5 The Well

Darwin had taken what the old man said to heart. For the past ten months, he trained. Although put through torture on a daily basis, he never stopped training his body and mind. The trials helped with maintaining a fit form.

However, he was only fed enough to maintain normal bodily functions. He did not receive proper rest and nutrition so his build was lean and quick rather than extremely powerful. He was only thirteen after all.

He had to train his body for speed if he wanted to make it out of here.

'I've been training my body for awhile now. I don't know how long I've been here. I couldn't gain too much muscle mass. But I should be in better shape than my previous self. I should escape while I have the chance.'

While being dragged to the surgical ward, Darwin spotted a group of people.

'They must be new here. Wait! Are those kids?!'

Darwin stopped as he tugged on the doctors coat with his bound hands. He spoke up.

"Dr. Shepherd, are their other subjects my age? Will they go through what I have?"

Darwin spoke in a cold tone, he wasn't playing around. The doctor turned around and simply smiled. Darwin hated him. Kidnapping him, hurting his aunt, torturing him, making the old man kill himself, and all while getting a laugh out of it.

'If I get the chance, I will eliminate this man. He is a despicable man.'

Darwin started running simulations in his head. He had been formulating escape plans for a few months now. Before he could choose a route, he fell to the floor.

Looking up, his eyes met a huge black door. Black chains locking it in place. He looked over towards the doctor. The man was squatting and wore a hideous grin.

"Look like the black pills are effective. They are meant to open up your mind to him. Looks like the Death Aura is overwhelming your spirit. Good luck in there kid. Hahaha"

'Him? WHat does he mean?'

Darwin was kicked into the door's slot. The ground that held Darwin now gone. He was falling through what seemed like a well. His consciousness fading while his speed increased. He eventually hit the floor.

However, the expected pain of his bones being crushed and his lungs collapsing never came. Instead, a feeling of familiarity overcame Darwin. He clutched his chest as he looked towards the source of the feeling. In front of him, stood himself.

...

Dr. Shephard looked at the door. Reminiscing about his past of studying biological engineering and winning many prizes, and being scouted by a huge corporation to make biological advancements in technology.

The doctor gritted his teeth as he thought about how he was misled and was forced to make weapons. How after years of torturing others he began to love it.

'This Death God Experiment is supposed to find a host for whatever Sir worships. What was it again? A shinigami or whatever he called it. I just make the tools. Ah, I need a smoke.'

He sighed. Standing back up as he walked away, a cigarette pack in his hand.

...

Darwin couldn't believe it. Just nearly ten months ago he was at school, learning history and hanging with Jason. Going home to warm meals from his aunt and reading his favorite books.

Now all of that was gone. Replaced by a sadistic doctor who experimented on kids for a living. Of course, that wasn't the worst of it. He was no having delusions due to the stress and anxiety.

'I guess those black pills make people go crazy. I'm sorry Aunt Drea, your kid is a loon.'

Darwin's other self smiled as he looked at Darwin with pity.

"Heh, you're not crazy Darwin."

Darwin blinked as he rubbed his eyes.

"Oh great, so you also talk. I'm really losing it now. Just leave me alone. I need to find a way to get out of here and return home. Unless you can help."

Other Darwin's grin widened as he crossed his arms.

"I think I can do that. Just, give me control of your body. I'll help you get home."

He would not stop grinning as his eyes flashed a dark shade. His shadow growing increasingly fast behind him.

Darwin sighed as he stood up and walked toward his doppelganger. He raised his head and stared right into his' eyes. The copy not backing down either. Darwin opened his mouth.

"I'm not sure who or what you are. However, it won't mean anything if I can't go home of my own free will. Seeing Aunt Drea and Jason smile as we eat a good meal. So, if you're going to go between me and them. Then we're enemies."

Darwin growled as he held his ground. But, the copy simply smiled even more. His lips curving unnaturally up his face.

"Ooh, I like that. I haven't seen someone stand their ground up to me like that in awhile. What do you see exactly? I'm sure you must be seeing horrendous images in my eyes right now. Pain so horrible that it can make a grown man beg for his life to be ended. So, I wonder, just what have you been through to be immune to my aura?"

The clone kept smiling as his head bobbed with every accent in his voice. He just would not stop smiling with every word. It was as if he found pleasure in this oddity known as Darwin Brooks.

"What do I see? I see myself. Only I stand in the way for me to get what I want. I see the old man sacrificing himself for me. The resolve of trying to claim back what is mine. This pain is nothing to what the doc put me in. I may just be a thirteen year old kid in middle school, but I will escape out of here and see my loved ones again."

Darwin looked at his bound fists and then to his chest. His scarred body entering his mind as he pushed back the pain. Strengthening his resolve and tossing aside his fear, he stepped closer to the fake.