DR. HELENA
Sector 4
Ending the transmission, I turned away.
The screen went dark, leaving only the ambient sounds of the laboratory: machines pulsing, liquids bubbling, data being collected relentlessly.
I slowly turned toward the preservation tank.
The specimen floated inside, covered in several thick tubes connected to its body, draining that golden blood—like liquid gold.
I stepped closer and touched the glass.
“I’m sorry…” I murmured.“I know… I know I’m being hypocritical. But I have no other choice. None of us do.”
The specimen remained motionless, but the gold inside the tubes pulsed.
---
Luna Helen – Three days later
It has been three days since I woke up.I was able to walk with the help of robotic braces—light, firm, made of a thin metal that seemed to respond to my movements. Acrox medicine… was absurd. Frightening, even.
At the university, we never had access to this kind of technology.
On the way to the cafeteria, I felt the weight of every stare.Broken people. Desperate. Exhausted.People who, like me, would give anything just to hear the voice of someone they loved again.
I took my tray of synthetic food—neutral aroma, almost no taste, but nutritious enough to keep everyone functioning.
“Thank you,” I murmured to the automaton serving the meals.It simply beeped and moved on to the next person in line.
As I turned around, I spotted the small group I had come to know over the past few days:
Gabriel, the oldest, was somewhat bad-tempered.Victor, introspective, spent more time reading than talking.Jane, kind, but always drifted into a melancholic gaze whenever she got distracted.
Each of them had someone in a coma in the Clinical Sector.Just like my brother.
They tried to hide their fear, but I could see in their eyes what I saw in the mirror every day.
I sat down and ate in silence, trying to ignore the metallic taste that seemed to cling to everything lately.
When I finished and stood up to return the tray, a deep voice called out to me:
“Helen.”
I turned.
It was Guard Estivison.
Short, stocky, thick beard, serious face… but a huge heart.
He always tried to make people smile with his terrible jokes—and sometimes he even succeeded.
Like the time he tried to perform a magic trick for me and failed miserably, haha.
“I need you to come with me.”
“I said ‘Yes, sir,’” I replied, giving a clumsy military salute and smiling ironically.He rolled his eyes and ended up smiling too.
“Let’s go.”
…
We entered the elevator.When the doors opened, I saw it: SECTOR 2.
I was surprised.It was the first time I had been there—I knew it was a restricted area, only high-ranking personnel were allowed inside.
We walked through several silent corridors until we reached a door labeled:
OPERATIONS ROOM
A wave of nervousness rose in my chest.
What do they want with me?
Behind the colonel, there was an LED panel displaying multiple camera feeds—most of them blank, filled with static; only a few were still functioning.He turned and pointed at the panel.
“As you can see… we have very little footage of what’s happening out there. You’re the only person who went out and survived. I need you to tell me exactly what happened to you… and to Unit Seven.”
I swallowed hard.I sat down and told him everything.Every detail I could remember.
The horror was still written all over my face—I knew it. But the colonel… he barely reacted. He only slightly furrowed his brow, or clenched his fist against the table.
The only time he truly showed something was when I described what happened to me, to young Elise Wind, and to the soldier—when that creature appeared.
For a moment, I saw a faint tremor in his hands.His expression grew harder, heavier.
He asked me to describe everything again, “with as much detail as possible,” insisting that I leave nothing out.
When I finished, he slowly exhaled, as if carrying an enormous weight.He squeezed my hand and said:
“I’m sorry for everything that happened.”
And I could feel it… he truly meant it.The sincerity and sorrow were there, clear in that man’s voice.
I asked the colonel if I could leave, and he confirmed with a slight nod.As I stepped out, I found Estivi standing beside the door, arms crossed.
“Did it go okay?” he asked, noticing my shaken expression.
“More or less…” I murmured.
Without pressing, he simply nodded, signaling for me to follow him.We walked down the corridor in silence, except for the metallic hum of the Sector 2 lights vibrating above us—they always made me nervous, like they were about to burn out. Maybe it was just my imagination.
We took the elevator back to Sector 1.When the doors opened, the familiar smell of the medical wing hit me: strong disinfectant, hot metal, and the faint hiss of drones in standby mode. That place felt colder since the incident.
“If you need anything, I’m around,” Estivi said before walking away.I thanked him and went to my room.
I lay down to take a nap.A mistake.
The dreams came like blades:Elise screaming, the soldier being dragged out of the bus, the massive wingbeats vibrating through the air… and that suffocating sensation of corruption crawling across my skin.
I jolted awake.
