The Project's End - Part 1 Snippet

Chapter 5: Project Origin

          We continue walking down a narrow hallway when I hear a collapse from behind. I turn around to see Milo choking and rush toward him. "Don't touch him!" Doctor Conrad yells. He steps next to me, and Sarge pulls me back. "It's just a phase," Doctor Conrad explains. "The doctors will take care of it," Sarge assured me. I step back as two scientists help Milo onto a gurney.

          "I am supposed to look after him," I insist, trying to get to Milo. Sarge pulls me back. "They've got him now," Doctor Conrad says, helping them lift Milo. "Scientist Volkov is down the hall to the left through the atrium," Sarge directs.

         Seeing Milo being taken away, a sense of helplessness washes over me. He's been like a younger brother to me, someone I felt responsible for. The image of him on the gurney, struggling to breathe, brings a surge of anger and fear. I clench my fists, determined to find out what's happening and to bring him back safely.

          We walk down the hall to the double doors. I open them, and a strong scent hits my lungs. I fall to the ground coughing, staring at the glass wall on the right. The sound of rain hits it, and lightning strikes across the sky. I stood up moments later, feeling fine. The atrium is filled with plants and a couple of trees. "I'm alright, I don't think it's just a leak in the air filters," I say.
"Come on, just through those doors are the research experiments. Who knows what's in there?" Sarge says as he starts walking. I follow. As we reach the door, Doctor Conrad jogs to catch up. "Sorry for that inconvenience back there," he says.

          "Is Milo alright?" I ask. "Yes, he's fine, just lying down. Now, let's enter," Doctor Conrad says, walking ahead. "These areas are the experimentation rooms. You guys will need to put these on," he says, handing us gas masks and opening the door. A cool chill fills my skin as I get goosebumps. Looking around, I see test chambers full of liquid and people in them with names and statuses of the projects.

          I come across one empty tube with liquid spilled on the floor and shattered glass. The name of the experiment reads, "Project Raketilien." "Doctor, I think you'd need to see this," I called out. He and Sarge rush over. "This is bad, we need to leave," Sarge says. "Проект Raketilien сбежал, нам нужно собрать всех рабочих и эвакуировать," Doctor Conrad says, escorting us out of the room.

          "What's going on?" Sarge asks. "The creature has escaped if my Russian is correct," I say. "You know Russian?" Sarge asks. "Yes, I learned it before the war." "When were you planning to tell me? That could have helped us out before!" Sarge says. "It's not a big deal. We have to get out of the facility," I insist.

          We step into the atrium, and someone steps out from the side and grabs me. It looks 7' tall. I get choked and lifted, struggling to get free. Sarge punches it, and it throws him against the wall of glass above him. He hits his head, knocking him unconscious. The glass cracks a little. I still struggle to get free, punching it.

         I look at it, and it looks like Agent Roberts. I grab my knife and stab its arm. It roars and throws me against the wall. I get my breath knocked out of me and cough. I look around and can't find it anywhere. I roll over, still coughing, get up, and walk to Sarge.

          Picking him up, I put his arm around my shoulder and helped him out of the facility. We get to the humvee and start driving away. The creature comes up from the side and rams the humvee, flipping it. I put my seatbelt on as it crashes. I slam my head on the dash and black out.
Suddenly, I am at home again. Opening the door, I see two soldiers walking to the porch. 

          "Mordecai Lucien," Sarge says. "Yes sir? What's this about?" I ask. "Your country needs you," he says. I look over at Lylian and my baby in her arms, then back at them.

          "I really appreciate this, Sarge, but I have a family now and don't want to leave again," I say, as I wake up with my vision blurring in and out. When I can see again, I am dangling from the seat of the humvee. I cut the seatbelt and fell to the ground, hitting the metal of the roof. I crawl out and can't feel my left leg.

          Limping to the back of the humvee, I notice it's pouring with the ground muddy. I lean back and feel a liquid on my back. It doesn't matter because it's raining, but then I smell gasoline. I turn around fast, seeing the gas tank leaking. I quickly run to the passenger side of the humvee and try to get Sarge out.

          As I cut the seatbelt, I get grabbed from behind and thrown over the ground. The beast walks towards me with the knife still in its arm. I stand up and look; I'm right at the edge of the cliff. Any more steps and I would fall.

         When it gets close, I run from it, reaching for my pistol. It isn't in the holster, so the knife is the only weapon I have. The creature roars, and I turn to face it. I grip the knife tightly, ready for the fight of my life.