Athaliah Kensington's Pov.

"Sweetheart, if don't want to you don't have to." Ezekiel said, kneeling in front of me.

"I will. I just want to vent my frustrations, pain and suffering for once and all." I said, shaking my head.

"But Before that," I continued, "I want to make one thing very very clear. I am not telling you this because I forgive you or something. I am only venting out my pain. My therapists told me to do that. But I didn't get the courage to do so till now."

"You go to a therapist?" Reuben asked, getting shocked.

I nodded before speaking,

"I was diagnosed with Disruptive Nocturnal Behaviors along with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and PTSD, four years ago. And I still didn't get any better. I was also diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS, which I almost got over when dad got me in therapy to help me."

"What do you mean?" Kaelen asked, there was a slight tremor in his voice.

"Sleep Apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder which involves intermittent pauses in breathing during sleep. And CFS is involves extreme fatigue that makes physical and mental exertion difficult." Aldric explained.

Seeing no one speak after that, I continued,

"When your dad sent me to that mental asylum, saying it was a boarding school, I was scared. Disheartened, even, to lose my family. My mother. In a few days I got to know that it was not any normal boarding school. It was a mental asylum."

Aldric held my hand firmly that started trembling when I started speaking. Ezekiel was still kneeling in front of me. Both of their expressions assured me to continue. So, I did.

"Seeing me and other kids there, getting doses of some drugs, I knew something was wrong. But I couldn't find what. After getting our daily doses, we were just too tired by the morning to remember anything. It was messing with my mind. One night, I got enough courage to hide the medicine in my mouth, pretending to swallow it. That night was the first time I saw the horrors that were subjected to the kids. Including me."

Flashback

"It's time for your medicine, Athaliah" Mrs. Rossi said. She was the first person I met when I came here. Her then warm and bright smile now feels creepy.

"But why do I have to take it. I am not sick." I said. Mom told me that I should not take any medication without knowing what it is for.

"These are vitamins, Athaliah. You don't want to fall sick, do you?" she said, still flashing her spooky smile.

"But I always feel tired after taking it." I protested.

"Athaliah. Take it. You don't want to bear the consequences." She threatened.

No, I have had enough punishments for the last year since dad abandoned me here. The punishments here are worse. They will not only lock me but beat me till I get unconscious.

Feeling dejected, I put the medicine in my mouth and slid it to the left side of my mouth with my tongue. After gulping down the water that Mrs. Rossi gave me, I opened my mouth for her to check if I had actually swallowed it or not.

Not finding the medicine in my mouth, she gave me her freaky smile and went to the other kids.

I will find out what happens now.

I woke up. Feeling as exhausted as ever. Everything is hazy. After some time, I remembered me spitting out the medicine from my mouth on a paper and keeping it in the little pocket of my mattress that I made after removing the cotton inside of it.

But after that I am blank.

If I didn't take the medicine, how the hell I feel the same as every other day?

Exhausted as hell. Like I was run over by a car.

I turned around to watch all the kids in my dorm feeling the same.

After continuing spitting out the medicine for the next few days, I came to a conclusion. That medicine does not cause tiredness. It is actually Methamphetamine or Meth.

But I didn't understand that if we are given Meth, then our body should be energized. It should not cause instant sleep.

But then I realized that the actual and more dangerous drug is in water.

When Mrs. Rossi left after making me drink water. I excused myself for the washroom. After reaching the washroom, I vomited the water down the pot.

Coming back to the dorm, I pretended to yawn and eventually sleep.

Then I waited.

Two hours.

It was after two hours that I heard a sound from the speakers. It was a strange melody. Hearing this, everyone sat on their beds. I copied them. Eyes closed. A queue started forming by the kids which I joined acting as if I was under the influence.

We reached the basement in the north wing that was generally restricted for the students. I risked opening my eyes to see the most terrifying thing that my 8-year-old self could handle.

In front of me, there was a lab. A very different one. The air in it was thick with a pungent, chemical stench that assaults the senses. Flickering, harsh fluorescent lights barely cut through the gloom, casting eerie shadows across the room. The floor was stained with various substances—some dark and viscous, others powdery, their origins unclear but unmistakably sinister.

Rows of heavy metal tables and counters were covered in glassware and rusted equipment—flasks, beakers, and tubes filled with bubbling liquids, some of which emit toxic fumes, while others glow with unnatural colors. Massive, industrial ventilation systems buzz loudly, trying to clear the air, but the scent of chemicals clings to everything. Steam rises from pipes running along the ceiling, and the sound of pumps and motors constantly hums in the background.

In the corner, a grimy, makeshift office was tucked away, where shady figures monitor computers and phone lines. It seems as if they keep watch over the operation, ensuring the illicit production continues without interference. The overall atmosphere is one of fear and secrecy.

