Chapter 13 - Descent into the Abyss
The staircase leading down into the basement was cold, constructed of unpainted industrial concrete. As Clara descended into the dark, the warm, sunlit luxury of the upper floors vanished, replaced by the damp, sterile odor of isopropyl alcohol, saline solution, and old dust.
Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. Every step down felt like a descent into a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. The soft counting of her daughter upstairs faded away, replaced by the low, mechanical thrum of air filtration units and the rhythmic beep... beep... beep... of a heart monitor.
At the bottom of the stairs, Clara stepped into a short corridor lit by harsh overhead strip lights. At the end of the hall stood a heavy reinforced door with a reinforced glass window.
Clara walked up to the glass. She looked inside.
The room was identical to the feed on the MicroSD card. The stainless steel examination table sat in the center of the concrete floor. Surrounding it were monitors, IV poles, and racks of pharmaceutical supplies.
And on the table lay the woman.
Clara pressed her palm against the cold glass of the door. The woman on the bed stirred faintly at the sound of the footsteps outside. Her head turned slowly toward the window. Her eyes opened—pale, clouded blue eyes that mirrored Clara’s own exactly.
Clara swiped the silver keycard through the door reader. The lock disengaged, and Clara pushed the heavy door open, stepping into the sterile cold of the chamber.
The sister—Evelyn—let out a faint, rasping breath. Her pale, dry lips parted.
"Clara...?" Evelyn whispered, her voice a hollow echo, barely stronger than a breeze through dry leaves.
May you like
Clara dropped to her knees beside the steel table, her tears overflowing, falling onto the cold concrete floor. She reached out, her hand trembling as she took her sister’s thin, cold fingers into her own.
"I’m here," Clara sobbed, kissing Evelyn’s knuckles. "I’m here. I didn't know. Oh God, I’m so sorry... I didn't know."