SIRENS.A piercing, continuous alarm, followed by red lights flashing across the ceiling.The automated announcement repeated on a loop, but the message was distorted:
“Att…ent… pow… fai… Sect…”
I ran into the corridor, stumbling because of my leg.Automatic doors locked and unlocked on their own.Some drones fell from the ceiling, powered down.
The first person I saw was Miss Lucia, the short, gentle nurse.She was holding a clipboard that trembled in her hands.
“What’s happening?!” I asked, my heart racing.
“I… I don’t know!” she replied, almost out of breath. “The systems started failing.”
“They told everyone to wait for instructions,” she said, trying to stay calm. “They’re trying to stabilize the system.”
I took a deep breath, my stomach tightening. I had no idea what was happening, but the tension was palpable. Something had definitely gone wrong.
The ground shook slightly.
Lucia turned pale.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“This isn’t normal… not even in containment mode…”
“I need to check on the other patients. Go back to your room.”
Lucia was already leaving.
Before I could respond, all the lights went out at once.
I returned to my room.
Total darkness.
Then, a single emergency light turned on.
POWER FAILURE – LIFE SUPPORT UNSTABLE.
My heart froze.
“Why isn’t the system working?!” I murmured, fumbling with the controls with trembling hands.
A muffled sound echoed behind me.PSSSS — the hydraulic lock of the capsule opened by itself.
And then… heavy breathing. A tearing cough.
I froze.My chest pounded, and I took two steps back without even realizing it.
Until I heard:
“…Luna? Sister… where am I?”Dr. Helena – Sector 4
I ended the transmission and turned away.
The screen went dark, leaving only the ambient sounds of the laboratory: machines pulsing, liquids bubbling, data being collected without pause.
I slowly faced the preservation tank.
The specimen floated inside, its body wrapped in several thick tubes connected directly to its flesh, draining that golden blood—like liquid gold.
I stepped closer and placed my hand against the glass.
“I’m sorry…” I murmured.
“I know… I know I’m being a hypocrite. But I don’t have any other choice. None of us do.”
The specimen remained motionless, but the gold flowing through the tubes pulsed faintly.
Luna Helen – Three Days Later
It had been three days since I woke up.
I could walk with the help of the robotic braces—lightweight, firm, made of a thin metal that seemed to respond to my movements. Acrox’s medicine… it was absurd. Terrifying, even.
At the university, we never had access to technology like this.
On my way to the cafeteria, I felt the weight of every gaze on me.
People broken, desperate, exhausted.
People who, like me, would give anything just to hear the voice of someone they loved again.
I took my tray of synthetic food—neutral aroma, almost no flavor, but nutritious enough to keep everyone functioning.
“Thank you,” I murmured to the automaton serving the meals.
It only emitted a beep and moved on to the next person in line.
As I turned, I spotted the small group I had come to know over the past few days.
Gabriel, the oldest, was a bit bad-tempered.
Victor, introspective, spent more time reading than talking.
Jane, kind, but always drifting into a melancholic stare whenever she lost focus.
Each of them had someone in a coma in the Clinical Sector.
Just like my brother.
They tried to hide their fear, but I could see in their eyes the same thing I saw in the mirror every day.
I sat down and ate in silence, trying to ignore the metallic taste that seemed to cling to everything lately.
When I finished and stood up to return my tray, a deep voice called out to me.
“Helen.”
I turned.
It was Guard Estivison.
Short, stocky, thick beard, serious face… but a huge heart.
He always tried to make people smile with his terrible jokes—and sometimes he even succeeded.
Like the time he tried to perform a magic trick for me and failed miserably.
“I need you to come with me.”
“Yes, sir,” I said, giving an awkward military salute and smiling ironically.
He rolled his eyes and ended up smiling too.
“Let’s go.”
…
We entered the elevator.
When the doors opened, I saw it: SECTOR 2.
I was surprised.
It was my first time there—I knew it was a restricted area, accessible only to high-ranking personnel.
We walked through several silent corridors until we stopped at a door labeled:
OPERATING ROOM
A wave of nervousness rose in my chest.
What could they want with me?
Behind the colonel stood a large LED panel displaying multiple camera feeds—most were dead, showing only static; a few were still functioning.
He turned and pointed at the screen.
“As you can see… we have very little visual information about what’s happening outside. You’re the only person who went out and survived. I need you to tell me exactly what happened to you… and to Unit Seven.”
I swallowed hard.
I sat down and told him everything.
Every detail I could remember.
The horror was still written all over my face—I knew that. But the colonel barely reacted. He only slightly furrowed his brow or clenched his fist against the table.