The place is not just a laboratory; it's a factory of destruction, where human lives are collateral damage, and the only focus is on maximizing the production and distribution of drugs, regardless of the cost.

One by one, the kids were laid down on different stretchers that were placed in different small cabins. I also laid down, still pretending.

"Okay, so we are in almost the final stage of our research." A man in the white coat spoke.

"Dr. Vornis, after testing these kids, should I take them for training like every night?" Miss Rossi asked.

"Yes. But after tonight, we can openly train them to be a destructive weapon in the broad day light."

"So soon?" Another man spoke who also wore white coat.

"Yes, Mason. If tonight's experiment is successful then we will have control of the brains of all these kids here. We wouldn't need to sedate them anymore. They would not even remember their past life. Then we can easily train them to be assassins. There would be no need for them to remain sedated for the training." Dr. Vornis answered.

"That's good. I am tired of answering their questions while giving them Meth." Miss Rossi sighed.

Does that mean they are playing with our minds?

No.

I can't let this happen. There are a lot of innocent kids for them to ruin their life.

"Do we have enough supply of Ferrothrax? Most of it is used in the water given to these kids." Mason asked.

"Yes, we finally made it. Evolved version of Ferrothrax: Xenotox. Once given to a human being, it will let us control their minds and systems. Tonight, I am going to inject it in these small weapons of mine."

"Finally, boss's dream will come true. Now there will be no one to stop him from taking the world." Miss Rossi said.

I have to destroy it. I cannot let him ruin the innocent lives.

I, very discreetly, got out of the stretcher and hid behind the large machine that has danger sign on it.

Before I do anything, I have to get the students out of here. I looked around to find something. Anything.

Anything that will help me evacuate the kids from here. A little far away, I saw a lighter. I quietly crawled towards it and grabbed it.

Those three with other doctors were still celebrating their to be victory which is not going to happen anytime soon.

I again crawled towards another door that I guess will lead me to the west of this wing. I searched my pocket and found a tissue in it. Again looking around, I found a fire alarm on the inner roof of this wing.

This wing seems weirdly empty. Either there are no guards here ever or the guards in this wing went inside to experience the oh so might experiment that Vornis is going to conduct.

I grabbed a table and stool. I put the stool on the table under the fire alarm and climbed it. Taking out both the napkin and tissue, I started lighting it and directed it towards the fire alarm.

Before it could catch fire, I was suddenly and might I say harshly pulled me down from the stool. We both landed on the ground with a thud that was not loud enough to be heard by the guards.

Stading up and getting away from the person, I backed away. In front of me, I saw four other kids who looked to be about my age or a little older.

Most importantly, they looked like they were in their senses.

"What were you trying to do?" The guy who pulled me down asked in a hush yelling tone.

"I... I was."

"You look like you are in your senses." A girl from the four of them asked.

"I could say the same."

"What's your name." Another boy asked.

"I don't think I have the time to exchange names with you. I need to set the fire alarm." Saying this, I turned towards the stool.

"And what will you do after doing that?" The last boy asked.

"I need to evacuate this place. They are going to destroy the lives of these kids." I plead for them to understand the seriousness of this situation.

"If you want to evacuate this place then the fire alarm won't help you. In less than 10 seconds they will know that there is someone who is tampering with this place." The first guy said.

"Then what should we do?"

"Something that will look like their experiment failed." The girl said.

"But we don't have time. They are going to inject Xenotox tonight in the students." I said, my voice has started shivering now. Tears are on verge.

"How do you know?" The third guy asked.

"I heard them."

"You should go back to the lab. We will handle this." The first guy spoke.

"No. I will not go back when I know I could do something to protect the students." I said with sheer determination.

"You are going to be a hinderance in our plan." The first guy seethed.

"And what is your plan?" I asked.

"You.."

"Nathaniel, stop. We don't have much time left." The girl told the boy whose name I got to know is Nathaniel.

She came towards me and said,

"We have a plan. The fire alarm will not evacuate the kids from here. But a gas leak will. We have a gas that we stole from them. It is strong in smell. One we leak this gas, they will immediately leave the lab with the kids."

The fourth guy came forward and handed me what looked like a mask.

Here. Take this. This will help you not to inhale the gas."

"But, Won't it affect the other kids?" I asked.

"It will. It will wake them up from hypnosis that they have been subjected to by that water. Which will be the main reason for these old hags to take them away from this place."

I nodded and took the mask.

"Let's go." Nathaniel said.

We slowly went back towards the lab and hid behind the large containers, cautiously.

"We should scatter. We need to diffuse this gas in this room as soon as possible." Third guy said.

Nodding all of us went to different corners of the room. Being empty handed, I just stood there, beside Nathaniel who was about to leak the gas. Within few seconds the lab was filled with the gas. We wore our masks.

