Chapter 1: Reptile

A faint red-hot glow beams down from the ceiling filling the room with a dim red light, I sit in my cage sweat dripping from my brow all I can make out are faint silhouettes of creatures in the cages that litter the room around me. When the cellar door opens and the light shines in I can see them. It seems like thousands of tiny creatures, as well as giant horrifying monsters that could eat me whole if given the chance, all reptiles of some form or kind. The same man comes down as he always does dressed in a white lab coat with glasses, the flashlight on his head shines into the cages as he checks on all the animals.

When he shines the light in the cage next to mine I can see the creature inside, a Komodo Dragon, it’s staring at me hungrily it doesn’t take its eyes off me to even look at the man, it must know I’m weak. the man gets done with the lizard and steps over to my cage. “looks like it’s finally ready so you’ll be coming with me today.” he said. I was too weak to respond, so he opened the cage “Come on.” he said. I dragged myself out of the cage, the man helped me up and then tied a rope around my hands and started to lead me out of the cellar. It was hard for me to walk I was stuck in that cage so long that my legs shook beneath my weight, getting up the stairs was a struggle but I could see the light at the top and I wanted so desperately to see what was on the other side of it. When I reached the top of the stairs I could see that the dank cobble dungeon turned into a large white hallway. The man closed the dungeon hatch and led me further down the hallway it was lit brightly by the many fluorescent bulbs.

The hallway led so far that it seemed like there was no end. Not far from the entrance to the cellar, the man stopped in front of the many doors that lined the massive hallway, he made a gesture towards the door I approached it and the door opened automatically I took a step into the room and I could see that there was a girl strapped onto one of the beds in the room and she seemed to be crying. I started to step backward but the man stopped me with his hand on my back he led me into the room I was too weak to struggle at all he brought me to the other table in the room. “lay down on the table, please.” he said. I didn’t move, I don’t know what they want from me but it can’t be good I was too scared to move I don’t want to die. As I was standing there stricken with fear the man forced me down onto the table and started to strap my legs down, he cut the ropes on my hands and strapped them down as well. I looked over at the girl strapped to the other table she was staring at me with tears in her eyes and a gag in her mouth looking at her hopeless expression brought tears to my eyes as well.

Another man entered the room “Today’s the big day ‘ey Arthur.” the man said. “Yes it is Christopher, our research will finally come to fruition.” Arthur said. “how many times have I told you to call me Chris, we’ve been working together for quite some time.” Christopher said. “Christopher makes you sound more competent, we do have guests after all.” Arthur said. “guests? They are more like lab rats.” Christopher said. “well if our experiment is successful they will be working with us as well.” Arthur said. “That’s true, so which one do you think will be more compatible,” Christopher said. “I would say the male, reptiles don’t have mammary glands so I think the female will reject the solution.” Arthur said. “mammary glands, you mean tits?” Christopher laughed. Arthur sighed “Yes Chris because she has tits.” Arthur said. he continued “Alright I should be ready over here how about your end.” “I’m all good over here.” Christopher said. “Then let’s get our radiation suits on and prepare the solution.” Arthur said. “Roger that.” Chris replied. with their radiation suits donned and the area prepped the scientist started their experiment “Be ready, their bodies require a lot of radiation for their cells to destabilize, and this requires precise timing.” Arthur said. Chris nodded. They placed two vials into a contraption with large needles on it and placed them by the subject heads, the needles pointing at their necks. Then they placed a large machine in front of the two subjects and turned it on after a couple of seconds they began screaming in pain, their screams filled the room even with the gag in their mouths. “Inject them now!” Arthur exclaimed. they both hit a button and the contraption shot the needles into their necks and injected the vials contents into their necks. after a brief moment, their bodies started to morph multiple scales started to cover their forearms and calfs, their eyes became amber small scales began to form under them and their pupils became pointed as well as their teeth.

