BEYOND THE DEAD ZONE | COMPLETE

Fifty-One |

Fifty-One |

    I stared at the two metal doors for a long while. Before Cappelli had unlocked it by placing his finger on the scanner. I recall watching as he pressed his thumb to the little screen beside the doors and with a loud beep, the doors had slid open revealing the strange lab. But he was not here, and I wasn't sure how the hell I was going to get the doors to open. 

"Did you try placing your finger on it?" Persephone murmured. 

I glanced at her. "Why would it work for me?"

"Well, it won't work for me," she grunted. "I could try kicking the doors down? But I'm sure Cappelli had a system in place so I couldn't do such a thing. I can absorb the mind remember?" 

A sigh left my lips, and I pressed my fat little finger to the strange scanner. For a moment nothing happened. And then, the scanner flashed red, and a bolt of electricity zapped through me. A small cry of surprise sounded from the depths of my soul, and I jerked my finger away. However, as I did, the scanner turned green and the doors swung open. 

Persephone and I shared a look. 

"This seems like a trap," I murmured. 

She nodded. "Worry not Sister, I will protect you." 

My eyes rolled but I believed it. 

We strolled in as if there was no trap, and despite how my heartbeat throbbed in my throat, I willed myself not to overreact. Persephone moved quickly around the room before walking over to the large tube against the wall that held the former scientist and gave me a thumbs up. It was strangely human, my lips twitched into a smile. 

"What now?" she asked. 

Well, the phantom mirror woman said to go to the source. But never really clarified why I needed to go to the source or what to do once I arrived. I hesitated, my eyes drinking in the abomination carefully. The thing almost looked human: light brown hair, tall. What gave his monstrous sin away was still that sickly pale skin and those signature black veins and matching black eyes that remained wide and almost alert. 

"Should we break the glass?' I wondered.

Persephone hummed. "It's not like he's going anywhere."

That was true, not with those metal cuffs. 

"Okay," I groaned. "How to break the glass it look sturdy—"

She drove her fist into the glass and almost instantly, it shattered. I watched the shards rain down and collect on the floor. It was no fucking wonder Persephone had been locked up. The girl was a true menace, and I enjoyed every moment of it. 

"Good job."

She smiled brightly. "Thanks." 

I walked over to the monster carefully, my eyes flickering over the form, a sudden pit growing in my stomach like a fucking seed of woe. Eric's head jerked around, his fingers flexing as if he could reach towards us. I took a small step back. 

"Can you absorb it?" 

I looked towards Persephone. "Absorb what?"

"His virus." 

My cheeks heated and I grew nervous. "I-I don't know."

I didn't really understand my ability. Cora had spoken little about it and I didn't really understand what it was meant by "absorb" other viruses. I didn't feel any different after what occurred on the roof and yet, at the same time, I knew something was different. 

"Try?" 

I glanced at her. "But if I do, won't I absorb you?"

She smirked slightly. "Wouldn't that be nice?"