Decay (Book 1): Civilization by Linus Locke Read Free Book Online

nothing new,” Brian examined the body.
    “The body has stopped decomposing completely. His cells are showing signs of activity. He isn’t regenerating, but I think we may have moved his body away from a dead state. He is completely neutral, not dead, and not alive.”
    “This is amazing news,” Brian exclaimed with pleasure as he walked around the table. “We have to take this to the board. They will be delighted.”
    As he reached into the drawer to grab a scalpel to scrape a fresh skin sample from the body he noticed a sheet of paper tucked away inside. The words “Missing Child” stuck out, so he pulled the paper out and unfolded it. The boy was named Samuel Kinsler, a nine-year old who has been missing for almost three weeks. The picture was that of the body in the lab, and he had lived on the same street as Greg.
    Brian could feel the blood drain from his face. He felt as though he had seen a ghost, and he turned to Greg and asked, “What is this?”
    “I wanted to tell you Brian, but I didn’t want you to know enough to bring trouble to you. I’m sorry. His name was Sam. He lived next door to me. Such a wonderful child. All I wanted was to bring him back to apologize.”
    “What have you done? You killed this boy and brought him here?” The rage boiled inside Brian uncontrollably. “You killed this boy!”
    “I hit him with my car Brian. I am so sorry. I didn’t see him. The only thing I could do was bring him here.” Greg’s eyes looked as though they had liquefied from the amount of tears that pooled under them.
    Brian’s fist collided with the left side of Greg’s face with enough force to loosen two of his teeth. Greg never raised a hand in defense. He tried to remain standing as Brian hit him again and again. Blood poured from his mouth as well as from the gashes in his face that were created by the enraged Brian.
    “You killed someone’s little boy you bastard!” Brian screamed through tears and sobs of his own. “Then you bring him here? We have been testing drugs on a child you murdered and brought into this lab unauthorized? I can only imagine how devastated his parents are. We have to tell them! They need closure!”
    Greg lay there weeping on the floor as the punches stopped. Most of the blood was his own, yet blood dripped from Brian’s bruised knuckles as well. Brian’s breath came in forced gasps as he tried to regulate his breathing so he wouldn’t pass out. The beaten man looked up at him through his swollen face and gave his companion an understanding nod.
    “Let me grab a first aid kit,” Brian said, the anger leaving his body. He walked toward the entrance of the lab where the first aid kits were mounted on the wall.
    After pulling one of the med kits off the wall, Brian turned to walk back and looked toward the empty table. His head cocked to the left as he was struck with confusion. The boy no longer lay there. Greg could be seen propping himself up on an elbow, but the boy was nowhere.
    “Where is the boy?” Brian inquired.
    “I can’t see much, so I’m not sure what you mean.” Greg spit blood from his mouth as he tried to speak.
    “The boy is gone Greg. He is not on the table.”
    “Perhaps we knocked him down while you were beating the shit out of me,” Greg mumbled through his swollen lips.
    “He is not on the floor. Maybe I should call for security.” Brian’s heart began to pound wildly.
    “Yeah, ok. Then I’m having them kick your ass.” Greg managed with a pained laugh.
    “This is no time for joking Greg. Seriously, our body is gone.” The fear was audible in his voice.
    Brian stepped back toward the wall slowly and pressed the call button with his left hand. As the security officer answered he told him they needed assistance.  He opened the lab door and looked out to see to men in dark blue suits walking down the hall toward them. He gave them a wave and stepped back into the lab to take care of Greg’s wounds.
    Before Brian reached the ramp