4 - Drowning In Grief

*Characters: West, Willow, Kyle, Anthony, Stone*

***~West~***

West gently glided down the hallway, as she double checked that she had what she needed. Once she reached the testing room, she opened the door and walked in.

“Hey West, ready to start?” Willow asked cheerfully, West about to respond when she saw one of the few D-class that most of the staff liked currently standing in the testing range.

West turned to Willow “What the hell is Kyle doing in there?” Willow shrugged “Figured we’d test him since we already test most of the other D-class here,” West raised an eyebrow as she walked over to the mic centered in front of the window looking on to the range “Kyle, you don’t have to do this just because Willow asked,”

West watched as the D-class shrugged “I’ve got nothing planned for me to do today so,” West nodded slightly, before turning to Willow “Alright, I guess we can start whenever you’re ready,”

Willow gave a thumbs up and started setting up the first test. As Willow began instructing Kyle West watched him closely, both to take notes and because she remembered what happened the last time Willow did one of these.

As Kyle completed the first two tests, West moved closer to the mic “Okay, so the next test will involve fire,” She saw Kyle swallow as she continued “All you have to do is attempt to manipulate the flames,” Kyle gave a grim nod as a wall of fire roared to life across from him. West took note as he lifted his hands to move the flames, and when nothing happened West saw Kyle take a deep breath and try again.

After about four or five minutes, West turned to grab the clipboard she had brought and nearly fell backwards as she walked right into someone. West brushed herself off and glanced at the third person in the room. “Oh, hey Stone”

Stone nodded in acknowledgement, but never took her eyes off the flames. West shook her head as she turned back towards the mic “Alright Kyle, you're good to stop now,”

West saw sweat glistening on Kyle’s forehead as Stone took over the mic “Hey Kyle, what's up?” Kyle waved in the direction of the one way glass “Not much Dr. Stone, sweaty but otherwise I’m okay”  Willow gently nudged Stone out of the way as began to inform Kyle of the fourth test “Alright so, this test all you have to do is dodge or stop the bullets” West saw Kyle’s eye widen “Don't worry, we’re just using nerf guns this time” Kyle let out a sigh of relief.

The Bullet test went without a hitch, and West nodded to Willow as she talked into the mic “Okay, so during this next test we’re going to flood the testing range and all you have to do is escape or survive” Kyle gave a nervous nod and thumbs up as he brushed hair away from his face.

Willow turned the valve and soon water started to pour into the room, and three researchers looked up as they heard a loud rumble and a panicked yell from Kyle. The water was rising way too quickly. The maintenance team hadn’t fixed the pipes properly. “Dr. West? Dr. Stone? Is this meant to be happening?” Kyle asked as he backed against one of the walls. Willow took control of the mic “No, it's not so we need you to calm down, we’re trying to fix this”

Kyle waded through the rapidly increasing water towards the door. “Please, I really don’t want to drown”  was all they heard as the water covered Kyle’s head. West banged on the glass and watched as Stone grabbed the mic “Kyle! Kyle, hold on!”

***~Kyle~***

Kyle felt the water climb higher rapidly as it poured from the broken pipe, his mind racing as he faintly heard the sounds of voices.

The water was cold against his skin as it soaked his uniform and began to rise over his shoulders.

He attempted to swim towards the door but the gushing water created a current that pulled against him like a fish caught on the line, he felt a panicked sort of weightlessness.

As Kyle struggled to keep his head above the continuously raising water, he could barely hear the voices of the researchers calling to him.

Kyle felt as though his chest was being compressed and his lungs started to burn as he tried to hold his breath, slowly drifting towards the heavy metal door.

As Kyle reached the door, he felt his limbs start to go numb and realized that he was starting to see black fading around his vision.

He used what he knew was the last of his strength to try not to let water force itself into his lungs, but it slowly started to win the battle.

Kyle began to accept that he wasn’t going to get the door open, and turned towards the watery and rippling figures of West, Willow and Stone.

