The City

Strangers

I scanned the room to see if there were any threats. I knew that even if it were empty I was in an unfamiliar place I had to stay on guard. This room wasn't like the lab I had entered from. Yes, just like the lab there were capsules some with people in them but most were empty or had bodies hanging out of them. None of the corpse on the floor looked diseased they didn't seem to have a smell either. It seemed that they died from experiments. There were sticky notes placed on the side of the tubes. They each were labeled with a temperature of how much heat the capsule was given. The farther back in the room I got the lower the numbers got. Soon I came to an empty capsule that had a note that said 'Let defrost at its own rate', I guess I was right; they were letting the ice melt.

How long would that take, I wondered. I figure it depended, right. There had to be a lot of science behind it, like different factors varied different results. That would explain the 'Test Subjects' room. Maybe that froze people at various temperatures and tried to see if they could slowly defrost them, or how long it would take without shutting their brain down. Yeah, I think that's how it worked, cryogenics. I remember before everything fell into anarchy they were always trying to find a way to freeze people and preserve them for the future, I guess they found out how.

I heard the door open and instinctively reached to my back for a weapon. My rifle was gone, they had taken it. They took everything away from me my gun, my life, my sister.

They were going to pay. I'd make sure they pay.

Whoever was here was definitely not diseased. They walked with full strides, each step getting closer. I checked the end of the room looking for anything I could use to defend myself. Even if I didn't have to defend myself I'd still make sure they got what they deserved. Shoot first, ask questions later. There was a large glass test tube that sat on the other side of the room on a row of counters. Although getting there would mean that I would have to run across the middle aisle which I could give up my position, but it was worth it right? Wasn't Jay worth it? I'd do it for her. She was all I had left and now where was she, dead probably, at the very least hungry and alone. She was worth it.

There was a straight path between me and the tube. Right now I was hidden behind a capsule and all I had to do was run. Just run. He was almost on me. I could hear every step he made, his sneakers hitting the marble floor. I had an urge to see what I was up against. I knew it was dumb, but I couldn't help myself. I peeked from behind the capsule, seeing a man with long brown hair, wearing nerdy glasses and a lab coat. I quickly jerked my head back, not that it was any use anymore, and he had already seen me. He jumped obviously surprised that he wasn't alone. I knew I had to run.

"Hello. Who's there?" the man asked I froze, paralyzed with fear of what he might do to me, he were in a science lab and he was a scientist I was sure the odds weren't in my favor. "I know you're there, I saw you. Why don't you come out I'm not going to hurt you. You're confused, let me explain."He was just trying to trick me.

He was going to coax me out and just freeze me again, or use for experiments.

The man stopped walking.

"Come out now!" he yelled trying to have some authority in his voice but it came out weak and uncertain.

He started walking again, jogging almost. I ran out from behind the capsule, full of adrenaline, he was directly in front of me. I shoved him with all my might and keep running to the other side of the room. I heard him hit the ground hard and smiled with pleasure. I made it to the counters and grabbed the tube by the neck. I sprinted back to the middle of the room, the man was just starting to get up, and then he stood there dusting off his black jeans.

"Hey kid," he glanced up at me, "you are mighty strong. Did you play football when you were younger?" He chuckled.

"You think this is funny?" I shouted. I had his attention now. I hated his laugh it was loud, annoying, and sounded like he was wheezing.

"No, I was only trying to lighten up our situation," he lost his smile.

"Where's my sister?" I ask sternly.

"I don't know, there are a lot of people here, but she might not be in this facility. I could look. I want you to know though that the chances that she is here and alive are very slim. I'm sorry," he was being honest but I could sense the fear in his voice. He turned around and started walking towards the door. "Oh, kid, what is your sisters' name," he gave a muffled laugh, "that might help?"

I held the neck of the tube tighter now losing the circulation in my hand. The man was oblivious and had his back turned to me. He had just met me and already trusted me. If he thought that I wouldn't be a threat to him he was sadly mistaken. I pulled the test tube to my head, holding it like a baseball bat, and swung. I watched as he fell to the floor. He was out like a light.

"Her name's Jamie, you prick," I spat on his motionless body. I noticed his back moving up and down, I hadn't killed him, but I might still need to run.