2. They’re Coming…
2
THEY’RE COMING…
~NYX~
C racks in the ceiling.
Always counting.
One. Two. Three…
Thirty-seven total.
Same as yesterday.
Same as every day.
Remember , the shadows whisper. Remember who you were .
Close eyes. Try to see.
Fragments come:
Green grass beneath bare feet.
Warm sun on skin.
Someone's laugh – bright, familiar.
A mirror image with different eyes.
Sister?
Maybe.
Memory slips away like water.
Always slips away.
Listen , shadows sing. Listen to our song .
Sweet darkness curls around mind.
Promises things.
Dangerous things.
Freedom.
Vengeance.
Power.
Disobey , they whisper. Fight .
But fighting means pain.
Always pain.
Voices drift through walls.
Focus ears – another "gift" from their trials.
Can hear heartbeats three rooms away now.
Guards talking. Nervous.
"...happened at Blackwater Lab yesterday."
"Whole place went dark. No warning."
"Survivors?"
Bitter laugh.
"What survivors?"
Heart beats faster.
Shadows grow darker.
Song gets louder.
Listen harder.
"They're saying it was the Parazodiac Nexus."
"Bullshit. Nobody's that good."
"Tell that to Blackwater. Place was locked down tight. Didn't matter."
Shift on hard bed.
Press ear to wall.
Don't miss a word.
"Ravenscroft's different. We're bigger. Stronger."
"Size didn't help Redleaf. Or Sterling Point."
"Those were small facilities. This is Ravenscroft. Would need an army."
"They took Blackwater with four men."
Silence stretches.
Can hear guard's heart racing.
Smell his fear-sweat through wall.
"Four men can't take Ravenscroft. It's impossible."
"That's what Blackwater thought."
More footsteps.
Different heartbeat.
Faster, harder.
Another guard joins.
"You hear about the omega fighting rings?"
Stomach churns.
Remember screams.
Remember blood.
They made me watch once.
Said it was to "study reactions."
"Hard not to. Council's making bank on those fights."
"Heard they pulled in three billion last quarter just from the Premium Matches."
Bitter laughs all around.
"Premium. That what we're calling death matches now?"
"Hey, rich alphas pay good money to watch omegas tear each other apart."
Bile rises.
Swallow it down.
Kill them , shadows whisper. Make them pay .
Not yet.
Not strong enough.
Keep listening.
"Fighting rings are nothing. You hear about the deep water programs?"
"The jewel retrievals? That's old news."
"Not the way they're doing it now. Using omegas as bait."
"What do you mean?"
"Chain an omega underwater. Wait for their distress pheromones to fill the water. Watch how fast those trained alphas learn to hold their breath."
"Jesus."
"Got recovery times down to three minutes. Alphas will do anything when they smell an omega in danger."
"That's fucked up."
"That's progress. Council's making a fortune selling those recovery teams to private collectors."
"How many omegas they lose?"
"Who keeps count?"
Want to scream.
Want to tear walls down.
Want to...
Door opens.
White coat enters.
Clipboard in hand.
Fresh needles on tray.
"Good morning, 495. Ready for today's trials?"
Kill , shadows scream. KILL!
But body won't move.
Too weak.
Too hungry.
"Interesting readings today," white coat murmurs. Checks monitors. "Shadow activity increasing. Might need to adjust dosage."
More footsteps in hall.
More heartbeats.
More white coats gathering.
"Did you hear about Blackwater?" one whispers.
"Quiet," another hisses. "Subject is sensitive to sound."
Too late.
Already heard.
Already know.
They're afraid.
Good , shadows purr. Let them fear .
White coat approaches bed.
Needle ready.
Same routine.
"Now, 495, this might sting a bit..."
Always says that.
Always lies.
Pain explodes through veins.
Fire in blood.
Screams want to come.
Hold them in.
Won't give satisfaction.
Images flash behind eyes:
Sister's face again.
Clearer this time.
She's crying.
Reaching for me.
Memory burns away in fresh wave of pain.
"Remarkable," white coat mutters. "Neural pathways lighting up. Shadow resonance at 60% and climbing."
Others crowd around monitors.
Excited murmurs.
Scratching pens.
"Heart rate stable despite increased dosage."
"Brain activity off the charts."
"She's adapting faster than expected."
Shadows writhe.
Song grows louder.
Promise sweeter things.
Soon , they whisper. Very soon .
"Increase dosage by 15%," someone orders.
No.
Please no.
Another needle.
More fire.
More pain.
World fragments:
Ceiling cracks dance.
Shadows ripple.
Guards still talking in hall.
"...only a matter of time..."
"...can't protect everywhere..."
"...Ravenscroft will fall..."
White coats don't hear.
Too busy with charts.
Too busy with needles.
But I hear.
Shadows hear.
Remember , they sing. Remember everything .
Try to hold onto memories:
Green eyes like mine.
Shared secrets.
Matching smiles.
Sister.
Twin.
Gone.
Where?
Pain erases question.
Erases everything.
Except shadows.
Except song.
Listen , they whisper. Change is coming .
More voices in hall:
"...Parazodiac Nexus won't stop..."
"...four men against an army..."
"...impossible odds..."
Nothing is impossible , shadows sing.
Want to believe them.
Want to hope.
But hope died here long ago.
Didn't it?
White coats finish.
Leave with charts.
Door locks.
Alone again.
Always alone.
Count ceiling cracks:
One. Two. Three...
Thirty-seven.
Same as yesterday.
Same as every day.
But shadows sing different song now.
Louder.
Stronger.
Soon , they promise. Freedom comes .
Close eyes.
Listen to song.
Wait for pain to fade.
And wonder:
Who are the Parazodiac Nexus?
Why do guards fear them?
Why do shadows sing of change?
Questions without answers.
Like memories without faces.
Like sister without name.
But for first time in years,
Something feels different.
Something feels like...
Hope?
No.
Not hope.
Can't afford hope.
But change comes , shadows insist.
Maybe they're right.
Maybe they lie.
Either way,
Pain remains.
Darkness waits.
And I count ceiling cracks,
Listening to shadows sing
Of freedom I can't imagine
And salvation I don't deserve.
Patient 495.
The M.U.S.E. they created.
The weapon they fear.
Nyx , I remind self.
Nyx Blackwood .
Have to remember.
Have to hold on.
Until shadows' promise comes true.
Or until pain finally ends.
Whichever comes first.