Chapter 14: Somewhere Out There Part 3

  The Observatory Room was vast and shrouded in darkness. The only source of light came from Edward, who shifted into a headlamp on Kai’s head. As the dim glow spread across the room, it revealed a chaotic mess—scattered papers, overturned chairs, shattered monitors, and broken desks.

  A particular sight drew their attention. The right wall was covered in research papers, arranged almost like a canvas. The paper was glued into the wall. At its center was an eerie drawing—an illustration of a shepherd leading a herd of sheep. But something was off. The shepherd’s face was drawn over. It wasn’t a human anymore; it had the distinct features of a sheep.

  Beside the image, large, bold words were scrawled in black ink: “THEY LEFT US.”

  Mira’s fingers brushed against the wall filled with scratches and ink. “This… feels wrong,” she muttered.

  Edward scanned the room. Paper scatter around the room, desks bore deep dents, and broken monitors lay in disarray. Signs of struggle were evident. All the destruction seemed to lead toward the front of the room. Only the front of the room looked tidy. Edward shines the light slowly there.

  A desk sat at the center, multiple monitors stacked on top, and files piled into a tower. The papers all bore the same title: “Project Overview: Experiment Eden.”

  “Experiment Eden?” Mira read aloud, frowning. “What is that?”

  Edward analyzed the pages, but the paper was filled with calculations and reports of multiple subjects. It interests him. He had no clearance for this project.

  Mira rifled through the stacks and found another document without a title. The pages were aged, ink smudged, as if hastily written.

  Edward swept the room once more for safety before she began reading.

  (Inside the document )

  In the interest of avoiding legal troubles, I will refrain from revealing my name.

  Why am I writing this? Because I know I will most likely die.

  I was a psychologist assigned to this facility.

  When news of the asteroid became public, the world spiraled into chaos. Governments sought to maintain order, but fear had already taken root. I had just completed my degree in psychology when I received an offer from INFINITE BODY CORPORATION.

  Coming from a poor background, I didn’t hesitate. I had a younger brother and my grandparents to care for.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  That was before I learned the truth.

  Not everyone would be saved. The Ark was only meant for the elite—those deemed important or useful. I convinced myself that if I worked hard enough, maybe my family could be included.

  Then the asteroid struck earlier than predicted. I heard from the others that the government managed to crack and split the asteroid, but there was still debris raining down.

  A fragment landed near the facility, shaking its foundations. Many perished, but the structure held. The asteroid came faster than anyone had thought.

  Radiation flooded the surrounding area, making escape impossible. Our teams, clad in hazmat suits, recovered a strange rock embedded inside an animal’s torn body. That's when Experiment Eden began.

  At first, the experiments were conducted on plants and animals. My role was to observe and document the psychological effects on the scientist. I naively believed it was just research.

  Then they started experimenting on humans.

  It is an eerie feeling to watch a person on the verge of losing his mind. I watch the whole thing from a hidden cubicle. The shit grin of the head doctor told us he was enjoying this. With each infusion of the rock liquid, the person started to become distorted.

  The results were horrifying. Some subjects became monstrous—losing their humanity entirely. The few who retained their sanity were transferred elsewhere. But their bodies… they twisted into something unnatural.

  I was tasked with communicating with these “failed” subjects. Most would either scream, bang against their containment cells, or mutter unintelligibly.

  I could stomach it—until they brought in children.

  I pleaded with the project heads, but my words fell on deaf ears. The experiments continued, and I was forced to watch. Nightmares plagued me. The facility's halls whispered with unseen voices. Every child reminded me of my younger brother, Kevin.

  Then, everything collapsed.

  A containment breach. The entire facility shook. The creatures—humans, animals, plants—broke free. Security locked us in, sealing our fates.

  In the chaos, I found the strength to act. I released the children, hoping they could escape. Maybe some of them made it out. Maybe they didn’t.

  I still have the anime necklace Kevin gave me before I took this job. I miss you, brother.

  I hope I can see you again.

  Edward’s voice grew tense as he finished reading. A new horror settled within him. The Experiment Eden files were not in his jurisdiction. He did not know of them. But what shook him most was the mention of INFINITE BODY CORPORATION—the very organization he had worked for. Looking at some of the papers, he found a signature of approval by the government. Edward became disgusted.

  Edward knew they operated under government interests, but human experimentation? That was beyond anything he had imagined.

  A heavy silence fell over the group. Mira clenched her fists, staring at the paper. Kai hugged his sister’s arm, his face pale.

  Edward scanned the document once more, his artificial mind racing.

  If these experiments had gone wrong… then what exactly had been set loose inside this facility?

  And more importantly—were they still here?

  Edward detached himself from Kai and latched onto one of the monitors. Thankfully, he didn’t need to detach from the medical box. His form shifted, wrapping around the device like a network of cables as he connected to the system. The arc reactor pulsed, sending power surging through the room.

  The dim glow from his core spread to the overhead lights, flickering to life one by one. The monitors buzzed as their screens crackled, lines of code booting up from decades of dormancy.

  Edward's sensors flared as he quickly checked the doorway. The sheep was still there. It hadn't moved from its spot, its eerie body swaying left to right in an unnatural rhythm. It was waiting. Watching.

  They were trapped.