Drowning
so I was rewatching @elmushterri 's video for the pjm rewrite and rediscovered Connor's water trauma section and wanted to write a bit for that thru Adrian's perspective. I had to guess on when this was in Connor's life bc we don't have an exact age. I'm putting him at 7.
PS: a bit of guesswork was done here for ages but yk.
Self harm, (included) and $u!c!d3 references. Swearing and a bit of torture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was a normal day. Well as normal as a day can be for a walking experiment. Though of course. The experiment part makes my life anything but normal to the average person.
Micah and I had split up for the next training session. Probably the only time we separate about every month, at least during the day that is. I've been clinging to him harder than a cockroach clings to life no matter how hard you try to kill it. I was walking through a part of the facility that I technically wasn't supposed to be walking through. However, be a scientist's 'son' has its perks. That being shortcuts and access to places no one else had access to.
Honestly I was pretty bored, and a bit pissed Micah wasn't here. Micah talked a lot, sure, but he also listened to me when I talked with actual warm interest. Not cold, calculating interest like the scientists. Honestly I've gotten used to it, I now even prefer it more than the silence I used to surround myself with. After my last friend left.
In the middle of my being lost in my head I heard a muffled sound. Almost like a scream. But murky, and barely discernable from the hum of a vent. Without enhanced hearing I wouldn't have noticed.
I walked over to the door I assumed it to be and my eyes widened when I saw into the room. There was a boy! Banging again the glass! His eyes were closed and he yelled again. Quickly, I looked the tank inside the room realizing he probably didn't have much time left before it was completely filled.
I fumbled with my key card hastily swiping it into the lock but the door didn't slide open. I swiped the card again but this time got a response.
'Access code not recognized'
"What do you mean 'not recognized' I have one of the highest damn access ranks in this facility." I stepped back from the door and looked either way down the hallway. No one in sight.
I was gonna regret this. I took the panel off the wall for the keyreader and reached inside feeling around for the emergency release locks. I found them after what felt like a minutes but was probably only about 30 or so seconds. I flipped up the safety covers then switched them off in the correct order: 3-1-2. The door lights glowed green and it slid open.
I quickly replaced the panel snapping it back into place before rushing into the room. At this point the boy's struggling was getting weaker, in fact he was barely struggling at all.
I rushed to what I could only assume was a control panel. While running over I activated my medical call bracelet. Something put in place so I would hurt myself or do the other thing again. A doctor would be here in a about 5-10 minutes. Once I reached the panel I scanned it over. Nothing immediately jumped out as being able to drain the containment zone but, again most everything has a failsafe. What was it again, oh right I rushed over to the keypad on the airlock between where I was and the room the kid was in. Thank goodness I was right I pulled down on the yellow level but it wouldn't come down. I tried again harder feeling the panic rise in my chest.
The boy had stopped moving completely at this point beside some muscle spasms. I pulled down with all my human strength but the level just wouldn't budge. At this point, I was desperate, I couldn't allow him to die not when I was given the chance to save him. So I used my last resort. I activated my implant against my better judgement abd pulled down as hard as I could the level slammed down so quickly I almost lost my balance. Instantly the water started to drain out. But not quick enough. I swiped my key card against the air lock and the front door opened. Oh so it works inside but not on the outside lock. I quickly climbed up the ladder and opened the top hatch of the airlock. Water gushed out but it didn't even make me move back it spilled out probably even out into the hall. I dove into the water and swam to the boy. I grabbed him around the chest with one arm. Typically this would drag or slow an average person down but as we've established I'm anything but normal.
Once I got back to the airlock I heaved the boy in pushing him a bit out of the way so I could get in and down the ladder before picking him up and carrying him bridal style out of the airlock and into the main room. My clothes had been soaked by this point. However, considering it was a gunntech uniform I had no issues with that. I bent down to check for a pulse and breath but only felt a weak pulse. I immediately started CPR. I gave two initial ventilations, just mouth to mouth because I didn't have any equipment on me to provide them any other way. Followed by starting chest compressions. I could only guess how old the boy was, 8? 9? He must be if he was in an experiment like that.
It was at this point I finally heard distant shouting. Though with how echo prone the gunntech facilities walls were couldn't give a accurate estimate for how far away they were.
I was on my second round of CPR at this point. As I moved onto my third I could hear the clapping of boots against the floor and estimate there were at least 5 people. As I was about halfway through my third set of chest compressions water started to spout from him mouth as he began to cough. I quickly recalled what Micah said to do if this happens. I immediately turned the kid onto his side, specifically towards me, so he could cough up the water. He also ended up vomiting a bit. Before he started coughing up more water and curling in on himself. That is the very moment the doctor, and her multitude of assistants burst through the door. The doctor paused for a second or two staring at me dumbfounded.
My best guess is they had imagined that when they got here I would be on the ground in a problem my own blood. Or some other outcomes.