Kyle smiled faintly as his vision faded and everything went silent.

***~Willow~***

Willow watched in horror as a slowing stream of air bubbles left Kyle’s mouth as he turned towards them with a sad smile, and she heard West bang on the glass as they all saw him suddenly go limp and start to float away from the door.

As soon as the water was low enough to enter the room, all three of them quickly slammed the door open. They raced toward the D-class on the floor. “Kyle?... Kyle come on, get up” Willow gently ordered him as she shook Kyle’s shoulder. Willow turned as she heard Stone and West talking “Do you have your walkie-talkie on you?” Stone asked.

Willow saw West nod and pass the Walkie over. Willow turned back to Kyle, grabbing his hand and realizing he was already cooling but she refused to believe what that meant. She heard Stone talking into the walkie-talkie “Medical Staff are you there? Medical staff?”  Seconds later there was an answer “Hello? What’s the issue Dr. Stone?”

Willow turned towards the second teen  “We need a medical team in testing room 3, a D-Class has been injured” “We’ll be there in five minutes.”  Willow and West turned as they heard an angry “OH FUCKING HELL NO! YOU'RE GOING TO BE HERE IN THREE IF YOU WANNA KEEP YOUR KNEECAPS” from Stone

If there was a response from the medical team, Willow never heard it. However, Stone’s threat must have worked as a mere 30 seconds later a pair of medics showed up. Both Willow and West moved aside to allow them to get to work. Willow heard Stone pacing, her loud footsteps a stark contrast to the young researcher’s normally quiet step, as Willow could do nothing but stare at the medics performing CPR.

Willow turned to Stone as she heard the teen snap at the medics “Why the hell did you stop?!” one of the medics stepped towards Stone “We were too late, he drowned just before we could get here” Willow ran over to Kyle’s body “I’m so sorry, Kyle please get up” Kyle made no move to get up. Willow turned to Stone as she watched her storm out of the room muttering something about finding the maintenance crew.

***~Stone~***

Stone saw red as she stormed out of the testing range, she realized she still had West’s Walkie. She turned it on “Does anyone know where Anthony from the maintenance crew is?”  She  heard Anthony respond “I’m in room 33, why?”  Stone responded with a growl “You and I are going to have a little chat,”

***~Anthony~***

As the Walkie-talkie cut off, Anthony wasn’t sure whether or not he imagined the bitterness in Dr. Stone’s voice. He shrugged it off and continued to text his sister even though he knew he should be working on the secondary pipe system.

***~Stone~***

Stone shoved the Walkie-Talkie into her lab coat pocket as she reached the elevator and stepped in. Once it reached the first floor, Stone made her way to room 33. Stone kicked the door in as she loaded a bullet into her trusted pistol.

She sneered as she saw Anthony jump and turn around. “Oh hey Dr. Sto-” He was cut off as Stone aimed the pistol at his chest. “Dr. Stone?”

***~Anthony~***

“Dr. Stone?” Anthony asked as he backed himself against the wall “Wh-What’s going on?” He stuttered, as he saw the pure rage glowing in the researcher's eyes. He racked his brain as he tried to figure out what he had done to warrant Dr. Stone’s wrath.

***~West~***

The pair of medics nodded to the remaining researchers as they left the room. Seconds later over the radio they heard Stone “Does anyone know where Anthony from the maintenance crew is?”  they heard Anthony respond “I’m in room 33, why?”  there was a low growl from the walkie “You and I are gonna have a little chat”

Willow stood up quickly “We need to stop her, before she either kills him or burns this place down” She told West as she darted out of the room. West lifted herself off the ground and flew after Willow.

***~Stone~***

She could hear nothing but her own thoughts as she watched Anthony panic and attempt to calm her down. ‘He’s the reason Kyle’s dead, HE’S the fucking reason’ Stone heard a voice tell her, and She felt herself smile: Anthony wasn’t going to step away from this, at least not alive.

