Triple Point

Chapter 81: Bravo

Camilla

"This concludes phase alpha, on day twenty-six. We will now be shifting to phase bravo."

The announcement echoed in Camilla's ears, but she didn't bother trying to understand what it meant. Counting the days only made time pass slower, and she was struggling to keep her sanity as it was. Because even though she couldn't see the other subjects in these sadistic experiments, not since the first one, she could still feel them. It was as if she was back on the battlefield, surrounded by the ones that didn't make it through the day, and unable to escape the feeling of their cold, lifeless bodies. The only difference was that the war hadn't killed these people; Camilla had.

She couldn't take her eyes off the pristine white ceiling above her, even as she heard multiple sets of footsteps enter and begin to bustle around the room. She didn't know what they had in store for her next, but it didn't matter. All Camilla wanted was for this to be over. All she wanted was for all of this to end.

The sound of clicking heels made Camilla freeze and go rigid, and her body shivered against her will as soon as a wave of icy air brushed her skin.

"Very good, Doctor Stein," Hester's voice sounded appreciative. "It's taken you a few years, but you've gotten much better at this."

Camilla had to resist her instinctual reaction to seek the woman out with her eyes. It didn't matter where Hester was located when Camilla couldn't escape, and making eye contact with her would only make things worse.

"With all due respect, Doctor Hester," Stein said, sounding slightly perturbed. "My experiments have actual scientific purpose. Fulfilling your... personal fantasies is an unintentional reaction that has no effect on my methods."

Hester scoffed. "Please. We're both professionals; we're both invested in our research. If you disagree with my opinions, then don't expect to reap the benefits of them. Who do you think gets you your subjects in the first place?"

"I never meant—" Stein began.

"I know exactly what you meant," Hester immediately cut him off. "Don't try to take back your words just because you're no longer able to suffer the consequences of them. It's pathetic."

"Doctors," a third voice timidly spoke up. "We're ready to commence phase bravo."

"Good," Hester said tersely. "Then let's get started." She made a sniffing sound, then gagged in disgust. "What is that smell?"

"Science," Stein replied with a hint of bitterness. "I'm surprised you're not well-acquainted with this particular odor."

"Well, it smells more like death. And not in a good way." Hester sighed. "Whatever. Just clean this up so I can start already."

As Hester and her clicking shoes left the room, Camilla felt her body automatically go limp as the tension evaporated from her limbs. Immediately after, the scientists began lifting her up and moving her around like a ragdoll, and Camilla let them. She didn't have the energy to resist, nor the willpower. All she could do was stare at the blank white ceiling, and let her mind be engulfed in its nothingness.

When the next phase started, it was obvious that Hester was the one in charge, and unlike Stein, she didn't share what her intentions were. In fact, Camilla wasn't sure if Hester had a goal at all, aside from fulfilling her desires to see Camilla suffer.

It took all of Camilla's willpower to keep her sanity while Hester put her through a series of tortuous scenarios, one right after the other. In no time at all, her mind became lost in a relentless storm of pain. She couldn't even hear anything past her own screams of agony, nor could she see anything through the tears that constantly muddled her vision. She could only feel.