Seth and 636 spent most of their time telling each other stories. Seth’s stories were usually a lot happier than hers but he was still ready to listen whenever she told him about what it was like growing up in the laboratory.

“How many other kids were there? How many are here now?” Seth asked but 636 didn’t really know the answers.

She shrugged before answering. “At least six hundred and thirty-six.” Seth pondered for a moment.

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s the number they gave me.” 636 twisted a piece of hay between her fingers mindlessly, not liking the turn the conversation took.

“I don’t know Sunshine, maybe they just wanted to confuse you.” Seth’s nickname for her rang in her ears and she had to suppress a laugh. Every time he would use it, she smiled. It was a stupid nickname but she liked it better than a number.

“I don’t know why they would go through the trouble.” She finally replied.

Footsteps echoed through the halls and 636 shot up from the ground. Seth looked at her, confused, but 636 ignored his confusion and grabbed the chains off the floor and told him to put them back on.

Seth took notice of her rigid demeanor and quickly put the bands back onto both of their hands and feet.

“What is it?” He whispered.

“Don’t you hear them?” 636 kept her eyes trained on the bright hall. Breathing heavily, she refused to look anywhere else.

“No, what are you talking about?” Seth looked around frantically.

“The doctors. They’re down the hall. Probably on their way here to give us our daily shots.”

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“Daily shots?” Seth questioned but 636 put her hand to his mouth to shut him up. Her hand was shaking slightly and Seth rested his on her arm to calm her.

636 was stressing over getting caught. She thought that maybe the doctors found out she had been talking and removed her chains. She knew the doctors didn’t take well to being defied and feared what they may do to her and Seth.

Dr. Willow's face appeared on the other side of the bars. He glanced at the two kids before motioning for 636 to come forward.

Seth’s eyes widened but could only watch as 636 held out her arms palms up. Instead of a needle, Dr. Willow pulled out a scalpel. 636 heart skipped a beat but she didn’t dare move. Dr. Willow pressed the blade to her arm, causing Seth to run over to them, yelling at him to stop.

A few of the doctors had to get into his cage to restrain him. He trashed in their arms and kicked one of them from behind, causing the man to crouch down in pain.

“Don’t touch her!” His voice was loud but strained from all the yelling.

636 gave him a pleading look but once she winced from the feeling of the blade breaking her skin, Seth lost even more control. He managed to take a knife from one of the doctors restraining him and stab the scientist in the leg. The other doctor reached for the blade in Seth’s hand and the two fought over it before the doctor overpowered him. He jerked the blade up in an attempt to make Seth lose his grip. The doctor’s arm swung up from the sudden release and cut the left side of Seth’s face.

He screamed out in pain and 636 tried to run to him but Dr.Willow prevented her from moving by hooking her around the waist with his arm and lifting her up.

“Don’t.” He whispered in her ear but 636 could hardly hear him over the sound of her own screams.

Seth clutched the side of his face and the doctors were finally able to hold him down. They pushed his face down so it was pressed against the concrete floor. They put a needle 636 hadn’t seen earlier into his neck and he stopped thrashing and yelling.

636 watched as Seth was dragged out by the doctors and it felt as though a part of her was leaving with him.

“What are they going to do to him?” She didn’t care about the rules at this point as she directed her question at Dr.Willow. The way he looked at her made her feel small. She didn’t want his sympathies.

“He’ll be fine as long as he doesn’t fight again.” He released her and grabbed the arm he had cut. 636 couldn’t take her focus away from the hall the doctors had dragged Seth down. She didn’t even notice when Dr.Willow left.

After a few minutes of staring at the hallway, she looked at her arm. She was expecting to see a cut but only smooth skin remained.