Four walls, white, and with a stale air that even the most sterilised of hospitals would envy. There were only beds with their bedside tables full of nothing, and seven living souls - young ones - sleeping in them. It should have been a sight that would melt the hardest of hearts. But The Den was a place where hearts were not allowed.

‘3:30 am, Greenwich timeline,’ a “nurse” dressed in a metallic mask and white hazmat suit whispered onto its recorder. The “nurse” was not a regular one - there never had been. ‘Subjects 19, 98, 84, 41, 86, 94, and 49 are idle and resting. No disturbances reported. Estimated to be awakened in 7:30 am, Greenwich timeline.’

With an approving beep from the recorder, the “nurse” stuffed it in its pocket and continued to watch the seven sleeping children. All was well but there never a time to relax. In case ~it~ happened.

4 hours and 15 minutes passed. There was still no disturbance and the children will awaken in the next 15 minutes. The “nurse” signed in relief, the first emotion after a night of sleepless stoicism. It could go home, have a rest itself, and report a successful experimentation to Prime Minister. They would be the best of the children in the country, made as geniuses and deadly as a machine. The parents were restless, not comprehending the successes their children would achieve for the sake of the country.

‘Experimentation success,’ the “nurse” whispered into the recorder for the final time, ‘Subjects 19, 84, 86, 41, 98, 94, and 49 prototypes to be dispatched after fine-tuning for 7 days. Estimated completion, 13th of the month. Day: Friday. Report to the Prime Minister will be submitted at 13:00 pm, Greenwich timeline. Over.’

A beep and the recorded turned off, satisfied with the results. The “nurse” gave the children a once over before turning to its heel and walked along the hallway. It was a few steps from the exit doors before -

CLANG

The lights turned off except for little red lights along the hallway and the ceiling pipelines - an emergency power off. The “nurse” stopped its tracks, gave a minute, before dashing off to the exit doors and attempted to wrench it open fruitlessly. Locked. ‘Maintenance dispatched. Keep calm and stay still,’ the emotionless voice of the intercom said and went. The “nurse” could not make itself calm.

Then, the door of the room opened. It was certain that they were locked the whole night. ‘Keep calm and stay still,’ the intercom repeated but the “nurse” banged and screamed through the exit doors. There was another emotion - fear.

BANG! BANG! BANG! But there was still no answer.

The “nurse” sobbed and slid down into a small heap. The last thing it heard was the eerie giggling of the playful children from the room before everything went dark.