Chris started to reach for the radiation machine. “Wait! the solution needs more time.” Arthur said. “If I don’t turn it off now the radiation will kill her.” Christopher said. “just one more minute Chris!” Arthur exclaimed. shortly before the minute ended the girl’s screams stopped and she fell limp. “Dammit!” Chris shouted as he reached up to shut off the machine. Arthur tried to stop him but he was not fast enough. “What have you done, we’re going to lose both the subjects now!.” Arthur screamed. “they’re both going to die either way look at the boy!” Chris screamed back. Arthur looked over at the boy to see his skin melting off of his face barely able to let out a moan of pain. Arthur ran over to the defibrillator in the room and tried to revive the dead girl. “It is no use Arthur, she’s dead.” Chris said. “This is the farthest we’ve gotten in our research, they changed Chris we got them to change!” Arthur exclaimed. Chris stepped back and let Arthur continue. Arthur got the defibrillator pads out and placed them on the girl, but as the defibrillator was charging up a shock, the girl opened her eyes and took a deep breath. “you did it Arthur you brought her back!” Chris said. “No, The defibrillator didn’t go off yet.” Arthur said. “What!” Chris exclaimed. Arthur took the paddles off and stepped back. they watched the girl’s body start to come back the skin that fell off from the severe radiation exposure started to regenerate. Arthur looked back at the boy and saw that the same thing was happening to him. “What’s going on Arthur.” Chris said. “It’s working.” Arthur said. “Let’s get these gags off and give them some oxygen it seems like they’re having trouble breathing.” Arthur said. they rushed to get the gags off of them and got an oxygen mask on them. Their breathing started to become less labored. “Arthur look at this.” Chris said. Arthur rushed over to the girl. “What is this?” Arthur said.

he looked upon the girl and saw that the rest of her skin was turning into scales. the whole of her body soon became covered in scales. “But how? How can the cells still change even after the radiation was turned off.” Arthur paused he let out a laugh. “I was so sure the experiment would be a failure, but it was a success. We’ve created an entirely new species.” Arthur said. Arthur smiled at Chris and Chris smiled back “It should be a complete killing machine.” Chris said. “oh my you’re right, go call some guards in here just in case.” Arthur said. Chris went over to the phone. Arthur walked over to the boy. “hmm, it doesn’t seem like the boy took to it completely. he is still retaining some of his human qualities.” Arthur said. Chris walked back over to Arthur “Some security will be here in a few minutes.” Chris said. “it seems this one was a failure.” Arthur said. “well it’s not a complete failure he is regenerating.” Chris said. “that’s true, we can use him for other experiments that regeneration will come in use.” Arthur said. the guards entered the room. “Hello Arthur, we were called.” the guard said. “Yes, thank you for coming. our experiment was successful as you can see please bring the female to the holding cell, but be careful she should be quite strong due to her new physiology.” Arthur said. “and what about the male.” the guard said. “Yes, you can bring him back to the cellar with the reptiles. We will use him for future experiments.” Arthur said.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Roy, we’ll take the male, you two take the female.” the guard said. the guard bent over to unstrap his arm once the arm was free he swung it at the guard’s head now that his nails had turned to claws he left deep gashes in his face. the guard recoiled in pain holding his face that was now covered in blood. the other guards raised their weapons at him. he started to undo the other strap on his arm. “STOP!.” the guards shouted. “Stop now or we will shoot.” they shouted more. but he didn’t stop. He got his other arm free and once he started going for the foot straps the guards opened fire on him, riddling him with bullet holes, he went limp and slumped over. “Goddamn bastard, is he dead!” the guard who got his face cut shouted. “He better be.” one of the guards said. As he finished his sentence the bullet hole started to repair themselves and he sat back up. “What the hell is going on!” the guard shouted. “get the tranquilizer!” Arthur shouted. “We need to subdue him the regeneration is too powerful!” Arthur continued. the guards pulled out their tranqs and they all shot him with it. the darts hit him but he was unaffected he then cut the ties on his feet and jumped at the nearest guard. “Dammit, tase him.” the guard said. all the guards got their tasers out and shot him before he could attack, the tasers incapacitated him.

