~~
Mahi's entire body was trembling, "Did you see their faces? They were... Happy.
They were going to kill those people and they were happy about it. My daughter was the only one who hesitated. She was the only one."
Her fingers trembling as they clutched the fabric of her saree.
"She was the only one who refused. The only one who looked at that boy that child—and couldn't do it."
Mahim paused, his voice cracking.
"She said, 'I can't do this.' And they're sending her to... that Correction Room is. Because she refused to become a monster."
Fahad was standing in the corner,
"Subject 0014 was grinning like he'd been given a gift. Subject 0011 was shaking with excitement.
She was the only one who looked at that boy and saw a human being and now she's being punished for it."
He rubbed his face with both hands.
"Now she's being dragged away to God knows what because she refused to kill a child."
Fahim sat motionless,
"The Correction Room : Level Three , Did you see their faces? Subject 0014's grin vanished. Subject 0002's composure cracked.
Even Subject 0011 looked terrified. Whatever awaits her in that room..... "
He let out a broken laugh.
"What kind of family are we? What kind of brother am I if I can't do anything to save her?"
~~
The attendants dragged Maya through the endless corridors. Their fingers dug into her arms like claws, leaving bruises.
Her bare feet scraped against the polished floor, her toes curling uselessly as she tried to find purchase, tried to slow them down. But it was useless.
She was dragged past familiar doors— then
The attendants stopped.
Maya's head snapped up. Before her stood a door—massive, reinforced, its surface marked with a symbol she had never seen before.
[The Correction Room]
And on the wall beside the door, carved into the stone was a plaque. The text appeared in cold, angular letters—
---
CORRECTION ROOM PROTOCOL
CLASSIFICATION: BEHAVIORAL RE-CONDITIONING FACILITY
PURPOSE: TO ELIMINATE NON-COMPLIANT BEHAVIOR AND REINFORCE ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE
DURATION: VARIABLE — DEPENDENT ON SUBJECT RESPONSE
ESCALATION PROTOCOL: SUBJECTS WHO FAIL TO DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE WILL BE MOVED TO HIGHER CORRECTION LEVELS
CORRECTION LEVELS :
[LEVEL 1 — ISOLATION]
· Description: Subject is placed in a confined space with no sensory input.
· Duration: 12-24 hours.
· Conditions: Complete darkness. Complete silence. No human contact.
· Purpose: To strip away external distractions and force the subject to confront their own thoughts.
[LEVEL 2 — PHYSICAL REINFORCEMENT]
· Description: Subject is subjected to controlled physical stress.
· Duration: 22-26 hours.
· Conditions: Restraint in uncomfortable positions. Exposure to extreme temperatures (hot/cold). Forced physical exertion.
· Purpose: To teach the subject that their body is not their own. To demonstrate that comfort is a privilege granted only to the obedient.
[LEVEL 3 — PSYCHOLOGICAL BREAKING]
· Description: Subject is exposed to systematic psychological stress.
· Duration: 42-48 hours
· Conditions: Sleep deprivation. Repeated exposure to traumatic stimuli. Forced repetition of degrading tasks.
Physical pain (administered through electroshock and restraint).
· Purpose: To break down the subject's sense of self. To create a dependency on the system for survival.
[LEVEL 4 — COMPLETE RE-CONDITIONING]
· Description: The final stage of the Correction Protocol.
· Duration: Variable — 9 to 30 days.
· Conditions: Complete sensory deprivation.
Alternating periods of extreme isolation and forced interaction. Controlled exposure to physical pain.
· Purpose: To erase the subject's former self and rebuild a new identity—one that is completely obedient, completely compliant.
WARNING :
If Subject Fails To Demonstrate Compliance At Level 4: — Subject Is Declared "Unsalvageable" And Is Permanently Removed From The Facility
---
Maya's eyes moved across the words. Her lips parted. Her breath caught in her throat. Her body, her entire body—began to tremble.
I'm going to die here.
The thought echoed through her mind like a death knell.
I'm going to die here. No one will come for me.
No one will save me.
The attendants shifted their grip on her arms. Their fingers dug deeper into her bruised flesh.
