[POV: Third-Person]

"Proceed with the third dose," a man in a crisp, white lab coat ordered, his voice cold and clinical. Another man, standing beside a massive console, obeyed, pulling down a heavy lever with a mechanical hiss.

"She's holding up better than expected," the scientist muttered, circling a large, reinforced glass tube. Inside the tube, a little girl hung suspended by a mess of wires, each one grotesquely embedded into her veins. Her frail body convulsed as chemical cocktails were pumped relentlessly into her bloodstream. Sweat and blood mingled with the fluids pooling beneath her, her skin pale and slick with agony.

Her voice, barely a whisper, echoed inside the glass tube, a pitiful mantra repeated between gasps of breath. "Permission to die... permission to die…" Her fingers, bloodied and raw, clawed at her own flesh, leaving deep, angry gouges as she tried to rip herself free from the torment.

"Proceed with the final dose," the man instructed, his voice wavering for the first time as he took a cautious step backward.

Another lever was pulled. The girl's body jerked violently, her veins bulging grotesquely beneath her skin as her eyes rolled back into her skull. Blood poured from every orifice—eyes, ears, nose, mouth—staining the inside of the glass. Her muscles spasmed uncontrollably, and then, she kicked, her feet slamming against the glass with sickening force.

CRACK.

A jagged line split the surface of the glass. The man in the lab coat froze, his eyes wide with terror. "The barrier!" he shouted, his voice cracking under the weight of panic.

The other man fumbled, slamming his fists onto the controls. Buttons blinked erratically as an emergency layer of titanium encased the glass, locking her within. The scientist let out a shaky breath, eyes never leaving the tube. "That was close…"

He waved over a soldier, a hulking figure in military fatigues, to inspect the tube more closely. But as the man approached, he stumbled, a hand flew towards his throat. His eyes bulged as a relentless force twisted his neck with a sickening snap. His body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

The scientist stared in horror. From the darkness through the tube, a bloodied, grotesque arm emerged, bones jutting out from the skin, jagged and twisted, like a thing not of this world. It had broken through the multi-layered barrier.

A wet sound filled the room as the arm began to heal, the bones sliding back under torn flesh, the blood retreating into her body as if time itself reversed. Before the scientist's horrified eyes, the girl was whole again—except for her dead eyes, which gleamed with something monstrous.

"Permission granted, brat..." the man in the lab coat spat, a bitter grimace on his face. "You're nothing but an utter failure."

He slammed a button, triggering a hiss as thick, green gas flooded the room. A glass shield sealed itself around the tube, but even as the deadly vapor filled the space, the scientist's heart hammered in his chest. The girl's silhouette stood there, unmoving, eyes locked on him.

[POV: Rowe]

"I'm late!" My heart leapt into overdrive as I caught a glimpse of the clock. Ten minutes. Ten stupid minutes until class started, and I was still in bed! I shot up, adrenaline taking over as I scrambled out of my blankets, yanking off my pajamas mid-run toward the bathroom.

"Rowe, it's 8:50," came Piper's voice, full of the usual sarcasm from the other side of the room. "You've got class, like, now."

"Yes! I overslept!" I hollered back, my words muffled by the sound of the shower turning on. I nearly burned myself with the scalding water but didn't care—I was running on pure crisis mode now.

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As I rinsed the shampoo from my hair at record speed, Piper kept the commentary going, as if my life wasn't already falling apart. "Still amazes me how you sleep like a log but look like you haven't slept in days."

"Piper, don't you have class too?" I shot back, barely drying off before launching myself into the closet, grabbing whatever clothes didn't look like they'd been stepped on. Honestly, I didn't care at this point.

"Mr. Edwards canceled. I have the morning off. Don't be jealous." She smirked, the smugness thick in her voice. Of course, she'd have the luxury of lounging around while I was having a meltdown. "But hey, enjoy your class. Try not to combust on your way out."

"Thanks for the support, Piper," I muttered, hopping on one leg to put on my shoes. I grabbed my bag, half waving to her as I rushed out the door.

