been waiting for.
It was much harsher and more robotic. The words flowed like it was scripted, as if someone was following the lines of a play. And the tone was much blander and flatter.
"Who...who are you?" I asked cautiously.
"You know me very, very well, Annabeth. It hasn't even been long since I brought you to my realm." The voice replied.
My mind flashed back to that wretched maze. I fell to my knees, covering my mouth as if and myself to puke all over the floor. My pupils dilated as they bounced around my eyes madly. My breathing increased and decreased, the tempo changing every few seconds. And the memories of that hellish experience kept flooding back to me like I was watching a movie.
"What are you doing here?" I replied, still on my knees.
"To check up on you. You have been asleep for a long time. Is it not time that you wake up?" The voice said, leaving me confused.
"I am awake." I said, looking up. "How else can I be moving right now?"
"Oh, Annabeth. You really are so oblivious. Do you not remember what happened once you came back from my realm?" the voice asked.
"Yes, I do. I collapsed, and I blanked out. But I'm awake now. Am I not?" I replied.
"Look around. You will see for yourself." It replied.
My body froze as I realised the implications that the voice meant. I looked behind me, from the corner of my eyes towards my bed. My breathing started to rise, faster and more erratic as my eyes locked onto the bed. And my blood froze. My body froze. Time itself froze as I saw someone lying on the bed. I knew who it could be, but my mind didn't accept it.
Slowly, I staggered back to my feet as I braced myself to turn around. My eyes widened as I covered my mouth with shaky hands. A small gasp left my body as I began to shake. My legs felt like they were about to fall off as I stumbled towards the side of the bed. I stared in front of me, my eyes wide open, fear bubbling inside my body ready to erupt like a volcano. It was me.
Lying there, my body looked lifeless. My face was pale, and my body looked frail. It was like I was seeing my own corpse. Yet, I could feel the small rise and fall of my chest. It was tiny, barely indicating I was even alive, yet I was somehow hanging on.
"How? How did this happen? How long have I been like this for?"
"September the 1st. You have been in a coma for about a month." The voice replied.
My heart fell. My head hung down as I let out a whimper. At that moment, it felt like my whole world had collapsed. Everything, my whole life, destroyed in front of my very own eyes.
"You're lying. This can't be true. I don't believe it." I spoke hurriedly.
"The truth is harsh. That is why humans are more willing to live in their delusions. Because, in your delusions, life is what you wish it to be. Not what it truly is. I have no reason to lie to you. You have been in a coma for about a month. That is a fact." It replied blankly.
About a month.
That single phrase repeating in my head, nailing itself into my memory forcefully. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it. But I knew that it was right. I knew that I was trying to hide behind my own delusions. Standing up, I peered down at my almost lifeless body. Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes as I hugged myself. My breathing had slowed down, yet it was still not normal. I shuddered every time I stared at myself.
"Have I been alone? All this time, have I been lying here alone?" I asked quietly.
"No, that man has been taking care of you. I must say, he has grown quite fond of you. I haven't seen him this attached to someone since Abi." The voice replied.
I smiled before turning around at the mention of another woman's name. For some odd reason, I felt a weird sense of jealousy when the voice mentioned that name.
"Who's Abi?" I asked a hint of jealousy accompanying my words.
"A past friend. A past lover. Whatever you humans call it, I am not sure. But I can tell you about her. About his past. Would you wish to know? To know who the man that captured and tortured you truly is. The small, weak child behind the face of a psychopath."
I nodded as I brought the chair in front of the speaker and sat down, waiting to hear everything about him.
"Tell me."
"Oh...I see. I get it now." I whispered.
My body slumped as my head hung down. My brain couldn't wrap its head around what I had just heard. His whole story. The life with his mother, his father, how his mother died, his meeting with Abi, his father's death, Abi's death, his killing spree, everything. It all felt mythical. Like a made-up fantasy from a twisted mind of some individual.
Drip. Drip.
Drip. Drip.
Small droplets fell to the floor as I raised my hand up to my eyes.
