The underground laboratory was dead silent except for the low hum of flickering emergency lights. The massive glass chambers filled with eerie, glowing blue liquid loomed over them like giant, forgotten relics. Some of the creatures inside were still, their monstrous forms suspended in strange, dreamlike states. Others twitched slightly, as if sensing the presence of intruders.
But the real terror was the shattered pod in the farthest corner.
And the message scratched into the wall.
“I AM NOT ALONE.”
A slow, deep growl echoed from the darkness.
Leo, Maya, and Ben froze.
Zap’s tail flicked nervously. “We should go. Now.”
Maya grabbed Leo’s arm. “What if… what if it’s still in here?”
Ben whispered, “You mean ‘they,’ remember?”
A sudden crash made them all jump.
One of the glass pods cracked. A monstrous clawed hand slammed against the inside, leaving behind deep scratches.
Ben nearly tripped over himself. “OKAY, WE’RE LEAVING!”
They turned to sprint back toward the elevator—
But the doors slammed shut.
Zap scurried to the control panel. “Not good. Not good at all!”
The room shook. The air became heavy, charged with an eerie energy.
From the shadows, something moved.
A tall, thin figure stepped forward, its glowing red eyes locking onto them.
It was nothing like a rat.
This was something else—something bigger.
It had patches of fur and exposed cybernetic plating. Its elongated arms ended in razor-sharp claws. Strange wires pulsed along its spine, and its mouth stretched into an unnatural, toothy grin.
Maya’s voice barely escaped. “W-what is that?”
Zap’s fur bristled. “The result of an experiment gone really wrong.”
The creature tilted its head at them, as if studying its prey. Then, in a voice that was deep, distorted, and almost human, it spoke:
“You are not supposed to be here.”
The kids backed away.
Zap whispered, “Okay. New plan. We distract it, find another exit, and don’t die.”
Ben hissed, “That last part is my favorite!”
The creature moved.
It was fast.
Leo barely dodged as it swiped at them, its claws tearing into a metal console. Sparks rained down as the lab went into full lockdown mode.
“ALERT. CONTAINMENT BREACH.”
The other pods began to stir. More shapes moved inside the glass.
Maya grabbed a fallen metal pipe. “We have to stop this thing!”
Leo spotted an overhead containment lever. “If we can trap it—”
Zap’s eyes glowed brighter. “I’ve got this!”
The little rat jumped onto the main control panel and started hacking into the system.
The creature lunged toward Zap—
Maya swung the pipe with all her strength, hitting the monster’s cybernetic plating. It barely flinched.
Ben threw a heavy file cabinet in front of it. “That did nothing! WHY DID THAT DO NOTHING?!”
Zap shouted, “Just keep it busy!”
The creature turned to Maya, raising one razor-sharp claw.
Leo acted without thinking. He grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and sprayed a freezing blast of white mist into the monster’s face.
It roared, blinded for a moment.
Zap yelled, “NOW!”
Leo yanked the containment lever.
With a loud CLANG, a metal barrier slammed down, trapping the monster inside the lab.
BANG! BANG!
It slammed against the door, but it held.
For now.
Maya panted, “Tell me we’re safe.”
Zap scowled. “We’re not safe.”
Leo turned to him. “Why? We trapped it.”
Zap’s glowing blue eyes dimmed. “Because it’s not the only one. And now they all know we’re here.”
A new sound echoed through the underground lab—
Footsteps. Lots of them.
From the dark hallways, more red eyes flickered to life.
And they were getting closer.
To be continued…
