Naivety

There was only one rule: don’t open the door.

Julie was grateful for the job; she’d been trying to break her way into the experimental biology industry and had jumped at the chance to work with live patients.

Yet, here she was, staring through the reinforced window, questioning every decision she’d ever made.

The little girl was small and unkempt as she cowered in the corner of her confines.

She’d been given strict instructions about how Subject 14 was not a normal little girl, and under no circumstances was she to enter the room. Her job was to observe and report.

Julie swallowed nervously. She didn’t sign up for this. Surely it was illegal?

The little girl lifted her head. Her face was dirty and tear-stained. Her eyes were full of fear as she trembled.

Julie snapped; rushing to the control panel, she pushed the emergency door release and hurried nervously inside the room.

‘I’m gonna’ get you out of here,’ she whispered, ‘but we must be quick.’

The little girl took her hand warily. Her tiny grip made Julie’s heart melt.

She helped the girl to her feet and headed for the door but her arm stopped her, pulling her back. Turning around, the girl was expressionless. Suddenly, she squeezed Julie’s hand tighter and tighter, applying unimaginable force.

Julie screamed and dropped to her knees as she fought in vain to snatch her hand back.

Her hand cracked and tore as it crushed to a pulp. Seething hot pain wracked her body.

The girl’s eyes rolled back in her head. She opened her mouth, revealing hundreds of tiny, razor-sharp teeth.

Julie, on the brink of fainting, watched terrified as the little girl unhinged her jaw and wrapped her mouth around two of her bloody, splintered fingers, biting them off.