The Laboratory of Dr. Grey - Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Roxanne’s eyelids fluttered open and she squinted in the brightness. Blinking a couple of times it took a few seconds for her to realize what had happened. Then everything came crashing back to her like a heavy weight. Everything that they had done, everything that they had seen, everything that they had experienced, wasn’t real. Did that mean that Damian was fake as well? Or was she the one who was fake? Where were they dumped this time anyway?
Sitting up, she glanced around her, taking everything in, once her eyes adjusted. They were in another room which was completely white, reflecting the day light that flooded through the windows to her left. Also on her left was Damian. He sat up at about the same time she did, and they both observed silently for a moment. There was nothing in the white glamorous room. It was a fair size, with a tile floor and a white smooth ceiling. There were no lights except the natural sunshine, which in of it’s self, was strange and bright. It seemed like they hadn’t seen true sunlight in a very long time. Behind them was a doorway which led into another part of the laboratory, as was plainly given away by the long sterile hallway with multiple rooms branching off from it. In front of them was a white door, not eight feet away and it seemed to entice them to see what lay beyond.
Damian’s and Roxanne’s eyes traveled there and rested upon it. Then they looked at each other, and it was at that moment that they realized they were still holding hands. Quickly they let go and Damian cleared his throat. “It would seem that the Laboratory of Dr. Grey is nothing but a fake test of some sorts. The only few questions left are, how do you get out, and why was this place invented?”
“I have no idea,” Roxanne commented, shaking her head in dismay. There was a pause then she asked rather abruptly, but genuinely, “Are you real? Or are you just an image, like Melissa and those people back there?”
He looked sincerely at her and answered, “I’m real. At least, I’m pretty sure I am.” Silence followed and Roxanne looked away. Damian started with a new sound in his voice, “I can remember my life outside of this horrible adventure. The earlier years of them are nothing but a dark shadow, a nightmare of death and fear. But things were starting to look up; a new life with people who only wanted peace and to start their lives again. But this is where my memory fails me, I’m not sure where we decided to go, or who all was in that group. Then I met a kid named Alan, but he disappeared before a large beast took me into that dark room where you found me. I’m not sure if that helps or not. But I am real.”
Still looking away, Roxanne choked on a threatening sob, “I don’t know anything about what you’re saying. You’re just like them, if you died you would just vanish, exactly like the others.”
Damian frowned and asserted, “But I am real. Don’t you see? You can touch me, I feel pain, I can think for my own, I’m not apart of this program, what ever it is!”
Turning back towards him, Roxanne had a tear trickling down her cheek. “So could the mouse in the hall, and Melissa, and the robots, and the men just a few minutes ago. How can I be sure that you’re not just like them?”
“Let me show you, then if you’re still uncertain. Come on,” he said, rising and offering his hand to her, “let’s see if we can get out of this place, then we’ll take it from there, huh? Why don’t we see what lies beyond the door?”
After a moment of hesitancy, she took his hand and nodded. Together they walked to the door, pausing just before opening it. Damian stared down at her and asked, “Remember your promise?”
“Yes, that I would stick with you,” she muttered in response.
Seeming satisfied with her answer, Damian swung open the door. A flood of light flowed into the room through the open doorway and a sweet scent drifted in from outside. Roxanne breathed deeply in the refreshing, luring smell, then she stepped into the dancing sunshine. The sound of birds singing in the treetops and bees industriously working, reached her ears. They had stepped into a bright forest filled with lovely sights, smells and sounds, all beckoning them to draw nearer and nearer. A laughing brook bubbled by and a squirrel bounced from bough to bough in the towering trees. The sun light filtered through the vibrant leaves and played on the soft turf which was doted with glowing flowers.
A narrow, lightly tread path wound through the trees. Everything looked so very pleasant. Roxanne glanced over her shoulder, wondering what was behind them. Looming ominously behind them was a grey cement building which had many terraces and levels above ground. But only a few had windows and they had restricting bars running up and down. Over all it had a dark threatening look to it, and she had the sudden desire to be away from it.
