Alternate 2020

Episode 5: Lost Labyrinth (1): Uncertainty (2)

Time was ticking.

I slipped down the walls on to the ground. Sam walked up behind me.

"Get a grip man! We can't be wasting time here waiting for you to weep all day," Sam exclaimed.

"*Sniff* *Sniff* Rose..."

Sam raised his fist and smacked the back of my head.

My head dipped forward as it hit the wall. I felt slightly dizzy as I slowly watched my tears drop down on to my hands.

"I..." I began to say. "I should continue right...?" I said rhetorically. "It's my only hope..."

"Yeah man, now get up!"

I gradually got up on my knees and stuttered forward a little. "Rose... wait for me. I will find you."

"That's the spirit. Now let's go!" Sam turned around and walked off towards the end of the corridor. He peeked his head around the corner left and right then looked back at me. "Hey, come over here. Quick!"

I felt my entire body crying. It was calling for help. It was telling me to give up. It was telling me that there was no chance to save Rose, but I ignored it. I dragged my heavy body forward. Even if it was the last thing I did, I needed to carry on; I needed to push forward.

Sam was beyond the corner poking his head back towards me. He waved his hands at me and said, "Hurry up!"

"I'm... coming... wait for me!"

Slowly, I picked up my pace. The emotions passed and I felt more determined.

"I shouldn't have a break down now..." I thought to myself. "Now's not the time!"

My pace picked up even more and I jogged towards Sam. "What is it, Sam?"

"There's a room down there. Let's go take a look."

We walked up towards the room. The walls had tinted windows installed and we couldn't see much through it – only shapes and sizes. The door beside the window was slightly opened.

"Someone left the door open... ha... stupid," Sam sighed.

"Let's take a closer look," I told Sam.

"Yeah."

I opened the door and we walked into the room. I turned around and closed the door behind us making sure no noise was generated.

I could hear tapping noises coming from behind me. "Hey Sam, stop making noises! We need to be quiet-" I began to say, but, when I turned around, Sam was shaking. I looked beyond Sam's figure.

Weird pulsating shapes located in the distance. They were contained in a glass-like, transparent object. It was beating.

"What is that?" I questioned. I squinted my eyes a little, stepped forward and looking a bit closer. I felt shivers down my spine as a cold sensation blew against me; my eyes widened.

"Organs..." Sam began to say. He stuttered. "Meat..."

Looking back at Sam, he stepped back a little. His face began to turn green and cold. His lips stuttered and his eyes moved randomly.

I reached out my hand a little, "Sam? are you-"

Sam turned around and shut his mouth using both of his hands. He was about to puke.

The ordinarily silent room was filled with the pulsating beats of the heart-like organ.

"What is this?" I thought to myself. I scanned the room.

Beside the pulsating organ, there were round Petri dishes[1] scattered on the tables - each with a different label and colouring.

"'MC 1001'...?" I read out quietly. "'MC 1002'... 'MC 1003'."

There were dozens of them. I slowly poked my head towards the dishes. Looking into them I noticed that they resemble a brain-like structure.

Over at the corner, I saw a microscope with a slide already installed in it. There was a thin slice of the meat inside the slide.

I walked over and looked into the microscope; it was dark. I turned on the light switch from the side.

After being blinded a little from the brightness, I turned the nobs on the side to focus the lens on to the slide. It was coming into vision.

I could see small cell-like structures shivering around and some even moved across the display I was looking into. It was fascinating yet disgusting.

I looked back at Sam. He was still on the floor with shaking legs. Taking my hands off the microscope, I headed towards him.

"Hey, are... you alright?" I asked.

I looked around and saw an empty table that was much lower than the others; it was perfect for Sam to lie down on. I helped him up and brought him on to it.

"Rest a little, Sam," I stated.

"Yeah... thanks..."

His face was still green. Blood wasn't going into his head but he started sweating a little.

"Was it those...?" Sam suddenly asked.

"Was it what?" I questioned his question.

"Was it... do you think we ate 'that'...? do you think we ate 'that' these past few days???"

"..." I was silent.

Sam closed his eyes.

"...I think so..." I slowly told him.

Sam put his arm over his eyes covering them. "Oh my god..."

"It wasn't easy for Sam," I thought to myself. "A little kid seeing something like this, something as disgusting as this. An average kid would just be playing football or tennis or even games, not see something as regurgitating as this. Not to mention, he also experienced his mother's death right in front of his eyes."

Suddenly, a thought passed through my head. "Why... why am I not afraid of... this?"

I didn't understand. I looked back at the microscope, then I looked at the Petri dishes.

"I've been to labs," I thought to myself. "I have seen fossilised people for anatomy." I squeezed the area between my eyes. "I guess that's why I'm not afraid of these..."

Although I was a bit shocked at first, it wasn't enough to bring me down like Sam. I didn't shake either. I'm more concerned about Rose's safety but I cannot leave Sam alone like this.

Looking up at the ceiling, I said, "What should I do?"

*****

[1] 'Petri Dishes' are flat glass structures that look like plates. They are used to grow bacteria and other organic/living compounds.