The fluorescent lights hum overhead, a steady, sterile drone that makes the walls seem to pulse with an almost alive white glare. The air smells faintly of antiseptic and something metallic, a scent that clings to the back of your throat. The hum of distant machinery vibrates through the cold, polished floors A pair of white-coated scientists appear at the end of the corridor. One is tall, gaunt, with sharp cheekbones, and a clipboard clutched tightly in trembling hands. The other is shorter, round-faced, with glasses that reflect the harsh light, making his eyes impossible to read

“Ah,” the tall one murmurs, voice thin and detached “she’s awake… as usual, perfectly still. Fascinating.” He steps closer, his boots echoing sharply “Do you feel anything today, subject 27?”

The round-faced scientist adjusts his glasses, leaning in “Perhaps… she’s bored. But that’s irrelevant. We must proceed with the test.”

A mechanical door slides open somewhere behind them with a hiss. A cold draft snakes down the corridor, carrying a faint, coppery tang. A tray of instruments glints under the lights—scalpels, syringes, wires coiled like snakes The tall one tilts his head, studying the figure in the center of the room, and mutters “She always looks… perfect. It’s almost criminal. But perfection demands observation, doesn’t it?”

A sudden loud clang echoes from a side room, startling the round-faced man. He jumps, knocking his clipboard to the floor. The tall one’s lips curl into a sharp smile “Ah… sounds like our new subject is ready to arrive. How delightful.” Through the open doorway, a figure is wheeled in on a gurney. Their face is obscured by a mask, and the smell of antiseptic is stronger here, almost suffocating. The scientists’ murmurs fill the room, each note tense, calculating, almost predatory

“Let’s begin, shall we?” the tall one says, eyes glinting, hungry with curiosity