“Shall we go?”
Damian’s question roused her from her musings, and she looked at him saying, “I would like that.”
Together they struck out on the faint path, more like a track, heading in no where particular, but always away from the laboratory. They walked in silence, Roxanne still doubting what was real and what wasn’t. It was hard to believe that all this was fake, it’s seemed so realistic. The colors and scents were so vibrant. It felt like she hadn’t seen anything that could even compare in a very long time. She began to wonder what the real world looked like, and she tried to remember but nothing presented itself. She couldn’t even remember what other people looked like. Maybe she was the one who wasn’t real. Damian had memories, but she didn’t. He must be apart of the program because he could’ve been programmed with memories, in an effort to make him seem more real! That must have been it.
After a while, they noticed the sun was beginning to sink, and the light was disappearing rapidly. Damian suggested that they should start looking for a place to rest for the night and they began to look for a suitable area. After a few minutes of searching they came across a null at the bottom of a stone cliff that was mostly protected. Roxanne and Damian leaned against the cold stone. Crossing her arms tightly, Roxanne tried to ignore the chill as she drifted to sleep.
Damian couldn’t fall asleep for a while. He kept feeling like they were being watched. Not to mention Roxanne was unusually withdrawn. What was going on? He hoped this had nothing to do with the “you aren’t real” stuff. He tried to go to sleep, but he found that it was nearly impossible. He leaned against the cold stone with his eyes closed. Suddenly he heard a twig snap. His eyes shot open. He scanned the darkness. No movement in the blackness. He looked again, but saw nothing. He closed his eyes again. Roxanne didn’t seem to hear anything because she didn’t stir. Maybe it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. Especially since this place already had a dubious reputation.
He calmed his imagination down and was just about to drift off when he heard a snarl directly in front of them. It was a long screaming growl, not twenty feet from them. Snapping his eyes open, he saw in the dim early light of dawn a shadowy creature slipping silently among the tree trunks. Damian reached over, keeping his eyes intently on the beast, and shoved Roxanne’s shoulder lightly. She muttered something sleepily and curled back up into a closer position.
“Roxanne! Wake up, there is something out there! Right there!” he hissed at her.
Drowsily she blinked a couple of times, scanning the gray forest. Suddenly she sat upright completely awake and quite startled when she saw the slinking figure. Whispering quickly in an urgent tone, she edged closer to Damian, “What do you suppose it is? Will it attack us?”
“I don’t know. It looks like some sort of cat, but it’s huge.” He watched the sleek creature weave closer, pinning them in against the rock ledge. He felt Roxanne’s hand slip around his arm and her leaning on his shoulder. He glanced down at her and caught a glimpse of her face in the early light. Her lips were a deep red and slightly parted, and her eyes were fastened on the dim outline. Her face looked pale in comparison to the dark background and he saw apprehension drawn on her face and a tinge of fear. He quickly looked back to the animal, lurking slowly towards them. Trying to keep from panicking, he hurriedly searched his surroundings for any possible escapes. There was no way that they could slip past that large cat, so the only option left was to scale the rock wall. Looking it up and down, Damian measured the odds of them making it, and they were extremely slim. But it was better than just waiting to be killed, watching as their impending doom slunk nearer.
Rising, he faced Roxanne and pulled her up as well, stating the plan in a very matter-of-fact way. “We’re going to have to climb up the cliff. I’ll boost you up, then you climb till you reach the top.” He stooped and clasped his hands together forming a small cup. Roxanne stepped into the cup of his hands and pushed up, grabbing the stone and finding a good hold. She glanced down, concern in her eyes.
“Never mind about me,” Damian said quickly. “I’ll follow when I can.” But they both knew that he was going to stay behind. Roxanne started to protest then she concentrated on working her way up the cliff. There was a loud screaming below as the great cat sprang and tackled Damian, knocking him hard against the rock cliff. Roxanne’s heart beat faster and tears rose to her eyes at the sound of Damian solidly hitting cold stone beneath her. The screams of the beast and of Damian mingled. Roxanne desperately tired shutting them out but she couldn’t. Then she felt razor claws sink into her leg. She cried in pain and lost her grip on the damp rocks. She felt herself falling backwards, then straight back through the air.
