The echoes of breakfast laughter still lingered in the air as we were led down a seemingly endless hallway. Hana's tiny hand clutched mine tightly, seeking comfort and reassurance. Theo and Alice, always the mischievous ones, giggled and teased, enjoying my new responsibility of looking after a younger child. Lost in our murmurs and distractions, we gradually lost track of our surroundings. At the hallway's end loomed a massive door, sending a shiver down our spines. With trepidation, we entered the room, greeted by an eerie chill that seemed to seep into our very bones. The space was filled with an array of mysterious machines and intricate equipment. Figures clad in head-to-toe white suits scurried about with a sense of urgency.
Forming a line, we were guided into a small waiting area, our bodies scanned and displayed on a luminous screen. Each of us was then assigned a compact cabin in the adjoining room. Hana's fear was palpable as she clung to me desperately, seeking solace in my presence. The children were ushered into their respective capsules, the doors closing with an ominous click. Hana's cries filled the air, and I knelt before her, promising to protect her from whatever lay ahead.
Navigating through the maze-like arrangement of capsules, we were eventually seated in comfortable chairs within our designated enclosures. I took a moment to assess my surroundings, taking in the confined yet surprisingly spacious interior of the cabin. It was like a small chamber, imbued with an unsettling aura. A lean, stout woman entered the capsule, unpacking various tools and vials. My eyes fixated on the injections and glass tubes containing an otherworldly bluish liquid retrieved from a chilling icebox. A shiver ran down my spine, causing goosebumps to erupt across my skin.
Driven by curiosity, I mustered the courage to ask the woman about the mysterious blue liquid. With a reassuring smile, she explained that it was liquid nitrogen, used for preserving materials. Though her explanation failed to completely assuage my fears, I nodded in feigned understanding. Suddenly, cries and screams erupted from neighboring capsules, sending a surge of tension and sweat coursing through my body. I glanced at the woman, seeking solace in her gaze, and she offered a reassuring smile in return. Unable to contain my anxiety, I inquired about her intentions. "We're just going to collect a small amount of your blood and a few strands of hair," she replied calmly. Injections had always terrified me, even from a young age. Sensing my fear, she chuckled softly and reassured me that it would feel no worse than an ant bite.
Hana's presence weighed heavily on my mind. I had no idea whether she, too, feared injections. Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed when the woman prepared the syringe. Closing my eyes tightly, I braced myself for the prick of the needle, determined to suppress any tears. She skillfully extracted the syringe, saving it in a secure box. Then she requested a few strands of my hair, which I plucked obediently. Swiftly, she deposited them into a tube filled with liquid nitrogen. As a reward for my cooperation, she handed me a small toffee, a fleeting moment of sweetness amidst the uncertainty. "All done!" she exclaimed, and I eagerly rushed out of the cabin, searching for the familiar faces of my friends.