Maya felt a scream building in her throat.
A desperate scream that wanted to tear its way out of her chest and shatter the suffocating silence but she swallowed it.
One of the attendants stepped forward. His hand pressed against the door's surface.
A soft hum. A series of clicks. Then—the door slid open with a low mechanical groan.
Cold air rushed out. It smelled of antiseptic and ozone and something else—something metallic and sharp. BLOOD.
The attendant gestured toward the room beyond.
"Enter."
Maya's legs wouldn't move. Her body was frozen, locked in place by sheer, primal terror.
The attendant's grip tightened, "I said. Enter."
Maya looked at the room beyond. It looked like a tomb. I don't want to go in there. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to—
She stepped forward.
Her legs moved on their own, carrying her across the threshold. The cold air washed over her like a wave of ice water.
The door began to slide shut behind her. [Click]
The sound echoed through the darkness like a death knell, reverberating off walls she couldn't see.
For a moment, she simply stood there, her bare feet pressed against the cold floor, Darkness. Complete, absolute darkness.
It pressed against her eyes like a physical weight, suffocating and disorienting. She blinked but it made no difference. There was nothing to see.
And then—a light.
It flickered to life in the center of the room, small and weak, casting a pale, sickly glow that barely penetrated the surrounding shadows.
It pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat, growing brighter for a moment before dimming again.
Beneath it sat a single chair. Its surface was cold metal, gleaming faintly in the dim light.
Maya's legs moved on their own, carrying her toward it. She didn't want to sit. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to find a way out. But there was nowhere to go.
She reached the chair. Her trembling hands gripped its cold arms. Slowly , she lowered herself onto its surface.
The metal was freezing against her skin, she sat rigid, her back straight, her hands gripping the armrests so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
Her body was shaking. Her teeth chattered involuntarily.
I'm going to die here. No one is coming for me. No one will save me. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to—
The door slid open.
Maya's eyes flew open. Her head snapped toward the sound.
A figure stepped through the threshold. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in a pristine white lab coat that seemed to glow in the dim light.
A Scientist.
He moved with deliberate slowness, his footsteps echoing against the cold floor.
[Tap...Tap....Tap]
Each step seemed to reverberate through Maya's bones, sending fresh waves of terror through her already trembling body.
He stopped a few feet away from her, his pale eyes fixed on her face.
"Subject 17B, You have been sent here for correction. You refused to obey a direct command.
You allowed emotion to cloud your judgment."
He took a step closer.
"Emotion is a flaw. It must be eradicated and I am here to help you eradicate it."
He reached into his coat and withdrew a small device— metallic, its surface gleaming with a faint red light.
Maya's eyes fixed on it,
What is that? What is he going to do to me?
The scientist pressed a button on the device. A low hum filled the room, vibrating through the air like a living thing.
"Correction Level One: Isolation, You will remain here for twelve hours. Complete darkness. No human contact."
He paused, his pale eyes boring into hers.
"During this time, you will have nothing but your own thoughts. Your own fears. You will learn to suppress them."
Maya's hands tightened on the armrests. Her heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear his words.
"Please, please don't—I'll be good. I'll obey. "
The scientist's expression didn't change. He stepped closer, his shadow falling over her like
a shroud.
"Twelve hours, Subject 17B, use them wisely."
He turned and walked toward the door. Maya watched him go, "Wait, please don't leave me alone—please—"
The scientist paused at the threshold. He looked back at her, his pale eyes cold, "This is only the beginning. After twelve hours, you will be moved to Level Two. And Level Two is far less merciful."
He stepped through the door. It slid shut behind him with a soft click.
Maya was alone. The light above her flickered once, twice—and then went out. Darkness, suffocating darkness.
She felt it pressing against her from all sides, heavy and inescapable. She couldn't see her own hands.
And then—silence.
Not the kind of silence that comes from a quiet room. This was deeper, more profound, more absolute. It was the silence of a tomb.
I can't do this. I can't survive this. I'm going to die here.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the darkness but it made no difference. The darkness was everywhere. In her mind. In her soul. In every corner of her being.
She tried to sing. A soft, tuneless hum that she had heard somewhere before. But the sound died in her throat, swallowed by the oppressive silence.
