and Marks took the servic

ended, deeper than the building

n, there was no signal, not

bad idea,"

owing panel, watching the numbers descend

evel 5 in the hos

en lift control that didn't appear in any public schematic. When she entered the code s

ent, Siya thought it would stop. T

re surrounded by darkness. The only illumination came from an emergency l

rst. Her breath mis

flashlight sweep

s along the ceiling. Everything was covered in a thin

ust hidden," Marks s

"And forgotte

ched th

k of use, but someone had pried it open before, because t

air was cold

h soundproof insulation, some of it peele

rs mounted in every corner, thoug

cameras, just wires, and the smell

d the monitor, but a blinking cursor told

tapped a few keys and t

try," she

ped in

ord:

ed and files flo

ral scans, but ine file was newer than t

it play and at first there was silence, then a l

d whispering. "They come through the

e a scientist recording logs, saying, "Subject Echo-3 has begun transmittin

re was static and after a while laug

away from t

patient," he said. "

pulse q

ng her," she said. "

Observation

ion. Thick one-way glass that overlooked a sealed chamber be

ten a message in red grease pe

d, as if someone tried to e

dproof cell. Thick leather straps hung loose, speakers were embedded in the

the glass, and som

hape sitting in the chair, tall,

oftly. "Tell m

aw tight. "We're no

tient Records

rhythm. The hospital above felt miles aw

. Most folders were faded beyond recogn

open

A. Ndlovu

Transfer

us:

on: Re

imuli. Subject no longer sedated. Responds directly to uns

ed to monitor their own thoughts post-interac

histled under his breath. "W

as focused on a torn Pola

standing in the hallway. All s

ith her back turned. Her hair was short,

in thick black ink were writte

Security Hal

dy to leave when the

peakers, then from the wall

ny, like an orchestra

d his ears. "

hum wasn't random, it was a pattern, the

ross the keyboard. She activated the most recent

tem and still transmitting, but it

peakers. "It's watching me. It wears her face. It si

dden silence, but not for long. There was somethin

me from nowhere,

ing toward the elevato

a wasn'

mething more than curiosity. The further in they went, the colder it became.

clawed through. Padded doors bore gouges. One door at the end was

slowly. Inside,

," she

hind her, wea

on hatch. At first, they

figure sat with his knees

ring her approach thro

oodshot. A patient bracelet

D. B

pered, "He

ed upright, pressing

l," he hissed.

closer. "W

broken wire. "I was an intern. Bef

?" Siya asked, h

e inside now. Through the walls. Through u

ed it?" M

He was staring past them now,

pered. "You listened too

them popped and then that tone agai

ukes's nose. He screamed, g

hrieked. "BEFOR

ed Marks a

Service Elev

se, groaning like something

enody file. Her hands

"That was... that was not schizophrenia. That w

d it's using my

her. "You thin

ow sh

reached the

h detectives froze. The lig

that soft, constant hum, that was buried beneath the silence like a thread of infection. It was

shlight. The beam trembl

g it with us

head. "It was

edge of vision. Siya's mind buzzed. The Threnody file was heavier in h

s not the hum, but a weak, human voice f

arm, advancing caref

ans

rned th

ith blood pooled beneath him, seeping from his ears and nostrils. His eyes

"Hey! Can

's lips

aned c

as paper. "Don't f

dy con

sti

hispers, not just from the speakers, from everywhere. The walls. The vents. The ligh

vering his ears.

he emergency exit stairwell. The whispers c

gain and again in t

limbed fast. Each step felt heavier. Like g

, the lights were back to normal a

ity guard sipped coffee behind his des

eshold. "Did we just h

er. "Then how do

his shir

blood, it was a burned-in symbol just beneath

oto from Echo Ward, th

ed faintly behind the group

rhead. The hum was gone now, but it was wa