"I'm crying?" I asked myself confused. "Oh right, of course I am."
Tears started to flow out like a river as I stood there unfazed. No sound of my sobs, no shaking of my body, just the tears that endlessly flowed out. I stared up at the speaker, my body unaware of how my heart was aching.
"Of course he is like that. Who wouldn't hate love after all that? It makes so much sense. Hey, it's terrible. Isn't it? Love. It is so terrible." I spoke to the voice, the tears continuing to flow more and more.
"I wouldn't know. Humans and their emotions have always been the one thing I never understood. But I can tell that the power love holds for your kind is much greater than any other power that you possess. You humans are so unusual. You chase after love, always wishing for it, yet never accepting it. And once it arrives, your whole life changed for the better. You all end up in this hysterical ecstasy. Your mind loses all sense of reason, and all you do is live for that love. And when that love leaves, you drown yourself in pain and suffering. After all you have accomplished, you revert to the beginning. At the bottom. All those dreams and aspirations come crumbling down once that love you held had died. And then, you repeat the cycle. Why do you humans allow such a thing?" The voice asked.
"I don't know. We are weird beings. We allow our emotions to take the best of us. Whether it be good or bad, we allow our hearts to show us the way. And love, love is beautifully destructive. It is such an emotion that once you have taken it, it holds onto you like a drug. It doesn't let go, and it fuels your whole existence. And once that drug dies out, you end up losing that love for living. You end up losing your meaning to survive. Love blinds us, but it also guides us." I started.
"And I can be sure, no matter how many times you lose that love, every single one of us, every human will always take the opportunity to fall back into it. Why? Because we are painfully weak. And our weakness is our beauty. And that beauty is pushed on with love. It sounds pathetic and an excuse to mask our imperfections, but I still believe in it. In this mysterious thing, we call love. Because... what is the purpose of our life if not to love?" I spoke, the tears continuing to fall down my face.
"How... amusing. I must say, of all the species I have met. Humans never cease to amaze me." The voice replied.
"A game. That's all it is to you, isn't it? You gave him the powers, didn't you. You gave him the key to the universe. And now he has surpassed your expectations. He fooled you, and you fear you can't control him anymore. That is why u brought me over to the maze. You were the ones who told him to choose us three, weren't you?" I spoke up realising it all.
"How smart. I was right to have chosen you, Annabeth. Yes, I chose you three. I told the scientist that you three were the best subjects for his experiments. And I was right. He has made breakthroughs and learnt more about the world and even the universe. But he is an anomaly of another kind. A much higher superiority than most humans. I failed to take that into account. His potential is limitless. One that rivals my very own knowledge." The voice explained.
"I'm not surprised. The first time we conversed, I knew he was different. And you blindly gave him more power. You only fuelled what he had gone through in his past to a higher level. It is a much more extreme level. And people are suffering from it. But that doesn't matter to you. People have been suffering for a while, but as long as you are having fun, you didn't bother to intervene. But the moment you realised that your very own existence could be at risk, you started your planning, and now we are here. For someone who finds humans amusing to play with, it's hilarious to see that you were the one being played this whole time." I laughed amused by the whole situation.
"You are just like him, you know. The same attitude and same tone. Even though the risk is high, I am excited to see how this game plays out." The voice replied, not bothered by my mockery of it.
"Well, we do have one big situation at hand. How do I wake up?" I asked, turning to my body.
"Well, a human taking such a toll was more than likely to have had this effect. Perhaps you must explore your own mind, Annabeth. Go through your own mind and find a way to wake yourself up. It may be the only way. And if that doesn't work, then I don't think you will ever awake again." The voice said.
"I see. But, before I begin, I want to know." I spoke.
"Know about what?" The voice asked.
"About you. Are you the only being of your kind? Are there more? What's your story?" I said, sitting down on the chair in front of the speaker.
"You wish to hear about me?" The voice asked, an unusual tone of confusion lingering in its voice."
"Yes, what is your name?" I asked eagerly.
