Experiment 21

25: Bottle Caps

Log date 1564:

The subjects have successfully revived another subject with the gifted machine. Whether they'll be smart enough to know the experiment will last longer the more of them there are, I don't know. I hope not. As for my condition, it has still progressed to a worsened state. Hopefully I'll find something.

Fan's P.O.V

“WHY THE HE'LL DID YOU REVIVE ME?!"

A clear scream echoed from the depths of the machine, making me feel more uneasy and unsure.

Did something go wrong?

Suddenly air whisked past me. I heard yells and growls of pain as I turned to face it's direction. “Lightbulb!"

It is her! This was my first impression, then through the smoke I saw her again and my heart stopped beating.

“YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HATE IT HERE! WHY WOULD YOU BRING MS BACK?!" She screeched, halfway between rage and tears.

“G-GET OFF ME YOU METAL PIECE OF-" I flinched when i realized that Lightbulb had started attacking Paintbrush, who was powerless to fight back. Well, he's not completely powerless... He just doesn't want to hurt her after all he did to bring her back. I realize this with a pang of sadness.
But I can't blame her.... no one would be happy to be down here

“STUPID! STUPID! STU-” Lightbulb continued to punch and kick at Paintbrush, who still struggled to throw her off. I raced over and hesitantly picked up Lightbulb and threw her onto the floor, still trying to be gentle with her. She stopped being enraged and became frightened, anxiety clouded her eyes. “F-Fan?” Lightbulb whimpered, her breath icy and shallow.

“Yes!” I sat down in front of her, she scampered away but I shuffled forward a bit.

She looked up at Paintbrush who had started coughing up blood, then mumbled something that was anything but an apology. “G-God.” Tears welled up in her eyes, her head tucked between her knees. “I-I’m sorry… It’s just this place is literal hell and I really don’t wanna be… here…”

“It’s ok. We’re sorry…” I scooted myself around to sit next to her and wrapped my arms around her, carefully. She rested her head on my shoulder and continued to sob.

Paintbrush stood awkwardly at a distance, bruised and torn, wood stuck out from places around his spine and he had begun to shiver. Lightbulb is practically mentally disabled, Paintbrush is dying, I’ve been close to death twice now.

I glanced down with a sad and disappointed look as I realised all of us getting out alive was very unlikely. Especially considering we’ve seen three deaths, with two of them now still dead-

“Apple!” I sprung up, letting Lightbulb almost fall to the ground. “Test tube has her chip! We could bring her ba-”
“NO!” Lightbulb shakily stood up and ran over to the machine, jump-kicking it.

The machine split into a million pieces, nails and damaged metal flooded the floor, glass exploded and the machine gave out a final whirl, before deactivating for good.
“Why the hell did you do that?” Paintbrush stumbled to his feet and cautiously approached Lightbulb, who flinched at his state.

She straightened back up.

“I’m already back at this dump, Apple doesn’t deserve that too.” Lightbulb snapped tensely. I quietly stood between them, the tension in the air fizzing. “Well, I guess…” I chuckled, trying to lift the spirits of my fellow cell-mates. Lightbulb was in no shape to do so, so someone had to.  “Welcome back, Bulbie.”

Paintbrush’s P.O.V

Everything hurts.

I kept shivering from the damage Lightbulb had caused, physically and mentally. As much as I would’ve liked to of thrown her off and defend myself it felt so wrong. How could I work so hard to bring her back just to hurt her again?

Being here is enough to kill her, isn’t it moron? I mean, she did it once. I glanced over at her and Fan. Fan had been trying to comfort her for ages now, she was curled up in a little ball, Fan’s hand on her back.

On one side I was furious, this… thing!.. thinks she can just come back and see all our work and treat us like that?! But on the other, I felt guilty. I thought this was what she wanted but it clearly wasn’t.

I stared back at the intercom, probably bracing myself for Test-tube’s sharp and teasing words, when she walked through the door instead.
She stared at me, at first with pity but soon replaced with a dull and dare-I-say happy smile.

“How… ironic.” She said, grabbing her clipboard and scribbling something into it.

Rage burned within me, I could’ve died and all she cares about is this stupid experiment. “Actually, that’s not a good idea.” Test tube interrupted. When I glanced at her, completely confused, she aimed her pen at my bristles, which had started to boil.

“Huh.” Lightbulb glared at me, disappointment clouding her eyes. “Guess some objects never change.” Fan shivered at her dark words, then whimpered when he saw my raged expression.

“And I guess some objects do.” I shot back, ignoring Lightbulb’s hurt eyes. “We don’t need this right now.” Fan jumped up, holding his arms out. “You’re right.” Lightbulb responded, curling back into her ball, Fan let out a defeated sigh.

Silence spiked the room for a lifetime.

“I came here to check up on you, Subject two.” Test tube said, crouching down to me and examining my arm. I tore my arm away from her irrationally, she raised her eyebrow with a ‘are you really serious?’ frown as I reluctantly passed her my arm again.

She ran her hand over my back, occasionally stopping to poke a bruise or cut. “It’s getting late.” Test tube yawned, standing up, “I’ll work on you in the morning.”

It was when I finally looked at her I saw how drowsy she looked, bags fell under her eyes and her arms and legs were shaking. Even when she was inspecting me I thought her hands were a bit hot and uncoordinated.

“Hey are you okay?” I asked hesitantly, when she looked at me I almost thought she was afraid. “Yes.” She answered strongly, “Yes of course… Yeah…” She stared into nothing. Lightbulb and Fan were already asleep.

I nodded quietly, then watched as she attempted to leave, smacking into a wall. The door closed as I worriedly watched after Test-tube, then shook my head.

I don’t care for her, she wouldn’t give up a bottle-cap for us.

I looked over at Lightbulb, calmly lying on Fan, peace at last. She finally looked happier, even after today…

She wouldn’t give a bottle-cap for me either, is it logic to care about her?