"Dinner time." Walsh, in a disturbingly calm voice, said to the dog.
The dog prowled forward, its glowing eyes fixed on the rat as though it were just another meal—a routine offering on its platter. Its movements were slow, deliberate, predatory.
Meanwhile, the rat, eyes wide with terror, darted frantically within its confined space, its tiny paws scrabbling for any form of escape.
With a soft tap on the container, Mrs. Walsh activated a small tube attached to the side of the enclosure.
The orange liquid began to drip steadily into the container, the viscous substance cascading like an ominous rain. The rat froze, recognizing the liquid before it even made contact.
Its brethren had been taken away many times before, injected with the same substance, and it knew what happens later.
The rat's instinct screamed to flee, but it knew there was nowhere to hide.
It whimpered softly, eyes flicking between the menacing dog and the orange liquid. The dog, however, seemed unfazed, its confusion written across its face.
It wasn't afraid of the liquid.
But the rat had seen enough.
Desperation eclipsed its fear, and with a shaky, trembling movement, it inched forward, lapping at the liquid that trickled from the straw.
As soon as the first drop touched its tongue, the transformation began.
Its limbs spasmed violently, muscles expanding and growing under its fur.
Its once tiny body began to swell, its skin stretching unnaturally, and within moments, the rat's form began to dwarf the dog's. The dog stopped in its tracks, a low whimper escaping its throat as it took a step back, eyes wide in confusion and fear.
Its sharp ears perked up as it saw the rat's growth. It barked out in alarm, the sound echoing inside the container.
"Bhow! Bhow!" The dog barked again, its voice trembling.
But the transformation didn't stop. The rat's hands grew thicker, its limbs longer, and its body swelled in size. Its height increased steadily as if some invisible force was rapidly accelerating its growth.
The dog, now visibly shrinking in comparison, backed away slowly, whimpering in fear, its tail tucked between its legs.
Mrs. Walsh stood still, watching it unfold with an unsettling calmness.
"It's said," she began slowly, her voice cool and reflective, "that there was once a kingdom, perhaps a country, whose name was wiped from history. They were the first to create what people called a Miracle."
She paused for a moment, watching the rat—now nearly the size of a small dog—stare at the dog, which was clearly frightened. "People often say Miracles can only be performed by sorcerers. But my master once said that the sorcerer is the miracle itself."
Her gaze turned to the growing creature, eyes gleaming with a twisted sense of satisfaction.
"Science is what shapes the world. But what the sorcerers accomplish, people simply believe to be a miracle."
The rat's limbs cracked audibly, bones snapping and reshaping with grotesque ease.
The sound was sickening, and yet Mrs. Walsh merely observed, unfazed. A sickening crunch rang through the air as the creature's body continued to grow, its features becoming more animalistic.
Scarlett, her eyes focused on the experiment, felt her breath catch for just a moment. The transformation was incredible, terrifying, and utterly unnatural.
A slow breath escaped her lips as she finally spoke, her voice laced with an eerie awe.
"I don't understand science Doctor, but no matter what anyone says, Doctor Walsh, what you've created… is no different than a miracle."
Mrs. Walsh allowed a faint smile to creep onto her face.
"I may not have created a Miracle as the Sorcerers do," she continued, her tone almost contemplative. "But what I have replicated with science... perhaps it's close enough."
"Do you have any test subjects in mind?" she asked, her tone slightly amused.
Scarlett's thoughts drifted momentarily to the young man who had fled the lab in fear only minutes ago. Her lips curled into a faint, dangerous smirk. "Oh, someone just volunteered."
Mrs. Walsh chuckled softly, recognizing Scarlett's tone. "How considerate of them."
Their laughter echoed through the lab, mingling with the sound of glass groaning under the rat's growing strength.
It seemed like science was being twisted into terror.
Scarlett's eyes gleamed, and the lab's orange glow flickered like a flickering fire.
The countdown had begun.