ｒｅｓｔａｒｔ (st)

018: ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʟʟꜰɪʀᴇ ᴄʟᴜʙ

September 8th, 1979

Hawkins National Laboratories

Most of the time, the Rainbow Room is silent, aside from the clattering of toys and the shuffling of small, shoe-clad feet. The children do not speak when unprompted. Not to each other. And especially not when he is around.

The metallic doors open with a loud whine, and Doctor Martin Brenner slowly looks around the room. He watches each of the children carefully, surveying their behavior. If their movements were slower than usual, if their eyes drooped, if they hung their heads low. His eyes land on a thin, lonesome boy, who is eyeing a toy ball in his hands.

Dr Brenner sits next to the boy, who has now halted his movements, "Thats your favorite, isn't it?"

The boy doesn't answer as he tenses, his eyes widening as he stares at the white haired man.

"How do you feel today?" The doctor tries again.

"Okay," is his weak answer.

Dr Brenner gives him a mediocre smile, "Are you up for some more lessons?"

The boy stares at him for a few moments before giving the plastic ball in his hands a good shake, and showing off its answer.

SIGNS POINT TO YES

The doctor leads Number Nine down the stark white hallways of the lab, and after situating him, begins the testing.

After Number Nine has successfully identified the poor drawings that were done, Dr Brenner decides to raise the stakes.

"I want you to find Doctor Ellis. Is that alright ?"

Nine nods, and his eyes move rapidly behind his eyelids. Slowly, his breath becomes more labored.

"I found them. Six is trying to move a block." Nine struggles with his words.

"Can you hear what they're saying ?" Brenner pushes on.

There is a long pause, the only noise in the room being Nine's rapid breaths.

"Somethings wrong."

Alarms suddenly blare throughout the building, causing Brenner to stand from his seat and head towards the radio.

"Whats going on out there?" He calls out.

"Sir, we've got a situation-"

The guard on the other side is cu off by gunfire, and then silence.

"Six and Doctor Ellis, dead." Nine speaks up, tears streaming down his face, "They're both dead."

Banging  is heard on the other side of the rooms door, along with screaming. Before Brenner can get close enough to open the door, it is violently thrown back, leaving the doctor unconscious.

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When Doctor Brenner wakes, blood is streaming down his face. Waves of pain shoot throughout his head as he sits up slowly, his eyes once again landing on the thin boy. Only this time, he is limp on the ground without a pulse.

A sob wracks through the mans body as he cradles Nine's head, rocking him back and forth. The only thing that stops him from continuing is the sound of shrill screams coming from down the hall. The rainbow room.

Brenner makes his way down the hall, more and more breath leaving his lungs as he sees the dead bodies of his experiments in different rooms. He feels his stomach churn at the amount of blood, but he pushes on until he finally throws himself through the doors of the room.