POV: Journalist Andrew

"You have been authorized to enter The Lab. Please proceed through the sliding glass doors."

I carefully walked into the eerie, dimly lit hallway leading to a set of double doors. I peeked through the windows only to see a small room shrouded in darkness. Luckily, I brought a flashlight. The smell of death and mildew infiltrated my nose as I entered The Lab. A small light turned on, making my presence clear. My eyes widened as I discovered what was in front of me. It was people. Malnourished people stuck in small kennels with no way out. However, the longer I looked, the more uncertain I became. These things were not people. Their eyes were wide and red. Their body structure was unlike that of a human. despite their ribs being noticeably visible, their arms were covered in muscles and they walked on all-fours. As I investigated, I noticed they had names, Specimen #1: James, 36 year-old freelancer, 170 pounds. Specimen #2: Jackson, 45 year-old artist, 200 pounds. The more I read the more disgusted I became. Each file had a picture of what the specimens used to look like, followed by a small explanation of their personality and characteristics. However, they both had something odd about them. One locked eyes with me as they bared their teeth, and the other was crawling too fast to even notice. They both had this savage primitive look on their face. if they had found a way to escape, I know they'd both rip me up into pieces. I kept walking down the aisle hoping that was the first and last time I would ever encounter such a sight. But that was not the last of it. As I was met with the last specimen, Specimen #3: Julian, 43 year-old male, musician. my eyes widened and my mouth was left ajar. This was unlike anything I had ever seen. Its feet were big and muscled along with the rest of its body. However this specimen walked on two legs and confined itself in the corner of its kennel. Although I hesitated for a moment, I walked up to the plexiglass and and banged on it to try to get it's attention. The specimen looked at me with the desire to kill radiating through it's body. Its eyes narrowed and its growl was Earth-shaking. He pounced on the so-called indestructible plexiglass which was a catalyst for an array of cracks to form weakening the only barrier between me and whatever that was. I snapped as many pictures as I could and ran with my feet slapping the marbled floor until I made my way outside the building into the darkness of the night.

The Next Afternoon

Adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I violently typed out the last sentence of a report with an almost 100% chance of making its way on the news. I uploaded all of my pictures and hovered my finger over the "post" button. I was about to click it when a group of rough-looking men busted their way into my office. One marched next to me and pointed a gun up to my head. I put my hands up and didn't make a sound.

"Press that button and I will pull the trigger, sir."

POV Change: Chelsea, Wife of Journalist Andrew

The moment I got home, I knew something was wrong. Every light was off, and the only set of shoes lingering at the door-front were mine which only led me to one thing: Andrew wasn't home. I checked my watch and figured out that it was 12:30 am. Andrew usually gets off of work at 5:00 pm. Either he fell asleep in his office (again) or he got himself into deep trouble. I searched the house for any sign of him. "Maybe he was so tired that he forgot to take off his shoes." I thought to myself. I walked into our bedroom to see nothing but a beautifully made king size bed.

"Maybe I should call him."

Ten rings but no response. I grabbed my keys and left the house.

The parking lot of Channel 10 news was nearly empty. Andrew's car was no where in sight. The moment I was met with the clerk running the front desk, I slammed my hand on the granite counter causing her to flinch

"Where is my husband?!"

I made sure my voice was strong and loud.

"Um, name please?"

Her voice was small and quiet and I could tell her shifty eyes were filled with confusion.

"Andrew, Andrew Queens."

Her eyes grew wide and she froze struggling to hide something she knew.

"Um, h-he's not here."

"THEN WHERE IS HE?!"

She scanned the area making sure no one was looking and then leaned in my ear to tell me a secret.

"There's a small lab across the street. All I saw was a group of big tough men drag him out of here and over to that lab. I don't know where he went or what they did to him, but I do know that he's over there."

"Thank you."

I walked off but the same peculiar voice stopped me.

"But ma'am? You must take caution. I have no idea what is in that lab but anyone that tried to make their way in there hasn't been seen again. Your husband was the only one who seemingly made his way out but no one has seen him after he went back in the lab. Its been...."

She checked her watch.

"Its been about ten hours since he was last seen. And as I said I don't know what they could've done to him but please take caution."

I nodded, growing more and more skeptical of the situation. At first I hesitated, but I got in my car and drove to the lab. My feet were inches away, but I walked through the glass sliding doors praying that Andrew is okay.

POV Change: Journalist Andrew

I woke up remembering nothing. My vision was blurred and I couldn't tell where I was. But, I heard voices. Deep muffled voices. I was barely able to make out what they said. All I heard was

Voice #1: "We have a new test subject. Specimen #4, 30 year-old male.

Voice #2: "Name?"

Voice #1: "Andrew Queens"

Voice #2: "Occupation?"

Voice #1: "...Journalist."

I might not have remembered how I got here, but I knew for sure that that was my name and unless they had made a clone of me, they were up to something and I didn't like it. As soon as I gained my vision back, my heart skipped a beat. I wasn't tied up in a chair, nor was I in handcuffs....

I was in a kennel, behind a wall of plexiglass.

I pounded on the wall, yelling at the heartless scientists

"I don't know what you did, but you better let me out of here RIGHT NOW!"

The suspicious man looked at me, laughed and knocked on the glass, taunting me.

"Haha. How does it feel to be just like all of these beings you took pictures of? Who's going to report the story that the world needs to know now?"

His voice turned deep and dark as he uttered his last sentence

"No one. And I'm gonna keep it that way."

He grabbed a shot, containing a glowing green fluid. Before I could even flinch, he grabbed my arm through a tiny hole in the plexiglass wall and penetrated the needle through my skin. That green substance was so bright, I could almost see it flowing through my veins. The last thing you know, I was growling, baring my teeth at whoever came into my range of sight, unaware of my surroundings, slowly but surely forgetting myself with violent, intrusive thoughts taking me over.

POV change: Chelsea

The lab was dimly lit. I walked around with extreme care not to break anything or make any noise. I walked into a small room with a metal table covered in scratch marks. A loud, deep growling sound filled the empty silence from above me. Every voice in my head was telling me not to look up, but I had to. I gasped at the sight of him, recognizing that now dilapidated face I had seen millions of times.

"What did they do to you, Andrew?"

He growled, baring his sharp teeth at me. His eyes were big and red looking into the depths of mine as he crawled in circles in his kennel.

"Its okay, I'm gonna help you."

I found a crowbar in the corner and slammed it against the thick, scratched up plexiglass wall. No matter how many times I hit it, nothing happened. I stood there, figuring out how I could break this wall until the sound of an opening door made me loose my train of thought. A scientist wearing a white lab coat locked eyes with me, whipped out a gun and pulled the trigger. Thats when I knew I was in big trouble.

"Your secrets will be uncovered."

I said before taking my last breath remembering my phone had been recording everything I witnessed, live for the whole world to see.