Emma's breathing grew heavier as she ran through the dark underground tunnel.
The cold air brushed against her face again and again, and the mysterious tape in her hand felt heavier with every step.
Behind them, the sound of heavy boots echoed through the tunnel.
Thud… thud… thud…
Adrian looked back and whispered,
"They're still following us."
William held the weak flashlight forward. The trembling light fell on the wet brick walls, creating strange moving shadows. Water dripped from the ceiling, and the damp smell of rust and soil filled the air.
Hena held Emma's hand tightly.
"Emma… I can't run anymore…"
Emma looked at her and gently squeezed her hand.
"Just a little more. We need to reach Tunnel Section 3."
Jay was walking silently in front of them, carefully observing the walls and the ground.
Suddenly, he stopped.
"Wait."
Everyone froze.
Adrian stepped forward.
"What happened?"
Jay pointed the flashlight at the ground.
Dark stains covered the floor.
Emma stepped closer and felt her chest tighten.
Blood.
Old and dry.
William swallowed slowly.
"Someone was injured here… a long time ago."
Deep scratch marks covered the wall, as if someone had desperately tried to escape.
Hena closed her eyes.
"Something bad happened here…"
From far behind, a voice echoed.
"They went this way!"
Adrian clenched his jaw.
"We need to move now."
After a few minutes, they reached a split in the tunnel.
Two paths.
Old markings were painted on the wall.
← Tunnel Section 3
→ Tunnel Section 7
Emma tightened her grip on the tape.
"My father's message said Section 3."
William nodded.
"Then we go to Section 3."
Hena quickly said,
"Yes, let's go."
But Jay didn't move.
He was staring at Section 7.
Quietly.
Emma noticed it.
"Jay?"
He slowly looked at her.
"Yes?"
"Is something wrong?"
Jay shook his head.
"No. Let's go."
But there was something strange in his eyes.
They started walking toward Section 3.
The tunnel slowly went downward.
Water kept dripping from above.
Drop… drop… drop…
Suddenly, Hena slipped.
Emma quickly caught her.
"Careful!"
Hena was shaking.
"Thank you…"
Adrian said,
"The ground is wet. Watch your steps."
A few steps later, a large iron door appeared in front of them.
Rust covered its surface.
On the door, faded letters read:
Tunnel Section 3 – Restricted Area
William whispered,
"This must be it."
Adrian pushed the door.
It didn't move.
Jay looked at the wall and found a small switch.
He pressed it.
Crrrrr…
The iron door slowly opened.
A cold wind rushed out.
They stepped inside.
Everyone stopped.
It was an old laboratory.
Broken machines lay scattered on the floor.
Dust-covered tables.
Glass containers.
Old maps on the wall.
Hena whispered,
"This place… looks like a research lab."
William nodded slowly.
"Yes… some kind of experiment facility."
Emma's eyes fell on a table in the middle of the room.
An old tape recorder sat on it.
Beside it was a small metal box.
Emma slowly walked forward.
Her hands were shaking.
She opened the box.
Inside—
A cassette.
Written on it:
Original Recording – 1998
Emma's voice trembled.
"This is it…"
William said softly,
"Play it."
Emma inserted the cassette into the recorder.
Click.
Static filled the room.
Krrrrrr…
Then—
A voice.
"Recording number 27…"
Emma froze.
It was her father's voice.
"Experiment SR-2 is unstable…"
William frowned.
"SR-2?"
The recording continued.
"Human bodies could not adapt… most subjects failed…"
Hena slowly stepped back.
"Failed…?"
"Some survived… but they changed…"
Static interrupted the voice.
Then again—
"If Emma finds this… go to Tunnel Section 3 and destroy the files…"
Emma's eyes widened.
"Destroy the files…?"
The recording continued weakly.
"Section 7 must remain sealed…"
Suddenly—
The recording stopped.
Silence filled the room.
Jay was staring at the wall map.
Section 7 was marked in red.
Emma spoke slowly.
"Why did my father want Section 7 sealed?"
William replied,
"Because something dangerous is there."
Adrian crossed his arms.
"Then we stay away from it."
Jay said nothing.
He just kept looking at the red mark.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The iron door shook.
Everyone jumped.
Adrian shouted,
"They found us!"
BOOM!
The door shook again.
Cracks began to appear.
Hena started crying.
"What do we do now?"
Emma grabbed the tape.
"We leave."
Jay spoke calmly,
"There is a back tunnel."
William looked at him.
"You saw it?"
Jay nodded.
"On the map."
The door began to break.
Adrian shouted,
"Move!"
Everyone started running toward the back tunnel.
Jay stayed behind for a second.
He looked at Section 7 on the map again.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He whispered quietly—
"Section 7…"
Then he ran after them.
Behind them, the attackers finally broke into the lab.
Emma kept running through the darkness.
The truth was still hidden.
And Tunnel Section 7 was waiting in silence.
Because someone—
was already interested in going there.