Per 
Abel Pasco sat reclined in his chair. Before him was a row of computer monitors, each displaying the image of a person accompanied by life vitals. Berde Abas, Warner Fabro, Beaufort Saso, Cerelia Baloch, and Emmie Dubray. Abel was tasked with monitoring a total of 5 individuals, which varied depending on the experience level of each watcher. As well as life vitals, each monitor also displayed what level of treatment each person had been assigned and for how long. Berde Abas was assigned a treatment of 15% Tears, 60% Blessing and 25% Nutrients for the period of 3 weeks, where Cerelia Baloch was assigned a treatment of 70% Tears and 30% Blessing for 3 months. More Tears typically meant a higher level of severity. Abel never asked questions though.
Abel chewed on some cashews as he fingered through a book he was reading. Abel was located in a central room where other watchers were assigned to watch their individuals: a control tower of sorts. The entry door opened as one of Abel’s coworkers, Jena, entered and walked past while carrying a white styrofoam take-out box. She pulled out her chair next to Abel and sat herself down, setting the take-out box on the desk in front of her. Abel glanced over from his book at Jena, then the take-out box, then back to his book.
“What’s on the menu today,” he asked as he reached into his container of cashews and plopped another in his mouth.
“Ham and cheese sandwich. With some rice," Jena replied, leaning forward as she let out an exasperated sigh.
She pressed a button on each of her 3 monitors and proceeded to lean back in her chair, shutting her eyes and throwing her hands behind her head. “Mixing things up, huh? Very exciting,” Abel replied.
Jena scoffed to herself and shook her head. She sat back up in her chair and opened the take-out box as her monitors slowly turned on, one after the other. Abel flipped the page in his book, stared at the new page for a moment, then bookmarked it and closed the book, setting it on his own desk. He leaned back and stared up at his monitor, glancing over the details of each individual. “How’s the cafeteria look today,” Abel asked.
“Bland. I think they were just out of stuff when I went though. When’s your lunch?” Abel lifted his wrist and looked at his watch. The mini-LED screen lit up. The watch face read 4:28 P.M. with a small countdown below reading 5:12. He lowered his wrist and returned to reading over the details of Cerelia Saso.
“5 minutes,” he replied.
Jena picked up a plastic fork out of her take-out box and began digging into her rice. She looked up from the box as she shoveled a forkful of rice into her mouth. She pointed to Abel’s monitors with her fork.
“You never wonder why they’re getting the treatment they’re assigned,” Jena asked as she lowered her fork and returned to eating her rice.
“You can assume most of the time. 75% Nutrient, 25% Blessing is usually just Blessed Militia who were wounded. High Tear percentages are when things start to get interesting. Plus, where’s the fun in guessing if you already know what they did?”
Jena looked up from her box at Abel. She stared at him for a moment, then laughed and shook her head, returning to eating. “What? Am I wrong? Let’s take,” Abel paused for a moment as he scanned over his monitors. “Emmie Dubray for example.” Abel took a hold of his mouse and clicked on Emmie’s profile. A more detailed report appeared on the monitor Emmie was located on. “Sweet little Emmie here is only getting a treatment of 10% Tears, 25% Nutrient and 65% Blessing. You know she probably only yelled at her mom or something.”
Jena laughed with a mouthful of rice, holding her hand in front of her mouth to prevent rice from flying everywhere. Abel took his mouse and clicked out of Emmie’s profile, returning back to the general information screen it had been on before. Abel continued scanning over the monitors and came to Warner Fabro’s monitor. “Dang,” Abel muttered to himself.
“What,” Jena asked as she looked up at the monitors trying to see what he saw.
Abel lifted his wrist to look at the countdown which now read 3:58. He looked up to Warner Fabro’s monitor. The countdown for Warner’s treatment was nearing the 10 minute mark.
“One of mine is due to release while I’m on lunch. I need to call Doctor Schaffer to let him know so he doesn’t float there for 45 minutes before I come back from lunch.”
Jena shrugged and returned to eating, picking up her sandwich and beginning to take bites. Abel leaned forward and picked up a spin-dial phone that was only used to contact assigned doctors. Abel pressed the phone to his ear and began the arduous process of spinning the dial for Doctor Schaffer’s number. He finished inputting the number and sat and wait as the phone rang. It rang 8 times. “Please answer,” Abel whispered to himself. Abel thought the Doctor wasn’t going to answer when the phone call went through.