She tried to remember. The warmth of the sun on her skin. But the memories were fading, slipping through her fingers like water.
I'm forgetting. I'm forgetting what it feels like to be warm.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and silent. She didn't wipe them away. There was no point.
[ 12 HOURS LATER ]
Time had lost all meaning.
Maya couldn't tell how long she had been sitting in the darkness. Minutes? Hours? It all blurred together into an endless, suffocating void.
Her body ached. Her muscles were stiff from sitting in the same position for so long. Her throat was dry, her lips cracked.
Her mind—her mind was fraying at the edges, fragments of thoughts scattering like leaves in a storm.
I can't do this. I can't survive this. I'm going to—
No. She shook her head violently, forcing the thought away.
I will survive. I will endure. I am a Ghost of Hell.
But even as the thought formed, she could feel her resolve crumbling.
Just a little longer. Just a little longer. They'll come for me. They have to come for me.
The light above her flickered to life.
Maya's eyes snapped open. Her heart leaped in her chest. Is it over? Is it finally over?
The door slid open. The scientist stepped through, his pale eyes fixed on her face.
"Twelve hours have passed, You have survived Level One."
Maya let out a shaky breath. Relief flooded through her, warm and overwhelming.
"But you have not yet demonstrated full compliance."
Her relief evaporated.
"Level Two awaits. Physical Reinforcement."
Maya's blood ran cold.
He stepped forward. His hand shot out, closing around her arm. His grip was iron, unyielding.
"Come with me."
He dragged her out of the chair, her legs barely able to support her weight. She stumbled after him, her vision blurry, her mind reeling.
Level Two : Physical Reinforcement. What does that mean? What is he going to do to me?
The room was different. Colder. The walls were lined with metal bars, their surfaces gleaming under harsh fluorescent lights.
In the center of the room stood a series of restraints—shackles, chains, instruments of torture that Maya didn't dare look at for too long.
And beside them, a table. On the table . Whips. Batons. Needles. Things she couldn't name but knew, instinctively, were designed to cause pain.
The scientist dragged her toward the center of the room. His grip tightened on her arm.
"Level Two: Physical Reinforcement, You will be subjected to controlled physical stress. This will teach you that your body is not your own.
That comfort is a privilege granted only to the obedient."
She stood in the center of the room, her body still trembling from the horrors of Level One. She had survived Level One. Barely.
He gestured toward the restraints. "Remove your uniform."
Maya's eyes widened, "What?"
"Remove your uniform. You will be restrained in your undergarments."
~~
Mahi's breath caught in her throat, her eyes went wide with horror. "Don't make her do this. Please. Please don't make her—"
Fahim's face was pale. His hands, resting on his knees, had curled into fists.
"Exposure is a form of psychological torture. Forcing someone to stand naked—or nearly naked—before an audience strips away their sense of self.
It makes them feel vulnerable. Powerless. Less than human. It's one of the most effective methods of breaking a person's will."
Fahis was on his feet, his hands pressed against his temples, his entire body trembling with barely suppressed fury.
"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to find that scientist—that monster and I'm going to kill him, painfully."
His voice was shaking.
"He made her stand there. He made her take off her clothes. He looked at her—like she was—like she was—"
He couldn't finish the sentence.
"He's dead. As soon as I find him—he's dead."
~~
Her face flushed—a burning red that spread from her cheeks to her neck. Her fingers trembled as they reached for the hem of her uniform.
I can't. I can't do this, please don't make me do this.
But she knew there was no point in refusing. Refusal would only bring more pain. More punishment.
The scientist watched her with cold, clinical detachment. "Faster."
Maya's hands moved faster, pulling the fabric over her head.
She stood before him in her thin undergarments, a fragile barrier between her body and the world. Her arms instinctively crossed over her chest, trying to hide herself.
The scientist's pale eyes moved across her body with cold, clinical detachment."Lower your arms."
Maya's hands trembled. She couldn't obey.
"I said—lower your arms."
Her arms fell to her sides. Her face burned with shame. She couldn't meet his eyes. She stared at the floor, her vision blurring with tears she refused to shed.