I stepped back as the boy continued to cough and all but one nurse plus the doctor swarmed the boy to check on him. The nurse walked over to me looking both concerned and relieved, I'm not really sure how she fit both on her face but she did. One of the assistants also pulled off and walked over to me. I somewhat recognized him but I couldn't remember where from. The girl spoke first.
"Thanks Adrian. I'm pretty glad that bracelet was used for something other than to report you had too much blood." The guy followed up. "Yea gotta be honest, every time I tell my little bro that the band went off again he gets in a real pissy mood. You gotta stop scarin him like that," It was in that moment I remembered who he was. Micah's oldest brother. "He'll be happy to hear it wasn't you bleeding out this time."
My face felt like it was about to explode. Why is it he can always get me flustered. "Anyways," the girl said in a mildly irritated tone. "Your mom is waiting for you out in the hall. I suggest you go give her the good news that it wasn't another attempt." She winked at me as she said it, bit of know she knows how serious it is. I walk around her in the direction of the door, glimpsing my mom every second or two pacing.
I walk out in a neutral pose as she stop pacing and races over. Her heels clicking obnoxiously on the floor. She looks me I'm the eyes turning me forcefully and walking all around me checking my arms a chest for injury. I push her away. "Mom, I'm fine. I sounded it for someone else." She came back around front and started walking away motioning for me to follow.
I quickened my pace for a second to catch up with her extremely fast stride. It was crazy I'm not sure how she does it in heels. Dad joined us about halfway through and elevator ride up to a higher floor. I knew exactly where we were going. I stepped out of the elevator and was face with a room whose only visible, functional feature was two large gray and white doors on the other side. I walked forward briskly out of the elevator, following my parents towards the doors. Probably one of the few other things in the room were the guards flaking the doorway. They opened it as we got close, and closed it right behind me once we were inside.
There were books on the walls behind and to the sides of us. But at the back of the room up a half flight of stairs sat a large, long desk with a chair currently facing a large TV screen. Which currently had playing my little human heist. He paused on the frame where I pulled down on the level with the power of my implant. Ears had sprouted out of my head and a fuzzy tail had grown from my tailbone.
He turned around the yellow and orange lights casting a shadow over the face of one of the most powerful men in the world.
Grayson Gunn.
"So as I understand it," He started slowly, his voice was low and commanding. "You stopped an experiment, on your way through an off limits zone. That is a violation of multiple rules."
"But I saved his life-" Grayson put his hand up to stop me. "He is expendable, you know this even better than most everyone else in this company." I clutched my hands at my sides. Digging in so hard I had to bring them together to stop them from bleeding manually.
"Now Grayson that's a bit harsh. First off, he is our son therefore he has access to experimental sections of the facility. Secondly that 'experiment' who you speak so carelessly of is one of the nest friends to your nephew. Connor Martinez." Grayson narrowed his eyes and pulled out a remote. I quickly started to back up as I heard a whirring behind my ear.
He hadn't used that in years. "Wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry it won't happen aga-" My words were cut off with a scream as electricity shot through my body and I fell to the ground and curled up in pain. Damn that hurt a shit ton.
It just kept going every part of my body hurt. When it stopped I gasped for air, spasming from the volts still coursing through my body.
"Now," He drawled, without a worry about how he had just electrocuted a 15 year old boy. "I don't care, if you're parents are scientists. The ne t time you interrupt an experiment I will make this punishment feel small in comparison. Are we clear?" I nodded groaning. Grayson clearly dissatisfied with this answer spoke again. "I said, are we clear?"
This time I both nodded my head and spoke. "Crystal." I was shakily standing up from the all fours position I had managed to push myself into when he spoke once more. "Very good. Now leave, your new friend is waiting for you to go to your next activity. Join him and stay out of trouble. Oh and you two stay we need to talk."
I turned away and watched as the doors opened in front of me as I walked out at a brisk pace with my head down. It was only once the whirring behind my ear stopped, when I was about halfway through my elevator ride, that I let go of the breath I had been unconsciously holding, and leaned back against one side of the elevator allowing my muscles to relax. I sighed in relief when the doors opened to reveal Micah's face.
He started bombarding me with questions but I informed him I was fine. He was pretty proud of himself when I told him that I had followed his instructions when I performed CPR. He then started gloating about having an EMS responder as an older sister.
We talked throughout basically the whole day, only stopping when we had to eat, spar, or exercise.
But that's when everything got worse once he left the feeling of emptiness I had didn't go away. I stopped it the same way I had stopped so many other times. With blood. The last thing I remember from that murky night is the beeping of a heart monitor next to me. And a fouI l smell, probably antiseptic, leaking into my nose. My last thought was wondering if the boy I'd saved was in a similar situation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IS THIS CLICKBAIT!!!! ME FINISHING A STORY IN UNDER 24 HOURS HOW!!!!
Anyways well uh wow I'm impressed with myself. Ok uh bye. I don't really have anything else to say so uh bye.