"I do not have a name. But I have been implemented into your own mythologies. I existed before the universe. Not in the form you saw me in my realm, but of nothingness. I was nothing and everything. I flowed everywhere. In every inch and corner of the void. For the Greeks, I was called Chaos. For the Egyptians, I was called Nu, and for the Orphics, I was called Phanes. I do like the sound of Chaos, however." Chaos explained.
"I see, that is interesting. You were nothing, but everything. A nothingness in the void. And I know those names, those mythologies. I guess humans were right with their wild imaginations and fantasies. Are you then God?" I asked more eager than before.
"No, I am not God." Chaos replied.
"Is there...a God?" I asked, fearful of the answer.
"Yes." Chaos replied plainly.
A part of me sighed in relief. I felt relieved that beliefs were not meaningless. That what I strived for was right. It was comforting, and it made me smile. A smile that accompanied great happiness. A smile that I only showed to the Scientist before.
"Anyways, whilst in that state, I ended up regaining a form. I had a body. The one you saw at the realm before. I don't know how, but I would assume that it was God who had brought this change. And once I had a form, a mind, a conscious, I started to think, to invent, to gain knowledge. And I created more, just like me. Beings that had a mind, which could think and could move. I started to create more and more. And we lived in that void. In that desolate darkness for millions of years, floating around, forming our own civilization like you humans." It continued.
I could sense a strong amount of warmth and comfort emanating from its voice. It was a remarkably familiar feeling. A tone that one would use when talking about family, about their loved ones. I smiled, my body upright and forward as I listened eagerly about its past.
"Have you ever met God?" I asked.
"Nope." Chaos replied.
"Then, how can you be sure that God exists?" I asked again.
"Because I can feel Him. Right now, I can feel His presence. When God gave me form, He gave me power. And with that power, I can feel Him. I have never seen Him, but I can tell He is here right now." Chaos explained.
"What was the universe like... before it became the universe? Did you create things? Worlds like what we have now?" I asked on the edge of my chair, my body on the verge of jumping in eagerness.
"No. My mind was still very limited. I had no idea of creating such celestial objects. Not yet. So, whilst I lived ruling my people in the void, we saw something. Something unusual. Something new. A small light appeared. Out of nowhere. It popped up into this one place, and as we gathered, I could sense that it had a vast amount of energy within it. And we waited. We watched and waited. Observed it. We had no idea of what it was. And then it exploded. All that energy sprung out, hurtling across the void, reaching far and wide. And that was how the universe came to be." Chaos spoke.
"At the start, there was still only darkness. But we could feel the elements in the void. The way that particles flew about. It wasn't nothing anymore. It was something. Something marvellous. Over time, we witnessed the formation of stars. We saw how the universe expanded. We experimented with it. We learnt more about it. And as our knowledge grew, so did our imagination." Chaos elaborated.
"So, we started to create. Our very own worlds, our own civilizations. And I created my own realm. The one you saw before. But it wasn't how you saw it. It was full of life once. The buildings were magnificent. Mountains that touched the sky. Rivers and oceans that flowed in and out of the crust. The buildings glistened with the purest of materials. Three stars high above the land peering at it. It was ethereal." Chaos. continued.
I sat as I listened with joy and excitement like a little child hearing about the wonders of the past. My eyes glistened as I smiled profusely as Chaos spoke about its world. My mind returned back to the solemn and miserable world I had encountered a while ago.
"What happened to it?" I asked.
"All good things come to an end. The world decayed. I guess it was due to our lack of knowledge and competence. It was my first time building a world, and I guess I just didn't have the skills I had honed until now." Chaos replied.
"I see. I am sorry...about your world." I replied solemnly.
"No need. I am glad to have been able to live in it. It is the one place I will always call...home." Chaos replied.
"That is a lovely thought." I returned. "When did you meet us? I mean humans, when did you meet them?"
"We met them when they were first created. God had put great emphasis on your species. He called you His most marvellous of creations." Chaos spoke.
"He did. I'm glad." I spoke; my hands placed onto my chest as I felt an immense sense of pride filling me up.
