Days 9, 26, 32

Late at night on day 9:

We were laying down watching more movies when we heard a loud crash followed by two screams followed by shots. It was from the floor below us. Instantly we knew what was happening. They were hanging around with us and now they were being punished. Eden shuttered at each shot because after the two there were several more. Tears began to stream our faces as we knew that we had lost our new friends.

Day 26:

We stayed in on our floor every day since. Eden was too scared to leave and so was I. Neither of our hands heal correctly so if we bump them in the right spot, they will bleed. We also have not heard from Meza in a while. Eden and I began to make a rope out of sheets and towels because we were planning on escape. All of a sudden, we heard a loud knock on the door. The knock of Meza.

Eden: I will get it this time.

Dillan: You sure?

Eden: It’s not fair to you that you have to open it every time.

Dillan: Okay, make sure to keep the chain on.

He walked up to the door and open it with the chain still on. I could still tell that he hated to talk to him because his voice was shaking.

Eden: Yes?

Meza: There is a mandatory meeting/dinner tonight.

Dillan: We don't want to go.

Meza: It’s mandatory.

Dillan: Fine.

Meza: Good, meet in the lobby at six.

Dillan: We also need more towels.

Meza: Where are they all going?

Dillan: I think you very well know the answer to that.

Meza: They will be brought up in an hour. See you at six.

We shut the door before he could even finish. Eden was now pacing around the room frantically.

Dillan: Take a seat before you hurt yourself.

Eden: I don't want to go.

Dillan: Me neither but we have to. Let's just have some fun and be the best looking there, even though you already are.

Eden: You are too. What are you thinking?

Dillan: Give me five seconds.

Eden: Okay. 1, 2 . . .

Dillan: Not literally.

I race off the wardrobe and pick out two black suits.

Dillan: Here you go.

Eden: Fancy. There is even a white tie.

Dillan: Also, there are white gloves to hide our hands.

Eden: Smart but we better wrap our hands well so we do not get blood on the gloves.

Dillan: We can do that. It is four right now so if we start getting ready we should be done by six.

We both put on our suits and the tie. Then, we head to the bathroom to put on a bit of make-up to cover up some blemishes and fix our hair. By the time that was all done it was about 5:15. The only other things to do were wrap up our hands before putting the gloves on and put on our shoes. He wraps up my hand in a thick layer of gauze and I do the same for him. We throw on our shoes and gloves and look in the floor to ceiling mirror.

Eden: Gorgeous.

Dillan: Stunning. Ready to head down?

Eden: It only 5:58 and I do not want to go down until I have to.

Dillan: True, also do not eat the food they give you. I do not trust them. I will cook us dinner later.

Eden: I did not even want to eat their food.

We waited another five minutes, making us three minutes late. In the elevator I gave him a kiss and told him not to worry. The doors opened and we stepped into the lobby and there were only sixteen of us, there should be eighteen.

Meza: Thought you were not going to show.

Dillan: I didn't want to but it’s mandatory.

Meza: Yes. You two look like you are going to a wedding.

Dillan: Just showing off.

The Meza turns to everyone.

Meza: Good evening! As you may notice four people are gone. Yes, I know it’s sad but they are no longer with us. Everyone seemed to have gotten comfortable, too comfortable. None of you listen to me, I am in charge and you need to know that.

Everyone agreed silently, well almost everyone. And we were called to dinner. Dinner was in this massive dining hall where chandeliers were hung and the table was lined with bland food. Food that did not fit with the elegance of the room. It was gray, thin soups and stale breads. Along with plain cupcakes. We never took a bite.

Meza: Why are you not eating?

Dillan: Not hungry.

Meza: And you?

Eden: Not hungry.

Meza: You can be dismissed, go back to your floor and nowhere else.

Dillan: Got it.

We got up and went into the elevator. We were not going to our floor but floor nine. The floor below us. Caution tape was on the inside of the old, splintered wood door.

Eden: We probably should not be doing this.

Dillan: We have to do it though.

Eden: Okay, let’s hurry before we get caught.

Dillan: I only need a few minutes.

We enter a dark room and search for the light switch. Once found, the room was brightened up and we could see that it was destroyed. There was most definitely a struggle before shots were fired. I searched the living room while Eden was searching the kitchen and the bathroom. There was nothing so we moved to the bedroom which is the last room. Neatly tucked under the blanket was a nicely folded note.

Dear Eden and Dillan,

We know they're coming for us, we knew since we left your place. Your secret will die with us, we would never tell. Both of us enjoyed meeting you and promise us you will make it out. That is our last wish is that you have to survive. We think they are moving closer to you, try and escape in a month.

Hopefully you found this,

Eric and Ivy

This saddened us greatly, they were are only friends here. Then we heard the door creak open so we hide under the bed. Heavy footsteps enter the room and another set of heavy footsteps follow suit. One of them is Meza and the other I do not recognize.

Meza: Yes. Yes I know.

Unknown: Should we go talk to them?

Meza: They're asleep, we can go in the morning.

Unknown: When are we going to exterminate them?

Meza: After a bit more testing, there’s no hurry. We need to make sure.

Unknown: Let's find what we came here for and leave.

We heard them rummage through some things and then we heard the wooden shut and the elevator buzz down. We crawled out from under the bed and walked into the elevator. Back on our floor, Eden fell on the sofa while I went into the kitchen to make us some dinner. Surprisingly, the food here was fresh and back home I knew how to cook. I made dinner and went to the sofa. We sat there silently for a moment before Eden finally said something.

Eden: Were they talking about us?

Dillan: I think so but don't worry nothing bad is going to happen to either of us.

Eden: What tests were they talking about?

Dillan: I don't exactly know but hopefully we will never figure it out. Like I said I will not let them do anything to us ever again.

Eden: We have to get out of here.

Dillan: We have to wait because we need information to help the others.

Eden: Smart idea. Thanks for dinner.

Dillan: I said I would.

Day 32:

The last few days we were gathering information and taking pictures with a small camera which I am pretty sure we are not allowed to have. We found out that this is called Operation Experiments. Basically, they brought a bunch of people in here to watch their reactions. The only file that was missing was ours. There was nothing for us.

Eden: I wonder why they have hidden it and where?

Dillan: I have a few ideas but the file is probably with Meza.

Eden: Can you share those ideas?

Dillan: My first one is that they wanted to give us the best room and everything because we were the main focus point of the experiment. The others were brought here to make it seem normal.

Eden: That sounds correct, I don't even want to hear the others.

Dillan: We should be able to leave here in a week or two.

Eden: Let's head up to the roof today to make sure we have a clear way to leave.

Dillan: Let's go up now.

We walk over to the ladder in the unused bedroom and climb up. It was what you would expect from a roof. Small puddles of water, big metal boxes holding electrical things, and a railing along the edge. When we look over there is an invisible barrier, about a foot and a half out, that was surrounding the building. This building is in a heavily guarded compound. Soldiers marched around in black uniforms with massive weapons, high stone walls surround everything, and barbed wire was randomly placed. It looks near impossible to escape.

Eden: What are going to do now?

Dillan: We are going to escape.

Eden: We are going to die.

Dillan: I would never let that happen.

Eden: I know you would not but some things are out of our control.

Dillan: I know that but I also know that we are going to get away.

Eden: How?

Dillan: I guess we have to figure that out.

We stayed on the roof for a bit and watched the soldiers march around. Meza came out at one point and the soldiers stopped marching. There were only so many times we could see them walk around so we decided to go back down the ladder. The inside was considerably warm compared the frosty air of the outside. Our 'rope' was getting bigger as the days went on, I guess it would need to go down almost eleven floors.