April 15, 1978"None of this makes sense but I swear I've seen the name somewhere before," Theo said. He paused, running a hand through his hair. "I just can't remember where."Carmen watched him briefly, then tilted his head in thought. "1946 incident... That's shortly after World War II," he said slowly. "Maybe it could be in some history book."Theo nodded, glancing around the large library.The wooden shelves loomed over them, filled with books on a myriad of topics, their spines coated in dust.He let out a sigh. "Ethan had probably read most of the books here. Having him with us would be useful.""But he's not," Carmen reminded him gently, his tone tinged with regret. "It's just us."Carmen moved to the nearest shelf and scanned the titles, frustration in his expression. "These books should be organized by genres. They're all mixed up and covered in dust."Theo followed him, his eyes roaming over the shelves. He crouched down, his fingers trailing over the book spines. He stopped suddenly and pulled out a book, blowing off the dust. "After World War II," he read aloud. "Carmen, come look at this."Carmen turned and sat down next to Theo, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear."This book should explain the history after World War II," Theo said, flipping through the pages. He stopped at a chapter titled "Morbus Mortalis.""Never heard of that before. Have you?" Theo asked, looking up.Carmen's eyes widened slightly. "Actually, my grandma told me something about it. It was a virus that spread all over the world. They didn't have enough graveyards to bury all the bodies, it was that deadly. Eventually, they found a cure, but many died."Theo listened, absorbing the information as he read. As Theo turned a few more pages, he noticed a torn page at the end of the chapter. "Why would someone tear it out?" he questioned, frowning.Just then, they heard a noise behind them.Theo turned to see Toby trying to steal a disc record. "Toby, give it back!" he shouted, his voice a mix of anger and worry."You stole that from Mrs. Agnes, didn't you?"."Listen, it was important. Don't tell her, please!" Theo pleaded.Theo stepped closer, but suddenly, the entrance to the parallel world opened. A creature pulled Toby in, and Theo watched in stunned fear as Toby was devoured.Two more creatures emerged, growling menacingly. "Be quiet, they're blind," Theo whispered to Carmen, who was shaking. They slowly crawled toward the bookshelf, watching as the creatures trashed the room.Mrs. Agnes burst through the door. "What's—" She froze at the sight of the creatures and then, with quick precision, grabbed a gun from the wall and shot both creatures in the head.Carmen and Theo gasped, watching in disbelief as thick black liquid oozed from the creatures' wounds. Mrs. Agnes stood there, her expression unreadable. "Go to your room," she commanded.A deadly weapon available for anyone in the orphanage was just right in front of their eyes, full of ammo. It's like it was there for an emergency just like this one. And Mrs. Agnes shot the creatures in two bullets, perfectly just to kill them, she knew the right spot that would kill them instantly.Was that a coincidence? Has she killed any other creatures before? Who is Mrs. Agnes? All these questions ran through Theo's mind.Carmen and Theo, both terrified, got up and walked past the creature. Theo slightly opened the door and some kids were behind it trying to peek in. They made their way past them and walked up the stairs to their room. The children were questioning all sorts of questions"Was that a gunshot? What's happening?" Those are the ones Theo and Carmen could hear but didn't answer any.As they got to the room the lingering light outside bathed the room in a soft, golden glow. With summer coming, the days were getting longer while the nights dwindled ever shorter."Who's she? What does she know?" Just these few words mean so much, blinding Theo's mind and the ability to think of anything else.Carmen sat on his bed in a cross sit and let out a deep breath. He sat there, considering what to say. "How did you know they're blind, the "creatures" he finally spoke, his curly hair strands falling in his face again.Theo sat on his bed, one knee crossed over the other. "Well one almost killed Ethan when we escaped back then and it couldn't see him in the first place, so I thought that they're blind and... Well, luckily they are"."Why are you talking about that like it's a casual experience?" Carmen chuckled, Theo shrugged."Wait," Carmen's tone got more serious, "Is Toby actually dead?" his voice trembled."He couldn't survive that. Like we barely did," Theo's voice grew more sober "Does that mean Ethan could also be...," Theo couldn't even say that word, his stomach twisted into tight, uncomfortable knots, as if a cold hand had gripped his insides and was squeezing relentlessly. The mere thought of actually losing Ethan made his mouth dry, a wave of dread washing over him so intensely that it seemed to steal the breath from his lungs."There's a high chance," Carmen responded, feeling a sense of pity for Theo.Tears welled up in Theo's eyes, blurring his vision, but he refused to let them fall."You love him a lot, right?"Love Ethan? Theo sure cares about him a lotbut loving him... Was what Theo feels towards him really love? Theo couldn't admit being in love with Ethan."I don't exactly...love him..""You barely talk about anything else though, I thought you were dating at first."Theo laid on his side, covering himself with a blanket, remaining silent.Carmen watched the sunset outside painting the sky with warm colors for a while, then he laid on his bed without a blanket drifting off to sleep. They both soon fell completely asleep.April 16, 1978—Theo felt a hand on his shoulder as he woke up some hours later. The room was already dark, no source of light