章 2: Past II
No, please, you can't do this. Cheng Li's voice quivered with raw desperation. You promised I could see my baby. I'm begging you—don't take this from me. Please, don't leave me with nothing. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing her fear. How can they be so cruel? she thought. How can they take away the only thing that matters to me? The walls of the sterile room felt like they were closing in, suffocating her with their cold indifference.The leader, unfazed by her pleas, replied coldly, You know I don't like all this crying and fuss. You will be sent home as promised. Without another word, she turned and left the room, her footsteps echoing off the cold, sterile floors, leaving Cheng Li alone with her despair.
Cheng Li sank to her knees, her body shaking with sobs. This can't be happening. They promised. They said I could see my baby. Each breath felt like a dagger in her chest, the reality of her situation pressing down on her like a weight too heavy to bear. But she knew, deep down, that there was no escaping this nightmare.
Two days had passed in a blur of anguish. Cheng Li sat in her sparse room, the weight of her grief pressing down as she mechanically folded her few belongings. Each item she packed felt like a piece of her past being carefully tucked away, a painful reminder of the life she was leaving behind. When her eyes fell on a small, handmade item made of wool, she froze. She picked it up, her fingers trembling as memories of Qi Qian flooded her mind.
"This is my lucky charm," Qi Qian had said with a smile, handing the item to Cheng Li. "I'm giving it to you so that you become as lucky as I am." They had both laughed together then, a brief moment of light in the darkness.
Her fingers brushed over the soft wool, the tiny stitches uneven but filled with care. Qi Qian's voice echoed in her mind, light and teasing as she handed over the charm. "This is my lucky charm," she had said, her smile bright enough to chase away the shadows. "I'm giving it to you so that you become as lucky as I am." The memory was so vivid that Cheng Li could almost hear Qi Qian's laughter again, feel the warmth of her hand as it pressed the charm into her palm. Tears welled up in Cheng Li's eyes, the weight of her grief pressing down on her chest like a physical burden. In this place, where every day had been a battle to survive, Qi Qian had been a beacon of hope. Now, that hope was gone, and all she had left was this small piece of wool—a reminder of the friend she had lost and the life she would never have.
The lab felt like a dark, unending nightmare. The harsh fluorescent lights gleamed off cold metal surfaces, casting eerie reflections. The sterile, antiseptic scent clung to the air, mingling with the relentless hum of machines that monitored, probed, and tested with an unfeeling efficiency. It had been labeled a hospital, but for Cheng Li, it was nothing less than hell. Every corner held a memory of pain, of fear, of loss.
The lab gate was open, and sunlight streamed into Cheng Li's eyes—a sight she hadn't seen in a whole year. The warmth of the sun on her skin was almost foreign, a sensation she had nearly forgotten. As she stepped outside, she saw the leader standing with two men beside a car. The leader's expression was unreadable as she spoke, They will take you home.Cheng Li walked towards the car, but before getting in, she turned to the leader, her gaze filled with hatred. "I hope we never meet again." Her voice laced with bitterness, every word a dagger aimed at the woman who had stolen her hope.
"You will leave here just as you came," the leader responded coldly. One of the men blindfolded Cheng Li and guided her into the car. The world went dark, and Cheng Li's heart raced as the vehicle began to move. Where are they taking me? A flicker of hope stirred in her chest, but it was quickly drowned out by fear. Can I really trust them? Or is this just another trick?
The smell of the car's leather seats mixed with the faint scent of the sea air creeping in through the open window. Cheng Li's mind raced, a whirlwind of thoughts and fears. Will I really be free? Will I ever see my baby? Or is this the end? Her anxiety gnawed at her, her hands trembling as she clenched them into fists, the ropes digging into her skin.
Back in the lab----
A female doctor was examining a newborn baby in an incubator when the leader entered the room. The air was thick with tension, the only sound the rhythmic beeping of the monitors. The leader's eyes narrowed as she asked, "How is the baby?"
The doctor looked anxious as she replied, "The baby's condition is not good. She's very weak, and survival is difficult."
Anger flashed in the leader's eyes. "I want this baby to survive at all costs. If she doesn't, you won't survive either. You know how important it is to me that this baby lives."
The doctor nodded, her hands trembling as she adjusted the incubator settings. She knew the stakes—failure was not an option.....
On the Road-----
Cheng Li sat quietly in the car, her hands still bound. The blindfold pressed against her eyes, making her world small and suffocating. The sound of the engine was a constant hum, but underneath it, she could hear her own heartbeat, fast and erratic.
Suddenly, the car stopped. The driver exchanged a signal with the other man, and both got out of the car. Cheng Li, sensing something was wrong, called out, "Why... why did you stop the car?"
But the men ignored her. They shifted the car into gear, then exited and locked the doors, leaving Cheng Li alone inside. Panic surged through her. "Please let me go... I won't tell anyone anything, please..."Suddenly, the car jolted violently. Cheng Li's heart raced as she felt the tires skid on loose gravel. What's happening? Panic surged through her as the vehicle tipped dangerously to one side.
"What are you doing?!" she screamed, her voice rising in terror, but the men at the front remained silent, their focus unwavering. The driver's frantic attempts to regain control were futile as the car began to roll down the cliff, the world outside a blur of green and brown.
The engine roared and sputtered, the tires screeched against the gravel, and then everything went black. The deafening sound of metal crushing against rock filled the air as the car tumbled, each impact sending jolts of fear through Cheng Li's body.
The sound of shattering glass pierced through the chaos as the rearview mirror smashed against the dashboard, scattering shards everywhere. Cheng Li felt a sharp pain on her cheek as a piece of glass grazed her skin, a stinging reminder of the peril she was in.
With a final, violent thud, the car plunged into the icy water below, the water enveloping it like a predator ready to devour its prey. The world went dark as the car sank, the chilling grip of the water rising rapidly around her.
Cheng Li's breath caught in her throat as the icy fingers of the water closed around her, freezing her body in shock. The pressure of the water increased, forcing her deeper into the abyss. No, this can't be the end!
Every instinct screamed at her to fight, to survive. She twisted and pulled at the ropes binding her hands, desperation fueling her efforts. The frigid water lapped at her legs, then her waist, and finally her chest, the bitter cold shocking her senses.
Is this how it ends? she thought, her mind racing through memories of her past—Qi Qian's laughter, the warmth of the sun on her face, the dreams she once had. A part of her wanted to give up, to let the water take her and end the suffering, but something deeper, more primal, kept her fighting. No, she thought fiercely. Not like this. Not here. Not now.
The taste of salt filled her mouth, the pressure in her ears growing as the car continued to sink. Her body screamed at her to give up, to surrender to the dark, icy depths, but her mind clung to one thought—I have to survive. I have to live.
Back in the Lab—
Beep... Beep.
The leader received a message: "The job is done." A smirk spread across her face as she read the words. "I didn't want to do this, Cheng Li, but you were the last survivor of this experiment, the last piece of evidence. And I don't like leaving evidence behind."
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