Silent Feathers

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I find myself at a corner, the hallway steering left onwards through the dark space. Any other explorer might just take the turn, keep walking but then later finding themselves at a worthless vent door. I don't go left. I knew they'd try to conceal the entrance, and it's very cleverly blended in with the metallic wall. They built it as flat as it could be, made of the same silvery material, but if you look, you can see the thin line where tiny beams of light shines through and give away the small door.

Taking out my screwdriver, I hear a scream from a room nearby. I shudder as it echoes through the blank halls, reminding me of Ruby. Today I will find out what happened to them, although I haven't planned what I'll do after. If there is an after. What I'm doing isn't exactly risk-free.

Loosening the cover, I turn the screwdriver and pull outwards. The metal rectangle is disconnected a bit from the wall, and I draw out my hammer. Hammering from the edge of the inside of the crack I made, a voice startles me.

"-have had a major breakthrough. Cell Type O7 has survived, but mutated because of the combination of the Selected Genes and Injection C. The next Experiment should be very interesting."

I feel sick as I realize they're talking about me. Interesting? I'm not some toy that you fiddle around with, and throw away when you're done. The Katais' minds are twisted, not seeing the value of each life they come across on.

Dislodging the door I've made, I pull it towards me and the effort yanks me backwards, throwing me against the metal ground. My ears catch the loud noise bouncing off the chrome walls, and I can also hear the Katai listen below and calculate where it comes from as they communicate quietly. At last they decide I'm nothing, and continue.

There's a big drop down from the hole to the floor, so I wait until they pass and turn left before I jump down. Wincing, I look down at my foot and see it's bent at an awkward angle. My eyes scan the room and I spot a cart full of thick liquids in thin viles next to a wall that I can hide behind for the time being.

Running/limping over to the large white object I notice that although stepping on my foot gives me the feeling of severe discomfort, I am not in any real pain. I sit down behind the cart and pull off my flats. My ankle is slightly red, but not throbbing or swelling, and I exhale a sigh of relief that it's not sprained or twisted. Just a bad landing. I lean back and as my head makes contact with the wall I hear voices coming from it.

"Are we agreed on which species the next Experiment shall be mutated with?"

" The decision is between Canis Lupis and Bubo Scandiacus."

I try to make sense of these words. Is it a secret code? A special name? My ear flattens as I push it harder against the cold wall, attempting to hear the people, I'm guessing they're Katai, speak.

"So it's settled. We shall inject the cells with the Bubo Scandiacus genes- which subject is it?"

"Number 6803, standard name: Sara."

My heart stops. Me. Whatever they're talking about it's what's going to be done to me. I pause to think, pondering the words of the Katai. 'The Experiment shall be mutated' 'Inject the cells with the Bubo Scandiacus gene' I know it's not a code, the way it's spoken sounds familiar, like a language.

And then it dawns on me.

Words and theories swim through my mind. Science...genes...cells...language...names... Names! What if that's not a code or a national language but a scientific language with scientific names? There was only one way to test my theories, and that was to do a little exploring.

*******************

I slipped past the doorway to the right, and continued down a long corridor, not knowing where I'll find something to explain the confusing words. Every time I reach a door, I listen to see if there are people talking inside, and then check to see if it's locked. Each door I come to is either locked or has voices emitting from it, murmuring in a volume to soft for me to catch the meanings.