"At first, we didn't understand why. Your species were very barbaric. There was no sign of intellect. But we observed. And we saw. And we understood. We watched you man create fire, built their own nations, created empires, shaped and formed weapons, gained knowledge, exploration, the industrial revolution, everything. We saw how you all rallied on, facing every obstacle at hand, and it was thrilling. We understood why He had such hope for you. Even though you had no powers, no special abilities, you had the greatest power ever bestowed upon any being." Chaos explained.
"Human nature. The nature that never gave up. The nature that always strived for the impossible. The nature that formed civilizations. And so, we intervened. We came down, and we gave powers; we gave your people abilities... because we were curious as to how mankind would reign with such skills. And it was remarkably amusing. Some of you used it to pave your way to greatness. Others used it for destruction. But what never changed was that stubborn human nature. It always remained, pushing you forward, guiding you and shaping your way. As you grew more intellectual, you grew more experienced, and you learnt how to use the powers we gave you. And it was a fun watch. You built technology so unbelievably fast. In the fleeting time you existed, you were able to bring about such a revolution unlike any species in the universe." Chaos elaborated.
"And then we met him. The Scientist. He was much more different. Much more unusual. He understood our powers, our abilities, everything without us even explaining it. He harnessed it and moulded his own. The dream state he created, it was through his own prowess. We had never created such a thing. We only gave him the foundations, and he built an empire on it. And we learnt from him. About humanity, about the world, about human nature. And we taught him, we taught him the universe, our existence what we had seen, what we heard. We conversed and learnt. And we grew a bond. A ground. There were no Chaos and Humans. There were only two species understanding more about each other. Those times were brilliant." Chaos spoke with a unique sense of joy that I had not dreamt of in a million years would ever come from it.
I sat back, my mind spinning and understanding it all. I chuckled softly, imagining the conversation between The Scientist and Chaos. The chaotic nature that would be brought about with them two, how they would be arguing and debating, the childish competitiveness that would be brought about, and the intellect and wisdom that would be learnt.
"So, what went wrong?" I asked, curious.
"The Scientist...he harnessed the power too easily, too quickly, and it was dangerous. What he did ended up infecting our world. The fabrics of reality itself ended up slowly starting to crack. Have you felt it? When in the dream world, certain parts begin to fade in and out? Reality itself feels fake. When you wake up and you have no clue whether you are still dreaming or not. That is due to his interference. Reality itself is merging with the dream world. And at an alarming rate." Chaos explained.
My mind darted back to the time when I had awoken from an odd dream. The time when I blinked in and out of reality and I realised what Chaos was saying. I understood what was happening, and I knew it was grave.
"Then, why don't you take it back? Why don't you steal it from him?" I asked.
"Normally, we could strip the power away from the individual we grant it to, but..." Chaos started.
"But what?" I asked apprehensive.
"The power merged with him. I don't know how or why, but the power became one with him. It flows inside his very own blood. Thankfully, he has no clue about it. He still thinks that I can take away his power and that he is cautious. If he knew I had no more control over him, I fear that the universe itself would be at risk of his destruction." Chaos explained.
My body froze as I felt immense chills across my body.
The universe could be destroyed because of him. I knew he was amazing, but his potential is that high is just absurd.
"We have to stop him. How do we stop him? How do we save the universe?" I asked quickly.
"There are two options. We either kill him, or we bring him into my realm." Chaos spoke.
"We can't kill him." I muttered, feeling disgust at the mere thought of it.
I knew that I had much affection towards him, and my heart could not bring itself to harm him in any way, even if it was to save the universe.
"Why not just take him into your realm right now?" I asked.
"A person with our powers can only come into my realm if they wish to. I can not force them. And he has rejected the notion many times already when I have offered." Chaos replied.
"Then how can we?" I asked.