It took only two minutes for the doctors to recognize the gas and vacate the room. They were shouting at each other and telling each other to move the students.

"Let's leave." Nathaniel said, grabbing my hand.

"No." I said.

"What do you mean no? Do you paln pn getting caught?" He whisper-yelled at me.

"That chemical. Xenotox. We have to destroy that."

"We don\t have much time. They will come back in few minutes to check the reason of the leakage." Nathaniel said.

"The whole point was to protect the kids from being injected by it. If we leave it as it is then they will continue it tomorrow or another day." I tried to make him understand my concern.

"But we can't risk ourselves. If we get caught, we are dead. You don't know about the boss yet. We can have this opportunity again. For now, let's leave."

There will be no other opportunity like this. But I am not going to argue. All four of them have risked their lives. I can't put them more in danger.

"Okay. Lead the way."

Nathaniel nodded and soon we joined the other three. We moved towards the door, and I deliberately slowed down, being in the last. Once they were out of the door, I exerted as much force as I could and tried to close the door with me still inside it.

They protested but the door shut with a loud thud.

"Are you crazy? Open the door." The girl shouted as soon as I locked the door.

Turning back, I started thinking of ways to destroy this lab. There are lots of chemicals in here. One wrong move and I will get myself burned or killed.

I started looking for both the chemicals; Ferrothrax and Xenotox. Once I did, I put on some spare gloves. There was a small drain near the containers. I started dragging the containers of those chemicals towards the drain and tilted them.

Slowly, the chemicals were draining. But due to the drain being small, it was taking a lot of time. I checked my pockets and found the lighter that I hid earlier.

I know it is risky, but it is worth taking to save hundreds of lives. Besides, I have been here too long, subjected to too much, to allow anything to stand in my way.

I looked around and found what I was searching for. I don't think I need the lighter anymore now. In front of me, two bottles sit precariously on the workbench: one contains fluorine gas, stored under high pressure in a thick, yellowed container; the other, a vial of hydrogen, glowing faintly blue, a dangerous liquid waiting to explode. My task is simple—combine them. It's a process I have memorized, every detail burned into my mind when I was living my best life. With my mom.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself, adjusting my gloves—my only protection from the lethal gases. It is necessary for me to do this. I cannot let their twisted minds destroy us anymore. Their arrogance gave me the power I needed to reverse the tables. I could make it stop. I would make it stop. I'd seen the destruction this combination could cause, and now it was my turn.

Carefully, I connected the two vials, the gases beginning to mix inside a narrow chamber. There's no turning back now. The fluorine gas hisses as it reacts with the hydrogen, producing an energy that could shatter the walls and burn everything in its wake. The temperature in the room rises sharply, sweat beading on my forehead, but I don't flinch. I adjusted the valve, watching the gases swirl inside the glass. The air feels electric, charged with an imminent threat.

Then, a spark. A subtle shift in the atmosphere. The chemicals are on the edge of violent reaction, the energy just waiting to be unleashed. I stepped back slightly, gripping the edge of the table, eyes narrowed as I watched the bubbling, swirling mixture. Boom.

The explosion is instantaneous—blindingly bright and deafening. A flash of white light engulfs the room, followed by a shockwave that shatters windows, splinters the walls, and knocks me to the ground. The heat is overwhelming, singeing the edges of my clothes as debris flies through the air. I felt the blast in my chest, the force rattling my bones. But I don't scream, don't cry. I have been through worse.

The lab begins to crumble, the ceiling groaning under the strain. The air is thick with smoke, acrid and suffocating, but I pushed myself to my feet, my ears ringing. The faint sounds of distant alarms start to blare, but I don't have time to worry about them. I looked around, and though the room is chaos, something in my chest swells—freedom. Even if it is the start. The building is shaking, the walls buckling, and in the distance, I hears the sounds of others beginning to stir.

My heart beats fast. I know the blast didn't just destroy the lab—it's a signal. A signal that the nightmare might finally be over. I moved quickly, my small body darting through the smoke-filled corridors, my breath coming in shallow gasps. The walls are falling apart around me, but I don't stop. The flames flicker behind me, casting long shadows, but I don't look back.

Slowly losing my consciousness, I fell on the ground, the voices getting louder but incoherent. Through my blurry vision, I saw people coming towards me. I might not be free today, but I promise, I will set every soul trapped in here, free. Without doing that, I am not leaving this hell.

With this thought, everything went blank.

Flashback ends

"How did you survive that?" Ezekiel asked with a trembling voice and shivering hands.

"Surviving the blast wasn't difficult. What came after was the starting of my nightmare."

"What happened after that?" Aldric asked, with a pain in his voice.

———🌸———

Here is the next chapter guys.

I hope you like it.

I apologize for missing the update. Therefore, I made today's chapter long.

Please vote and comment your thoughts.

Again, I love reading your comments.