from outside. He looked up at the person who touched him. It was Mrs. Agnes. He quickly sat on his bed, watching her."Follow me," she whispered."Please, please, please don't hit me. I'm sorry," Theo begged, bowing his head in fear as soon as they got outside the room."I am not going to hit you"."What?" It felt wrong, Theo was so used to being hit for bad behavior now that it just made him stunned.He looked at her. The bun tied up with the white ribbon made her look like a sweet person she wasn't. She wore a crisp, black maid's dress that reached just below her knees, with a pristine white apron tied neatly around her waist. The dress's collar was high and stiff, perfectly matching her rigid posture.Without a reply she led Theo from the outside of his room at the very end of the hall, a short walk straight ahead led to a left turn where the stairs came into view. From there, they could either proceed to the landing or continue straight where a quick right turn led to a corridor with seven rooms. This layout was mirrored on the opposite side, just inverted instead, both paths converging at a small landing where one could descend. Directly across from the stairs was the matron's room, flanked by a room on either side. The walls were so thin that every whisper, every breath, could be heard. It was truly unfortunate to have a room in such a location.There was a small hallway by the stairs that led to the uncomfortably scented restroom. Although the room is well maintained, the atmosphere gives off an uncomfortable feeling.Mrs. Agnes continued the way downstairs, still silent, her posture upright, as Theo trailed behind her. Downstairs was a hall that leads to rooms like a dining room, a small kitchen right next to the dining hall, servants bedrooms, the library or lavatory and bath.Unexpectedly, Mrs. Agnes continued down the wooden stairs that made a screeching sound with each step. further down where none of the children were, and perhaps not even the servants allowed to go. Down the hallway, what could be called a basement, was a small space with a metal door. Theo's footsteps echoed in the narrow corridor."Why are we," Theo paused, swallowing hard, "going here?" His voice wavered with a mix of curiosity and fear."Leave your questions for later," Mrs. Agnes replied curtly. She pulled a bundle of keys from her pocket, selecting a rusty one to unlock the door. The lock clicked loudly, and as she held the door open, she gestured for Theo to go first.Theo hesitated but stepped through the threshold. The door closed behind them with a resounding thud, making him flinch.The room's thick steel walls seemed to absorb all the inside noise of the soft hum of machinery, making it not being able to be heard outside the room. The floor was covered in a smooth, glossy gray fabric that reflected the light, giving the room a sparkling glow.Everything else was stark white, creating a sterile, almost surreal atmosphere. Theo walked slowly forward. To his left, people in laboratory coats sat behind rows of computers, their screens filled with complex data. But what caught his attention on the right were the vessels—large, cylindrical tanks filled with a blue liquid, each containing a creature suspended in eerie stillness. Other employees stood before the vessels, observing the creatures intently.A blonde-haired woman approached Mrs. Agnes. "Dr. Jacobs," she addressed her, and suddenly, it clicked for Theo. The name Jacobs—he had seen it somewhere before. Then he remembered: it was on a mailbox, back when the creature had killed the old lady. He recalled a photo in a wooden frame, placed between some plants on a windowsill, which had been dropped when the window was broken. In the photo was the old lady, about thirty in the photo a paralyzed man in a wheelchair except he was smiling and didn't seem dead, and a little girl with black hair and a sharp jawline, just like Mrs. Agnes. The girl's striking blue eyes were unforgettable, the same blue as Mrs. Agnes's eyes now. Theo looked at Mrs. Agnes, wondering if that's just a coincidence.The blonde-haired woman continued speaking, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Last year, the percentage of people turning into creatures after they die was 14 percent. Now it's increased to 22 percent," she said, pausing to catch her breath. "And we haven't heard anything from Team A in a while. Months actually...""Well, that's concerning news," Mrs. Agnes replied, her hands clasped behind her back."We'll send out Team D soon for assistance."Theo listened, feeling more confused with each passing moment.A brown haired man dressed in tight black jeans and a laboratory coat just a little taller than Mrs. Agnes approached her."Dr. Sallow," Mrs. Agnes greeted him."Is this the boy?" Dr. Sallow asked, looking at Theo. Mrs. Agnes nodded. "Follow me," Dr. Sallow instructed, then paused thoughtfully."Theo, right?".Theo nodded nervously.He followed Dr. Sallow into a warm, inviting room. Two small red couches made of linen faced each other with a glass coffee table in between, resting on a beige rug. Dr. Sallow sat on one of the couches, his knees apart and gestured for Theo to sit on the other.Dr. Sallow leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and interlocking his fingers, gripping his hands firmly. "You must be wondering what all this is about. I'll try my best to explain," he began. "Remember all the games you've played and tests you've done here?""I remember some of them," Theo replied cautiously."All of this was to assess your intelligence and abilities," Dr. Sallow explained."What?" Theo exclaimed, confused."You must've noticed Dr. Jacobs–Mrs. Agnes to you–writing something in her files while you were playing some games before"."Probably," Theo answered"Each year we record your skills and intelligence for that year. That's what taking a