June 18, 2009 – Outskirts of EVA – Zone 47. Somewhere underground.
Furtive footsteps echo almost imperceptibly through the dark tunnels. The purple neon lights cast a futuristic glow over the old walls, supported by even older wooden beams. The heart beats in an anguishing rhythm, as if it wants to leap out of the throat and leave everything behind.
At the end, the tunnel through which the figure passed dissolves into darkness. Ahead, another tunnel—now four times larger—stretches across the view and disappears into the distance. Above, red lights give the entire environment a macabre atmosphere. Following this large tunnel to the right, smaller tunnels carved into the sides seem ready to regurgitate something at any moment. The sensation that the air grows thinner with every step is not yet real—but it feels like it soon will be.
Numbers are discreetly painted above each side tunnel. As the figure moves forward, a light that begins small in the distance grows larger and larger until it dominates the surroundings. At the end stands a portal so massive it seems unnecessary. Gazing beyond it, not even all the air in the room can fill the anxiety gripping the breath.
A large oval hall descends via staircases from other tunnels, converging at the center. There, a pillar rises uninterrupted until it reaches the rounded ceiling. What resembles a stadium takes shape, but instead of bleachers, there are rooms upon rooms. Instead of floodlights, white lights extend horizontally in tubes.
Descending quickly down the staircase ahead, an almost deafening silence hangs in the air. Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot echoes, cutting through everything in its path. But there's no time to stop; the descent continues, thoughts racing through the mind. Then, the sound of another shot rings out, louder and more imposing.
This time, stopping becomes unavoidable. The hooded figure who has traveled this far observes the glass door at the base of the pillar ahead. Frozen for a moment, their distant gaze nearly gets lost in thought. Regaining composure, they enter to the right, passing through a narrow corridor between rooms.
Arriving at a room marked with the letter D and the number thirty-five on the door, the figure inserts a strange key into the rounded lock. For a moment, a dark scene emerges, but it soon reveals itself under the light cascading from the ceiling inside.
The room presents itself: a table, a sink, a bed, and chains attached to the foot of the bed, anchored firmly to the floor. The chain piles up on the ground, then snakes its way up to the bed, disappearing beneath the blanket.
It doesn't take long for the blanket to stir, and the frail figure of a blonde girl sits up on the edge of the bed. Upon seeing the figure before her, the girl begins to wipe away the tears streaming down her face.
The figure approaches, crouches down, and uses the same key that opened the door to unlock the shackle binding the girl's ankle. In her first act of freedom, the girl embraces the figure with all her strength. The figure gently reciprocates, enveloping her with warmth, affection, and protection.
"Shall we go?" the figure asks while already heading toward the door.
The girl takes a deep breath and follows.
"Take this!" The figure kneels in front of the girl, offering her a small black fabric pouch. "I need your help. Okay?"
The girl takes the pouch and opens it, revealing more keys identical to the one the figure used to free her. With a wide smile, she inhales deeply, exhales, and dashes off to the nearest room.
Watching the scene unfold, the figure offers a faint closed-mouth smile, then sprints off in the opposite direction. It isn't long before more and more boys and girls emerge, slipping through the corridors and stairs of the place.
After a few minutes, explosions erupt from the rooms—one by one, each engulfed in flames. The concrete walls crumble, flying in every direction. The children scurry through the debris, searching for one another in hopes of escaping together.
From atop the pillar, the android—clad in a sleek, all-black suit with purple accents—watches the entire scene unfold. Its sinister smile foreshadows what is to come. The helmet on its head closes, concealing its face behind a visor with a curved purple V painted in the center.
Leaping into the air, it plummets from above, landing on one of the staircases. On impact, it bends its knees to absorb the fall, creating a small crater beneath its feet.
One by one, it reaches the children, extinguishing their lives. Desperate screams echo through the hall amidst fire and smoke. At an accelerated pace, it charges up the steps and leaps over rubble.
Then, a vibration overtakes the surrounding environment. Halting without daring to take another step, it turns around. The hooded figure now stands behind it, clenching their fists. Beneath the hood, golden strands timidly reveal themselves for a fleeting moment.
The android glances to the right and upward, toward the top of the staircase and the portal marked with the number 8. There, the blonde girl watches everything from above. When the figure looks in the same direction and notices her, they turn back to face the android—but he is no longer there.
Forcing themselves onto the staircase, the figure vanishes, leaving a small crater in their wake.
Upon reaching the top of the staircase, the android pauses in front of the girl as she takes a few steps back. It opens its visor once more, revealing that disturbing smile again. But it doesn't last long—the smile fades as it grits its teeth.
Taking a deep breath, it exhales sharply and closes the visor again, concealing its stern expression. One step, then another, and another—it advances steadily. In a sudden movement, the figure spins around, scoops up the girl, and begins running several meters, pursued relentlessly by the android.
They dart into one of the side tunnels, the one marked with the number 100 at its entrance. The purple lights quickly bathe the area in neon hues. The figure stops and sets the girl down.
"Go! I'll catch up with you," she whispers softly, meeting the girl's cerulean gaze.
The girl nods in agreement and runs down the tunnel, accompanied by flickering lights.
The android arrives where the figure stands and halts in front of her.
"Not yet!" the figure declares loudly, her voice feminine and slightly raspy.
The environment begins to tremble between them. The air vibrates with such intensity that it forces the android to take several steps back, retreating from the turbulence. Cracks form in the walls and ceiling. Soon, fragments begin to fall from above, followed by chunks of stone and dirt. The tunnel between them collapses entirely, leaving only silence as the final act.
"Damn it!" the android's muffled voice emanates from beneath the helmet.
With that, it turns and returns to the hall.
Several minutes later…
"Please wait here." The figure speaks to the girl. Both are seated inside a luxurious, sleek-looking car. Its pristine white color exudes elegance. The girl nods affirmatively once more.
Stepping out of the car, the figure carries a black shield adorned with golden details. It is elongated, with one point at the top and another at the bottom. The figure heads toward a building whose doors stand wide open, bloodstains marking the floor.