It was the unexpected sound of the screams coming through the walls that had awakened him to this new nightmare. Incoherent words and phrases written in blood littered the walls of the poorly lit cell. Lucas sat trembling on the floor in the furthest corner from the door. He pressed his bare knees tightly to his chest and tried to force the warmth back in them with his cold hands.

He plugged his ears with his fingers and started slowly counting backwards from 10 to take back control. Tension released from his shoulders when he reached 5. By the time he’d gotten to 3, his breathing was under control and at 1, he opened his eyes.

A white coat was standing before him, blocking the entrance. The dimly lit cell cast eerie shadows over the person’s face. He swallowed hard. He knew what he needed to do, but what if it didn’t work?

5 minutes, clock ticks down.

“My name is Dr. Maria Mashburn,” came the happy voice. “Do you know why you are here, Lucas?”

He sat perfectly still, watching her through unblinking eyes.

The shadows fell away from her face as she stepped into the room. Her coarse blue eyes danced when she looked at him. A stethoscope dangled around her neck and she held a tablet in her wrinkled, pale hands.

4 minutes, 24 seconds.

“After the war with the Old Ones, the Alliance was made,” she began. His heart pounded in his ears. She flicked her hands across the screen and mechanical arms that he hadn’t noticed before snaked their way to his body, leaching to his arms, legs, and neck. He schooled his features and bit back a scream. “And that’s where you come in. During the Selection, you were chosen for the Offering.”

The wall behind him dissolved into a wall of time lapse videos of other boys like him - some pale, others brown like him. One by one, the videos end with a bright red “x” through the boy’s picture. His picture was the last on the wall. Had any of the others tried and failed. He was running out of time.

2 minutes, 14 seconds

“Do you understand, Lucas? Your sacrifice keeps the kingdom safe!” She said happily.

“You’re wrong,” Lucas replied, keeping his voice even. “There was never a war and your name is NOT Dr. Maria Mashburn. You are Leah Manson and you kidnapped me and all of these other boys from our homes. Everyone knows who you are.” He challenged her with his eyes.

“My name IS Dr. Maria Mashburn,” she replied. There was a slight tremble of uncertainty in her voice. “You were chosen during the Selection as an Offering in accordance with the Alliance.”

1 minute, 15 seconds

“What makes you think that you are even a doctor, Leah?” He spoke softly, sitting up as straight has he could against the mechanical restraints. He looked into her eyes. “How can you be so sure that’s who you are? And who let you out of your cell?”

“I AM Dr. Maria Mashburn!” She said wavering. “And I’m here to check your vitals to prepare you for the next phase in the Selection.”

“Impossible,” he whispered, in a calming, melodic tone. His mouth turned up at the corners.

“Impossible,” she rehearsed, hypnotically. He watched as her body swayed slightly then she shook her head vigorously trying to clear her thoughts.

She was visibly shaken. Her brow furrowed and eyes unfocused. He watched her as she looked from the wall of terminated children back to him in confusion.

30 seconds

“You should let me go,” Lucas said in the same calming, melodic voice. The white coat’s coarse blue eyes stared blankly at him as her fingers swiped across the tablet on their own accord. The suction cups from the mechanical arms dropped lifelessly to the floor. “Maybe you should take a seat, Leah. You look tired.”

She slumped to the floor. Lucas stood up and looked down at her.

“What are you?” She whispered through the haze.

“I’m a Siren and you’re out of time. 10...” he put his fingers in his ears. By the time he reached 5, the white coat was asleep. At 3, Lucas had on her white coat and was gone at 1.