Lab Rat

• Jake Dalziel, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2014

I lay on the bloodstained bench, weighed down by a soulless body. I had been stripped down to my underwear. With instance my eyes opened, lunging forwarded, gasping air to reach my bruised lungs. I was hurt, I was beaten, I was trapped. Sitting up, my version was blurry; my head pounding like there was a boxing match inside. Finally coming to full focus, I would finally saw where I was, in some sort of laboratory.

The room would glow blue coming from lights from the floor. The laboratory was filled with lifeless bodies, some with parts missing. Their skin was rotten and blue. Where was I? I stumbled onto another bench, trying to hold my vomit in from the sight around me. The bench was stacked with document. They were all sealed tight, like they didn’t want anyone to see what’s inside. Written on the back of the documents was “Project NHR” standing for New Human Race. I blinked in disbelief, trying to process what I had just read. The humans around me were just killed, they are being used for type of testing and I was next! I had to get out before it was too late but how? Or where? No windows to jump out of or no vents to climb through.

Then I saw a door standing between me and freedom from this hell hole. Lowering to ground so no one could see me I creped over to the door like a ninja. Finally reaching the door, I grabbed hold of the handle, closing my eyes hoping there was nobody on the other side of the door but within seconds the alarm rang.

They were on to me and they knew I was trying escape. With a flash I was running down the dark corridor while the alarm screamed “code red”. I pasted more labs where bodies would hang from the ceiling like butchers pigs. “Come back here” one of the bloodthirsty scientists yelled. I was on the run again, sprinting and breathing heavily. Every turn there was another scientist raging to get me. The feeling of being a Zebra rushed over me while I was running away from a very hungry pack of lions. Freedom was nowhere in sight. Suddenly... the whole place went black. Silent. Still. Not a sound was made. This had to be part of one of their plans. Feeling my way through the darkness, I stepped carefully with each step I took. A stream of light came through the roof, splitting the darkness. This was a sign for my way out. Jumping up to the light and pushing myself up through the vent. I hear could hear birds, I could taste the fresh air and I could feel free at last. Finally I reached the top. I had finally escaped but the world around me was not the same. My escape had all of just began.

By Jake Dalziel