"Your friend, Jolynn. She has this unique aura around her. Something I have only ever seen by my species. She has this unusual ability to be able to hop between dreams of others. And she does it subconsciously. You have seen here, haven't you? In your own dream. Jolynn will be somewhere in your mind. I can't locate her as she never stays still, but you must travel across your mind and find her. Once you find her, signal for me. Take this. And call out for me and I shall arrive to discuss what is next." Chaos spoke.
Suddenly, a necklace with a large, circular, and gold pendent appeared into the air. I grabbed it as I wore it around my neck.
"Once you arrive, break the pendent, and I shall appear. I trust you, Annabeth. For the sake of this universe, find Jolynn." Chaos spoke.
I nodded a new sense of determination, filling my body. I stood up as I made my way to my notebook, picking it up and finding a small bag to place it into. I wrapped it around my waist as I made my way towards the door. Flinging it open, a white beam darted into the room as I covered my face to avoid being blinded by it. Peaking out of my fingers, I looked to see a vast, white emptiness that filled beyond the door. I slowly made my way in it, stopping at the exit of the door.
"Annabeth." Chaos said, making me turn back to the speaker." Good luck."
"Thanks. See you soon, Chaos." I said, smiling before turning back to face the white void.
Without hesitation, I jumped into the void, my entire body being engulfed into the white emptiness as my conscience flickered out of reality. And then everything went blank.
"It's been a few weeks, hasn't it Michael? How are you holding up in your new home?" I spoke into his mind.
"I've started to grow accustomed to it. It is new, but it might as well be better than living out in the world. Yet, my body aches for freedom. Being trapped in this... this confinement grows onto me and not in the right way. I wish to be free... but at the same time, I don't wish to leave. I enjoy it here, with you. It's comfy, and I'm fed, and I am able to learn more about the world. Is that unusual to say?" Michael asked, feeling weird.
"Not at all. Human nature is very unusual. We have these desires and want for freedom, always moving forward and wishing that we could break free from everything. But when granted luxury in the response that your very own freedom diminishes, humas will always jump at the offer. Because what truly matters for someone isn't freedom but comfort. And joy and happiness." I started.
"If our freedom is taken and we still remain happy, that shows that we just do not value freedom as highly as we think of it. Our actions and our thoughts are two separate entities. What we think isn't how we act. And how we act isn't what we think. So, don't be surprised about such a feeling. It's what being human means." I explained.
"I see. Thank you. You truly have a way with your words. You remind me...of him." Michael spoke, looking at the man.
"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. But thank you. Thank you for being here. I may not show it, but thank you for keeping me company. It has been so lonely. And you are the first ever person I can call a...friend." I spoke with renewed hope.
"Me too. I am glad to have met you. And I am glad to have you as my first ever friend." Michael replied, returning the gesture.
"You two seem to have gotten close very quickly. Well, it has been proven that when a species is in a dire situation or confinement, they tend to unite forces...or the opposite."
We turned our heads as we faced the man walking towards us, his arms behind his back. He walked with such pride and power that at first glance, any person who would have ever crossed paths with his would know to steer far away from any interaction. His white hair fell in front of his face, covering parts of his glasses, whilst his red eyes peeked out, staring directly at us. He looked ethereal. Me and Michael could not take our eyes off him even if we tried our hardest. It was as if our bodies had frozen, and we were glued to witness this majestic creature make its way towards us.
He stood in between the two glass cages as he tilted his head towards each of us one at a time. The movement was slow and unnerving. The way his head tilted ever so slowly, almost like his time moved differently for him. As he tilted his head towards me, his hair fell to the side as his eyes were in their full glory, beaming straight at me. My heart beat increased as I felt immense fear looking at him, but my eyes dared not to move. He then shifted his attention towards Michael performing the same actions.
Michael, however, did not react in such fear like me. His button-like eyes squinted slightly, indicating the small amount of dread that coursed through his veins, but his body stayed normal, his breathing never rising or falling drastically as he maintained his composure. The man let out a smile in return, pleased by the response he had given. More so from Michael than me.
"Well, Michael, I have something for you. You shall be released from your cage for a while, and the guards here will escort you to a certain location. You will stay there until further instructions. Do you understand?" He spoke.