picture of you on your birthday was about," Dr. Sallow mentioned."Yeah, that was weird. But they told us it's just to have a recent picture for the adoptive parents, if someone adopted us," saying that Theo realized how strange that actually is."See, if you don't prove your worth by the time you're fifteen, we send you to the parallel world as an experiment, or worse, feed you to the creatures. But since you've demonstrated significant intelligence and abilities, that won't be your fate." Dr. Sallow explicated."So we're all just part of some stupid experiment?" Theo asked, his voice rising with anger."Wouldn't call it stupid, but yes. You've seen creatures before, right?" Dr. Sallow asked calmly.Theo nodded."Since you turn fifteen today, along with some other children, you'll be sent out to the parallel world as Team D. The entrance to that world has been opening more frequently. Your mission will be to discover as much as you can." Dr. Sallow continued."And what if I say no?" Theo challenged."There isn't an option. You either go or die right now as an experiment," Dr. Sallow said coldly."I'm already an experiment," Theo muttered."Well, Dr. Jacobs—Mrs. Agnes," Dr. Sallow corrected himself "told me your friend got lost in the parallel world. Ethan Carter, isn't it?" Dr. Sallow asked.Theo nodded again."Luckily, as soon as the creature pulled him in, Team A saved him. You could reunite with him if you go," Dr. Sallow said."Why should I believe you?""You can talk to him if that's enough proof"."I can do that?" Theo's eyes widened with excitement.Dr. Sallow nodded and pulled out a transmitter out of the deep pocket on his coat and raised the antenna on it. He then pressed some buttons and there was a short hum before someone took it."Team A, this is Elodie". Because of the transmitter the girl's voice was quite quirky.Theo remembered that name, Elodie got 'adopted' a year ago."Elodie, is Ethan anywhere with you?" Elodie immediately recognized Dr. Sallow's deep and resonant voice that carried an air of authority."Yes, sir, he's just right here," she responded."Could you lend him the transmitter?" Dr. Sallow commanded, crossing his ankles."Sure," Elodie replied and there was a hissing sound. "Yes, sir?" Theo heard Ethan's voice for the first time in a whole month; he was starting to forget what it sounded like. His voice was warm and soothing just as Theo remembered."There's someone who wants to speak with you," Dr. Sallow reached out to hand the transmitter to Theo. "You have a minute," Dr. Sallow added as Theo took the transmitter.Theo's fingers fumbled with the transmitter, bringing it up to his mouth as he pressed the talk button with a shaky thumb."Hello," Ethan said before Theo could."Ethan," Theo's voice was filled with a mix of relief, joy, and a hint of desperation."Theo? Is that you?" Ethan immediately answered. When Ethan spoke, there was a sincerity and warmth that made his words feel like a comforting embrace, filled with genuine concern and empathy."Yeah, yeah it's me. Are you okay?""Yeah, are you?" Ethan asked."I am. Listen I have about half a minute, I just wanted to tell you that I'll get to see you soon,""But that's too dangerous!" Ethan sounded worried."I don't really have any other choice," Theo's voice lowered."What?"."I'll explain later. I'm glad you're okay and I got to hear your voice," Theo looked at Dr. Sallow who gestured to Theo to give the transmitter back. "I have to go, bye." He pressed a button to end the connection, his hand lingering momentarily over the transmitter before he reluctantly handed it back to Dr. Sallow."Thank you," Theo murmured as his feet sank back onto the plush rug beneath him. He glanced down at the soft, beige fibers, feeling their gentle, inviting warmth beneath his feet. He wore just black socks."You'll receive more information tomorrow evening. I realize this all must have been overwhelming for you already," Dr. Sallow said, his tone empathetic but firm. He rose from the couch with a slow, deliberate grace, and Theo followed suit, his movements reflecting a mix of fatigue and resolve.Dr. Sallow led Theo out of the room, where Mrs. Agnes was already waiting, her expression unreadable as she gestured for Theo to follow her.As they walked through the sterile, echoing hallway of the laboratory, Mrs. Agnes broke the silence with a surprising comment."Your hair's getting long. You should cut it" she said, her voice carrying an undertone of disapproval.Theo glanced up at her. "Maybe that's because hair does that," he replied insolently.Mrs. Agnes' eyes narrowed slightly, but she continued walking.As they reached the metal door at the end of the corridor, she stopped and turned to face Theo. "I have some more work to do here. Can you go back to your room by yourself?" she asked.Theo nodded, offering a polite but tired smile as he turned to ascend the stairs to the top floor. As he reached the landing, he saw Eileen emerging from the bathroom, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of him."Theo?" she gasped, her voice a mix of confusion and concern."Eileen," Theo said urgently, stepping closer. "I need to talk to you. Ethan didn't get adopted. He's in this parallel world, and I have to go there. I'm telling you this because I trust you.You have to believe me".Eileen looked at him. "What are you talking about? I'm really tired of you making up these wild stories. He got adopted, Theo. You need to accept it and move on.""I know what I'm saying," Theo insisted, his voice rising slightly with frustration. "I'm not making this up. I need you to believe me."Eileen shook her head. "You're crazy. It's literally 2 a.m. I'm going to sleep. What are you even doing here at this hour?""I..." Theo began, but the words caught in his throat. Realizing that any further explanation would be futile, he turned and walked back to his room.