Sitting up, she glanced around her, taking everything in, once her eyes adjusted. They were in another room which was completely white, reflecting the day light that flooded through the windows to her left. Also on her left was Damian. He sat up at about the same time she did, and they both observed silently for a moment. There was nothing in the white glamorous room. It was a fair size, with a tile floor and a white smooth ceiling. There were no lights except the natural sunshine, which in of it’s self, was strange and bright. It seemed like they hadn’t seen true sunlight in a very long time. Behind them was a doorway which led into another part of the laboratory, as was plainly given away by the long sterile hallway with multiple rooms branching off from it. In front of them was a white door, not eight feet away and it seemed to entice them to see what lay beyond.
Damian’s and Roxanne’s eyes traveled there and rested upon it. Then they looked at each other, and it was at that moment that they realized they were still holding hands. Quickly they let go and Damian cleared his throat. “It would seem that the Laboratory of Dr. Grey is nothing but a fake test of some sorts. The only few questions left are, how do you get out, and why was this place invented?”
“I have no idea,” Roxanne commented, shaking her head in dismay. There was a pause then she asked rather abruptly, but genuinely, “Are you real? Or are you just an image, like Melissa and those people back there?”
He looked sincerely at her and answered, “I’m real. At least, I’m pretty sure I am.” Silence followed and Roxanne looked away. Damian started with a new sound in his voice, “I can remember my life outside of this horrible adventure. The earlier years of them are nothing but a dark shadow, a nightmare of death and fear. But things were starting to look up; a new life with people who only wanted peace and to start their lives again. But this is where my memory fails me, I’m not sure where we decided to go, or who all was in that group. Then I met a kid named Alan, but he disappeared before a large beast took me into that dark room where you found me. I’m not sure if that helps or not. But I am real.”
Still looking away, Roxanne choked on a threatening sob, “I don’t know anything about what you’re saying. You’re just like them, if you died you would just vanish, exactly like the others.”
Damian frowned and asserted, “But I am real. Don’t you see? You can touch me, I feel pain, I can think for my own, I’m not apart of this program, what ever it is!”
Turning back towards him, Roxanne had a tear trickling down her cheek. “So could the mouse in the hall, and Melissa, and the robots, and the men just a few minutes ago. How can I be sure that you’re not just like them?”
“Let me show you, then if you’re still uncertain. Come on,” he said, rising and offering his hand to her, “let’s see if we can get out of this place, then we’ll take it from there, huh? Why don’t we see what lies beyond the door?”
After a moment of hesitancy, she took his hand and nodded. Together they walked to the door, pausing just before opening it. Damian stared down at her and asked, “Remember your promise?”
“Yes, that I would stick with you,” she muttered in response.
Seeming satisfied with her answer, Damian swung open the door. A flood of light flowed into the room through the open doorway and a sweet scent drifted in from outside. Roxanne breathed deeply in the refreshing, luring smell, then she stepped into the dancing sunshine. The sound of birds singing in the treetops and bees industriously working, reached her ears. They had stepped into a bright forest filled with lovely sights, smells and sounds, all beckoning them to draw nearer and nearer. A laughing brook bubbled by and a squirrel bounced from bough to bough in the towering trees. The sun light filtered through the vibrant leaves and played on the soft turf which was doted with glowing flowers.
A narrow, lightly tread path wound through the trees. Everything looked so very pleasant. Roxanne glanced over her shoulder, wondering what was behind them. Looming ominously behind them was a grey cement building which had many terraces and levels above ground. But only a few had windows and they had restricting bars running up and down. Over all it had a dark threatening look to it, and she had the sudden desire to be away from it.
“Shall we go?”
Damian’s question roused her from her musings, and she looked at him saying, “I would like that.”
