Subject 7

    I never liked working at The Foundation. We never really improved the human race; we just took people from their loved ones, promising not to hurt them. We would take them in exchange for money. It was sad to see how desperate some were for a handful of cash. The Foundation promised to keep them healthy and safe. What a bunch of liars.

    I stood behind the one-way window that looked into a white padded room. The abode was mostly bare except for a thin mattress on the floor and some blankets for subject 06. He has been the only surviving experiment so far.

    He was taller than all the workers here by a landslide. His elbows looked too prominent and his limbs were unnaturally long. His face was thinner and he had more teeth than any one person should. His hair was long from the amount of time he has been in the facility, but he refuses to let anyone cut it. It was one of the only things that made him remotely human.

    From the notes on the table it stated he was born a boy, only around 8 years old. The other researchers and scientists try to keep him weak, just in case he tries to be irrational. Occasionally I slip a nutrient filled pill into his meal, just to make his appearance a little less gaunt, but small pills never made much of a difference.

    06 was sitting on his bed facing away from the window. A few of the scientists beside me were getting impatient with 06's refusal to show any interesting reactions to the newest serums. I sat quietly, watching 06's chest rise and fall from each breath.

    "Great, the one freak we didn't terminate is nothing but a waste of space," one of the researchers remarked, causing a chuckle out of a few of the other scientists.

    "Leave the kid alone," I snapped back, giving him a harsh glare.

    "I don't see why you care about this one so much. It's going to end up just like the others," a different scientist muttered, walking out of the room while scribbling down some notes on his clipboard. I looked back at 06, who had taken a blanket to cover himself.

    "You treat him like he's an animal," I replied, dimming the lights in 06's captivity, which seemed to make 06’s shoulders relax.

    "He's just a child..." I added.

    "That thing doesn't even remember its own name. At this point, 06 is more creature than human," another researcher said, walking out of the room.

    The rest of the group followed, leaving me alone with 06. I checked the time on my watch. 9:30. Which meant that everyone, except for the night guards, were leaving for the day.

    There was a quiet hum of machines and the shuffling of feet leaving this sector of the lab.

I opened my laptop to type some notes, but I just couldn't find the right words.

    I took off my lab coat and leaned back in my chair with a sigh. There was still little movement coming from 06, so I decided to try something a little different. I pressed the button to talk through the intercom.

    "How are you holding up there, bud?" I asked, trying to make my voice soft in order not to scare him. 06 didn't respond, he just sat on the edge of his bed.

    "Alrighty then..." I thought to myself, typing about his lack of response on my laptop. I pressed the intercom button again.

    "I could get you something to eat," I offered, looking up at 06 for a response.

    I watched his body twitch, as if he was going to say something, but hesitated. I leaned back in my chair once more and rubbed my temple, scanning his scrawny form.

    "A small snack wouldn't hurt," I thought, heading out of the observing room.

    I went to my dimly lit desk and pulled some leftovers out of my lunchbox. I just figured it would taste better than what the faculty are feeding him. I went over to the door and pulled out my key card, looking around to make sure security wouldn't witness anything.

    For some reason, I felt nervous as I swiped the card. The large steel door buzzed and I gently pulled it open. 06 moved so that he was facing away from me, but I didn't mind the fearful reaction. I set the container of food on the floor and backed out cautiously, shutting it closed. I exhaled a breath I didn't realize I was holding and eagerly went back to the observing room with a new sense of pride flowing in my veins.

    I sat down to watch for any new movement, but 06 did nothing. Through the glass, I noticed that the container of food was empty and nearly ripped in half. My eyes widened in

disbelief.

    "How could you have eaten that so fast?" I asked myself, quickly typing on my computer.

    "Was it any good?" I asked through the intercom.

06 didn’t respond. My pride faltered a bit and I slumped back in my seat. I rubbed my temple and my hands hovered over my keyboard, itching to type something more than unresponsive behaviour.

    "It's just me and you here buddy..." I muttered to myself. I got up from 

my seat and walked back to the steel door. My key card hovering over the card reader, I contemplated my

options.

    "It's just me and you..." I repeated, swiping the card.

The loud buzz went off and the door opened, just enough to squeeze through. 06 was sitting, swaddled in a blanket, but I didn't dare to approach yet.

    "Hey bud, you gotta do something, if you don't they're going to terminate you... I don't want that for you," I said quietly, keeping my eyes on 06.

    06 slowly turned his head to me. His gaze sent shivers down my spine as his black eyes met mine. My breath caught in my throat and my heart felt like it could jump out of my ribs at any moment.

    "I-I won't hurt you..." my voice wavered, "I just want to help" I pressed on, not deterring my gaze for even a moment.