As I relayed the information, I felt shocked at what was happening.
I had never been able to step foot outside my cage from the moment I arrived.
I had an unusual sense of dread within my body as I feared what could happen to Michael. Michael nodded hesitantly as the guards entered the room.
"Michael wanted to ask something before he went." I spoke softly.
"And what would that be?" The man replied
"He asked for your name." I answered.
The man smiled as he thought for a while. It felt like he would never answer before he finally opened his mouth.
"The Psychologist."
Michael nodded as he was escorted away. As the door slid open, he walked out, looking at me one last time before the doors closed behind him. The friend that I had grown fond of had no gone. And I knew not for how long he would be gone for. I muttered a small prayer under my breath for him as the psychologist turned around and went back to his usual business. I watched for a while before he too left the room, leaving me alone to my isolation. I sat in the middle of my glass cage, my legs tucked in as I cuddled myself.
I hated the isolation that I felt in here. It reminded me of the time in the orphanage, and it reminded me of the time before Michael. I hate it so much. Someone, please help me. Come to me, I don't want to be alone. Please, don't leave me. I'm sorry, I'll be good, just don't abandon me. Not again.
As I walked with the guards on my sides, I felt a nervous feeling brimming inside of me. I had no clue what was awaiting me on the other side, but I had a horrible feeling about it. I walked for what felt like ages before we entered a large vacant room. It was pitch black, but thanks to the way I had lived in my time at the forest, I was accustomed to the dark. It was simple and easy as I saw a jungle like ecosystem in front of my very own eyes. It was thrilling to see.
I saw the large trees that reached the ceiling and towered over everything else. They looked like giants as I stared up, my neck aching from how high I had to look. I saw insects and animals wandering the floor and trees, living harmoniously and abiding by the jungle law. The floor was made of soil as patches of grass were planted in random spots. The guards turned around, closing the door as they left, leaving me alone.
"Hello, Michael." A voice spoke from the speaker overhead.
My body froze as I instantly knew who it was. My mind reverted back to the moment in the city. When I felt dread, unlike any other. It was dread more potent than from any animal I had encountered in my life. The dread of a monster.
"The Scientist. We finally meet again." I spoke.
Wait, I spoke? How can I speak? This should be impossible.
"Surprised? Don't worry, I just used my ability to allow you to translate your thoughts into words. Now, whenever you enter this room, you will be able to utter and pronounce every word to the utmost perfection." He explained.
"Why am I here?" I asked, my voice low and cold.
"I want to witness your animalism. I want to see how you were able to fend off all those years in the wilderness. Every day, you will be brought here, and I will have the animals attack you. Your main objective is to survive." He elaborated.
"And what if I refuse." I replied, challenging him.
"Then I will kill 001." He replied flatly.
"You... You wouldn't dare." I spoke fearfully.
"You know what kind of man I am. I do not give empty threats. If you reject, he dies. If you die here, he dies. From this moment on, his life is in your hands. Goodluck." He spoke harshly and cruelly before leaving me alone.
I can't let him die. No, I won't allow it. My only friend! I won't let him die! I'll do whatever he asks, I'll go through hell if I have to, but I can't let him take away the only thing I have ever called...called family.
I thought to myself, feeling a deep sense of hatred towards that man and a renewed sense of courage.
"Bring it on! Bring on your animals! I'll play to your tunes!" I shouted.
Then, I heard the collective number of growls emerging from the forest. It was horrifying, but I felt a weird sense of thrill about it all. It felt like back in my forest when I would hunt alone. I stepped forward, my hair dragging behind me as I walked through the vines and branches. My dark eyes showed no sign of mercy. All that remained was a killer intent that I had not felt for a long time.
I closed my eyes, taking in the surroundings, feeling the ground beneath me, the rustle of the leaves, and the light treading of all that was charging right at me. Suddenly, I opened my eyes as I sprinted into the vast jungle, ready to claim my prize.
Kill or be killed. That is nature's law.