Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Making new friends in this place seemed like a fantasy I was foolish to entertain. I sighed, letting the thought settle as reality sank in.

Meanwhile, Ethan was brimming with curiosity, as usual. His latest obsession? The so-called church within the lab. He couldn't stop talking about how strange it was for a religious structure to exist in a place like this.

"A church in a lab? That doesn't make sense!" he exclaimed, his excitement evident. "Come on, we have to see it."

Before I could voice any objections, Ethan grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room.

We wandered the halls aimlessly, passing by dozens of people but having no idea where to go. Ethan was determined, though, stopping occasionally to ask someone for directions. Most ignored him, some looked at him like he was crazy, and a few actually seemed as clueless as we were. Eventually, we hit a dead end—a staff member stood in our way, blocking a corridor.

"This area is restricted," the staff member said firmly. "Only personnel and test subjects with scheduled appointments are allowed beyond this point."

"Ah, sorry about that," Ethan replied, scratching the back of his head. "We're just looking for the church. Could you point us in the right direction?"

The staff member paused for a moment before sighing and pointing to a hallway behind us. "It's down that way. Take the corridor to the left, then follow it straight to the end. You'll see it."

"Thanks!" Ethan said cheerfully, and we hurried off before the staff member could change their mind.

The journey was longer than expected, giving me plenty of time to think. At first glance, the lab didn't seem that bad. Most of the menial staff we encountered were polite, likely because they had once been in our shoes as test subjects.

But not everyone was kind. We passed a staff member scolding a young boy—a test subject like us. The boy stood there, head down, trembling under the staff member's harsh words.

"Why can't you show any improvement?" the staff member barked. "Do you know how this reflects on me?"

I glanced at Ethan, who looked just as confused as I felt. Why would a staff member care so much about a test subject's performance? It wasn't until later that I realized why.

Apparently, each staff member was assigned to oversee a group of ten test subjects. They were responsible for ensuring we had clothes, supplies, and medical attention after experiments. If a test subject under their care failed to perform well or caused trouble, the staff member could face consequences—anything from demotion to outright punishment.

On the flip side, there were benefits too. Staff members overseeing test subjects received double their usual salary, with the potential for bonuses if their group performed exceptionally. Ironically, if a test subject died, it wasn't treated as a significant loss. The body would be repurposed for further experiments, and the staff member's workload would simply decrease.

It was a grim realization, but one I couldn't ignore.

We finally reached the corridor leading to the church. It was long, dark, and eerily silent, with a faint light glowing at the far end. Ethan glanced around nervously, his steps slowing.

"Scared?" I teased, trying to distract myself from my own unease.

"Me? Scared? Pfft, no," he replied, though his shaky tone betrayed him.

Truthfully, I was terrified. The corridor felt like something out of a horror movie, and my overactive imagination wasn't helping. I could almost see shadowy figures lurking in the corners, ready to pounce.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally reached the end of the corridor.

The sight before us was breathtaking.

The church was a massive structure, its high ceilings and intricate architecture making it feel like a place from another world. The centerpiece was a gigantic stained-glass window, its vibrant colors forming an image of a serpent coiled around the Earth, its jaws open as if ready to consume it. Light streamed through the window, scattering into a kaleidoscope of colors that danced across the walls and floor.

In the center of the church stood an enormous statue of Jörmungandr, the World Serpent. The statue was carved with such detail that it seemed almost alive, its eyes gleaming as if watching us.

Near the front of the church, a girl dressed in a nun's habit knelt in prayer, her expression serene and focused.

Ethan and I walked further in, taking in the sights. The air was heavy with a strange sense of reverence, as if the church was a sanctuary separate from the rest of the lab.

As we walked, Ethan spoke up. "Oh, by the way, I found out from some of the older test subjects that there's a mandatory prayer session here every morning at 9 a.m. for anyone who's free."

"What?" I asked, stopping mid-step.

"Yeah," he said, grinning sheepishly. "Didn't tell you earlier because I thought you'd refuse to come if you knew it was mandatory and i told you to go together more then an hour before the prayer."

I stared at him, incredulous. "So you dragged me here knowing full when that we have to come here entually but still"

"Well, technically, your right," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "But, you know… it's not 9 a.m. yet, so…"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I'm going to get wrinkles because of you, Ethan. What should we do as we cane so early. I cant enevn see a hint of any other like us."

He laughed, clearly enjoying my frustration.

Our banter was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. The nun had turned toward us, her eyes calm and inviting. She smiled warmly and said,

"Welcome."