“Doctor Schaffer speaking.”
“Hello, Doctor Schaffer? It’s me Abel Pasco. I’m a hard system watcher assigned with monitoring some of your patients. I was calling to let you know that Warner Fabro is due to finish his treatment in,” Abel paused as he looked to Warner’s monitor, “about 8 minutes.”
“Ok? So what’s the issue,” Doctor Schaffer replied.
Abel sat with his mouth ajar, then looked to his left, as if to get a response from Jena on how to reply.
“Warner’s due to release while I’m on my lunch. And I’m sure you’re familiar with workplace guidelines. We’re not allowed to partake in any monitoring or releasing of individuals while on breaks or lunches.”
There was a moment of silence. Abel’s eyes wandered around the room in anticipation of an answer. “Yes, yes, just put it down right there… Thank you,” Doctor Shaffer said to someone else entirely different who was in the room with him. “I see, I see. Well, I’ll make sure to let one of my assistants know and have them release Mr. Fabro for you. Make sure to enjoy your lunch,” Doctor Shaffer said with an eerie tone, almost dismissive.
“Thank you sir. And I will,” Abel replied, ignorant of Doctor Shaffer’s dismissive response.
Abel pulled the phone from his ear and set it back down on its base, hanging up the call. He let out sigh and reclined in his chair once more. He looked at his watch and began to rise to his feet. He looked over at Jena eating her sandwich.
“Don’t have too much fun, promise-” Abel said before he was cut off by all the lights in the room going dark.
Abel turned around and scanned the room. Jena did the same. Red emergency lights turned on and a low-beeping alarm began to ring throughout the room, throughout the building. In the center of the room were three large TVs mounted so that they could be visible from every angle in the room. They flickered on. Abel turned his attention to the TV screens, as did Jena and every other watcher who was present in the room.
The screens displayed static at first, then faded into a static image of an office. Or at least it appeared to be a static image. A woman stepped into the frame, it was Doctor Braband. She looked off screen for a moment and nodded, then turned her attention to audience.
“Hello watchers of site 34. Most of you more than likely aren’t aware of who I am. I am Doctor Danna Braband, director for this particular X.E.A. Research facility. It has recently come to my attention that it appears as though the fight against the Unclean is unfortunately coming to a close. I’ve been informed that our most Blessed Militia have found the Unclean are too strong and plenty in force.
“Worry not, as we still have quite a bit of time before things become worrying. I also inform, with a heavy heart, that other cities scattered across our Holy Union seem to be suffering a similar fate. In an act of caution, His Holy has evacuated the city of Springs Cave and has found refuge amongst our most venerable achievement, Star Eye Eden. Evacuation of our building, and the populace of our city has already commenced.
“However, the bad news does not end there. Due to the utter importance and contribution that your jobs provide, all hard system watchers are to remain on the ground and continue monitoring of all subjects currently undergoing treatment, and to see that they transition with ease, so as to be evacuated as well when the time comes.”
Abel, who remained standing, turned his head to look at Jena. Jena remained seated, staring at the television screen, with a look fear in her eye. Not the fear of an unknown force, but the fear of being left alone, being left behind and forced to survive while everyone else got to evacuate. Abel returned his attention to the television screen.
“Because of this, we have seen to leaving a supple amount of resources for all hard system watchers of site 34 that should last up to 6 months. We will return to evacuate not only current patients undergoing treatment, but you as well, watchers. During this 6-month period, we would highly advise against attempting to make contact with other X.E.A. Research Facilities. This includes leaving site 34 in an attempt to traverse to other research sites. The risk would be too great, and any loss of life is a detrimental blow to ecosystem that you all provide. You are the watchers. Your watch has begun. Thank you.”
The television screens in the room shut off, yet the alarm continued to ring and the red lights remained on. The room fell silent. All the other watchers looked to one another, confused. Then the room erupted into a roar. A roar of confusion, anger, sadness, fear. Abel left his desk and bolted for the only door out of the room. He reached for the knob and gave it a turn to no avail. He backed up and began ramming his shoulder into the door over and over again, yet it didn’t budge.
