Zone W-11 - Day 3
Radiation Chamber 7-Delta
Zero held the rusted spike above his forearm, watching droplets of his own blood from yesterday's experiments drip from the corroded metal. The stains on the concrete below told the story—dark pools where he'd bled out, pale circles where his body had convulsed during death throes. Flies buzzed around the dried gore, their wings beating a frantic rhythm in the silence.
'Alright, lungs. Today's your turn to break.*
The spike hovered at thirty degrees, calculated to miss major arteries but puncture deep enough to scrape bone. The metal tip was crusted with old blood and rust, promising infection and agony.
He drove it through.
"NGAHHHHHH!" The pain exploded up his arm like liquid fire. Muscle fibers tore around the metal with wet popping sounds, like tearing wet canvas. Blood welled up, warm and thick, spilling over his small fingers in a torrent that splattered against the concrete. The spike scraped against bone with a sound like grinding teeth, sending vibrations through his entire arm.
'Pathetic. This is nothing.'
Zero twisted the spike. Bone fragments grated against metal with a sound like breaking glass. His vision went white, then red, then exploded into stars. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as he bit through his tongue, the severed muscle flopping like a dying fish. Blood poured down his chin, mixing with sweat and tears.
Still not enough.
He yanked the spike free. Flesh clung to the corroded metal in red ribbons, tendons stretching like rubber bands before snapping. The wound is sealed within minutes, skin crawling together like a living putty with wet, sucking sounds. But Zero had learned something crucial over the past days.
Evolution demands death. Nothing less will work.
Zero had cleared a perfect circle in the chamber's center. Ten meters of concrete and twisted metal.
No cushioning.
No mercy.
Just the tools of systematic self-destruction. The air reeked of old blood and decay, a smell that made his stomach clench with anticipation.
He began running.
Fifty laps. His breathing remained controlled, but the radiation-tainted air burned his throat raw. Each breath tasted like copper and ozone, like licking a battery. His bare feet slapped against the concrete, skin already beginning to peel away.
One hundred laps. Sweat mixed with yesterday's dried blood on his forehead, stinging his eyes. The concrete felt like sandpaper under his bare feet, skin abrading with each step, leaving bloody footprints behind him.
Two hundred laps. His heart hammered against his ribcage like a trapped bird.
Push harder. Break something. His lungs burned with each breath.
Three hundred laps. His vision began to blur at the edges. His left leg cramped, muscles beginning to cramp like twisted wire, but he forced himself to keep moving. The muscle began to tear, fibers splitting with wet popping sounds.
"Come on... come on..." Zero's voice echoed in the chamber, small and desperate.
Four hundred laps. Blood appeared in his saliva. He spat red onto the concrete and kept running, the blood mixing with sweat and tears.
Four fifty laps. His chest felt like it was splitting apart from the inside. Each breath sent shards of glass through his lungs. He could feel fluid building up, drowning him from within.
Four fifty-three.
His legs gave out. Zero collapsed face-first onto the concrete, his cheekbone cracking against the floor with a sickening crunch. Blood pooled under his face, warm and sticky, seeping into his mouth and nose.
'Still not enough. Again.'
Zero waited for his stamina to recovery, then stood. This time would be different.
'No stopping until something breaks permanently.'
Six hundred laps. His lungs felt like they were filled with molten lead. Every breath was agony, but he kept moving. Blood streamed from his mouth and nose with each gasp, painting his chest and the concrete in crimson.
"Hah... hah... hah..." Each gasp scraped his throat raw. Blood from his mouth marked his path around the circle in crimson dots.
Six fifty laps. Blood streamed from his nose in twin rivers, running over his lips and down his chin. The salt taste made him gag, but he swallowed it and kept running. His vision began to tunnel, darkness creeping in from the edges.
Seven hundred laps.
His left lung collapsed.
The pain hit him directly to his spine. "AGHHHHHHHHH!" Zero's scream echoed off the walls as he crashed into the concrete. The impact drove bone fragments deeper into his chest cavity. He could feel his lung fluttering uselessly inside him, like a deflated balloon. Blood filled his chest cavity, gurgling with each failed breath.
More. Need more. A shiver of something like pleasure ran through him despite the agony.
"Not... enough..." he gasped, blood spattering from his lips with each word, forming a fine mist in the air.
Zero resumed running. His body moved like a broken puppet, each step sending shockwaves through his collapsed chest. His vision tunneled to a narrow corridor of concrete and shadow. Blood poured from his mouth with each footfall, splattering against his legs and the ground.
Seven twenty laps. His right lung collapsed.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The second collapse dropped him like a stone. He couldn't breathe at all now. Suffocation pulled him toward unconsciousness, but he fought it with pure will. His face turned purple, veins standing out like cords on his neck.
Almost there. Just a little more damage. The lack of oxygen sent sparks across his vision, each one bringing a strange thrill.
Zero crawled to the wall on hands and knees, leaving a trail of blood behind him. His chest rose and fell frantically, but no air reached his lungs. Panic—flooded his system. His fingers clawed at the concrete, nails breaking and tearing away.
Break. BREAK. BREAK!
He positioned his head against the concrete wall and drew back. His reflection in a puddle of blood showed a small boy with black eyes full of terrible purpose.
Zero slammed his skull forward with everything he had.
The impact cracked his temple like an eggshell. "NGGAHHHHHHHHH!" Blood erupted from the wound, running into his eyes and turning his vision red. His brain sloshed inside his skull, bruising against bone. The sound was like crushing ice in a plastic bag.
Still not enough! A strange excitement mixed with the agony.
Zero reared back again. His consciousness flickered like a dying bulb, but rage kept him focused. He had to reach the threshold. Had to trigger evolution.
EVERYTHING MUST BREAK!
He struck the wall harder than any five-year-old should be capable of. His skull fractured completely. Brain matter mixed with blood as it leaked from the massive crack, oozing down his face.
"RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The scream tore from his throat until his vocal cords snapped from the strain, leaving him silently screaming.
Darkness.