The heavy front door creaked open, revealing a scene that sent a jolt of confusion through John. A man, bound tightly with thick ropes, sat slumped against the far wall. His head snapped up as the door swung wide, his eyes meeting John's with a desperate plea.
"Please," John said fearfully, "Forgive me. I
don't understand what's happening. I came to see my sister, Luna, but she... she's gone."
John, bewildered, stepped into the room. "My name is John. And you are?"
"Dr. Thomas," the man replied, his voice laced with a hint of pain. "I'm a physician. I came here for treatment. Luna... she said the treatment would be painful. She tied me up. Your sister is... unconventional. But, please, could you at least untie me?"
A chill ran down John's spine. "Dr. Thomas? Tied up like this? Luna... she wouldn't..." He moved closer, his eyes scanning the room. "Do you know where my project is? I need it."
"Yes, yes," Dr. Thomas said, his gaze intense. "If you untie me, I'll tell you. Luna and I worked on it together. I remember where it's stored. She left to gather some supplies, leaving me like this. No one dares enter her lab, you see. You arrived just in time."
Hesitantly, John approached the bound man. "Alright, but first, where is it?"
"Untie me," Dr. Thomas insisted.
John, his nerves on edge, began to loosen the complex knots. As the final rope fell away, Dr. Thomas lunged, his hand grasping John's wrist with surprising strength.
"Are you alright, Dr. Thomas? Are you having some kind of... seizure?" John asked, alarmed.
Unbeknownst to John, the man who was Dr. Thomas was no longer Dr. Thomas. He was a being that inhabited a Divine Stone. And it was shocked.
This boy... the stone thought, its essence swirling within Dr. Thomas's form. Luna had a fifty percent chance of survival as a host, but this one... he's far more suitable.
The stone's eyes, now a stark, unsettling white, locked onto John's. Then, with a sudden, blinding flash, they turned a brilliant, shimmering gold. A golden wisp of energy erupted from Dr. Thomas's eyes, plunging directly into John's own.
A searing pain exploded behind John's eyes. He screamed, his voice raw with agony. The lab, soundproofed for Luna's delicate experiments, muffled his cries. Within moments, Dr. Thomas's form vanished, leaving only John, writhing in torment.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Luna's phone rang. The receptionist's voice, strained, crackled through the line. "Dr. Luna, your brother is here."
Luna's heart pounded. "John? He's really here?"
Luna's shoulders slumped. Fear washed over her. He must have seen Dr. Thomas... tied up. What must he think? "Thank you," she said, her voice heavy. "I'll be right there."
Meanwhile, the real Dr. Thomas, who was with Luna, said, "You go, Luna. I know how important John is to you. I'll handle things here."
She booked a taxi, her mind racing. I have to explain.
Arriving at the lab, Luna rushed to the entrance. "Where's my brother?" she demanded.
"He already left, Dr. Luna."
"He waited a while, but then he left. Probably for school."
Luna's heart sank. She turned, her gaze fixed on the lab door. He must have seen...
Inside the lab, John, or rather, the thing that now occupied John's body, saw Luna approach. It tensed, then, with a burst of unnatural speed, it leaped through the window, crashing through the glass.
John, his consciousness flickering, felt himself falling. What is happening? No... no!