He stepped to the side to a bioscan pad that was linked with the door. He tapped on it, then pressed his hand against the pad. “Access not authorized. Lockdown currently underway,” a voice beeped from the pad. The room fell silent again.
“What did it just say,” a voice shouted from the other side of the room, anger prevailing.
Abel pressed his hand against the bioscanner again. “Access not authorized. Lockdown currently underway.” The room slowly grew into an eruption of talking and shouting again. Abel held up his hand. “Quiet,” he yelled. Abel leaned against the door and pressed his ear to it. Everyone in the room turned their attention to the door as well.
Footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door. All running. Abel dropped to the floor and lowered his head to see under the crack of the door. Silhouettes ran past. Some feet followed by lab coats, others accompanied with dress shoes and dress pants. Abel pushed himself up to his knees and began pounding on the door.
“Hey, help us get out, the door won’t unlock,” he shouted.
Another watcher dropped to their knees and watched under the crack of the door. Abel continued pleading for help, but none of the feet stopped.
“They’re not stopping,” the watcher said.
Abel pounded harder and shouted louder, refusing to believe he and his colleagues were about to be left behind. The watcher returned to the door crack, yet no one stopped. Then the running stopped and all went quiet besides Abel shouting.
His pounding slowed and his voice grew quieter. He rested his head against the door and gave one last solid pound, before his hand dropped to his side.
Abel sat in his chair, staring at his 5 monitors, not blinking. Jena sat beneath her desk, arms wrapped around her knees. Abel continued to stare at his monitors when the red lights dimmed to black, then lit back up to their normal hue. Abel’s attention broke from his monitors as he frantically looked around the room. Everyone else froze and did the same.
Abel shot out of his chair and sprinted for the door. It opened. He stepped into a hallway littered with papers, folders, clothes, and all other sorts of objects. He ran to the other side of the hallway to a set of windows pointing outside. All the other watchers followed after him. Abel leaned forward and scanned the landscape. People on the streets were running, screaming that could be heard from inside, scattered as they were chased and consumed by the Unclean.
Abel looked up. The shuttles were leaving, they were headed into the sky, to Star Eye Eden. Another watcher looked up to the sky and pointed.
“They’re still leaving. We can still catch a ride with them,” he shouted as he left from the window and sprinted down the hallway.
All of the other watchers also looked up. They paused for a moment, contemplated one another and then broke out into a sprint. Abel turned and watched as they ran with the first watcher.
Jena began running behind the crowd as well before Abel could grab her arm and stop her.
“No, stop. There’s no use. That was the last shuttle. Look.”
Abel walked Jena over to the window and pointed up to the shuttle closest to them.
“Notice how there’s a specific distance between each shuttle? There’s no more after that one closest to us.”
Jena looked up through the window, then turned around and fell to the floor, holding her face in her hands. Abel continued to watch the last shuttle grow smaller and smaller as it flew higher and higher into the atmosphere. He turned around and paced the width of the hallway, hands on his hips.
“Fri-Friiiiiiiii. F- Ffffffffffu- FUCK,” he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Jena flinched and snapped her head up looking at Abel. Her jaw dropped. “You just sin-”
“WHO CARES? IT DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER NOW!” Abel paced back over to the window and pointed out into the sky. “DO YOU SEE THAT?” He then pointed down to the street as civilians attempted to try and run around Unclean ones as others were consumed by them. “THEY FUCKING LIED TO US! WHAT HAPPENED TO EVACUATING THE POPULACE?” Abel slammed his fist against the window and reeled his hand back in pain. He dropped to his butt and clutched his hand as he pressed his back against the wall.
Jena watched as the final shuttle shrunk from a dot and blended into the gray sky.
Abel was woken by the soft sound of beeping coming from the watchers’ room. It was dark, night time. Abel looked around the hall but saw nothing. He rose to his feet, still clutching his hand in pain, and entered the watchers’ room. All of the monitors were still on. Jena was seated at her desk, staring at her monitors. None of the other watchers had returned from earlier. Abel walked over and sat down at his desk next to Jena.
“What do we do,” Jena softly asked, half sobbingly.
“I wish I had an answer for you Jena, I really wish I did…” Abel took his good hand and patted Jena on the back reassuringly.
“I didn’t want to wake you up, so I just came in here,” Jena said.
“Get some rest now,” Abel told her.
