Hacked

EntRY twEnTy One

Blood.

So much blood, so much that I could hardly breathe from the overpowering scent of iron. I gagged, clutching my stomach, but did my best to stare straight ahead.

Nurses and doctors were lying dead on the floor. Some had normal looking wounds, while others had gaping holes in their chests.

Blue and red pixels hovered above the bodies, and the large screen on the wall bathed everything in red.

On the screen, teeth bared, was Phil. Tears of red continued to fall from his face, but his signature grin was shining. He looked so chaotic, so awful and terrifying.

"heNrY," he said, "yoU caNnOTT hiDe forEvER."

I glanced to the right. Crouched behind one of the research tables, where a limp body was slumped beside a microscope, was Henry Liguori. I felt a pain in my chest and bit my lip. This was Pj's father, about to die.

And I was helpless.

He looked so as well. Sweat dripped down his face, making the curls around his forehead damp, and his nose was black and blue. His green eyes were panicked and his mouth was pressed so tightly shut that his neck strained.

I watched as he reached into the pocket of his stained lab coat and pulled out his wallet. From it, he slid a small photograph. He stared at it for a moment, his chest puffing out slightly with determination.

I could barely see it, but I could just make out the outline of a toddler with curly brown hair.

Henry clutched the picture tightly in his hands before taking a deep breath and throwing the wallet across the room.

The wallet clattered against the wall, shattering a few beakers in the process.

I clenched my fists, eyes wide, as Phil's head turned. He was distracted.

Maybe this wasn't it. Maybe this wasn't the day Pj's father died.

Henry got into a crouch and began to silently crawl behind the tables to the door.

I grinned, almost laughing.

"He's safe!" I whispered. "Pj was wrong!"

But then he wasn't.

Without warning, Henry was tossed against the wall and held there. Phil's face turned back to the scientist. His eyes turned yellow and red and blue at an insane rate, as did his tears.

"yoU cOUld hAvE lET mE saVe thAt bOy."

"Phil," Henry choked, "I couldn't let you use all of your power. I couldn't lose you, you're such an incredible invention."

"bUt hE waS a HUmAn BeiNG!!!¡¡"

Beakers and test tubes shattered simultaneously. A drawer flew open and surgeon tools spilled out.

"Ph-Phil," Henry wheezed, "please! I have a son, I can't die now!"

An incision knife floated directly in front of the doctor's throat. I stood there with my hands over my mouth as Phil briefly changed.

It was the kind, fair Phil. He was crying, sobbing, and shaking his head. Just as he had done once to me. Warning me about what I was about to get into.

But then it switched back.

"elliOt wAs SOMeoNe's SoN."

I looked away as the knife jolted foreword.

I couldn't take it any longer. I turned and ran back through the door, running and running until I was back in the red-lit room.

I fell to my knees, sobs escaping my lips and shaking my body.

Phil had once been an innocent machine. Crafted for the benefit of mankind. He was beautiful and smart and wonderful, but when the one thing he cared about most was being taken away with him, nobody allowed him to keep it.

"Stupid!" I screamed. "He could have been good, you idiot! He was good!"

Suddenly, I felt something else dripping down my face. Not tears, or sweat. Blood.

It dripped from my nose and eyes, hurting like hell.

I almost panicked, but then remembered. Someone was trying to take me back to the normal world.

But who?

I would be ready. I would be ready to face whoever it was.

So, calmly, I shut my eyes and waited.

As soon as I felt myself drift back into reality, I ripped the wires from my head and launched to my feet, letting out a scream. A battle cry.

"Dan! Dan, it's me!"

My eyes adjusted to the darkness. Pj stood there, his face black with soot and his hair messy.

"Pj?" I sputtered, going quiet. "You...You're alright?"

"Yes," he answered sincerely, "are you?"

I felt my pulse slow. I didn't care about myself then. "And...Chris?"

With the mention of his name, Pj looked down. I sobbed and sagged against him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders as I cried.

"You were right about Ph-Phil, Pj. All along." I let my arms fall to my sides as he hugged me, pulling me into him comfortingly. "I'll k-kill him. I don't know how b-but...I hate him. I hate him."

"But Dan..." Pj whispered.

"What?" I said softly, closing my stinging eyes.

His lips drew close to my ear.

"I thought you said you loved me?"

I felt course rope tighten around my wrists, binding them together.

My eyes shot open, and I looked at Pj's grinning face.

Somehow, I had failed to notice that my friend's eyes were blazing scarlet.

"Goodnight, Daniel."

Phil said, and the last thing I saw before plunging into darkness was Pj's fist shooting at my face.