    06 stood slowly, towering feet over me. I felt my knees about to buckle and I glanced back at the door. I paced back and quickly stumbled out the door, locking it with a firm push. I brushed a shaky hand through my hair and glanced around for any guards, but the halls were

quiet.

    Even if I did want to help 06, we have no idea what he's capable of.

    I gathered my thoughts and went back to the observing room. Looking back through the glass I noticed 06's room was empty, my heart dropped.

    "What the hell?" I gasped, nearly pressing myself against the glass to try and see where he went.

    A loud shattering noise emitted from the corridor. I hurried out to the testing area to see glass syringes shattered on the floor. A thin figure lurked down the hallway and around the corner, out of sight. I watched my career flash before my eyes.

    "06!" I called after him, running down the hallway.

    The panic set in as I rounded the corner. 06 wasn't there. I threw open the door to the empty security office, my eyes darting at all the monitors for any movement. After only moments of searching I spotted 06 crawling around the West wing of the laboratory. I dashed out of the room, towards where I had spotted 06, my lungs burning with each gasp of air.

    When I got there I rested my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. There was no sign of 06, only a few overturned filing cabinets and desks from where he had been. I covered my mouth, in order not to breathe too loud.

    "06? Where are you buddy?" I called out, looking around.

    There was a faint cry down a dark corridor, near one of the break rooms. It sounded like nothing more than when a child would scrape their knee after falling off a bike, but I knew that wouldn't be the case. I approached the room slowly, the soft cries getting louder with each step. The door was cracked ever so slightly, so I opened it wide.

    06 was curled up in the corner with a tear stained face and trembling body, but his hands were covered in crimson from a guard who was splayed dead on the ground. I wanted to dry heave at the sight of the guards' innards that spread across the floor, but I held it all in.

    "Are.. you.. mad.. at me...?" 06 said in a hoarse and strained voice. I shook my head quickly, not wanting to upset him further.

    "No, of course not," I said quietly, crouching down eye to eye, "I'm not mad, I promise," I assured.

    A quiet sob came from 06 as he crawled away from the pile of remains and towards me.

My breath hitched as 06 became close.

    "He.. tried... to... hurt me..." 06 said quietly, his matted hair covering part of his eyes.

    I instinctively pushed myself away from 06, putting a bit of distance between us.

    "Okay, okay, I believe you," I nodded, standing up shakily and glancing around.

    "We need to get you back to your room before someone notices," I said firmly, gesturing for him to follow.

    06 started to trail behind me, staying crouched because of the low ceilings. Eventually, we got back to the room and 06 went back inside without a complaint. I went back to the observing room to see 06 laying in his bed, relief flooded my mind knowing he was back where he should be. There was a large pit growing in my stomach as I started to type down what had happened.

    I was trying to brainstorm what I was going to say when someone discovered the dead guard. I can't get fired from this job. I need to be here to protect the abused subjects here, especially 06.

    I woke up the next morning, my eyes feeling heavy as I lifted my head off my laptop's keyboard. 06 was still safe and sound in his room, I was starting to believe half of it was a dream. That was until one of my coworkers came into the room.

    "The head scientist wants to see you," the man said in a cheerful voice.

    He was holding a clipboard at his side.

    "I can watch over 06 while you're gone," he added with a smile.

    I glanced over at 06 who was sleeping in his bed.

    "Alright..." I said, a bit confused by the scientist wanting to watch over him.

    I was glad 06 wouldn't be left to his own devices. I stood and made my way to the main office, rubbing my eyes to clear the haze in my mind. The head scientist was sitting in a chair, typing on his computer.

    "You wanted to see me?"

    He looked up from his screen.

    "Yes, I did. I wanted to talk to you about the research you sent in last night," he said calmly, relaxing into his chair.

    I felt my stomach flip and my head trying to bring up an excuse for what had happened. I didn't even remember ever submitting the notes.

    "Your mistake could bring light to what is happening here at the foundation," the head scientist said with a cold look in his eyes.

    He pointed the pen at me.

    "I can't have anyone involved or even knowing about what's happening here, and you know that."

    "My apologies sir, it won't happen again," I said quickly, swallowing the lump in my throat as I turned to leave.

    I was stopped by a pair of scientists, one of them holding a syringe full of murky liquid.

    "I know it won't happen again, I'll make sure of it," the head scientist said bitterly.

    Before I could utter a word, I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I fought for consciousness as my knees grew weaker and my vision blurred together to complete darkness.

    When I woke up the room was bright. My body felt achy and sore as I sat up off a thin mattress. My body was lanky and my joints felt loose in their sockets. I squinted in the light to look around but found myself surrounded by white padded walls. The room seemed almost too familiar. There was a loud beep from a speaker in the corner, and a voice spoke.

    "Welcome to your new home, subject 07..."