Chapter 1: The Awakening
The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the flickering fluorescent bulbs overhead. The air was heavy with the scent of disinfectant, mingling with the metallic tang of blood. The sound of beeping machines filled the sterile space, creating an eerie symphony that echoed through the empty corridors.
Dr. Emily Carter stood at the center of the room, her eyes fixed on the patient lying motionless on the operating table. The man's body was covered in wires and tubes, connecting him to various monitors and life-support systems. His face was pale, his features etched with pain and exhaustion.
She had been working tirelessly for hours, trying to save him. The man, known only as Subject 17, was the latest victim of a mysterious epidemic that had swept through the city. People were falling ill, their bodies shutting down inexplicably, and no one knew why.
