The turtle stretched and yawned. As golden sunlight peeked through the clouds in the sky, painting the lab floor in various shades of golden. Just another day in the lab, the turtle thought dully, although he did indeed enjoy the vivid burst of gold and yellow on the lab floor. He once again thought of his memories he may have had when he was free, away from the confinements of the metal wall. Was that even possible? He stared out of the window, putting his mind at ease by looking at the fresh green leaves of the thick forest. At the corner of his eye, the turtle thought he saw a flash of bright orange from a window overlooking the corridor outside the room.
"What... what was that?"The turtle mouthed out in curiousity and awe of the bright flurry of an unknown creature.
"What was what?" a voice came from beside him.
The turtle turned around to see a creature with two round ears and a black shiny nose. It too was enclosed by thick glass walls and it's grey furry face seemed to bear a cheeky grin.
"What was what?"
The turtle hesitated for a moment, scanning the mouse with suspicion. He shrugged. What more could go wrong?
"I think I saw a flash of orange from outside the room. It's more like feathers... I'm not sure but-"
"Feathers?" the mouse's eyes shone, it's pupils widening. "You must have seen the legendary bird!"
"The legendary what?" The turtle blinked, unsure if he had heard the over excited mouse correctly. He was doing small jumps in the air with the occasional summersault.
"The legendary bird! Haven't you heard? How could you not know?" the mouse squeaked, it's voice raising a pitch.
"Legendary... bird? I just came here a few days ago, I'm sorry but I really don't understand," the turtle replied politely, observing the mouse quietly.
"Oh! It's a great tale you know, that legendary oriole. Let me tell you! It's gonna be so exciting!
"There's this awesome oriole who wanted freedom and it attempted an escape! Imagine that! The bird never came back and I guess everyone assumed that it died. Anyway there's this rumour that said the bird made it outside or something. Most other animals don't even make it pass the corridor outside. I guess after it died, this particular bird's spirit continues to haunt this place and thus you would be able to hear or seek glances of the bird every now and then. Everyone thinks of the bird as a role model!" the mouse explained excitedly, adding in a huge amount of exclamations and maybe even exaggerating in some parts.
"That's some story... but I don't believe in ghosts." the astounded turtle answered.
"You'd better! Look at Emerald!" the mouse pointed to the other side of the turtle.
Turning around, the turtle saw a snake in the cage. A green mamba to be exact. The turtle smiled, suddenly feeling shy as the snake's turned slowly towards the turtle, it's green scales glinting in the sunlight. He held his breath in awe and something about the mystique of the slender creature attracted him. The snake bored its soulful black eyes into his.
"Hey Emerald! Show this turtle here your ability!"
The snake observed the turtle keenly, it's slit pupils widening and it's eye colour slowly showing to a faint hint of gold. The snake slithered around a little before it's tail started to turn translucent before blending into its surrounding. The fading effect worked its way up the snake's tail until the whole creature disappeared into thin air.
The turtle blinked. He blinked again, yet there was no hint of green where the snake had once been. Did that snake just...just... he watched as the snake slowly became visible once more, its eyes still discreetly on the turtle.
"I see young creatures really like to boast a lot," a slightly amused voice sounded from opposite the turtle's cage. "You should really learn to be more humble, especially you, Sqkii."
The turtle saw a mynah appearing from the dark shadows of the cage opposite his. The mouse simply responded by spitting out a fire ball.
"How do you do that?" the bewildered turtle whispered quietly in awe. It was beyond his huge world of knowledge stored in his brain that mice could spit fire. He had, of course known about various folk tales with fire spitting mice but the turtle had already drawn a mental line between fiction and reality.
The mouse just chuckled. "Every animal in here is an oddball to a certain extent..." The turtle eyes widened in amazement.
"Can I do that too?" The curious turtle enquired the mynah. "Can I spit fire? Make myself invisible? Or maybe..."
"You do not have to concern yourself in such matters. You are new aren't you? I wonder if the previous creature inhabiting your cage shared the same fate as the rest..." the mynah closed its eyes for a moment, "My name is meadow. There are a lot of things I know about this place that the others have yet to learn. Let me tell you something."
