The hidden mystery

~Mia~

As soon as I made sure the coast was clear , I leaped out the corner I was hiding in and started sprinting. I needed to get there before the men I encountered returned.

As I reached the warehouse,the familiar rusted metal door, its surface scarred with scratches and peeling paint. My fingers trembled as I wrapped them around the cold handle.

Locked.

I forgot .I quickly accessed my smart watch. Typing ' Scarlett? What gadgets do I have that could help me open a locked door ?'

The response came in immediately.' In the second zipper of your backpack, in the hidden compartment for gadgets you will find an item shaped like a lipstick.'

' Alright what do I do with it ?'

' If you open the lid you will see a button on the inside, press it and attach it to the door , step a few feet away from it , (just in case ) and the door will open .'

' oh thanks Scarlett , see ya later '

'Good luck, Mia. You'll need it.'

As I attached the lipstick-shaped gadget to the door and stepped back, I held my breath. A faint "click" echoed through the silence. The sound was so sharp, it felt like it could slice through the tension in the air. My pulse raced as I reached for the now-unlocked handle.

The door creaked open, its rusty hinges protesting loudly, almost like a warning. A chill wafted out from the darkness inside, carrying the musty scent of mildew and something metallic, like old blood. I hesitated for just a second, but then a distant sound snapped me back to reality footsteps, heavy and fast, coming straight toward me.

Gunshots erupted, splitting the air. My body stiffened, my breath catching in my throat. This is it, I thought.

But then... the impossible happened.

I turned sharply, my heart hammering, and saw the bullets. They were suspended midair, just inches from me, like they had hit an invisible wall. A faint, shimmering barrier surrounded me, flickering like heat waves rising off asphalt. My mind struggled to make sense of it.

What the...?

The men were shouting now, their voices a blur of panic and disbelief. I looked at my hands, expecting to feel something pain, warmth, anything but there was nothing. My body was untouched.

Fear and exhilaration swirled inside me as I took a tentative step forward. The bullets, still frozen in place, fell harmlessly to the ground as if gravity had finally remembered them.

I lifted a trembling hand, reaching out to the barrier. My fingers met nothing solid, but there was something—a faint hum, a vibration I could feel in my bones. It was warm, almost comforting, yet powerful.

I staggered back, my breaths shallow and uneven. Fear warred with awe in my chest. This couldn't be real. I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the wave of panic rising inside me.

The men were shouting now, their voices muffled by the invisible shield. Their faces twisted in frustration as the bullets they fired hit the barrier and dropped harmlessly to the ground, one by one.

Was this me? Did I do this?

I glanced down at my hands, expecting... what? Sparks? A glow? Something to explain what had just happened. But there was nothing just the familiar sight of my trembling fingers.

Another bullet struck the barrier, sending a ripple through the air like a stone dropped into a pond. The men hesitated, their weapons lowering slightly as they exchanged uncertain glances. They didn't understand what was happening either.

I swallowed hard, forcing my feet to move. Whatever this was whatever I had just done it didn't matter right now. I had to get out of here.

I didn't have time to process what just happened. I darted into the warehouse, slamming the door behind me and pressing my back against it. My breaths came out in short, sharp gasps.

Inside, the air was thick and oppressive. A single dim light bulb flickered overhead, casting erratic shadows across the cluttered floor. Broken crates and metal shelves loomed like jagged ghosts. The faint hum of machinery buzzed somewhere deeper inside, drawing me forward despite the pounding of my heart.

What was that outside? Did Scarlett do this? I didn't program her for forcefields… had she evolved again?

My trail of thoughts were interrupted when I heard heavy banging sounds on the door .

My heart pounded as the banging grew louder. Was this the end? I still didn't know what my parents were hiding. I wasn't ready to die not yet.

Oh , no !!