Lazarus (Frost Stone)

[Vaelin]

Unwelcome Solitude

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S-17 eyes opened after his mouth did, his body felt like it had been compressed in a vice. His head felt far worse. After the go ran finally escaped his lips he sat up. Still in disorientation he was unable to understand where he was. Muffled sounds assaulted his ears as he attempted to regain his composure. The welcoming chill of the air was a comfort at least momentarily. The whiteness was harsh on his eyes and he had to blink several times before the scenery finally became clear. The muffled sound cleared - into gibberish. The vague sense of annoyance at the sound only fueled his disregard for the insistent tone coming from it. He looked toward the source of the noise. After finding a solid bit of wood he had finally and vigorously silenced the noise maker. He looked out toward the landscape and finally noticed something he had missed before. There was a curvature to the horizon which passed over his head and ended in the opposite direction. Dismay ran itself thoroughly through him. Noting felt natural despite is appearance. There was a soft bussing that was spawned by his movement. This drew his attention towards the source. He detached the small object from the branch it was on the end of. The roots coming out of the bottom confused him; they seemed to be out of place. It took him fifteen minutes and two large rocks to finally open the shell of the object. Which he inspected, it smelt terrible, with an acidic tint. The scent itself was irritating enough hat he lost interest with it. He summarized that it was unpalatable and he had no interest in discovering if it was edible. He left the scattered remains behind and set off in a direction. He reached the edge of the horizon; he found it to be made of metal. It didn't just curve upwards but also around. He was in a trap?

For the next few hours he had frantically searched for his siblings but this was only to end in vain. In the end it took him to finally only be running over his own tracks that he ceased. During this however he had found a pair of tracks that were not his own. They were faint but follow-able. They disappeared into a part of the wall that had a slight crack in it. He was convinced this was the way out. S-17 fell back into the snow for a rest letting the heat off him bleed into the snow. He had been trying to break the door open with a rock for the past couple hours.

Richard had his index finger alongside his cheek and his finger tip against his temple. His thumb was hooked under his jaw as he was leaning over a terminal showing Subject-17’s Bio-Dome. He had apparently gathered quite the arsenal of rocks, some bigger than others. He had tried to pry as well as smash the door open. He didn’t seem to understand the philosophy that it was futile. “Least he’s persistent.” Disdain toward the man colored Richards tone. He looked toward the other monitors. The child and woman had not been seen for the better part of a couple hours while he eldest male seemed to be content on remaining static. The Firth one seemed to be just exploring his habitat curiously. The contrast of the reactions to their surrounding provided disheartening. Subject-17 had shown he was able to track. His resolution that he would break through seemed undimmed. Subject-3 had only panned his head seeing the walls of the enclosure and had barely moved since. Subject-16 a butchering nature to the child before they had been lost on the surveillance equipment. Subject-9 had followed Subject-16 and lastly Subject-7 wouldn’t stop walking around, his paths started to fall into patterns. His attention turned back to subject-17’s screen one camera was missing and he had thoroughly put the communications device out of action. Clary had laughed at the display, seeming to to fin his ignorance amusing. It actually had been Richards’s reaction that had amused her. His expression of barely repressed frustration had provided much satisfaction. He had resided to have Clary encounter Subject-17 when he had ceased his attempts bit it was becoming apparent that he would not be stoping any time soon. He reached over to activate the communications device and summon Clary.

The rhythmic pattern of the stone thudding against he door would finally cease. Subject-17 positioned himself back to rest in the now. These had been becoming more frequiant as he had been wearing himself out. The door opened for Clary and she stepped out into the Arctic Bio-dome armed with a arctic coat, a tray of food and a taser hidden within one of her pockets. S-17 had gotten a view of the thickness of the door and now realized he wasn’t going to be breaking through it any time soon. Clary set the food and water onto the ground. In contrast he would just stare at her. When he laid back down Clary sighed and knowing well enough he wasn’t going to ‘open’ up at all today she turned to leave. The door opened and S-17 had achieved the same speed as he had when he assaulted Quade. His arm slid around Clary’s throat as he moved them both into the doorway. This was predicted however and as the door shut behind them, gas started to leak into the room. Sending Clary into darkness.

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