"Don't trip!" she called after me, a grin in her voice.

Naturally, that's exactly what I did. "F*ck!" I yelped, stubbing my toe right against the doorway. The pain shot up my leg, but I bit down on my lip, hobbling outside. "This day just keeps getting better," I groaned, glaring at the offending doorframe before sprinting to my motorbike.

I revved the engine, flying down the road, weaving through traffic like my life depended on it. Honestly, right now, it kind of did.

[POV: Third-Person]

The hallway buzzed with students, but all eyes darted to the girl sprinting through the crowd like she was escaping a burning building. Rowe's grey colored eyes were determined, her black hair bounced wildly behind her, complemented by her many earrings, and her bomber jacket flapped in the wind as she weaved her way to her destination—Ms. Dahlia's class.

Breathing hard, she skidded to a stop outside the door, throwing it open with a rushed breath.

"Ms. Hargrave," Ms. Dahlia's voice cut through the room like ice. "Thirteen minutes late."

Rowe cringed, her cheeks flushing as she shuffled to her seat, muttering an apology. She collapsed into her chair by the window, catching her breath. But as soon as she opened her bag, her stomach dropped—her textbook wasn't there. She must've left it back at the dorm. Great. Now she was late and unprepared.

"Turn to page sixty-seven," Ms. Dahlia continued, her tone sharp.

Rowe bit her lip, panic settling in as she rifled through her bag again, as if the book might magically appear. Just as she started to feel the heat of impending doom, a quiet voice beside her said, "Need a share?"

She glanced to her side. Hyunwoo, the new student, held his book open toward her with a small, kind smile.

"Oh, thank you!" Rowe said, relief flooding through her. She scooted her desk closer, and they shared the book, exchanging quiet comments as the lecture droned on.

The class passed by faster than expected, with Rowe and Hyunwoo bonding over the dull lesson in whispered side notes. When the bell finally rang, Rowe packed her things and turned to him with a grateful smile. "Thanks for saving me there. I totally owe you."

Hyunwoo chuckled softly. "No worries. Just don't forget your book next time." He gave a little wave before heading out.

As Rowe finished packing, Piper appeared, leaning casually against the doorway with her usual teasing grin. "Late again, I see. Also, pretty cozy with the new kid, huh?"

Rowe groaned. "Nothing happened. He just shared his textbook because I forgot mine. Again."

"Sure, sure," Piper teased, poking her playfully. "Just don't let him steal my best friend title, alright?"

Rolling her eyes, Rowe laughed. "Like that's gonna happen. Brunch at the cafe?"

"You know it, Lady Unluck." Piper fell in step beside her, their usual banter kicking in as they made their way outside.

Once they got to the cafe, Piper wasted no time ordering. "Two slices of cheesecake and a pumpkin spice latte, please," she said with the ease of someone who'd made this request a thousand times. She glanced back at Rowe. "You?"

Rowe, still a bit distracted, muttered, "Same." She dropped her bag onto a chair, her gaze drifting toward the TV behind the counter.

"Breaking news from Aldendale," the newscaster's voice caught her attention. "Two police officers were found dead this morning, their car crashed into a post. Early reports suggest they suffered heart attacks moments before the crash. Mysterious claw marks were found at the scene, raising questions about what caused the fatalities."

"Aldendale… that's close, isn't it?" Piper asked, frowning.

Rowe nodded slowly, her brow furrowed. Something about the report nagged at her, like a piece of a puzzle she couldn't quite fit together. "Yeah, it's not far."

Piper, noticing Rowe's distant look, snapped her fingers in front of her face. "Hey, snap out of it! I'm gonna eat your cheesecake if you're not careful."

Rowe's eyes widened in mock horror. "Wait, no! That's mine!" She lunged for the plate just as Piper tried to slide it away, laughing.

"You'll have to pry it out of my cold dead hands!" Piper joked, holding the plate hostage.

They both burst into laughter, easing the tension in the air. But as Rowe sat back and joined the fun, part of her mind stayed on that news report, the unsettling feeling lingering at the back of her thoughts.