First, imagine a cube. Outside of it, there is nothing but darkness. Those inside the cube cannot see what is outside, but there is something moving in the darkness. This entity can see clearly within the cube and can move around it without difficulty.
This description is quite close to my current situation. At this moment, I am navigating through the darkness around the room where Laura and Emily are. However, the situation is a bit more complex. Besides being able to swim in the darkness, I have the ability to teleport through it. All I need to do is look at a specific point and wish to be there, and the magic happens: when I open my eyes, I find myself exactly where I wanted to be.
"Did the anomaly just enter the floor?"
"Could this be a new anomalous ability? High regeneration capacity and now this? How many anomalous abilities does this creature really possess? It might be much more dangerous than we imagined"
"But it saved us, didn't it? Maybe it really is gentle with humans!"
"Of course, I'm not dismissing that possibility. Besides, everything we've seen so far points to that conclusion. However, I think we need to reconsider the level of danger it represents outside the containment room"
"If that's the case, can I decorate her room? The last one she stayed in was really boring. I want to put in a bed and some stuffed animals. And maybe a television? Who knows, maybe that would make her more interested in humans!"
"Or she might get disappointed and decide to eradicate us once and for all"
"Geez, you're so pessimistic, boss!"
I was having fun swimming in the darkness when Laura's voice caught my attention. For a moment, I had forgotten that she and Emily were nearby, and for some reason, that made me feel a bit uncomfortable. However, it seemed they were having an interesting conversation.
Now, reflecting on this new ability, I realize it's really useful. I can teleport to anywhere there's shadow. It's true I haven't tested the distance yet, but at least with the attempts I've made so far, I've been able to move anywhere within this facility.
Anyway, I had played enough. Although I didn't need to sleep, I always found the act comforting, so I decided to continue resting. With that thought in mind, I swam out of the shadow and returned to where Laura and Emily were.
When my head suddenly popped up from the ceiling, Laura and Emily were momentarily surprised. However, Emily quickly let out a sigh of relief, probably glad to find me instead of another anomaly. As for Laura.
"Ms. Anomaly! You're back!"
As always, Laura hugged me at the first opportunity. I decided to accept the gesture, recognizing that she was probably scared. However, I couldn't help but feel like a stuffed animal, something I really didn't enjoy.
At that moment, the door suddenly opened, and everyone turned to look. Almost automatically, my trained gaze for identifying weak points activated, revealing the vulnerability of the newcomer. By their pattern, they were clearly human, and I recognized that person.
"Calm down, it's me, Victor. I'm not here to hurt you"
Victor said this while looking intensely at me, but I could see the sweat on his face. Moreover, at some point, his weapon had fallen to the ground; that probably happened when he entered, but I hadn't even seen him armed. Since it was Victor, I made my eyes return to normal. Noticing this, Victor let out a sigh of relief and then turned his gaze to Emily and Laura.
"I'm relieved you two are okay. Honestly, I thought you had been swallowed by [Shadow], just like the rest of the facility"
At that moment, Emily approached me, still being hugged by Laura. Our eyes met, and I blinked, trying to understand if she was about to do something. However, all she did was place her hand on my head and gently stroke it.
"Thank you for saving us. I don't know if you understand what gratitude is, but I want you to know how grateful I am for your presence here"
I certainly understood the meaning of gratitude. I was also thankful for them providing me with tasty food and a place to stay. Besides, I couldn't complain; all of this was offered for free. In fact, was there really anything to complain about? I just couldn't see any reason for that.
"We need to understand what happened here. It was a tragic accident that resulted in the deaths of many of our staff, including researchers. However, in this line of work, we can't allow ourselves to mourn our losses; we must move forward and dedicate our efforts to the memory of those who are gone"
Emily had a rather distant mentality, but I imagined that this was a process even Laura would eventually go through. Deaths are probably common occurrences in this line of work.
"Damn, just when the director's visit day is approaching, that senile old man will definitely use this as an opportunity to undermine me"
Emily seemed really worried about this director. I was curious to know who he really was. From what I had heard so far, he seemed to hold a rather high position. Furthermore, Emily clearly didn't like him; according to her, this was due to his management methods, or something like that.
"About that... apparently, no one died. All the people who were swallowed by [Shadow] simply resurfaced where they disappeared. In fact, I'm one of them, resurfacing after being swallowed by [Shadow]. I think I really need to look for another job"
After that, we left the shadow containment room and walked down the hallway. As Victor had mentioned, the people who had been swallowed by the shadow really had come back. The most curious thing was that everyone knew exactly they had been consumed, but beyond that, they didn't remember anything else; they all just carried that strange feeling.
They talked about the sensation of sinking into a muddy sea, drowning only to be submerged again, repeatedly. Of course, they didn't understand what they were saying; it was just a vague impression. However, the description they gave was, in some way, similar to the place I went to after being swallowed by the shadow. This indicated that there might be some connection between the experiences.