The only moment he truly showed emotion was when I described what happened to me, to the young Elise Wind, and to the soldier—when that creature appeared.
For a brief instant, I saw a slight tremor in his hands.
His expression grew harder, heavier.
He asked me to describe everything again, “with as much detail as possible,” insisting that I leave nothing out.
When I finished, he exhaled slowly, as if carrying an enormous weight.
He squeezed my hand and said:
“I’m sorry for everything that happened.”
And I could feel it… he meant it.
The sincerity and sadness were clear in his voice.
I asked if I could leave, and he confirmed with a small nod.
As I stepped outside, I found Estivi standing by the door, arms crossed.
“Did it go okay?” he asked, noticing my shaken expression.
“More or less…”
I murmured.
Without pressing, he simply nodded, gesturing for me to follow him.
We walked down the corridor in silence, broken only by the metallic hum of the Sector 2 lights vibrating above us—they always made me uneasy, like they were about to burn out. Maybe it was just my imagination.
We took the elevator back to Sector 1.
When the doors opened, the familiar smell of the medical wing hit me: strong disinfectant, hot metal, and the faint hiss of drones in standby mode. The place felt colder since the incident.
“If you need anything, I’m around,” Estivi said before walking away.
I thanked him and went to my room.
I lay down to take a nap.
A mistake.
The dreams came like blades:
Elise screaming, the soldier being dragged out of the bus, the massive beating of wings vibrating through the air… and that suffocating sensation of corruption crawling over my skin.
I woke with a jolt.
SIRENS.
A shrill, continuous alarm, followed by red lights flashing across the ceiling.
The automated announcement repeated on a loop, but the message was distorted:
“Atten…tion… pow…er fai…ure… Sect…”
I ran into the corridor, stumbling because of my leg.
Automatic doors locked and unlocked on their own.
Some drones fell from the ceiling, completely powered down.
The first person I saw was Miss Lucia, the short, gentle nurse.
She was holding a clipboard that trembled in her hands.
“What’s happening?!” I asked, my heart racing.
“I… I don’t know!” she replied, nearly out of breath. “The systems started failing.”
“They told everyone to wait for instructions,” she added, trying to stay calm. “They’re attempting to stabilize the system.”
I took a deep breath, my stomach tight. I had no idea what was happening, but the tension in the air was undeniable. Something had gone very wrong.
The floor trembled slightly.
Lucia went pale.
“That’s not normal… not even in containment mode…”
“I need to check on the other patients. Go back to your room.”
Lucia was already walking away.
Before I could respond, every light shut off at once.
I returned to my room.
Total darkness.
Then, a single emergency light flickered on.
POWER FAILURE – LIFE SUPPORT UNSTABLE
My heart froze.
“Why isn’t the system working?” I whispered, fumbling with the controls, my hands shaking.
A muffled sound echoed behind me.
PSSSS — the hydraulic lock of the capsule opened on its own.
Then… heavy breathing. A harsh, tearing cough.
I froze.
My heart pounded as I took two steps back without even realizing it.
Until I heard:
“…Luna? Sister… where am I?”Dr. Helena – Sector 4
I ended the transmission and turned away.
The screen went dark, leaving only the ambient sounds of the laboratory: machines pulsing, liquids bubbling, data being collected without pause.
I slowly faced the preservation tank.
The specimen floated inside, its body wrapped in several thick tubes connected directly to its flesh, draining that golden blood—like liquid gold.
I stepped closer and placed my hand against the glass.
“I’m sorry…” I murmured.
“I know… I know I’m being a hypocrite. But I don’t have any other choice. None of us do.”
The specimen remained motionless, but the gold flowing through the tubes pulsed faintly.
Luna Helen – Three Days Later
It had been three days since I woke up.
I could walk with the help of the robotic braces—lightweight, firm, made of a thin metal that seemed to respond to my movements. Acrox’s medicine… it was absurd. Terrifying, even.
At the university, we never had access to technology like this.
On my way to the cafeteria, I felt the weight of every gaze on me.
People broken, desperate, exhausted.
People who, like me, would give anything just to hear the voice of someone they loved again.
I took my tray of synthetic food—neutral aroma, almost no flavor, but nutritious enough to keep everyone functioning.
“Thank you,” I murmured to the automaton serving the meals.
It only emitted a beep and moved on to the next person in line.
As I turned, I spotted the small group I had come to know over the past few days.
Gabriel, the oldest, was a bit bad-tempered.
Victor, introspective, spent more time reading than talking.
Jane, kind, but always drifting into a melancholic stare whenever she lost focus.
Each of them had someone in a coma in the Clinical Sector.
Just like my brother.
