I had no idea where they were taking me, but I knew it was not good. I was being dragged down a long concrete hallway. Every so often, there’d be a giant metal door. They’d be hydraulically locked from the outside. I could only imagine what was behind it. The only sounds I could hear were the sounds of the guard’s footsteps. The long hallway was dimly lit, with an occasional light flicker and quite Zip of the electricity.
I felt the heavy feeling of dread in my chest. They had dressed me in a bright orange jumpsuit. I was unsure of when this happened. I had no memory of up until a few hours ago. I remember getting a letter from company. They were looking for test subjects for a new form of cell testing on helping tissue eating organisms, such as cancer and tumors. Me, being the selfless person I am, decided to go in for the testing. On the drive to the facility, I had a strange, unsure feeling. I just figured it was just my paranoia getting to me. Reaching the facility, I was amazed on how enormous it was. White paint, clear windows, revolving door. It seemed legit. I walked into the front door, and sat in the waiting room. It smelled clean, and pure, just like a dentist's office. The room was also white. I distinctly remember the chairs. They were a dark blue felt. I had never been to a hospital with felt chairs. Just as I was pondering this, a woman with blonde hair walked over to me. She was slim and fit.
“Howard Wiley?” She asked.
“That’s me,” I responded.
“Follow me,” She motioned with her hand, “the doctors are waiting.”
I got up from my seat, and followed the woman. She walked me down a narrow hallway, the odor became stronger. It burned my nostrils and throat. We then finally reached the end of the hallway. There was a door. The door had numbers on it: 682
“Go on in,” She whispered.
I gave her a small nod, and she left me. I grasped the door hand and pushed in. Before I had time to react, I was grabbed by the neck, and pinned to the wall. Two men in face masks held me down, and strapped an oxygen mask to me. I tried to fight, my arms flailing wildly. Try as I might, my arms began to go limp, and my breathing slowed. Then everything went black.
I woke up in a small room, with a orange jumpsuit on, and that’s all I remember.
As I drifted back to reality, I found myself closing the end of the concrete hallway. There stood a giant mechanical door. Bigger than any of the others I had passed. I grinded my shoes into the concrete, trying to get away. One of the guards yanked me forward and hit me in the gut with his elbow. I instantly dropped to my knees, heaving for air as they continued to dragged me.
“Where are you taking me…?” I asked, still out of breath.
They didn’t respond.
We approached the door. It was intimidating, to say the least. One of the guards released me, and walked over to the door. He punched some sort of code into a small panel. I was scared. No. I was terrified. I had to act fast. I quickly yanked myself from the guard's grip, and started running. But before I could get a very far, I felt a sharp pain shoot up my spine. I lost control of my legs, and collapse to the floor. My body shook as the both guards grabbed one of my legs, dragging me towards the now open doorway.
“Why…?” I weaved out.
Once again, nothing.
One of the guards picked up my limp body and threw me in the darkness of the cold cell. I landed facing the door. Tears welled in my eyes. The same guard punched in the code again, this time, the door started closing. I tried desperately to move, but my body was still sensitive to movement. My legs and arms flailed around, like an infant trying to crawl. I tried to scream, but all that came out was a high pitched whimper. The darkness soon enveloped me as the door shut, and locked.
Darkness. I might as well have been blind. My body whipped around trying to move. I managed to get to my knees and crawl. Suddenly, a red low light bulb came on. It hardly lit up the room, but enough to where I could make out that room was large. But when my eyes adjusted, what I saw made my heart sink. Another large metal door. A loud Clang sounded, and the door began to open. The metal on metal screeching pierced my ears. The door opened wider and wider. Then, it finally stopped. Silence. Absolute Silence.
I was finally able to get to my feet, leaning up against a wall. My heart raced. My mind wandered for what was behind that door. That’s when I felt it. That same unease that I felt in the car ride.
I lean heard a loud shuffling, from the other side of the opened door. Then, a loud wet Slap on the concrete. And another, and another. My heart was in my throat. Something was coming. Something big.
Out of the darkness, I could see the silhouette of a large four legged creature. It was on all fours, and hunched over. It look bigger than a bus, and just as long, if not longer. I could make out it’s head. Elongated, mangled, and white. White as bone. I could see the fur sticking off. Then came the smell. It was rancid. Like rotting flesh sitting in the sun. It was so bad, I gagged and coughed. The beast turned its head at the moment I made noise. Right at me. My heart stopped. The world stopped. But for only a moment.
The beast started walking towards me. Each step, the floor shook. I backed myself to the wall as hard as I could. Tears ran down my face and sweat dripped from my forehead. It was upon me. I could fully see it’s face now. It wasn’t even a face. It didn’t even have eyes. It’s head was composed of a large skull and clumps of fur. It’s feet were amphibious, and it’s neck was long. A tail, that was nearly bone and fur, swung behind it.
It leaned it’s face down towards towards mine. I was too scared to move. My heart was pounding and it’s beak poked my chest. It breathed through it’s nose, smelling me. the smell alone almost made me throw up. It then opened it’s mouth, making a guttural hum. I whimpered loudly, as I fear this would be the end.
“You fear me,” a low voice rang throughout the room.
My heart stopped, my eyes dashing around the room.
The creature stepped back, giving me room. I looked up at the creature, it looked back at me.
“Why do you Fear?” it rang out again.
I stepped forward, unsure of what to do.
“You...Speak?” I seemingly asked the beast.
The beast nodded.
“I am Intelligent.”
I scratched my head in confusion, “What I am doing here…?”
“Sustenance needed,” the beast said gutturally, “Others were Disgusting.”
My breathing sputtered as the beast said the words.
It hunched over, peering at me.
I fell to knees looking at the beast.
This was it for me
“Worry not,” It motioned forward with it’s mouth opened, “You will become one with my Intelligence.”
