The Experiment

The fluorescent lights hummed softly over the sterile lab in Tokyo, the sound almost drowned out by the low buzz of electricity running through the rows of machines. Cables snaked across the floor like metallic serpents, sparking faintly in places where insulation had worn thin. Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa, the lead physicist, adjusted the dial on a massive generator, his fingers trembling slightly.

“Are we ready?” he asked, his voice tight, betraying the weight of the moment.

Renji Nakamura, barely eighteen, wiped his sweaty palms on his lab coat. He had been a helper here for months, running measurements, checking circuits, and making sure nothing overloaded. “Almost, sir. The system is holding steady at 1.2 gigawatts. Just… double-check the containment field, please.”

Ishikawa nodded, his spectacles glinting under the harsh lights. “Of course. I can’t afford any mistakes this time. This experiment—it could change everything.”

Renji swallowed. He had heard that line before, countless times, always ending with promises of breakthroughs. But something about tonight felt different. The air smelled sharp, metallic, and charged. Even the other scientists seemed tense, whispering among themselves, eyes darting to the humming generator at the center of the lab.

“Everyone, positions,” Ishikawa commanded. His voice cut through the murmurs like a knife. “We activate in three… two…”

Renji’s heart pounded in his chest. He glanced at the others—young researchers clutching tablets, older technicians checking dials, and the assistants securing the experimental conduit. A current ran through the metal floor beneath his feet, barely perceptible, yet prickling his skin.

Dr. Saito, the youngest researcher, whispered nervously to a colleague, “Do you feel that? The energy—it’s… different. Alive.”

“Quiet,” another hissed back. “Focus. Don’t jinx it.”

“Now!” Ishikawa barked.

The room roared to life. The generator’s hum escalated into a high-pitched scream, lights flickering violently. Sparks arced along the conduit, small bolts leaping from wire to wire. Renji instinctively pressed his palms against the grounded rails, feeling the surge coursing through him.

And then—something unexpected.

The energy in the room shifted. Not just the machines, not just the generators—but something alive. The sparks seemed to stretch, writhing like serpents with a mind of their own. They danced along the rails, forming intricate, electric patterns in the air. Renji froze, staring at the glowing arcs. This isn’t supposed to happen…

A sharp metallic taste filled his mouth. He tried to speak, to warn the others, but his voice was gone. The energy responded to some unknown rhythm, moving faster, surging like a storm trapped in wires.

A crackle erupted from the generator. A wave of energy shot across the floor, faster than any lightning he had ever seen. Renji’s body jerked violently as the current slammed into him. Pain exploded in his chest and arms. He couldn’t scream—his vocal cords had frozen in terror. Sparks danced along his skin, searing, yet strangely… almost familiar.

And then—darkness.

Renji woke to the sterile whiteness of a hospital room. His head throbbed, and the faint metallic taste of blood lingered on his tongue. Tubes ran along his arms, monitoring his vitals. He blinked at the ceiling, struggling to remember what had happened.

The lab… the generator…

Something deep inside him thrummed, not quite pain, not quite fear, but an unfamiliar energy. He flexed his fingers cautiously, and a faint spark danced along his fingertips. His eyes widened. That… that wasn’t there before.

A nurse bustled in, clipboard in hand. “Ah, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

Renji tried to speak, but the words came out as a hoarse whisper. “W-what… what happened?”

“You survived a serious electrical shock,” the nurse said calmly, though her eyes betrayed a hint of worry. “Miraculously, actually. The other assistants were severely burned. Dr. Ishikawa… he’s missing. No one has seen him since the containment failure.”

Renji’s stomach turned. Missing? Not injured? “He… he’s gone?”

The nurse shook her head. “No one knows. Authorities are investigating, but…” Her voice trailed off. She glanced at the machines tracking Renji’s vitals. “You should rest. That energy you absorbed—well, it’s unusual. The doctors have never seen anything like it.”

Renji’s pulse quickened. He sat up slightly, ignoring the nurse’s gentle push to lie back down. Sparks danced lightly along his fingertips again, almost instinctively. What is this inside me?

Later that evening, television screens across Tokyo reported unusual electrical disturbances. Streetlights flickered erratically. Phones discharged in people’s hands. The calm voice of the newscaster did little to soothe the unease.

“Reports continue to come in from central Tokyo,” the anchor said, “regarding sudden electrical surges affecting the city. Experts are investigating a connection to the laboratory explosion earlier today. Authorities confirm that Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa remains missing, and several lab assistants were hospitalized after exposure to high-voltage energy. Citizens are advised to avoid electrical devices and stay indoors.”

Renji stared at the screen, his fingers twitching slightly. Sparks leapt from his fingertips toward the television screen, making the glass tingle. This… I can control it. Somehow, I can control it.

A slow, almost eerie realization settled over him. The electricity—the thing that had nearly killed him—was now a part of him. And somewhere out there, the man who had created it was gone, possibly transformed. A dangerous thought flickered across Renji’s mind: I’m not the only one…

Renji’s room felt suddenly too small, suffocating. He needed air, needed to move. He touched the floor lightly with his bare feet, half-expecting a surge to jump into him. Nothing happened—but a strange warmth pulsed from the ground, steady, grounding.

Like the earth itself is… alive.

He shivered and sat back, unsure whether to be terrified or exhilarated. His life had changed in a single night. Tokyo outside was buzzing, unaware of the invisible storm building. And somewhere in the city, the Master of Electricity was already plotting.

Renji clenched his fists. Sparks danced along his fingers again, controlled now, deliberate. Dr. Ishikawa… he’s missing. If he’s alive… maybe he has the same power as me.

The hum of the city outside felt different tonight, alive in a way it had never been. Renji’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t yet understand his powers—but he knew one thing for certain: nothing would ever be the same again.