The Ties That Bleeds

The sound of liquid bubbling in glass tubes filled the air, a symphony of creation underpinned by the steady hum of mac

slucent walls glowing faintly. Inside each chamber, a child

004. His "masterpieces," though he never allowed himself to call

omething between awe and ma

s. Their eyes remained closed, their faces serene. They were supposed to be perfect-the pinnacle of human evolution, enhanced by ge

, his voice bouncing off the cold walls,

tly as he adjusted the control panel in front of him. He had poured decades into this project, splicing the finest genetic material he

overhead lights, but the instruments scattered across the room were stained with the residue o

re the future. My future. A world

whispered to himself, as if say

marveling at the slow flicker of movement from the child's tiny fingers. He moved to the next, 002, a girl with jet-black hair that floated lik

he said, not to anyone in par

Kessler strode in, her face a mask of concern. S

er, his second-in-command, holding a clipboard close to her che

skipping formalities

ightened.

s are off the charts, and neural activity is... chaotic

less, their tiny forms illuminated in the eerie green light. Psychopathy?

issively. "We'll teach them con

dropped. "And

replied coldly, "or rebuild it. Eit

er. She knew better. The project's fu

awoke, the world w

ab had been replaced by the dim, oppressive halls of what Elias called the "Orphanage." The lights were blinding, the air sharp

were no longer suspended in safety but thrust into a cold, windowless room with metal walls a

rting around the room. His piercing blue eyes surveyed the room with an unnatural focus, already calculating, already assessing, he sta

s picked at the peeling paint on the wall, her fingers moving methodically.She pushed herself up next after 001, her movements deliber

s too loud, too overwhelming. He muttered under his breath, rocking

h a hand outstretched his expression soft and curious and seekin

s, watching from his observation room above. "This is your home now. Her

hey simply stared, their ins

ess corridors, all monitored by unblinking cameras. The children's days were r

sked attendants and taken to the testing chambers. The chambers were s

another, forced to compete for rewards or punished for failure. The punishments were swift and unrelenting

ure instinct. He learned quickly, adapting to the chaos with a frightening precision. His powers of enhanced reflexes, unmatche

es were unnervingly neutral as she remained cold and detached. When her powers emerged-manipulating the emotions of those around

mind but often lost control, resulting in violent outbursts that left the lab in shambles. Durin

anomaly in their group-was seen as a weakness. He tried to comfort the others, offering small gestures

w darker as the years passed. The children were pitted against one another, forced to compete for food, she

ere placed in a room

2 watched with a sly smile, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Child

004 said, his

h, mocking sound-a

om, a faint smile on his lips. "Su

b rat had wandered into the testing chamber, its t

commanded throu

ers curling around its fragile body. She hes

have to,"

motion, she snapped the rat's neck and

hrough the speakers. "Ex

s face pale. The ot

he lab orphanage had shaped them into something unrecognizable-monster

ment. They were his greatest achievement, his leg

co