The damp air hung heavy in the dimly lit underground facility, oppressive and suffocating like a beast lurking in the shadows. The cold concrete walls bore witness to the countless experiments performed within their confines, offering no comfort to the children held captive here. A faint hum echoed through the stale air, originating from the rows of machinery that lined the sterile halls.

"Subject 12, time for your session," a voice crackled through the overhead speakers. That was me. I glanced around at the other kids, each one bearing the same haunted look in their eyes. We were all trapped in this hellhole together, with no way out. At least not yet.

As I was led down the narrow corridor by two armed guards, my mind raced with thoughts of what was to come. It wasn't fear that gripped me; I had long since learned to suppress that. No, it was something else – a growing sense of determination, fueled by the knowledge that we didn't belong here. We were more than just lab rats, even if Dr. Helena Frost refused to see us as anything else.

"Ah, Subject 12," Dr. Frost said, appearing suddenly before me. "You're making excellent progress. Soon, we'll unlock the full potential of your Genes." Her voice was calm and measured, betraying none of the obsession that consumed her. But I could see it in her eyes – a desperate hunger for power and knowledge that drove her to push us beyond our limits, regardless of the consequences.

I stared back at her with determination in my eyes and declared, "My name is Cain, not Subject 12"

"No you are, Subject 12, however if you exceed my expectations today I may call you Cain. For now, though, you are still Subject 12." Dr. Frost spoke with a cool and unfaltering tone.

She was the mastermind behind these twisted experiments, her cold gray eyes always watching, calculating, dissecting. She looked like a predator, her silver hair cropped short, her slender frame exuding an icy authority. Every time she approached, I felt my insides twist into knots, an instinctive response to the danger she posed.

As much as I despised her, I couldn't help but wonder what had led her down this path. Was she always this cold, this heartless? Or was it the pursuit of something greater that had twisted her into the monster that now stood before me?

"Let's begin." Dr. Frost waved a hand, and I was led into the familiar room where countless experiments had been conducted on me and the others. The air seemed even heavier here, charged with the memories of pain and suffering.

I steeled myself for what was to come, knowing that any sign of weakness would only fuel Dr. Frost's to ask me more questions during the process.

She had the urge to constantly inquire about how much pain I was in, not because she cared. but so she could write it all down in her notes prolonging the sessions.

So I was prepared when the guards escorted me to a steel medical table where I was tied down, surrounded by all kinds of medical items.

The room seemed to close in around me, my eyes drawn to the floor-to-ceiling vat of green liquid that dominated one wall like a silent sentinel.

A chill ran through me as I realized what it was: the stuff Dr. Frost had been using on us for months now, injecting it to us trying to succeed in something.

I felt powerless against its strange pull, knowing that whatever happened next would be decided by Dr. Frost alone.

she moved towards the vat with a syringe and withdrew the liquid using a connecter on the vat. she extended her arm towards me, the silver syringe glinting in her grasp as she approached my body.

"Please use your best words to describe your experience during this subject 12", Dr. Frost said in a toneless voice. 

I felt a slight prick in my arm as the needle went in, and then a warmth as the liquid filled my veins.

Dr. Frost perched on the lab stool with her notebook and surveyed me with her gaze as she spoke: "I do hope you make it through this Subject 12; we've already lost half of you after the tenth injection."

At first, I didn't notice any changes. But soon enough, the pain began. It was relentless, searing through my bones and setting my nerves ablaze. I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, but nothing could distract me from the agony. It felt like every cell in my body was being ripped apart and stitched back together, over and over again. Then everything went dark.

*Don't forget to vote and comment on what you have read! New at posting things I'm writing and would love to hear feedback! This chapter is shorter than I normally like but I wanted to post Chapter 1 I will normally do a minimum of  1500 words for chapters.*

*This is an idea I have for a book if you would like to hear more on it let me know!*