“And this,” the man pushed open the double doors at the end of the room, “is the finalizing room. It is, what it is. This is where we perfect the experiments and get rid of the worthless ones.”

Everyone pushed each other to get into the room first. It was a huge, white, polished room which made you shield your eyes if the sun shone in.

“Son, what do you think so far?” Mr Davis leaned over and whispered.

His son, Miles, scanned the room. He breathed heavily out of his nose. His father nodded. The man in the white lab coat noticed.

“Yes, yes, I know. The other rooms were incredibly boring. But this,” he turned and spread his arms wide, “is the pièce de resistance. Aka, the best part.”

“I know what pièce de resistance means. I’m not dumb.” Miles replied.

“Oh, you’re certainly not. And I have heard you have a skill for… thievery? Mr Davis, sir, would you mind keeping a close eye on your son?”

Miles face dropped and his expression was stone-cold.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The man stopped and grinned.

“Oh really? Because we have the news on and if I heard correctly this morning, an incredibly rare, gold pocket-watch went…uh, missing. You don’t have any idea where it went, no?”

“Shut up.”

“My pleasure. Just… No touching. Got it?”

“Sure.”

“Great.”

 

He made his way to the front of the group and turned to smile at everyone. Suddenly a scream came from across the room. Everyone gasped and craned their necks to get a good look.

Across the room, an experiment was being a. A girl, no more than 10, was strapped to a chair as white as the room. Tubes were being attached to her and thick green liquid was being pumped into her rapidly.

“Ah, yes! You now have the pleasure to witness an experiment being demolished!” the man cried with glee.

Sounds of amazement came from the group. Everybody except Miles.

“That’s what they look like? You make them look like humans, and if they have any aspects of being different, you drown them from the inside?”

“Now, young sir, they aren’t completely human. Sure, they have organs and bones and muscles. But apart from that, they are all coded to do what they are asked. And if they do not comply. Well, this is the result.”

“You’re a monster.”

“Now I know this isn’t the best way, but it’s all the resources we have. Besides, they don’t feel much at all as we numb them befo-“

Another piercing scream came from the girl. Her veins began to stand out, turning green. Then she went silent. Small whimpers sounded from her mouth as the liquid oozed out of her eye sockets and her nose. It dripped out of her ears and as her mouth was slowly forced open, a waterfall of the stuff came tumbling out. The group sounded both satisfied and grossed out at the same time.

“And then we dispose of the body. The liquid is flammable, so it makes it easier to dispose of.” The man said.

“You burn them?” Miles asked, though, he already knew the answer.

“Well yes. How else would you suggest we dispose of a body?”

“I have plenty of ways. How about we have a demonstration now?”

The man laughed.

“If you wish to see how we get rid of them, it’s the back room with the red sign on it. Now if you all will excuse me, I have a meeting to attend.”

 

The man walked forwards, towards the group. The people glitched and disappeared, along with the room and everything in it.

Miles was left standing with the man. They looked at each other.

"Don't start." Miles warned.

"I wasn't going to." the man replied.

Miles unstrapped the microphone that was stuck onto his lead coated jacket. He threw it to the side then turned back to the man, crossing his arms.

"Oh go on mum, just get it over with"

The man had disappeared and in his place, a woman with a dissatisfied expression on her face.

"I was just going to say, like I do each time we finish this task, why do you take it to heart so?" her face changed and she now looked at her son wit sorrow.

"BECAUSE IT LOOKS SO BLOODY REAL, THAT'S WHY!"

Miles' mum pursed her lips.

"Yes I know, that's why we are trying to stop this in real life. But you can never enter the field till you manage to maintain your strong emotions and play the part."

Miles groaned, crouched down and put his face into his hands.

"I know it's annoying honey, but me and your father made sure you understood what you were getting yourself into. How about we stop for the day and let me buy you some ice cre-"

"Again. I'm ready"

He got up and collected his microphone from the floor.

"Miles, were you listening to anything I just sai-"

"AGAIN!" he yelled.

He didn't make eye contact with his mum, instead was staring daggers at the wall.

His mum sighed and nodded to the operator. The simulation buzzed into life once again.

​

"And this, is the finalizing room".