He approached her. "Stand against the wall. Extend your arms."
Maya obeyed. Her arms trembled as she raised them, her fingers pressing against the cold metal surface.
The scientist approached her, his hands moving with practiced efficiency. He secured her wrists in the shackles.
Then he moved to her ankles, securing them as well. Maya squeezed her eyes shut but that only made it worse.
"Open your eyes."
She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "Please... please don't make me..."
"Open. Your. Eyes."
Her eyes flew open. She stared straight ahead, refusing to look at him.
"Look at me."
She shook her head again, her face burning with shame.
"Look at me, Subject 17B."
Slowly, agonizingly slowly, she turned her head. Her eyes met his—pale, utterly emotionless.
"That's better."
He stepped back, studying her like a specimen under a microscope."Now, we begin."
He approached her, a long, thin baton in his hand. Its surface was dark, gleaming under
the harsh lights.
"Physical reinforcement is about teaching the body to associate disobedience with pain."
He raised the baton. "Your body will learn to obey. Whether you want it to or not."
The baton came down. [ Crack ]
Maya's body convulsed as the impact struck her back, a searing line of fire that seemed to spread through her entire body.
The scientist's expression didn't change. He raised the baton again. "That was for your hesitation. Your reluctance to obey."
The baton came down again and again and again.
Maya's screams filled the room, echoing off the cold walls. Her body jerked with each impact, her wrists straining against the shackles.
Make it stop. Please make it stop. I can't—I can't—
The scientist paused. His voice was calm, almost conversational. "Are you ready to obey?"
Maya's voice was barely a whisper. "Yes... yes, I'll obey—I'll do anything—"
"Good."
He lowered the baton. Maya sagged against the shackles, her body trembling violently but the relief was short-lived.
"Now we move to the next phase."
He approached her with a new instrument—a small, metallic device connected to a series of thin wires.
"Electroshock is the most effective tool for reinforcing compliance. Pain is a powerful motivator."
He attached the wires to her skin—her arms, her legs. Maya's heart pounded in her throat.
"Please—Please—"
The scientist pressed a button. A jolt of electricity shot through her body, white-hot and blinding.
Her scream echoed through the room.
"That was a warning, the next shock will be stronger."
~~
A sound escaped from Mahi — a choked, anguished cry that seemed to come from somewhere deep in her soul. "NO—!"
Her body lurched forward as if she could somehow reach through the screen and pull Maya out of that room.
"STOP—STOP IT—PLEASE— My baby—my baby—they're hurting my baby—"
Mahim was on his feet. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.
"STOP HURTING HER—!"
"I'LL KILL YOU—I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU—"
His voice cracked. His shoulders shook.
Fahad had already left the room. But even through the walls, they could hear him.
A crash. The sound of something breaking.
"I'LL KILL HIM—I'LL KILL THAT MONSTER—"
The sound of fists pounding against a wall. Heavy, desperate, helpless.
"SHE'S FIVE YEARS OLD—SHE'S FIVE YEARS OLD—"
Then silence. The sound of a body sliding down against the wall. The muffled sound of sobs.
Fahim's voice, when he finally spoke, was barely a whisper.
"The voltage... the voltage they're using—it's enough to cause severe pain but not enough to cause permanent damage.
They've calculated it precisely, they know exactly how much pain she can endure without dying.
They're torturing her. Systematically . They've reduced her to a—a specimen. An experiment. Something to be studied and broken and rebuilt."
~~
The scientist pressed the button , Again and again. Her scream echoed through the room.
"Please—I'll do whatever you say—"
"Then prove it, tell me you are nothing. Say: 'I am nothing.'"
Her voice cracked. "I am nothing."
"Say: 'I exist only to obey.'"
"I exist only to obey."
The scientist studied her for a moment. Then he removed the electrodes. Maya collapsed against the shackles, her body trembling violently.
She was alive but only just.
The scientist stepped back, studying her with cold satisfaction. "Your body has learned that disobedience has consequences but your mind has not yet understood."
His hand shot out, gripping her chin and forcing her to look at him. Maya flinched as his pale eyes gleaming with something that might have been obsession.