He awoke in his cell the once dark dungeon seemed much brighter now he tried to move but couldn’t a straight jacket was placed on him with metal rings wrapped around him, and he could feel the skin on his arms and legs it felt thick and rough, the scales pulled on his skin like a scab. (what have I become.) he thought. As the days went by he was put into many experiments. shot, burned, melted, electrocuted, vaporized, dismembered. in the beginning, he screamed in pain and feared for his life. over time his mind became broken, and the cries turned into a mocking laugh and the fear he felt disappeared entirely. “If that’s all you got I feel sorry for your wife” he said to a scientist after he was shot with an experimental laser that left a golf ball-sized hole in his stomach. the scientist ignored him and went to his notes. he would routinely mock the scientists during the experiments. back in his cage, he would talk to his friend the Komodo Dragon. “what’s going on buddy… nice, that’s good. I’m doing alright too. Just got my back blown out by some prototype robot…why are you looking at me like that…oooh, haha no I mean really. snapped my spine in half, damn thing.” he scratched at the bottom of the bars at the back of his cells with his feet. He looked over at the Komodo dragon, it stared blankly at him. “Don’t worry pal ill come back to get you. I’ll come in guns blazing kill a whole score of these egghead scientists and ill break your cage open and well walk on outta here.” He smiled at the lizard

The next day a guard came down to get him it was Jeff. “let’s go K3. We got another fun experiment for you.” Jeff said. “Jeffrey nice to see ya buddy.” he said. “Shut up! damn lizard don’t use that friendly tone with me. You’re the one who gave me these damn scars.” Jeff said. “Oh, don’t be like that your always complaining about the scars. those scars make you look like a badass, you should’ve thanked me by now.” He said. Jeff hit him with the butt of his gun, and he fell to the floor. quit talking like you’re hot shit, lizard.” Jeff said. “Don’t worry I’ll kill you all soon enough, to prove it.” he said. Jeff kicked him while he was on the ground. “Keep dreaming fuckhead. now get up let’s go.” Jeff said. Jeff picked him up and led him up the stairs from the dungeon. “So, what it’ll be this time. Freeze ray, laser sword, oh maybe you’ll try to phase me through a wall.” he said. “Quit yapping.” Jeff said. “What? cmon tell me. what is it a plasma gun, a new fancy robot, a mind control ray.” he said. “Shut up.” Jeff said and then hit him breaking his nose. “Nice arm. I’ll figure it out when we get there, anyway” he said. After some walking they arrived. “after you.” Jeff said with a sinister smile. he walked through the door, and his eyes were drawn to the chamber in the center of the room it was made of metal with multiple giant wires coming from it. “Here he is.” Jeff said. “Thank you Jeff.Subject K3 step into the chamber.” a scientist said. “Sure.” he said. his eyes wandered onto the desk and saw a file that was labeled “Rift.” “Rift what does that mean.” he said. Jeff hit him in the back of the head he managed to catch himself from falling. “Get in the chamber.” Jeff said. “Fine.” he said. (Rift? a rift to the void, a rift to hell,) he gasps. (a rift to heaven, yes of course they play god so much they want to meet him.) he thought. he stepped into the chamber and the door shut. shortly after the machine whirred on and energy started gathering at the bottom and the sides. As it powered up the energy got hot and arcs of electricity started shooting around the chamber, the energy then became so strong that his body started to vaporize but his regenerative ability fought back against it so he was still standing. the machine kept gaining more and more strength to the point his regeneration couldn’t handle it and he slowly started to melt down to the floor his skin began falling off and the straight jacket and rings burned and melted away, he was flailing around in the chamber trying anything he could not to die. (They must actually want me dead now if I get disintegrated I might not come back.) He thought the machine kept increasing in power to the point where the entire chamber was filled with a bright white light then it emitted a huge pulse, sending a shockwave throughout the room pushing everyone back and scattering papers to the floor the power to the facility shut down for a few moments before the backup kicked in, some scientists rush over to the machine door and open it to see the chamber empty.

“Did we do it.” one scientist exclaimed as he got back on his feet. another scientist rushed over to some computers. “Yes I think we did, his vital signs disappeared the same moment the rift opened.” he exclaimed. “how do you know that he didn’t just die.” Jeff said. “There’s no way, the rift opened and his vitals disappeared in that same moment. It’s too precise to be a coincidence.” the scientist said. “That doesn’t seem very solid doc.” Jeff said. “I will not let this project fail!” the scientist exclaimed “We have just proven organic material can be transported through the rift, all we need to do now is refine the process.” he said. “Alright, damn,” Jeff said as he put his hands up and backed away.