The beast in the corner

Alone… trapped in a room he couldn’t recall… looking through a hole in the wall. Simon didn’t believe his sight—a few feet away from him a creature was devouring a corpse.

Where I am? he wondered, unable to remember the circumstances that led him to this place.

Like a stab, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck. Simon quickly raised his arm to reach the source of his torment, and found a metal artifact embedded in the base of his skull. He grabbed it and pulled…only being able to increase his suffering.

Simon looked from one side to the other. I have to get out of here, he told himself—he walked towards the door and grabbed the knob. To his surprise… it was open. Impossible, he thought, and remembered struggling with it a few minutes ago.

He slowly opened the door and noticed an empty hallway. Here goes nothing, he thought before hearing voices.

“…their reactions to the treatment are better than expected,” said a woman before Simon closed the door.

The group of men in white coats walked down the hallway.

“Patient RUSH reactions are exceptional.”

“I know…an extraordinary case,” said the doctor walking in front of them all. “We’ll have to run more tests, just to be sure.”

“You’re right Alexa,” said one of her colleagues. “We shouldn’t set our expectations too high.”

“After all this work…”

“It would be nice to have positive results,” Alexa said before stopping in front of the door where Simon was. “Why is it unlocked?”

Simon returned to the gurney he woke up on not long ago—pretending to be unconscious.

“Thank God,” Alexa said once she saw the patient. “I’ll need fluid samples… let me know when you’re done, I’ll be finishing a phone call.”

The doctors dispersed around the room, unfolding their briefcases into small tables with organized metallic instruments.

“We should start with a bone marrow sample,” said one of the doctors, picking up his oversized syringe. “Turn him around.”

Simon felt hands on his shoulders and knees, he couldn’t take it anymore. His fear became so large that the only logical alternative was to flee, to run without asking questions until he escaped. Taking advantage of the element of surprise.

That’s why, without a clear understanding of the situation…Simon took the arm of a doctor and easily threw the man against one of the room’s walls. Another doctor walked towards his briefcase—reaching a tranquilizer—Simón lifted the gurney and struck the doctor with it. “Wait…” said the third doctor before Simon lunged at him. The last men reached the door and found it locked. “Calm down,” he said. But Simon didn’t have time to listen to explanations—he crashed into the man and knocked the door down.

Alexa spun to see the patient turning in mid air to push himself off the opposite wall and landing on his feet in the middle of the hallway.

This feels amazing! Simon thought.

“Stop,” Alexa said, but Simon ran without looking back—leaving the woman behind. “Dammit.”

Alexa saw patient RUSH take a right down the hallway before her call was answered.

“Dr. Stone, how can I help you?”

“Patient RUSH has just escaped,” said Alexa. “I need you to guide him to the main room.”

“Right away.”

Simon was still running down the hall when he saw a metal door fall from the ceiling.

How is this possible? he wondered, when he heard other metal gates hitting the ground. They clearly don’t want me to leave.

Breathing heavily, he turned around, following the only path that wasn’t blocked.

“All done, Dr. Stone,” said the man in charge of the building security. “Patiente RUSH will reach the main room soon.”

“Perfect…” said Alexa, hanging up, “this will be an excellent opportunity to test the BOULDER’s ability.”

Alexa made another call.

“Dr. Stone,” said a young woman. “How can I help you?”

“Release the BOULDER,” said Alexa, “and guide him to the main room.”

“Right away…”

Simon cautiously walked down the path unblocked by metal doors. Suddenly, he reached the oversized main room of a mansion. Although, he couldn’t recall the place. This is not looking good, he thought and turned around… behind him a metal door slided down, blocking the way out.

I better be careful, he told himself, these people seem dangerous. Simon wanted to recreate his deeds against the doctors, and pushed off with his legs. To his surprise, his jump had so much strength, he reached the railing surrounding the second floor.

Amazing, he thought, jumping over the railing into the second floor hallway. He had a better view of the lower level of the main room and saw one of the metal doors on the second floor opened. That’s my way out. Simon ran down the hallway, faster than he imagined, but with ease. Untill, he noticed a grotesque creature coming out.

What is that? he thought and hid behind one of the columns decorating the hallway.

“Just give up,” Alexa said through the main room’s speakers. “I’ll release you when we finish testing.

“You are very important to us.”

Simon looked from side to side to find the source of the voice… nothing. Oh well, he thought, at least now I know they won’t let me out without a fight. Let’s see what I’m capable of.

He pushed himself off the railing, calculating his fall on a couch on the lower floor. The creature reacted when it saw him and followed.

Simon noticed how hard the creature fell and smiled. I’ve got an advantage. After waiting for the first attack to arrive, watching the creature crash its large arms against the sofa—destroying it on impact—he had jumped to evade the blow, Simon fell on top of the creature and felt the thick skin with his hand.

Impenetrable, he thought and leaped backwards, spinning in the air, and landing nimbly onto a small table. I’ll need a weapon.

The creature spun, frustrated and hardened. Then, it ran towards its target.

So much anger, Simon thought as he saw the creature pass under his feet. Then he smiled, noticing a fireplace on the edge of the room. I’ve got it.

The creature tried, futilely, to reach Simon when it felt him on it back. Spinning fast. The force made it crash hard against one of the pillars.

Simon reached the fireplace and took an iron bar used to work the embers. Let’s see how strong you are, he thought. Before feeling a sharp pain on his shoulder. After dropping the bar, he tried to reach the dart before falling unconscious.

“Return the test subjects to their chambers,” Alexa said over the radio. “I hope this doesn’t happen again.”