Chapter 1: The Cage
The stale air in the orphanage reeked of bleach and despair. Kenji, a scrawny boy of ten with perpetually messy black hair, huddled closer to his friends, Aki and Hiroki, in the corner of the dilapidated common room. Sunlight struggled to penetrate the grimy windows, casting long, distorted shadows that danced like specters on the peeling walls.
"Another one gone," Aki whispered, her voice barely audible above the rhythmic creaking of the old building. Her dark eyes, usually filled with a fierce spark, were clouded with a familiar sadness. Hiroki, the quietest of the three, simply nodded, his gaze fixed on the empty bed across the room.
"Mrs. Ito said he was going to a 'better place'," Kenji said, trying to sound optimistic, but his voice wavered. "A real family."
Aki snorted. "A 'better place' probably means more chores and less food. You know how these things work, Kiko."
Kenji, nicknamed Kiko by his friends, knew Aki was right. Adoptions at the "Lily of the Valley" orphanage were rare, and the few kids who did leave never sent back letters or updates. The orphanage, with its cheerful name and crumbling facade, felt more like a prison than a home. Mrs. Ito, the stern matron with her ever-present frown and sharp tongue, ruled the place with an iron fist.
"Don't worry, Kiko," Aki said, nudging him with her elbow. "We'll always have each other, right? We're a family."
Kenji smiled, grateful for her unwavering loyalty. Aki had been his best friend since he arrived at the orphanage, a fiery protector who always stood up for him against the bullies. Hiroki, though shy, was a constant source of quiet support. Together, they formed a makeshift family in a place that offered little warmth or comfort.
The days at the orphanage were monotonous. Wake up before dawn, eat a meager breakfast of watery porridge, attend classes taught by overworked and disinterested teachers, perform endless chores, and then repeat. The only escape was their imaginations, fueled by tattered manga and whispered stories of heroes and faraway lands.
Kenji dreamed of piloting giant robots, soaring through the skies, and saving the world from evil. He devoured every mecha story he could get his hands on, imagining himself in the cockpit, wielding incredible power. Aki, with her natural athleticism and fighting spirit, envisioned herself as a skilled warrior, protecting the innocent. Hiroki, with his sharp mind, dreamed of inventing amazing technologies that would change the world.
But their dreams felt distant and unattainable, trapped within the confines of the orphanage.
Weeks turned into months, and the adoptions continued, each one chipping away at their fragile sense of security. One by one, their friends disappeared, leaving behind empty beds and a growing sense of dread. Kenji couldn't shake the feeling that their time was running out.
One cold, rainy morning, Mrs. Ito summoned Kenji to her office. His heart pounded in his chest as he walked down the long, dimly lit hallway. He had a bad feeling about this.
"Kenji," Mrs. Ito said, her voice devoid of warmth. "You've been chosen for a special opportunity."
Kenji's stomach twisted. "What kind of opportunity?"
"A family has expressed interest in adopting you," she said, her eyes narrowing. "They're very wealthy and can provide you with a life of comfort and privilege."
Kenji stared at her, his mind reeling. He didn't want a life of comfort and privilege. He wanted to stay with Aki and Hiroki.
"I don't want to leave," he said, his voice trembling. "I want to stay with my friends."
Mrs. Ito sighed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. "Don't be ridiculous, Kenji. This is a chance of a lifetime. You should be grateful."
"But..."
"There are no buts," she said, cutting him off. "You're leaving tomorrow morning. Pack your things."
Kenji stumbled out of the office, his world collapsing around him. He ran back to the common room, tears streaming down his face. Aki and Hiroki rushed to his side, their faces etched with concern.
"What happened, Kiko?" Aki asked, her voice laced with worry.
"I'm leaving," he sobbed. "I'm being adopted."
Aiko's face hardened. "We won't let them take you," she said, her eyes blazing with defiance. "We'll run away."
"Where would we go?" Hiroki asked, his voice barely a whisper. "We have nowhere to go."
"We'll figure it out," Aki said, her determination unwavering. "We always do."
But Kenji knew that running away wouldn't solve anything. They would be hunted down and brought back, and the consequences would be dire. He couldn't risk putting his friends in danger.
"I can't," he said, his voice heavy with despair. "I don't want to cause any trouble."
Aki grabbed his hand, her grip tight. "Don't say that, Kenji. We'll never give up on you."
The next morning, a sleek black car pulled up to the orphanage. Two men in dark suits emerged, their faces impassive. Kenji stood on the steps, clutching a small bag containing his few belongings. Aki and Hiroki stood beside him, their faces a mixture of anger and sadness.
"We'll find you, kenji," aki whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "We promise."
Kenji nodded, tears blurring his vision. He turned and walked towards the car, his heart breaking with every step.
As the car sped away from the orphanage, Kenji looked back, watching as Aki and Hiroki grew smaller and smaller in the distance. He knew that his life would never be the same.
The car drove for hours, eventually arriving at a private airfield. A small jet was waiting, its engines humming. Kenji was ushered inside, and the jet took off, soaring high above the clouds.
He looked out the window, watching as the familiar landscape of the Philippines faded into the horizon. He had no idea where he was going or what awaited him, but he knew that his old life was over.
The jet landed at a remote facility nestled deep within a jungle. Kenji was met by a group of men in white lab coats, their faces hidden behind sterile masks. He didn't understand their language, but their cold, clinical gazes sent a chill down his spine.
They led him to a small, sterile room and ordered him to strip. He hesitated, but their stern expressions left no room for argument. He undressed, feeling vulnerable and exposed.
One of the men approached him with a syringe filled with a strange, viscous liquid. Kenji recoiled in fear.
"What is that?" he asked, his voice trembling.
The man didn't answer. He simply grabbed Kenji's arm and injected the liquid into his vein.
Kenji cried out in pain as the liquid coursed through his body, burning like fire. His vision blurred, and he felt his muscles twitch and spasm. He collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony.
The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was the faces of the men in white coats, their eyes gleaming with a cold, detached curiosity.
When Kenji awoke, he was in a different room, strapped to a metal table. His body ached all over, and his head throbbed with a dull, persistent pain. He tried to move, but his limbs were restrained.
He looked around the room, his eyes widening in horror. The walls were lined with strange machines and monitors, their screens displaying complex data and graphs. Wires and tubes snaked across the ceiling, connecting to various devices.
He was in a laboratory.
A man in a white coat approached him, his face hidden behind a mask. He spoke in a language Kenji didn't understand, but his tone was cold and clinical.
"Subject Zero is awake," the man said, his voice distorted by the mask. "Begin the next phase of the transformation."
Kenji's heart pounded in his chest. Transformation? What were they going to do to him?
He struggled against the restraints, but they held him fast. He cried out for help, but his voice was lost in the sterile silence of the lab.
The men in white coats began to work, attaching wires and tubes to his body. He felt a sharp pain as they inserted needles into his veins. He screamed, but no one heard him.
As the machines whirred to life, Kenji felt a strange sensation coursing through his body. His muscles began to twitch and spasm, and his bones creaked and groaned. He felt like he was being torn apart from the inside out.
He closed his eyes, surrendering to the pain. He didn't know what was happening to him, but he knew that he was no longer Kenji. He was something else, something new, something terrifying.
He was Subject Zero. A weapon in the making.
CHAPTER END 🫠