Together they struck out on the faint path, more like a track, heading in no where particular, but always away from the laboratory. They walked in silence, Roxanne still doubting what was real and what wasn’t. It was hard to believe that all this was fake, it’s seemed so realistic. The colors and scents were so vibrant. It felt like she hadn’t seen anything that could even compare in a very long time. She began to wonder what the real world looked like, and she tried to remember but nothing presented itself. She couldn’t even remember what other people looked like. Maybe she was the one who wasn’t real. Damian had memories, but she didn’t. He must be apart of the program because he could’ve been programmed with memories, in an effort to make him seem more real! That must have been it.
After a while, they noticed the sun was beginning to sink, and the light was disappearing rapidly. Damian suggested that they should start looking for a place to rest for the night and they began to look for a suitable area. After a few minutes of searching they came across a null at the bottom of a stone cliff that was mostly protected. Roxanne and Damian leaned against the cold stone. Crossing her arms tightly, Roxanne tried to ignore the chill as she drifted to sleep.
Damian couldn’t fall asleep for a while. He kept feeling like they were being watched. Not to mention Roxanne was unusually withdrawn. What was going on? He hoped this had nothing to do with the “you aren’t real” stuff. He tried to go to sleep, but he found that it was nearly impossible. He leaned against the cold stone with his eyes closed. Suddenly he heard a twig snap. His eyes shot open. He scanned the darkness. No movement in the blackness. He looked again, but saw nothing. He closed his eyes again. Roxanne didn’t seem to hear anything because she didn’t stir. Maybe it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. Especially since this place already had a dubious reputation.
He calmed his imagination down and was just about to drift off when he heard a snarl directly in front of them. It was a long screaming growl, not twenty feet from them. Snapping his eyes open, he saw in the dim early light of dawn a shadowy creature slipping silently among the tree trunks. Damian reached over, keeping his eyes intently on the beast, and shoved Roxanne’s shoulder lightly. She muttered something sleepily and curled back up into a closer position.
“Roxanne! Wake up, there is something out there! Right there!” he hissed at her.
Drowsily she blinked a couple of times, scanning the gray forest. Suddenly she sat upright completely awake and quite startled when she saw the slinking figure. Whispering quickly in an urgent tone, she edged closer to Damian, “What do you suppose it is? Will it attack us?”
“I don’t know. It looks like some sort of cat, but it’s huge.” He watched the sleek creature weave closer, pinning them in against the rock ledge. He felt Roxanne’s hand slip around his arm and her leaning on his shoulder. He glanced down at her and caught a glimpse of her face in the early light. Her lips were a deep red and slightly parted, and her eyes were fastened on the dim outline. Her face looked pale in comparison to the dark background and he saw apprehension drawn on her face and a tinge of fear. He quickly looked back to the animal, lurking slowly towards them. Trying to keep from panicking, he hurriedly searched his surroundings for any possible escapes. There was no way that they could slip past that large cat, so the only option left was to scale the rock wall. Looking it up and down, Damian measured the odds of them making it, and they were extremely slim. But it was better than just waiting to be killed, watching as their impending doom slunk nearer.
Rising, he faced Roxanne and pulled her up as well, stating the plan in a very matter-of-fact way. “We’re going to have to climb up the cliff. I’ll boost you up, then you climb till you reach the top.” He stooped and clasped his hands together forming a small cup. Roxanne stepped into the cup of his hands and pushed up, grabbing the stone and finding a good hold. She glanced down, concern in her eyes.
“Never mind about me,” Damian said quickly. “I’ll follow when I can.” But they both knew that he was going to stay behind. Roxanne started to protest then she concentrated on working her way up the cliff. There was a loud screaming below as the great cat sprang and tackled Damian, knocking him hard against the rock cliff. Roxanne’s heart beat faster and tears rose to her eyes at the sound of Damian solidly hitting cold stone beneath her. The screams of the beast and of Damian mingled. Roxanne desperately tired shutting them out but she couldn’t. Then she felt razor claws sink into her leg. She cried in pain and lost her grip on the damp rocks. She felt herself falling backwards, then straight back through the air.
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