Chapter 5 Torts Cell #476 #385 Torts was stealing again. This time, it was a silver watch nestled on the Scientist's wrist. It practically begged to be taken. The polished face caught the fluorescent lights as she was led on a chain down to the lunch hall, flashing with every movement and stirring that familiar itch in her paws. Trying her best to look inconspicuous, Torts flicked her tail toward the clasp, carefully unlatching it. The watch slid free from the Scientist's wrist and disappeared into one of the many hidden pockets sewn into Torts' clothes. The Scientist didn't react. Her hard eyes remained fixed ahead as she focused on the chain in her hand, gleaming beneath the harsh lights. She unlocked Torts' restraints and started toward the exit, absentmindedly patting her pockets. After a few metres, she stopped and glanced back. Her eyes narrowed. Torts met her gaze, forcing herself to stay still. Jasper would say she was being too risky, but Torts refused to let them zap her to mush for the defiant stare that kept her feeling a little human. After a moment, the Scientist turned away and disappeared into the dark hallway beyond the lunchroom. Torts chuckled to herself and scanned the crowd of Experiments, looking for Jasper. "Hey." The crackling voice behind her made her jump. She spun around, fur bristling. Another Floor 1 Experiment stood there - Kanji, she thought. They had never actually spoken; Floor 1 had far too many people to ever know them all. The thought often made Torts sad. Kanji looked as though she'd been carved from volcanic rock. Her skin was black and rough like cooled lava, molten-red eyes glowing beneath a mane of golden-orange hair that crackled with sparks and small tongues of flame. Heat radiated from her body as if she’d swallowed the sun. "Oh. What do you want?" Torts sighed. It’s not that she didn’t want to chat, but Jasper often got stressed when left alone in the lunch hall. God, she really did feel like his babysitter sometimes. "Well, there's no need to be rude," Kanji sniffed. "We just happen to share a common problem, and a rather large one at that. I just thought we might be able to help each other out.” She turned and headed toward a quieter corner of the lunchroom, not turning to check if Torts was following. "What common problem?" Torts asked, hurrying after her on all fours. Now she was intrigued. “What are you talking about?" Kanji didn't answer until they reached the far wall. She checked over one shoulder, then the other, before slowly turning in a circle to make sure nobody was listening. Torts rolled her eyes. Kanji's reputation for the dramatics was apparently well-earned. Even as a nearby Experiment glanced their way, suspicion flitting across his face, Kanji growled and flashed her sharp, white teeth. Kanji growled. Sharp white teeth flashed. The Experiment immediately changed his mind and hurried off, throwing a frown over his shoulder. Kanji watched him leave, then turned back to Torts with a cheerful grin, as though nothing had happened. "Our common problem," she said, lowering her voice, "is that we're trapped here." She paused expectantly. Torts stared at her. No duh. Kanji huffed at the lack of reaction, pouting for a moment before pressing on. "We're prisoners. Dr. Lucy keeps running painful experiments on us, we’re treated like animals - no offense - and even if this whole operation is completely illegal, it’s clear that no one is coming to save us.” "What exactly are you saying?" Torts sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Pretty sure you’re just stating the obvious right now.” "I'm saying that we need to escape." Molten eyes brightened as Kanji leaned closer, a wild grin cracking across her rocky face, and for a moment Torts wondered if Dr. Lucy was really the psycho one in this building "We need to get out of here. Or they’re going to kill us all.”
i'm... i'm just gonna... leave this here... whoops whatup guys haha
