Chapter 32:

Possessed by Disease

FLIPSIDE

Chapter 32 - Possessed by Disease

Now we watch as Lala uncovers a tragic secret…

Gil’s acting is pretty childish, but then again, ever since we were pulled into this world it's been nonstop missions. It's amazing we’ve held strong for so long, this life or death survival of the fittest way of life really sucks. I wish things could go back to the way they were before everything went bad.

The door into the back is sadly locked, so I’ll have to climb through the hole.

Standing before the shattered entrance, I kick some fallen glass out of the way, making sure my entry is clear and safe for stepping through. And with a quick hop, I’m in!

This room is much different from the daycare before it. In here there are petri dishes and vials containing what looks like blood samples, as well as tons of files all stored within big bookshelves.

I might as well take a peek at the shelves; it's full of manila folders, the sticker labels read off project names and experiments conducted from a time before the cataclysm occurred.

One note catches my eye though–

—

Project Alpha

Clearance Level - 4

Item # - 611-2

Notes - 1:

Project - 611-2 is a human baby whose blood has been infused with salvaged daystar blood. This is the second attempt made to research the effects of daystar blood on the human body, and how a human develops with it in their bloodstream. Our researchers aim to discover the truth behind the daystar’s artefacts and what is possible with them.

Edit:

611-2 has now become our sole surviving test subject. Out of five children 611-2 has adapted to the daystar blood.

—

What is this? Human experimentation? Project Alpha? A baby infused with the blood of a daystar?

I turn back, Gil is still playing with the building blocks stacking up small towers in hopes they keep balance and stand tall.

Does he know about this stuff?

I must go deeper…

—

Project Alpha

Clearance Level - 4

Item # - 611-2

Notes - 6:

611-2’s play pen has been enhanced with weighted 10 pound building blocks. The subject struggled slightly, but quickly adapted to the new weight and now lifts the heavier blocks without difficulty.

We will continue to monitor and increase their weight going forward.

—

Those blocks, the ones he’s building with now? They didn’t look particularly heavy to me… If they are the same, they could be incredibly heavy at this point.

Aww man Gil, I wish this was just a coincidence, but this stuff is definitely talking about you…

It’s not like it can get that worse, right.

I’ll read further, just to make sure.

—

Project Alpha

Clearance Level - 4

Item # - 611-2

Notes - 63:

611-2 has lived a very sheltered life in the 2nd Observatory, but today that will change. We have assigned doctor Galea Creeks to become 611-2’s parental guardian. Going forward she will bring 611-2 to and from the 2nd Observatory once a week. While living a fabricated life on the outside.

We hope to see 611-2’s continued developments in the outside world.

—

Within this file there are some glass vials filled with what could only be blood. Whether it's more daystar blood or Gil’s is something I’d rather not know.

…

Should I tell him about this? He probably isn’t aware of it. But at least now I understand this is why he is the way he is.

He’s had this world’s magic flowing through him ever since he was a baby. He was the only one to adapt to the new blood… I was spooked for good reason then.

These scientists killed babies!

And I’m touching all their baby killing documents– “Yuck!”

My hands fling forth, accidentally tipping the entire bookshelf full of dark experiments crashing to the floor. The vials of blood luckily remain unbroken, rolling across the tiles as papers slip around my legs. I catch the one about Dr. Creeks again.

I can’t believe it, his mom is just–just a poser!

But can I really say that for certain. Maybe she regrets being a part of this experiment… Or she’s acted so long she’s become the mother she was pretending to be. I can only hope I guess.

But just in case I’ll hold on to some of these. Fold them, save them for later.

Gil deserves to know the truth… but I’m not sure if now is the right time.

CRACK–

The sound of thick glass snaps ahead of me, there’s a large containment unit blackened by whatever is floating inside it. Something inside has woken up… and it wants out!

BUMP–

A hand begins repeatedly slamming into the opaque pod, and quickly Gil comes running in.

“What happened here? Why’d you knock over the bookshelf?”

“Uh-it was an accident. But forget that something's breaking in–or out–or whatever prepare for a fight bro!”

Gil prepares himself as do I, clenching my hands around the metal bat.

CRASH–

The containment unit shatters, out-falling a withering monster steeped in blackened bloody sludge. Crawling to the ground it peels back the darkness covering its head, revealing the deconstructed face of a human!

With its hand full of the black blood a lobs a glob in our direction–

“This is a job for Lala–batter up! And swing!”

PING–

“Aww yeah that hit the sweet spot–critical hit!”

Upon swatting the sludge bomb my magic surges, I feel a wave of energy flow throw me into the ball of darkness, enhancing the speed and power of the collision! The black ball goes flying narrowly misses the monster dissolving the wall directly behind it.

The monster attempts to pull itself to its feet but fails. Opting instead to skulk across the ground like a slug, a speedy slug!

“Quick we gotta get to higher ground!” Gill shouts out.

And before giving me a chance to think, lifts me up like his little princess and sets the two of us atop a table full of lab equipment.

“STOP DOING THAT, GIL!”

“Hehe sorry.”

“But did you see that–I think I just unlocked a new magic!”

“You’re our coach but you’re also a player!”

“Hehe, you got that right. I’ve got an idea–Gil pitch this stuff at me and I’ll launch it into the sludge slug below!”

“Haha righty-o!”

The sludge monster attempts to pull itself up the leg of the table, failing again. However it does cause it to disintegrate at its touch, making our standing unstable.

Gil picks up a microscope and begins crunching and bending it down into a chunky metal ball.

I honestly was thinking he’d just throw it as is, of course he’d be able to bend the metal!

I start kicking more debris off the table dropping into the sludge goblin, sending it into a panic as more and more objects slam into it.

“Alright I’m going to get into position, get that pitch ready!”

With the monster distracted I leap over it, landing on the toppled bookshelves. Nearly tripping over the loose papers just barely standing firm.

This distance should do!

I ready my stance, find myself parallel to Gil–we’ve got this!

“Are we ready player #12!”

“Hmph–born ready!”

“Playyyyy Ball!”

Gil rockets the ball out his hand without the use of any of his magic! And still his strength is unrivaled; his metal ball would have whacked my head off…

Of course that would be the case if I missed.

“[MAGIC BAT ATTACK!!!]”

CLONK–

Again magic blossoms on impact! The greater force of Gil’s pitch ignites the ball into flames as it leaves the bat–piercing straight through the body of sludge creating a metal ball shaped hole as well as catching it ablaze.

As the thing rolls around, low muffled screeches squeak out from it–the sound is doubly silenced by the sound of the metal ball slamming into the walls of the room ricocheting off wall after wall.

And as the creature finally stalls out, the ball’s flame extinguishes and finally flops to the ground.

“HOME RUN! WE WIN YAYAYA, GIVE IT UP FOR THE BEST PLAYER, MAGIC BAT, LALA!!”

“Hehe, yeah I guess you could say I’m the best.”

My eyes pass just behind Gil to see the device that will grant us the passcode.

“Oops, I forgot this is what we're looking for.”

“Lala, I thought you were looking for it?”

“I was, but I guess I got a little distracted.”

“Oh well, let’s get this code and head back”

~ ~ ~

As we begin heading for the exit, I stop by the boxes of building blocks. Bending down I try to lift one up…

Lift one up…

Lift one UP!