//------------------------------//
// Five: Companion 
// Story: Facility 0013 
// by DismantledAccount 
//------------------------------//

	You hold the scalpel above the foal's head, your magic grip shaking slightly with indecision. Even though it would be the logical choice to kill it, your conscious overrides your actions. You slowly lower the blade and move it away from the foal. You notice the delicate muzzle and lithe body structure. I guess this foal is a filly, you think to yourself after a few seconds of observation.

You take a step back and sit down so she doesn't feel threatened by you. "What is your name little one?" you ask gently.

She gives a noncommittal squeak and looks at you with wide, milky blue eyes that are filled with a deep set fear and covered with attempted bravery. 

"Are you hurt?" you ask.

She doesn't respond in any way.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. You startled me. I just want to know how you are feeling. Are you hurt?" you ask.

She nods her head up and down jerkily.

"Can you tell me what's hurting you?" you ask.

She shakes her head side to side jerkily.

"Why can't you tell me?" you ask.

She hesitates for a few minutes, seeming unsure. Eventually she slowly opens her mouth and points to it with her hoof. Her tongue has been removed with surgical precision. The fleshy stump flaps weakly and her throat convulses slightly as she tries to speak. All that comes out is a small whimper.

"Who did this to you?" you ask angrily.

She just looks at you with an expression that is clearly sarcastic. She give you a quiet, little sigh of disapproval.

"Right, sorry. Do you have a name?" you ask.

She nods.

You look at the blood covered floor and have an idea. "Can you spell it out for me on the floor?" you ask.

She looks confused for a moment then nods slowly. She leans down and begins scribbling with her hoof. While she is writing you take the opportunity to look at the rest of her. You can clearly see she hasn't been treated well. She has small cuts and scars all over her body that are mostly concealed by the blood covering her. You also notice a mangled pair of wings that you had not previously seen due to the angle of how she was standing. Who could have done this to her? Was it the patients or was it the staff?

She finished and squeaks quietly to get your attention. She motions you over with a hoof then points to the floor where she had been working.

You walk over next to her and sit down. You have to lean in close to read the barely legible writing.



W...H...ips 0u...f <M...pAt...1hay#



"Whips?" you ask, not even trying to describer the last bit of scribbling.

She shakes her head and points to the words insistently.

"Wish?" you ask.

She shakes her head again.

"W-h-i-p-s..." you sound out. "Wisp?" you guess.

She nods happily.

"Hello, Wisp, my name is Patient Alpha Iota Nine; but you can call me—" you imitate one of the squeaking noises she made earlier.

She gives a cute little giggle that is interrupted by the lights going out the the room. The room is plunged into darkness.

"You better start running, Brother..." says the voice of the monster. Its deep, raspy hiss sending a chill through your spine and causing Wisp to huddle close to your side.

The harsh, white lights come back on again, but something has changed. Where did all the bodies go? you wonder. The dismembered bodies have all disappeared. The only reason that you know they were ever there in the first place is the blood littered everywhere.

You look around nervously. Nothing is in sight: not a body or the beast.

"You are coming with me," you say to Wisp. "Unless you have a better idea?" you ask.

She shakes her head.

You decide to heed the beast's warning. You aren't quite sure what happened to the bodies, and you don't want to find out. 

"Let's get out of here," you say to Wisp.

She responds with a nod.

The two of you stand up and look around the room. You have three options. Towards one end of the room is a doorway labeled "Patient Storage", the door is slightly ajar and there is no light coming from the area beyond. The other option is a door opposite of the one you entered, it is labeled "Cell Block 4". Then again, you could always go back the way you came. However, there is a fresh trail of blood on the floor leading out the doorway and around the corner.

"Which way do you want to go, Wisp?" you ask. She offers no response and just shakes her head, shivering slightly.

>Head to Cell Block 4

>Go into Patient Storage

>Return to the water tank room

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