The turtle nodded, its brain always craving for knowledge of his unusual surroundings. Perhaps it could be a way to fool the scientists? A secret to pass tests? The possibilities were endless. Besides, the turtle knew that he would need all the information he could get if he were to survive in this sinister place.
"Do you really want to hear that boring old nag nag all day long?" the mouse slapped his head with a tiny paw.
"Don't be rude Sqkii. The new one is interested. Since he is so curious, I might as well satisfy his curiosity."
The turtle watched as Sqkii the mouse sighed in defeat and crawled over to the other side of his cage, moping at a corner with his furry back facing the turtle, but not before he turned around and stuck a defiant tongue out towards the mynah.
"Good!" the mynah continued. " I shall tell you what I know of the failed experiments. When a scientist tests you, make sure you do your best. For if you don't, they will regard you as a failure, or what they call a failed experiment."
The turtle listened on with interest.
"A failure could be anything. From being a wrong shade of color while getting your information injection, to getting hit by a single laser beam in a test. The scientist regards these "faults" as failures. It is said that who that failed in their experiments or tests would be put down... or killed for that matter as they never, ever return. Try your best, for this place is a tough game of survival. Where it's life and death and..."
"Are you done yet?" An annoyed voice sounded.
"Young Sqkii." the mynah mused. "Where's the respect towards your elders? Surely you wouldn't say this in front of a scientist."
"Urgh!"
———————-
"Seriously! Meadow is the oldest subject here but I can't understand why she loves ranting on and on and on... it's getting on my nerves! She's always telling us to be respectful or..."
Bang!
Dr Faba walked into the room. It had an instant effect. Everyone stopped talking and stared as he chucked a squirrel into one of the glass tanks before locking it up. More than a hundred pairs of eyes were on him as he walked out of the silent room. The sighs of relief around the room were immediate. The turtle, admist all the loud chatter, was focused on the shivering squirrel. Its eyes darted quickly around the room, its tail held tightly to its tiny body, traumatised. The turtle felt dizzy. Sympathy and sadness overwhelmed him, but yet, there was something new he felt, something so intense that it made his heart tighten. Fear. I have to get out of here before I end up like that squirrel! The turtle thought to himself, paling in horror and quick realisation.
Just then, he thought he saw another flash of orange outside the room accompanied by two shiny... eyes? They were golden, just like the morning sunlight which gave him so much hope. He thought back to the legendary bird the mouse had told him of earlier. Escape. It seemed so pleasant now, after the horrifying chain of events he had been through the past few days. Was that really what he wanted? Thinking back to the flash of orange accompanied by two shining eyes, he thought about the queer bird Sqkii spoke of once more. Maybe... Just maybe, ghosts were real after all.
The door to the lab opened once more but this time, the turtle was greeted by a cheery-faced Bill. He was carrying a bowl of mushy looking substance. To the turtle's surprise, he opened the door to his tank and set the food down beside the turtle. Bill gave the turtle a gentle pat on the head before locking the tank and going out of the door.
"Man, you've got food!" Sqkii exclaimed while licking his lips. "It doesn't taste very good, but I really can't remember the last time I've eaten!" The turtle stared quizzically at the mouse, horrified.
"Oh right! You're new..." the mouse smacked his head. "You see, they only give new experiments food once every three days for a month before they completely cut off your food supply."
"That's ...horrible! How you you survive it?"
"Experiments don't need food to survive." Sqkii simply stated. "However, we can eat if we want to... can I have some?" Seeing Sqkii's begging face made the turtle feel sorry for him.
"Ok."
Sqkii's eyes glinted in excitement before dashing towards the turtle... Only to be stopped by the glass wall between them.
"Ouch! That stupid wall won't let me get through!"
"Is there anyway I can get the food into your tank?" the turtle asked, pitying his new found friend.
Sqkii sighed. "Nope. Oh well, enjoy your food as it lasts."
The turtle started eating, the mushy and tasteless food filling his stomach. Suddenly, he choked on the substance and coughed out a golden and slightly wet feather. The turtle's eyes widened and saw a semi-buried piece of paper stuck in his food. Curiously, the turtle unfolded the crumpled note.
Don't lose hope.
Some note, the turtle thought to himself. Just then, he noticed the smaller words written on the tiny piece of paper.
Franky.