After sitting a little longer at the table and languidly quarreling with each other, the teenagers still calmed down, each thinking about his own. There were no answers, but young blood seethed, looking for a way out. Without coming to any conclusion, they decided to explore the strange room, but did not have time.
Something quietly hissed in the wall and soon the room was filled with fetid smoke, so thick that it was difficult to see the person sitting next to him. The students coughed as they lay down on the floor, hoping that this would save them. Only Denis rushed to the door, hoping that it would open. But the steel didn’t budge. Smoke filled the entire room, and the smell made his eyes water. Lilia put her hand to her mouth and pinched her nose before taking a breath. The whole world focused on the right hand, which held the bent index finger. Lily concentrated all her will on that finger, repeating to herself “It’s all over now, it’s all over!” until she felt dizzy. Classmates coughed, losing their will, until they finally lost consciousness. In their remnants, a new idea was born. In the dream, they ran in circles and fought each other, losing, but not losing hope. And so, gradually squeezing the heart, the thought left them and finally merged with the evaporating mind. And when a few heavy white feathers flew up over the river, I must admit that I had a little hope… It would be better if all this never ended.
– Chapter 2-
The first day
Consciousness returned slowly, reluctantly and painfully. Lilia closed her eyes even more, feeling a drop of sweat trickle down between her shoulder blades, and tried to imagine everything that happened yesterday, and feeling as if her hands, body and thoughts were being pulled into something wet and sticky. It was like some kind of power had spilled out of her and scattered in different directions, and now she is surrounded by a cloud of fog, which slowly moves in space.
“The indicators are normal,” a muffled male voice was heard from somewhere on the side.
Lily reluctantly opened her eyes and almost immediately closed her eyes against the bright white light, as if she were in an operating room. Insolent hands clung to some kind of sensors on her body, treating her as if with a piece of meat, insensitive and completely cynical.
She was ashamed not from the humiliation she had endured, but from grief, which at that moment was much stronger than the humiliation itself. Her soul was torn from the cage, and now the cage was in front of her eyes, and Lily could no longer believe that she could regain freedom. She tried to ask, but her lips would not obey, and her throat burned with fire. My head was buzzing with pain. Hearing a terrible wheezing, the girl turned her head to the side and noticed Vlad lying on the hospital couch, followed by Zhenya and Maria on the beds. They were conscious, but their eyes froze with animal horror. She tried to wave her hand – and could not, something firmly held her shoulders, and only after looking closely did she dismantle the leather belts. With the last of her strength, Lilia turned her face to the other side and saw the guard, whom she had not even seen a minute ago, and screamed hoarsely. And then the light fell on her. The guard got up too.
– Hush girl, hush. Almost finished. There was one last injection left,” the man assured. His face is covered with a medical mask. He was dressed in a green robe and had gloves on his hands. A second man in the same suit approached, carrying a syringe with a huge needle, fifteen centimeters long. The girl was roughly turned over on her side, without freeing her hands, which made her back uncomfortable, and the next second, Lily felt the needle penetrate her neck, along her spine, giving off terrifying pain. A wild cry of despair filled the small room. Classmates who could be seen looked up at the ceiling. Against its background, a reflection was clearly visible. It was smeared, and it was impossible to determine what it was. For a few seconds they stared at him without stopping, then again turned their gaze to Lilia, who now fell silent, looking ahead with glassy eyes.
– What are you doing to us? Leave us alone! – Feeling how his voice cut through, Nikita yelled with horror, looking at his classmate in the hands of sadistic doctors. – Let us go!
As if nothing had happened, the masked man removed the syringe, placing it on the operating table, and the guard turned Lilia roughly enough on her back while she was in shock from the pain.
– Let go! Nikita pulled the straps with force. They creaked, but did not give in, firmly holding the young man in place. Continuing to break free, the guy screamed, not particularly hoping that they would be released. Awareness of what was happening was not felt in him at all, but, being spat upon and torn, it suddenly dawned on him that the worst thing could really happen. Shouting and ringing rose from below. The guard silently approached Nikita and roughly put on a gag, plugging the guy’s mouth.
The doctors stepped aside talking quietly, and soon announced louder:
– The immunization procedure is completed. To their landfill.
The three employees left, closing the door behind them. Steel locks clicked and the hissing sound of gas being let in through hidden ventilation was heard again. Acrid smoke filled and clogged the airways, the air barely went into the lungs, but it was in this form that this smoke looked – what it was. He was stinky and poisonous.
– Hilsha! Hilsia!! Stop, don’t panic. Give me a label. Tag!!! Yes all. He took it off, – Nikita deftly pressed the buttons on the keyboard, using various combinations. Having changed the sniper rifle to an assault one, he went to help with his teammates. They played well, prepared for the tournament, wanting to take first place. This is their chance. There is not much. Another team they’ve already tracked down.
– Get out, get out of there! Ah-ah-ah! I’m healing, – the guy said, retreating, inserting armor plates and reloading the weapon.
– They want to give us a nuclear strike! yelled the teammate.
– I’m not a rat, I’m a tactical mouse! – the guy shouted at the camera, playing to the audience, knowing that people love “bread and circuses.”
– It’s a cheater! – the voice of a teammate was heard, who was firing with the enemy. The boys were tensely silent. Nikita was also silent. He also knew what he was getting into. Nothing special. But each time, fear crept into the soul when the hand entered the numbers into the settings window. Nikita no longer noticed how he did it.
– Eat up! Finish it!! Finish it!!!
By joining forces, they diligently destroyed the enemy team and soon the coveted sign “Victory!” appeared.
– A Hachiko simulator, not a game, – a friend in headphones rejoiced. – Sweaty skating rink, tired of sitting out at home. Go find them.
Exhaling tiredly, Nikita chuckled.
– So guys, I’ll have a smoke and coffee, – and by pressing the button, I changed the splash screen on the stream with the news that the streamer will be back soon.
The smartphone vibrated quietly, reminding us of the time that had come – seven in the evening. Smiling, he grabbed the phone and went to the kitchen, dialed a message on the go: “Hello! How was your day?” and sent, along the way clicking the kettle button. After washing with cool water, the guy patiently looked at the screen of the smartphone, but at the same time nervously tapping his fingers on the tabletop. A painful half-minute passed, which seemed like an eternity, and soon a quiet sound of a message was heard. Breaking into a stupid smile, Nikita read:
– Tired a bit. Are you still playing?
He quickly typed: “Yes, we are getting ready for the tour. Will you cheer for my team? and sent. The answer came almost immediately: “Of course. I’ll be on the stream. By the way, I did my homework in physics, give me a copy? Smiling at all thirty-two norm, Nikita replied that he would be grateful for such an opportunity. She seemed wonderful to him, the most-most. Kind, beautiful, interesting. Hormones seethed, I wanted to spend all the time with her. But the intended goals did not allow them to behave