Avar Kimu's Eternal Library

The professor gazed over the rows of glass pillars. Each filled with a special solution. And in each pillar a strange creature floated in the solution.
“Status report!”

“Professor, the trans-dimensional fluid’s composition has been perfected. We have 100% success in mutating organic life into Bio-digital life and around 53% success in total conversion.”

“Hmmm,” The professor said concomitantly. He turned away from the scientists labouring over computers and faced a large, black screen. “You heard the result for the experiment. What are your thoughts?”

The screen flickered on. A pale skinned blond man wearing a blue suit sat in an ornate chair. A large gold bat was in place of a tie, a red bat-wing mask over his sharp eyes, thin blue lips stretched into a cruel smile. He tapped his sharp gloved finger on the chair arm. “I am impressed with your progress with simpler minded organism. The quality and power of the mutated dogs and such are indeed surprising, especially considering the short time you took.”

“I did it to please our lord.”

“Of course. But the master wants you to move to the next level.”

“Sir?”

He grinned evilly. The screen darkened till only red eyes showed. Just before the screen winked out, he made a last comment. “He wants human test subjects.”

The researchers and scientists sat in stunned silence. An instant later, the burst into an uproar.

“Human Subjects! Are they crazy?”

“There is no way I will subject intelligent life to this procedure!”

“Do you think that I want to be arrested? I have a family to worry about!”

“Besides, who would volunteer for such a thing?”

The professor cocked an eyebrow. “Who said anything about ‘volunteers’?” The uproar started again, with new fever. “SILENCE!” the professor roared. “We have undertaken this experiment with no legal funding or governmental permission. Who do you think provides the money, supplies and the anonymity? It has been our digital friends. Lord Myotismon has made sure that his servants increased the funds on all our accounts and arranged for our equipment and this work space.” He gestured and the large room they were in. “Besides, hundreds of people go missing every year. If we are smart with this, no one will be able to trace it to us. We have unlimited resources available. We just need to use them to spread the acquisition across the country.” Be tapped on the nearest keyboard and a map of the country appeared on the screen. “Now, does anyone have suggestions for the target areas?”

DAN
Dan stared hard at his math test paper. The C minus stared back at him. He sighed. No matter what he did, he could never get his math grade to improve. He screamed at the sky and shuffled of irritably, ignoring the strange looks of the other pedestrians. He mentally ran through his day’s to-do list. Clean, cook, wash and study. Translation: work.

It was like this ever since his parents left the country to work in on the other side of the world, leaving him to attend school. Why had he refused the butler and maid his parents offered? And nothing exciting ever happened to him. He didn’t even have a girlfriend to invite over, just a group of manga, anime and video game addicted friends. He stared up at the sky.

Whoever’s up there in the sky, send me some excitement please, he prayed silently.
He continued shuffling home when he felt a bug bite his neck. He swatted at it quickly. The world started to get fuzzy. Everything went out of focus and his legs started to wobbled. As he lost control of his limbs, made out the fuzzy shapes of a man and a woman.
“Are you alright?” Their voices seemed to echo in his head and sounded strange. “Let me take you to the hospital.” Two strong but rough hands hauled him to a van. He heard the door slam as his vision darkened.
“We have him,” he heard as his consciousness faded.



Kevin
“Great game Kevin!” his coach yelled happily, pounding him on the back. “That last touchdown was golden! We’ll win the cup easily if you keep this up!”

“Coach, stop, the entire team worked hard,” Kevin protested. The other team members bounced him around a bit.

“Your way too modest!” they laughed.

“Seriously guys, stop,” Kevin said, pushing them away with a smile. He glanced at the giant clock on the tower across the street. “Guys, I got to go. My Dad’s getting home a bit late today and I have to watch my sister.” He waved and ran off.

As he jogged down the road, a couple by a van called him over.

“Hello, that was a great play you made!” The man smiled. “I’m Mr Smith from the district’s school board. I was impressed with you performance. Do you need a lift home?”

“No, that’s ok,” Kevin replied.

“No, we insist,” the woman said cheerfully. She guided him to the van and seated him. In a quick movement, she injected something in his arm. He keeled over, unconscious.

“This is getting to me,” She said, mopping her brow. “What if we get caught?”

“Don’t worry,” the man said as he climbed in the driver’s seat, “Only a few more for us to do.”

Ken
Ken slowly climbed down the library steps, his messenger bag filled with borrowed books.
“Good. I will be able to last the weekend with these,” he mumbled to himself. He headed towards the bus stop that would take him home. As he passed an alley, he noticed a lady trying to get a large bag into her trunk.

“Excuse me, but do you mind helping me a bit, young man?” She asked.

“Of course ma’am,” he said, bowing slightly. He rested his back on the ground and headed over to her. He felt someone grab his arm and a prick. He whirled but blacked out before seeing the face of his assailant.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth stood at the corner, trying to signal a cab. She waved energetically at the passing taxies but none stopped. She was very frustrated went a grey van finally pulled up.

“You need a taxi?” the driver asked.

“Finally!” She sighed explosively. She climbed in and shut the door. “456 Garden View Road place.”

“No problem,” the driver grinned. He turned in his chair and jabbed her with a needle.

“Wait! What are you doing!” she protested. “Are you crazy...” She said weakly as she faded.

“Let...me...out...”

Fate
“Humph. Dragging me to America. I hate this country!” Fate muttered as she wandered down a street. She had just run away from her guards to show her frustration. It had the desired effect on them, if their facial expressions where anything to go by. But there was one complication. She got lost. She had been wandering about for five minutes now. She made one conclusion; it was the guards fault she was lost. A grey van pulled up beside her.
“Mistress!” the driver called.
“Who are you?” She asked irritably.
“One of the security men. Place get in.” The door opened and a woman on the backseat motioned to her. She climbed in. As she sat, she noticed four teens, three boys and a girl, on the backseat.
“What is this? Who are these...” her head spun as the woman pressed a cloth to her face.
“This is the last one for us. Let’s get back.”
“Of course,” the driver said. He shifted the van into gear and drove off.