The girl was tense. Her eyes were closed, her fists balled up next to her sides. A sweat broke across her forehead. Her breathing was ragged and staggered.

She appeared to be in her mid-twenties. A sheet of long silky black hair fell from her head and encompassed her body. Her face was contorted into a mixture of pain, and nausea.

She had the look of a mature woman, but was touched with the face of a young lady. Brown freckles adorned the skin underneath her eyes, running from one side of her face to the other.

Suddenly she jerked to the side, her right side folding while her left side stretched. Her eyes flew open to reveal a pair of green knowing eyes.

The door in the corner of the room opened, and a man walked in.

He wore a tight pinstriped suit that may have once fit him, but wasn’t so kind now. His shoes were glossy and shined, throwing off the light from the ceiling fixture, and his brown hair was brushed back with oil.

The girl on the floor stared at the wall behind the man, taking no notice of him.

Slowly he walked over to her, his shoes clip-clapping on the floor. He stopped in front of her, bending down until they were at eye level.

Still she did not acknowledge his presence. Her lips were moving quickly, and a muttering sound escaped her lips.

The man sighed, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his face. He replaced the material, and then looked at her again.

She was still.

He sighed. “Do we have to go through this every time I come in?” he asked, his tone bored.

Again there was no response.

“I’ll take that as a yes then.” He stood up, his knees popping. “Would you like to hear the news today?”

This time he didn’t wait for her, he just plowed on. “We’re starting the experiment again. I know I told you we would respect your wishes and not, but given your lack of … eh, help we’ve decided to retry the failed attempts.”

If she understood anything he was saying, she made no notion of it.

“Do you hear me? We’re re-starting the experiment.”

No response.

He jabbed at her with his foot. “That means new subjects, new discoveries … new deaths.” He jabbed again. “I’m not kidding.”

The room was silent.

“Respond, darn it! I haven’t worked my way up to the top for nothing. Answer me!” His voice went more high-pitched.

She continued staring at the wall.

“Answer me!”

No response.

The man kicked her in the side, his face twisting into a scowl. He growled and kicked her again, beating hard into her side. He kicked again and again, harder with each blow.

“Answer me!” he yelled again.

This time she turned and looked at him, her eyes gleaming.

He stopped kicking and stared at her, his mouth opening slightly the longer he looked.

She stared into his eyes for a few seconds, and then turned away.

He dropped to the floor, going stiff.

“Starting the experiment again would be a dangerous mistake for you.”

And then the room got eerily silent.