Episode 02 | The Laboratory
Zoe arrives at the laboratory, still half-expecting someone to tap her on the shoulder and tell her it was all a mistake. Her therapist insists it’s just imposter syndrome, but Zoe remains convinced that, sooner or later, they’ll realize she’s not as exceptional as they think. Until then, she’s decided to enjoy the ride.
Just as she swipes her badge, Alexander, her favorite colleague and the lab’s most notoriously late researcher, slips in behind her. She can’t help but smile.
He’s the best-looking “nerd” she’s ever met, with a rare blend of wit and curiosity that makes him the perfect companion for long, wandering conversations about coffee, cats, art—all the little things she feels she leaves behind when she steps into the sterile lab.
She still hasn’t fully grasped what the Corporation wants from her. They test her constantly, probing her mind and skills with endless interviews and mysterious assessments. She got this position under strange circumstances—an incident she barely remembers.
During her annual bike tour through southern France, Zoe had stopped in Paris to indulge in rose croissants, savoring the soft, sugary warmth that lingered long after each bite.
Later, as she traveled a winding road through the lavender fields, she stumbled upon a disturbing sight: a once-luxurious Bentley, badly damaged and now resting unsteadily on its wheels. The metallic sheen was marred with deep scratches and dents, and shards of glass sparkled among the scattered lavender on the roadside. The roof was crushed in, and the front end had crumpled from the impact, yet somehow, the car had righted itself after what must have been a violent roll.
Zoe’s pulse quickened as she pulled over, drawn by a sense of urgency she didn’t entirely understand.
Inside the Bentley, a couple sat motionless, barely clinging to life. Their faces were pale, eyes half-open, and their breathing was shallow. Without a moment’s hesitation, Zoe crawled into the wreckage, instinctively reaching for their hands. She gently held them, murmuring a soft lullaby she had learned from a Mexican woman during Día de los Muertos—a song meant to comfort souls hovering near the edge.
Death had always been something Zoe sensed but didn’t fear; to her, it was a familiar presence, constant and strangely peaceful. In that moment, as the lavender breeze mingled with the metallic scent of the crash, she found herself a quiet source of solace for the couple, grounding them in the fragile space between life and death.
The next thing she knew, she was waking up in a hospital room, and a striking American woman was offering her a high-paying position at a private research lab. Zoe learned the couple had survived, and for reasons beyond logic, they attributed their survival to her. She thought it was absurd, but the job’s intrigue, location, and generous salary were hard to resist. “Maybe I’ll write a book about this one day,” she’d thought.
That was only two weeks ago, and she’s still piecing it all together. Yet, with each day, she finds herself drawn deeper into the lab’s mysteries. Alexander has given her room to grow—insisting she act as his assistant rather than a mere lab subject. When she’s not the one under examination, she spends her time helping him with his work, fascinated by his insights into physics, a field she never thought would capture her interest.
From what she’s picked up, Alexander has a theory about alternate timelines, parallel dimensions existing alongside their own. It’s not a topic she’d ever considered, but listening to him talk, it almost seems plausible—a seductive mix of science and wonder that stirs something in her.
“Hey, Alexander,” she calls, shrugging on her jacket. “I’m wrapping up for today—unless you need me for something?”
“Nah, go ahead and enjoy yourself,” he says, grinning. “Tonight’s a full moon—the first one since you arrived. Don’t miss it. There’s a magical drive up Atalaya Mountain. From the top, you’ll have a 360-degree view. It’s like being on top of the world.”
Zoe nods, intrigued. She’s not exactly sure what she’s looking for here in this desert town, but she knows she’s getting closer. Maybe the answers she’s looking for aren’t confined to the lab, after all.
Episode 3 will be released on November 16th, 2024!
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