…Beep.

  …Beep.

  …Beep.

  The beeping of a heart monitor could be heard as Seohwa squinted her eyes open to see an unfamiliar grey ceiling unlike the white ceiling she was used to. She moved her arms but felt a metallic band restrict her.

  Seohwa then looked to her side as a blue mask researcher was typing away. Seohwa opened her mouth to talk but felt how dry her throat was. She coughed, gaining the blue mask researcher’s attention.

  “…Water?” She asked as Seohwa nodded. The woman stayed seated but her arm stretched far longer than a usual human’s, grabbing water from the fridge. She opened the bottle before letting Seohwa drink.

  Seohwa who finally quenched her thirst asked softly, “Where… am I? Where is Jiso—8-21?”

  The woman calmly replied, “You’re in the 6th basement. Reserved for training awakeners. But most importantly, you’re in room 66. It's for disobedient awakeners.”

  The woman pitifully looked at Seohwa as she said, “Call me Stretch. For reasons quite obvious…” She stretched her arm about two metres long, “Your friend woke up before you and is currently with Dr 8… what an unlucky start to Sector A to be in room 66.”

  Seohwa warily questioned, “Sector A?”

  “Yep, if Sector B was where you gain your First Awakening, Sector A is where you train your powers for field work.”

  Seohwa then asked, “Why do you work for them? You’re an awakener so that means you must have been part of the experiments.”

  Stretch smiled warmly, “Well, I was — no, I still am — one of the first scientists to join this project. I volunteered to be one of the first subjects for the completed amplification liquid.” She spoke softly but her gaze lowered, a hint of melancholy flashed through her eyes, “This project was… a noble goal… but—!”

  “It isn’t.”

  Stretch chuckled at Seohwa’s interruption, “I guess in your perspective it isn’t…” Stretch paused before continuing, “…A bit of advice, this project was supposed to save us… but as its participants, you have the right to decide whether or not you will.”

  Seohwa raised her brows, “What do you…?”

  “I can’t explain. I’ll die if I do and I can’t do much if I’m dead.” Stretch typed some code and released the metallic bonds on her, “Not many scientists like my view. Dr 8 being one of them.”

  The door slid open and Dr 8 entered with blood on her white mask and coat. Seohwa grew agitated as Dr 8 rolled her eyes, “I had enough mutiny in one day. Behave.”

  Seohwa breathed in deeply as she calmed down. Dr 8 washed her hands as she glanced at Stretch, “I never told you to release the bonds.”

  “You may be favoured by Taejoon-ah but that doesn’t mean you’re the boss of me.” Stretch smiled unfazed.

  Dr 8 dried her hands and scoffed, “How long will you stick to that outdated status just because you’re a founder and Dr Oh’s sister?” Seohwa eyes-widened—sister?

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “As long as I am alive. After all, it's still a useful title.” Stretch chuckled as she leaned back on her chair.

  Dr 8 huffed, leaning over Stretch, “She still needs to experience punishment for disobeying Dr Oh’s will.”

  “Fine, but you need to hold back. She is the first Tri-awakener we’ve had.” Stretch warned as she stretched upward to lean over Dr 8.

  “You think I don’t know that?” Dr 8 growled, having no choice but to look up, “I know my role, unlike you.”

  “…” Stretch returned to her normal height and sighed at the irony, “I know it perfectly well… but it seems everyone else forgot why we started this… Just a warning, I shall stake my authority if you disable 8-33.” Stretch clacked her heels out the door, fully knowing Dr 8 hates it.

  “UGH!” Dr 8 threw a water bottle on the door after Stretch was nowhere to be seen.

  Seohwa silently observed her, afraid to provoke her any further. Dr 8 huffed as she straightened her back and breathed out before tidying her hair. Dr 8 abruptly turned towards Seohwa and smiled crookedly, “You won’t be troublesome like her now, will you?”

  Seohwa shook her head as Dr 8 grabbed her chin, “Good. Because you won’t be from now on.” Dr 8 injected something on her neck, “That's a nanobomb. It's what we use to control each Grey awakened. Betray us and it’s ‘off with your head’.” Dr 8 released her as Seohwa rubbed her neck that was sore from the injection.

  Seohwa then asked, wondering why she wasn’t punishing her, “Why aren’t you punishing me?”

  “Remember this clearly, 8-33. 8-21 took the brunt of both your punishments. She is now headed for disposal.” Dr 8 sighed somewhat regretfully, “I am not one to harm or destroy precious resources especially ones that awakened their powers like 8-21. But, due to her disobeying my mercy, she chose to take the harder path and unfortunately passed away.”

  Seohwa’s breath hitched as she looked down in shock.

  Passed away?

  It can’t be…

  Dr 8 coldly looked at the trembling Seohwa, “Let her death be a warning to you, my dear. Her death was because of you.”

  Because of me?

  Seohwa looked up at her, her mouth agape as a tear trickled down her cheek. Dr 8 wiped her tears roughly as she leaned down her ear and whispered, “Yes, you. She did not need to die…”

  She leaned back and bluntly commanded, “8-33, I congratulate you for entering Sector A, but due to the crime of rebellion and an attempted escape, you shall be in solitary confinement for a week.”

  Seohwa had her mouth open, her chest full but she couldn’t utter a sound.

  A Grey Man with a Hawk symbol on his shirt entered the room and glanced at Seohwa, “This is the new recruit?”

  “Yes. But for now, take her to solitary confinement.” Dr 8 crossed her arms.

  “How long?”

  “A week.”

  “…You’re still a bully, Doc.”

  “That’s Dr 8 to you, Sir Hawk.”

  “…Yes, Dr 8.” The man saluted as she exited the room.

  Seohwa was pulled along by the man called Hawk as he pushed her into a single cell with only the basic toilet, shower and bed. She felt the grey walls looming closer before she glanced back at him.

  Hawk leaned on the door frame and sighed, feeling a bit of pity for the quiet girl, “Hey, a week will be over before you know it…soon, you’ll meet your new family.”

  Family?

  He continued, “Similar to Sector B, meal times are its usual hours. When you’re out, you’ll be training almost every other hour besides those meal times.”

  Seohwa briefly turned to face him and sorely asked in a whisper, “What generation are you from?”

  Hawk hummed, “Generation 2, currently 28 years old. And usually, you ask what my name is first but you can’t call me that here so Hawk is just fine.” He reached his hand out with a warm smile.

  Seohwa looked down at the multiple callouses and scars on his hand before shaking it, “…I’m…” Seohwa pondered before muttering, “…8-33.”

  Hawk noticed how her eyes were red as he lowered himself to be eye level to her, “How old?”

  “11.”

  Hawk whistled, “Wow, you’re young.” Hawk tilted his head, “…You’re amazing for surviving, you know that?”

  Seohwa scoffed incredulously, “What’s the point if I’m the only one?”

  Hawk awkwardly scratched his head before he stood up, “Well for one, you can live for the ones that didn’t.”

  Seohwa’s tense shoulders eased as she lowered her head.

  I… can live for the ones that didn’t?

  Hawk smiled and patted her green hair, “Anyway, rest up. I think this week will be a good break for you.”

  Hawk walked out the cell and locked the door. He tapped the metal door, “Good night.” He left her alone as he whistled down the corridor.

  Seohwa couldn’t sleep that night. The thought Jisoo was gone for good, the fact she was uncertain of her brother’s condition, the fact that she was alone in a new environment all relentlessly played in her mind like a broken recorder. She hugged her knees underneath the thin blanket, the chill of winter tickling her back.