Chemical Engineering

Chapter Thirty Five: Condolences

Waking up with a start from the morning announcement, Kumiko stretched before rising. She rushed to the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth before putting her hair into braids as per usual.

Yawning, she changed out of her pajamas and into her daily clothes, making a note to take a sponge bath today. Finally slipping into her shoes, she grabbed her cardkey and left her dorm room.

Leaving the room, she noticed it was eerily quiet as she traveled the halls.

Where is everyone? Maybe I'm Late and they all went to see the newest floor?

With no other clues, Kumiko went to see if that was where everyone was. She ascended the second, third, fourth and now fifth floor.

She saw several rooms but at last saw the figures of her friends, almost rooted to the spot, outside of a trap door, leading up.

"Hey guys! What's... going...on?"

"Hey Kumiko. Hiroko went up the door. I guess it leads to the attic but she hasn't come down yet. We're starting to get worried-"

"OH MY FUCKING GOD! GUYS, GET UP HERE!"

Everyone quickly rushed upwards to see what happened, and why Hiroko sounded so panicked. Kumiko, being the last one up, was the final one to see the monstrosity before them.

"Oh... my... god."

It was a humongous attic but that wasn't what caught their attention. Once entered, half the room was occupied...

By at least 50, 60 or more children.

Skinny, starved children making the animatronic known as Shockbolt. Some so skinny, you could fit a ruler between their ribs.

One of the kids must have caught view of the teenagers because soon all of them stared at the Ultimates.

"Uh... hi?" Gin said slowly, unsure on how to proceed.

Then the chanting began.

"Are we allowed out yet?"

"I'm so hungry!" Another cried.

"Y, you're not really here... it's not real."

"Am I dead yet?"

"No... I need food..."

"No one can hear us all the way up here..."

"Are you here to help us?"

Then it began again.

"Are we allowed out yet?"

"I'm so hungry!"

"Y, you're not really here... it's not real."

"Am I dead yet?"

"No... I need food..."

"No one can hear us all the way up here..."

"Are you here to help us?"

And again.

"Are we allowed out yet?"

"I'm so hungry!"

"Y, you're not really here... it's not real."

"Am I dead yet?"

"No... I need food..."

"No one can hear us all the way up here..."

"Are you here to help us?"

"I'm very concerned right now." Ryozo spoke, face pale.

"We need to get them out of here!" Aiyanna exclaimed, moving forward.