Jena set her head down on her desk and closed her eyes. Abel turned his attention to his monitors and scanned over the vitals. Something was wrong. Berde Abas Vital Signs: Unknown. Warner Fabro Vital Signs: Unknown. Beaufort Saso Vital Signs: Unknown. Cerelia Baloch Vital Signs: Unknown. Emmie Dubray Vital Signs: Unknown. Abel took a hold of his mouse and clicked on an option to display a camera feed of all 5 treatment pods. The camera continued to load. “Come on, come on…”
The camera finally loaded. All 5 treatment pods were broken with no bodies to be found. Abel clicked out of the camera feed, then clicked to load it back up again. The pods were still broken. There were still no bodies to be found. He looked over at Jena, head down on her desk, then back at the monitors. He exited out of the camera feed and rose to his feet, walking back to the door. He stood in the door frame and peeked out into the hall. Down to the right stood the silhouette of a person.
Abel leaned in its direction and squinted his eyes. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, then peeked back in the same direction and it was gone. He shrugged and turned down to the left, headed for the treatment pods.
Abel came to treatment pod room, but the door hadn’t been opened. He leaned forward and pressed his ear against the door, listening for any noise. Nothing but dead silence. He typed in a combination to a keypad next to the door and it slid open. Abel was immediately hit with a foul stench. Lights inside flickered and swayed from the vaulted ceiling. Other broken, their glass scattered on the floor.
“What happened here…” Abel muttered to himself.
He pulled his shirt up over his nose and cautiously stepped into the room. He passed through an initial debriefing area, and then into the main treatment pod center. The floor was covered in some sort of liquid, a membrane almost. He looked up from the floor and down the hallway of treatment pods. All of the pods closest to the entrance were still intact. He walked for a few minutes until he came upon the first set of broken pods. The liquid that had been inside was spilled on the floor, mixed amongst the brow fluid Abel had seen near the entrance.
He stepped out of that hallway and to the hallway over. The same thing. Some pods were broken where others were still completely untouched. He proceeded down the hallway, continuing to hold his shirt up to his nose. His gaze shifted upwards to the tops of the pods where numbers were listed. 547, 548, 549, 550, 551. 552, Abel had arrived at Berde Abas’ pod. The next 4 had been the others Abel was assigned to watch. Their pods were still empty. He turned around and looked from the direction he came, then back around and deeper in the other direction.
Then the smell grew stronger. Abel looked back down the way he came and there it was. An Unclean one. Abel held his breath and froze. The Unclean one hunched forward as it looked left and right with its featureless face. It was so tall, bigger than Abel had anticipated. They looked like normal human size from the window earlier in the day, despite towering over the civilians even then. The Unclean one lifted a hand and extended it forward, dragging its torso forward in Abel’s direction.
Abel continued to hold his breath and slowly scooted his way in between pod 551 and pod 552. He looked down, checking for any glass to be sure not to step or disturb any of it. The hulking Unclean one reached forward with its other hand and dragged itself closer in Abel’s direction. Abel took a few deep breaths, before taking in one last breath to hold.
The Unclean one reached once more, pulling itself, coming to Abel’s area. It froze. It’s featureless face scanned the area high, then lowered its head low. Abel leaned himself against the wall and flinched his face away from the direction of the Unclean one. It continued to monitor the hallway, as though it had eyes, or ears or a nose. It knew Abel was there. It was hunting. Abel took in a slight more amount of air. The Unclean one froze again. It turned its head in Abel’s direction.
Abel saw this in his peripheral vision and shut his eyes. The Unclean one hovered its head over to the gap Abel was hiding in. It hovered and it hovered, frozen like a statue. Abel opened one of his eyes slightly to try and catch a glimpse. Seconds went on, feeling like years. The Unclean one refused to move. It then pulled away.
Abel had been holding his breath for a while, but was unaware. He sputtered as he began to lose his breath. The Unclean one’s head snapped back in Abel’s direction as it had been pulling away. It reached out its hand and touched Abel. All tension in Abel’s body released. His body nearly went limp. It was an unnerving sense of calm. His eyes looked up to the Unclean one’s featureless face. It stared into his soul, yet it had no eyes. Abel’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he was absorbed into the Unclean one. The deafening silence morphed into endless screams.