They tried to hide their fear, but I could see in their eyes the same thing I saw in the mirror every day.
I sat down and ate in silence, trying to ignore the metallic taste that seemed to cling to everything lately.
When I finished and stood up to return my tray, a deep voice called out to me.
“Helen.”
I turned.
It was Guard Estivison.
Short, stocky, thick beard, serious face… but a huge heart.
He always tried to make people smile with his terrible jokes—and sometimes he even succeeded.
Like the time he tried to perform a magic trick for me and failed miserably.
“I need you to come with me.”
“Yes, sir,” I said, giving an awkward military salute and smiling ironically.
He rolled his eyes and ended up smiling too.
“Let’s go.”
…
We entered the elevator.
When the doors opened, I saw it: SECTOR 2.
I was surprised.
It was my first time there—I knew it was a restricted area, accessible only to high-ranking personnel.
We walked through several silent corridors until we stopped at a door labeled:
OPERATING ROOM
A wave of nervousness rose in my chest.
What could they want with me?
Behind the colonel stood a large LED panel displaying multiple camera feeds—most were dead, showing only static; a few were still functioning.
He turned and pointed at the screen.
“As you can see… we have very little visual information about what’s happening outside. You’re the only person who went out and survived. I need you to tell me exactly what happened to you… and to Unit Seven.”
I swallowed hard.
I sat down and told him everything.
Every detail I could remember.
The horror was still written all over my face—I knew that. But the colonel barely reacted. He only slightly furrowed his brow or clenched his fist against the table.
The only moment he truly showed emotion was when I described what happened to me, to the young Elise Wind, and to the soldier—when that creature appeared.
For a brief instant, I saw a slight tremor in his hands.
His expression grew harder, heavier.
He asked me to describe everything again, “with as much detail as possible,” insisting that I leave nothing out.
When I finished, he exhaled slowly, as if carrying an enormous weight.
He squeezed my hand and said:
“I’m sorry for everything that happened.”
And I could feel it… he meant it.
The sincerity and sadness were clear in his voice.
I asked if I could leave, and he confirmed with a small nod.
As I stepped outside, I found Estivi standing by the door, arms crossed.
“Did it go okay?” he asked, noticing my shaken expression.
“More or less…”
I murmured.
Without pressing, he simply nodded, gesturing for me to follow him.
We walked down the corridor in silence, broken only by the metallic hum of the Sector 2 lights vibrating above us—they always made me uneasy, like they were about to burn out. Maybe it was just my imagination.
We took the elevator back to Sector 1.
When the doors opened, the familiar smell of the medical wing hit me: strong disinfectant, hot metal, and the faint hiss of drones in standby mode. The place felt colder since the incident.
“If you need anything, I’m around,” Estivi said before walking away.
I thanked him and went to my room.
I lay down to take a nap.
A mistake.
The dreams came like blades:
Elise screaming, the soldier being dragged out of the bus, the massive beating of wings vibrating through the air… and that suffocating sensation of corruption crawling over my skin.
I woke with a jolt.
SIRENS.
A shrill, continuous alarm, followed by red lights flashing across the ceiling.
The automated announcement repeated on a loop, but the message was distorted:
“Atten…tion… pow…er fai…ure… Sect…”
I ran into the corridor, stumbling because of my leg.
Automatic doors locked and unlocked on their own.
Some drones fell from the ceiling, completely powered down.
The first person I saw was Miss Lucia, the short, gentle nurse.
She was holding a clipboard that trembled in her hands.
“What’s happening?!” I asked, my heart racing.
“I… I don’t know!” she replied, nearly out of breath. “The systems started failing.”
“They told everyone to wait for instructions,” she added, trying to stay calm. “They’re attempting to stabilize the system.”
I took a deep breath, my stomach tight. I had no idea what was happening, but the tension in the air was undeniable. Something had gone very wrong.
The floor trembled slightly.
Lucia went pale.
“That’s not normal… not even in containment mode…”
“I need to check on the other patients. Go back to your room.”
Lucia was already walking away.
Before I could respond, every light shut off at once.
I returned to my room.
Total darkness.
Then, a single emergency light flickered on.
POWER FAILURE – LIFE SUPPORT UNSTABLE
My heart froze.
“Why isn’t the system working?” I whispered, fumbling with the controls, my hands shaking.
A muffled sound echoed behind me.
PSSSS — the hydraulic lock of the capsule opened on its own.
Then… heavy breathing. A harsh, tearing cough.
I froze.
My heart pounded as I took two steps back without even realizing it.
Until I heard:
“…Luna? Sister… where am I?”
