Dr. Eleanor Finch's Daily Record
Date: October 18, 2037
Location: Project Epsilon, Facility Depth 6
The atmosphere at Depth 6 felt different today. Even the air had a tangible heaviness to it, a pressure that seemed to seep into our lungs. I'm used to the usual unease that comes with this place; it never fully leaves, and the hum of fluorescent lights amplifies the anxiety. But this morning, there was something else — a tension that had the entire staff moving in tight, clipped motions. Something had shifted.
When I checked the daily roster, I saw I was assigned to oversee Subject 14 again. Harlan. Part of me wondered if it was intentional, whether the program directors had noticed the effects he'd had on my last entry and decided to assign him to me for further analysis. Harlan has that effect on people, leaving them unsettled but curious, as if we're all balancing on a razor's edge around him. Today, my task was simple enough: take him to the testing chamber.
---
When I reached his cell, I found him awake and waiting, sitting on the edge of his cot with his hands folded neatly in his lap. The sight caught me off guard. None of the other children here ever wait for us. They fidget, they question, they struggle. But Harlan… he was calm, almost as if he expected me.
As I opened the door, he looked at me, his dark eyes locking onto mine, and I felt the weight of his silence. There's something about the way he studies people that unnerves even the most seasoned staff members. It's as if he's peeling back every layer, understanding things you haven't even said out loud.
"Ready?" I asked, knowing I wouldn't get a verbal response.
He simply nodded, slipping off the cot and following me out without hesitation.
---
We walked down the narrow corridor toward the testing chamber. Even though his footsteps were soft, they echoed in the hallway. The lights above us flickered, and for a moment, it almost felt as though the corridor itself was shifting, bending under some unseen force. I glanced back at Harlan, wondering if he was the source, but his expression remained as neutral as ever.
"Good morning, Harlan," a voice called from the control room as we entered the testing chamber. Dr. Brenner, head of the program, stood behind the glass, clipboard in hand. His expression was as clinical as ever, though he did offer Harlan a thin smile, more out of obligation than warmth.
"Today's test is a bit different," Brenner said, his voice crackling through the speakers. "We'll be increasing the gravitational pull incrementally, but instead of stopping at Level Two, we're going to continue upwards. We need to understand the limits of your control."
Harlan didn't react, but I could feel a shift in the room. His eyes remained fixed on Brenner, his gaze penetrating, as though he were silently challenging the doctor's authority.
"Proceed when ready," Brenner said, his voice impassive.
---
The test began. The ceiling emitter hummed, and the room felt heavier, as though an invisible weight pressed down on every molecule of air. I observed from a distance, a monitor in hand as I tracked his biometric readings. Harlan stood in the center of the chamber, his posture relaxed, his breathing calm. I knew that at this stage, even a small increase in gravity would leave most children staggering, struggling to maintain balance. Harlan, however, was unfazed.
"Level three," Brenner instructed.
The hum intensified, and I watched Harlan's face closely, searching for any signs of strain. Instead, I saw him raise his hand, fingers spread wide, as though he were reaching out to the air itself. And then, with a simple, almost elegant flick of his wrist, the force dissipated.
"Biometric readings stable," I reported, more to myself than to Brenner. "No sign of distress."
"Level four," came Brenner's voice, this time with a hint of anticipation. He didn't try to hide his fascination, the curiosity that had been growing ever since Harlan arrived. I knew he'd been waiting for a moment like this.
The gravitational pull increased, and this time I felt it even through the reinforced glass. My body felt heavier, my legs straining slightly to hold me upright. I wondered how Harlan was feeling — but if he was struggling, he didn't show it. His eyes were closed now, his expression peaceful. He seemed to embrace the weight pressing down on him, allowing it to settle around him like a second skin.
The readings on my monitor spiked slightly. I glanced at Brenner through the glass, but he only nodded, gesturing for me to continue.
"Level five," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
The effect was immediate. The room became a pressure chamber, the air thick and unyielding. The lights above flickered, casting strange, fractured shadows across Harlan's face. I could feel the effect in my own body, a crushing weight bearing down on my chest, making it harder to breathe.
And yet, Harlan stood perfectly still. His eyes opened, and they glinted with a sharp intensity, a look that was both focused and… something else. Defiant, perhaps. He raised both hands now, palms outward, and I watched as gravity itself seemed to twist and bend around him, creating an invisible field, a bubble where the pressure eased.
"Biometrics… steady," I reported, but my voice shook. How was he doing this?
"Level six," Brenner's voice came again, almost eager, and a tremor of anxiety shot through me.
"Dr. Brenner, he's already exceeded—"
"Proceed with the test, Dr. Finch," he interrupted, a hard edge in his tone. There was no room for argument. I swallowed and nodded, pressing the next sequence.
The gravitational pull became monstrous. The walls themselves groaned under the strain, and I felt the pressure crushing down on me from even behind the glass. I could barely keep my eyes open. My body screamed in protest, and I struggled to stay upright.
But Harlan… Harlan was smiling. A small, barely-there curve of his lips, a glint of triumph in his eyes. He lifted his hands higher, and the entire room seemed to shudder. I felt my feet leave the floor, just for a split second, as if gravity itself had forgotten me. In that moment, I understood — he was in complete control. He could manipulate the field as he wished, bending and warping the force that held the universe together.
In the control room, Brenner stared, wide-eyed, his fascination bordering on obsession.
"Enough," I said, my voice barely audible, but Brenner didn't seem to hear. "Dr. Brenner… I think we should stop."
Brenner ignored me, his attention locked on Harlan. I felt a flash of anger, realizing that he wasn't considering the potential risks, only the data, the results.
But before I could voice my concerns again, Harlan looked directly at me. His expression softened, the glimmer of triumph replaced by something else — something almost protective. He lowered his hands, and with a calm, deliberate motion, he released the gravitational hold, bringing the pressure back to normal.
The weight vanished. I stumbled, catching my breath, feeling the lightness return to my limbs. The silence in the room was deafening.
Brenner's voice crackled through the intercom, a hint of irritation in his tone. "Subject 14, why did you—"
But Harlan wasn't listening. He turned to look at the glass, his eyes meeting mine once more. There was a flicker of understanding in his gaze, a silent acknowledgment that I couldn't fully grasp but felt nonetheless.
Without a word, he walked back to the door, hands at his sides, his posture calm, his expression serene. I stood frozen, unable to look away.
---
Personal Notes (Encrypted):
Something happened in that testing chamber today, something beyond the scope of science or reason. Harlan's power is extraordinary, yes, but it's more than that. He knew. He knew the effect it would have on all of us, understood the risk — and chose to protect us. There's an intelligence in him that surpasses even my understanding, a wisdom that feels ancient.
I can't shake the feeling that Harlan knows more than he lets on. And perhaps, more disturbingly, that he's making choices beyond our control.