Cold, but Still Human

Chapter 1 - Eden

[August 21, 2017]

"This is boring," whispers Eden, covering her mouth to prevent anyone other than Katerina from hearing. Eden had seemed lonely, so her friend, Katerina decided to invite her on a trip to the States for vacation. They decided to take a tour around a city and ended up in a science museum.

"It's science! It can't be that bad... right?" replies Katerina, a little too loudly, attracting glares from the adults around them.

Eden rolls her eyes, and the two begin to walk ahead as Katerina pulls out her phone, scrolling through her Instagram feed.

"Ugh, Tom Holland... he's so hot!" Katerina squeals.

Eden almost spits out her water and sputters.

The girls follow along with the tour group before the guide finally announces that they will be taking a short break, and schedules for everyone to meet back in front of the space exhibit in ten minutes. The two walk through the food court— the most interesting place they could find‒until Eden comes to a halt.

Eden furrows her eyebrows, making a face, "Hey Kat, have you ever had a whiff of baked sweet potato chips fresh out of the oven?"

"Nah. Have you? And what's with that face, I thought you treasured them like gold?

"It's not the chips that are the problem. It's the fact that whatever I'm smelling in the air is the complete opposite of sweet potato chips!"

Eden was known for her keen sense of smell from her interest in culinary arts, yet for the first time in years, she found herself struggling to identify a smell. "It seems like some sort of chemical. I'm not good with science, but it's probably bad to be breathing in. Smells like drugs."

Katerina looks up from her phone, finally turning her attention to Eden. "Hmm, well at least the smell isn't coming from Frick this time. This isn't nearly as bad as his."

Eden holds back a laugh, walking towards the scent. "Seems to be coming from the back room here," she says, cautiously pushing the door open. The scent grows stronger as the two step in.

"What is this place?" Katerina looks around, keeping a close eye on the door.

"Who told you this was a good idea?" a gruff voice shouts from a room at the end of the hall.

"What do you mean? It's great! We can write a letter to the prof, tell him that this is so much better than what we first created." another voice speaks up.

Crouching, the girls slowly creep towards the end of the hall. Eden peeks through the small door window, eyeing the two shadows from inside. A cold, heavy gas seems to be seeping out from underneath the door.

One of the figures inside seems to have noticed something outside the door. He starts to walk towards the sound but is stopped by the other person.

"Hey man, I heard something."

"Don't worry. The prof will find out sooner or later."

"But—"

"Don't worry bro," the second man says, forcefully grabbing onto the first and tugging him away.

Both girls get out from underneath the table beside the door. Eden turns her head and spots an oil-stained notebook placed on top of the table, with "CONFIDENTIAL" scrawled over it in red pen.

"What the..." Eden whispers as she scans the book. Katerina gestures towards the door, suggesting that they leave before anything else happens.

The two make it out, but soon after, Katerina begins rubbing her temples.

"I feel sick..." she looks around, then back at Eden, "why does your face look like a Snapchat filter?" she asks, chuckling. Suddenly, her eyes threaten to close, and her face begins to droop downwards. Katerina forces herself to stay awake as the two slowly amble out the hallway, and towards the meeting area.

"That's all of you. Let's go," the guide announces and continues to go on with where the tour left off.

As they follow the guide, Katerina taps Eden on the shoulder, "What's happening?"

Eden shrugs, "Don't know."