1

The steaming water poured out of the kettle in a steady spiral. Coffee dripped down from the filter, and into the glass pot, its scent earthy, almost floral. He poured it into a mug and took a thoughtful sip. Today was his 26th birthday, an important date for him. He checked the clock. 2:31. It was nearly time for Genesis. He grabbed his keys and started up his old Abisso's engine. Was he anxious? Of course he was. This marked a new era in his life, determining everything moving forward. He could only hope to get a high rank. He slowed down as the facility came into view. It was the same one he had driven past countless times. This was the first and only time he would be allowed to see inside. And he was ready.

The first thing that hit him was the air. It was thick with the scent of lavender, but no flowers were to be found. The office itself was similar to that of a doctor's. A row of ATM-like boxes was installed off to the left.

"You'll want to place your index finger inside the machine" The box rang out in an eerie, mechanical tone. "You'll get a pass to let you begin with examinations" He had already learned this, but the machine's words echoed inside of him as if this was a completely new procedure.

He placed his finger in the mechanism and felt a small prick. An orange slip slid out of the machine neatly, adorned with a small spot of blood."Are you finished?" The woman behind the desk gestured towards him.

"Why did I jump to the beginning of the queue?" A quick look around revealed the place to be empty, something he had not noticed when he entered. Strange.

"Yeah, here you go." He passed her the paper. "Is there a transaction fee?"

She stamped it and handed it back. "You don't have to worry about that. Go down that hallway and take a left. It's room 7B. Good luck."

"Thanks." And off he went to 7B. It didn't stand out in any way, an opaque glass door with a chrome keycard lock. He fed the slip through the slit, and it clicked open.The room was small and cold, a steel chair with multiple straps rooted in front of a glass cabinet. A glaring light reflected off of a circular mirror on top of the cabinet. Next to the chair was a small table, with various syringes levitating a centimeter above it.

"Take a seat." The voice belonged to a slender woman in a dark navy pantsuit. Her face was enveloped with a sort of baroque mask and her hands wore white chiffon gloves. He took a seat in the cold metal chair and she spoke again.

"Do you know the procedure?" Her voice was light but unwavering. He swallowed hard, a lump in his throat already forming.

"Yes. I know what to do."

"Are you sure? We offer no legal liability if you miss your chance." He took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Yes. I'm sure."

"Then let's proceed." She shut the door closed. From the cabinet, the woman took two ampoules, one filled with a clear liquid, the other with something red. With a swift snap, the syringes were filled up and set back to hover on the table. She strapped his arms to the chair and sterilized it with rubbing alcohol. "This might sting a bit."

His shoulder was punctured with the red syringe and he felt pain like never before. A piercing feeling shot through his whole body as sweat started to drip. The agony did not stop, instead consuming his body like an infectious flame. Just below that, the second, clear syringe was injected and the pain immediately subsided. The pain turned to intense vertigo as his mind spiraled, no longer being able to form coherent thoughts. The last thing in his vision before he passed out was the fierce glare of the mirror and the glimmering glass cabinet.