Greetings, precious readers. How are you this Saturday? I'm not doing very well :/ While I'm sick, I also feel kind of low for some reason. And I am confused why because nothing bad has happened in my life for me to feel low, but I know these things occur sometimes without any reason. I should have learned this after having lived with this for eight years, but I hate feeling low because what better feeling is there than feeling high on life and full energy? I hope this low episode of mine don't last long and for the old, happy me to be back :)

This time I am bringing you not one, but TWO chapters :D I feel like I'm neglecting you by only posting once a week so from now on I will post two chapters at once and hope you will enjoy them :) I hope the rest of your weekend will pass by wonderfully and take care of yourselves!

Enjoy!

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The head doctor gives us a look-over and motions with his head for us to follow him. Number Three gives my arm a desperate squeeze. I follow the head doctor down the long hallway. Suddenly it seems to be far longer than what it was ever before.

We keep walking behind him quietly until we reach Number Three's room. The head doctor opens it with the special cards they have, and Number Three barely gives me a look before scampering inside. The head doctor closes the door and mentions for me to follow him. My room is right next to Number Three's, which may seem weird, but there is a reason.

The reason is Number Two.

He was a very troubled child when he was brought here many years ago. When there was just the two of us, he always bullied and hit me when we had free time. I guess he did it to feel stronger after what the head doctor did to him. But then came the nightmares and panicked cries during the nights.

Our rooms were placed next to each other, but I kept picking up his unwanted and very dark thoughts and those affected me very badly, mentally, so he had to be moved to a room further away from mine. And when Number Three was introduced to us, he was moved into the room next to mine and that's how it is to this day.

The head doctor opens my door and I'm pushed inside. I look back and see the sadistic smile on his face.

"Soon it will be your turn."

The door is shut close and I'm left alone in the small room. I slide down the wall and hide my face between my shaking knees. A sob escapes me and even though I don't want to, I begin crying.

A series of light knocks makes me raise my head. I sniffle pathetically and focus my attention on the right wall. Another set of knocks against the wall brings a smile to my face.

Knock – knock knock – knock!

Cheer up, Number One!

I wipe away the tears on my face and stand up shakily. I slide next to the wall and put my forehead against it.

"Thank you, Number Three," I speak into his mind.

Knock knock – knock knock – knock!

Don't be sad, Number One!

I chuckle and lie down on the bed. I roll over and stare at the ceiling where I spot a small spider and can't help but shiver in disgust. I hate spiders. They just creep me out, but I never have the heart to kill it. That would make me a monster. And I am not a monster. That's what the head doctor calls me...

A piercing scream wakes me up from my thoughts. I sit up hastily in my bed when another scream is heard.

Knock knock knock – knock – knock knock!

What is that?!

I can hear Number Three's panicked thoughts and I can't blame him. The hairs on my arms stand when I hear the next pained scream. I swallow heavily and send him my thoughts.

"It's Number Two."

I put my hands over my ears and try to shrink into myself, but his thoughts still penetrate my head.

"It burns! Stop, please!"

I sob and claw at my ears. Please, stop it. Leave him alone!

"W-what is that?! No! Help me! It hurts!"

A scream, much more pained than the others, is heard across the hall. And I can hear the whimpers emitting from Number Three. I search Number Two's mind but hear nothing. It's completely empty.

A black void.

Is he dead?

Knock – knock knock knock – knock – knock knock!

What is happening? Please, tell me!

Poor Number Three, he's too compassionate. Even though Number Two has hit him several times, mainly for staring at him, he still cares about him. I pull my trembling hand through my sweaty hair and exhale shakily.

"I don't know, Number Three. He was saying how it burned and hurt. But suddenly it went quiet and I can't sense him anymore." I say quietly into his mind which is currently swirling with a million thoughts.

What did they do to you, Number Two? Are you alive? I try to search for his mind, thoughts or anything. Nothing.

I lie down on the bed and close my eyes even though the head doctor's words are stuck in my head.

Soon it will be your turn.

It won't be the first time or the last...

I fall into a light sleep and see the disfigured face of Number Two. My eyes snap open. I guess I won't get any sleep today.

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Not much time passes before a slide in my door opens and a tray is pushed inside swiftly. I grab it quickly before it falls to the floor. The head doctor has been kind today. There's a small slice of fish on the plate along with some greens and a whole potato. A set of plastic cutleries and a cup of water is included with the meal.

I sit down on the floor and begin eating slowly, trying not to eat too quickly from the hunger I'm feeling. After all, I haven't eaten solid food in four days and my stomach is growling from lack of food. Usually, we don't get such luxurious food, it mostly consists of mushy food such as squished beans, some form of mashed red meat and water.

I can sense that Number Three is enjoying his meal as well and I feel happy for him. He deserves it. I bring the fork up to my mouth and enjoy the dry piece of fish, but my mind is not focused entirely on the food.

Number Two.

What did they do to you that made you scream so hysterically? I guess I will find out one way or another, either by you or by the experiments the head doctor will perform on me next. I swallow heavily and suddenly the food doesn't appeal to me anymore.

I move around some peas with my fork and can't stop thinking about the horrible experiments I have gone through since I was kidnapped here.

I wish I wasn't born with this curse...

I sigh heavily and force myself to finish the small portion provided for me or I will regret it later. After I'm finished, and everything is set neatly on the tray, I put it back on the small ledge attached to the door. I lie down on my bed and hope to get any sleep this night, but the chances aren't big. Not with all, that's happened today, but nonetheless, I must try.

The thing with this place is, you don't know the difference between day and night. There are no windows that let us look outside. There are no clocks. There are no calendars. Nothing to remind us that we were once living in a real world with ordinary humans. We are always reminded how different we are from everybody else, and how we deserve to be punished for it.

I close my eyes and hope sleep claims me soon, and luckily enough, it does.

Please, let me out,

I moan lowly, rolling around under the thin sheet.

I didn't mean for it to happen...

My fists clench in the sheets.

I'm just so afraid and alone. Please, help...

My breathing starts increasing in speed. Am I stuck in a nightmare? Who's talking?

I can't breathe! Get me out of here! Help me!

I wake up gasping for breath, my chest heavy like a large rock is placed on it. What was that?!

"Number Five?" I gasp, looking around my room. But it can't be! I couldn't speak to her today during our free time. Has she opened her mind to me? Does she want me to communicate with her?

"Number Five?" I send her a message to her mind but receive no reply. "Number Five, can you hear me?" I ask once again, but still, no answer.

I'm going to die!

"Number Five! Answer me! It's Number One." I send to her but still, no reply. And then I understand. I can hear her, but she can't hear me. I slump against the wall in defeat. What are they doing to you, Number Five?

Of course, they're going to punish her, she killed two guards today, and the head doctor will never accept such disobedience. I rest my head against my arms and find myself falling asleep slowly but surely.

I'm awakened by the slide to my door being unlocked and another tray being placed on the ledge. I slowly stand up and groan in pain. Never fall asleep on a hard ground and in a fetal position, your limbs will not thank you next morning. I grab the tray and inspect today's food. Oatmeal porridge with some brown sliced apples on top and a single glass of water. It's the same every morning, but if we've been disobedient we are lucky to get any food. Sometimes they force us to swallow pills that contain something that is supposed to make us stronger and healthier. But every time they give the pills to me, I feel tired afterward and fall asleep immediately. Maybe that's their plan? To drug us into obedience until we have no mind of our own?

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Enjoyed this chapter? It has been heavily edited with lots of added scenes in the published version :) If you want to find out what happens next without waiting for the next update then copy the link down below!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1718111177/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0