***~Anthony~***

He saw the young researcher smile sadistically, and his breathing sped up.

Anthony’s eyes widened as he heard a loud bang ringout, echoing out across the tiny room. And that was the last thing he ever saw was Dr. Stone's infamous sadistic grin.

***~Willow~***

As they reached the first floor and were speeding towards room 33, they heard a gunshot ring out across the building.

The two researchers glanced at each other before ramming the door open just in time to see Anthony dropping to the ground, with Stone standing in front of him. Willow raced towards the maintenance crew member as she heard West yell at Stone “WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING STONE?!”

Willow checked for a pulse but failed to find it, she realized Anthony’s shirt was rapidly turning red as blood from the bullet wound pooled. “He’s dead. As always, Stone’s aim was on point”

***~West~***

Willow raced towards the maintenance crew member as West grabbed the teen by the shoulders “WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING STONE?!”

West took a slight step back as she saw the vengeance in Stone’s eyes “He was the one who had been working on the water pipes in testing room three” Stone replied quietly “And we all know, he never does a proper job on anything and the only reason he hasn’t been fired is because they haven’t found a replacement”

Willow had stood up and walked towards them “He’s dead. As always, Stone’s aim was on point”  West realized that the younger researcher was shaking. She realized Stone must be coming down from the mix of rage and adrenaline that was caused by Kyle’s death.

***~Stone~***

Stone turned towards the now dead Anthony whose shirt was increasingly turning from white to red “I really just did that, didn’t I?” she asked both her friends. Willow pulled her into a hug as West called for a janitor in room 33.

Stone followed behind the other two researchers as West led them back to Kyle, still coming down from the rage and adrenaline that led her to killing Anthony.

***~West~***

As West led Willow and Stone back to testing room 3, she realized that the two teens were in shock.

West sighed, understanding how they felt, and realized that tears were rolling down her cheek. Willow must have noticed as she pulled West into a side hug as the three reached the testing room. As West and Stone entered, Willow seemingly refused. “Willow?” West poked her head out of the room gazing at her. Willow looked up, tears in her eyes “I can’t go in there, I just can’t,”

West stepped out into the hallway, putting a hand on Willow’s shoulder. “I get it, Kyle was a great friend to everyone” Willow shook her head “No, you don’t understand. Today was his last day as a D-Class,” West tilted her head and stared at Willow in disbelief

“What?...”  Willow lowered her head into her hands “Stone and I had put in a request for Kyle to become a research assistant, and the 05 had agreed” Willow leaned against the wall to steady herself only to slide to the floor, head in hands.

West turned as the door opened, and Stone stepped out. “Willow, you should at least say goodbye to Kyle” Willow stood and together with West entered the room.

The tears returned to West’s eyes as she saw Kyle's body once again, the signature bright orange shirt of D-class personnel that he wore was soaked and now hung heavily around his chest. His hair clung to his face as West lifted his head on to her lap, cradling it as she gazed at the almost peaceful expression.

***~Willow~***

Willow let out a soft sob before placing a hand on Kyle’s chest “Hey Kyle, it’s Willow” they both knew that Kyle wouldn’t move ever again “I know you can’t hear me and that you don’t care anymore, but you would’ve loved what we had planned tonight,”

Willow could only focus on Kyle as she continued to talk to him as though he was still there. “We were planning on going out for dinner tonight and surprising you with your freedom”  Willow gently fixed Kyle’s shirt as she heard West leave the room.

***~Stone~***

Stone turned as West entered the hallway, and without saying a word West pulled her into a hug. Stone pressed her face into West’s shoulder as sobs rolled through her body, and the soft sounds coming from West told her the older researcher was also crying. Stone gently rubbed circles on West’s back as they stood in the hall.

They both looked up as they heard the sound of the steel door of the testing range, they saw Willow walk out and without saying a word, Stone and West pulled the other teen into the hug.