The Hominota; His Blood Boils

The room was enveloped in a heavy silence, broken only by the steady, rhythmic ticking of an old clock, its sound echoing through the chamber like a relentless drumbeat. To Vincent, each tick felt like an eternity, stretching out endlessly into the void of uncertainty. He had lost track of time, adrift in a sea of unanswered questions and mounting dread. As he stood there, the air seemed to constrict around him, pressing in from all sides like suffocating hands. Claustrophobia. The glass barriers of the Hominota's enclosures loomed ominously, their transparent surfaces seeming to close in on him.

Vincent's gaze flicked across the room, his eyes drawn inexorably to the wary, watchful figures of the Hominota. Their presence seemed to fill the chamber with an almost palpable tension, their eyes boring into him with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine. Each beat of his heart reverberated in his chest, matching the rhythm of the ticking clock. 

Suddenly, a low rumble reverberated through the chamber. Vincent's eyes darted around, searching for the source of the sound. It seemed to emanate from the walls themselves, as if the very structure of the chamber was alive. Then, one by one, the Hominota began to move. Slowly, cautiously, they approached the transparent barriers of their enclosures, their eyes never leaving Vincent. Vincent's mind raced with questions. What were these creatures? Why were they here? And most importantly, why any of this?

As if sensing his thoughts, one of the Hominota pressed its hands against the glass, its eyes locking with Vincent's. He recoiled, stumbling backward and hitting against the glass wall. Something— something about these creatures seemed to dwell on him. His breaths caught in his throat.

"Back off!"

But it didn't.

"Back off I said… or else…"

A voice seemed to come out. "Or else what?"

But its lips didn't move.

Vincent stumbled making again, failing to continue standing and falling to the floor where he kept being constantly watched. He closed his eyes tightly. But they snapped open as he heard the sound of glass shattering. Gasping, his eyes glanced around the four confinements around his— and yet, nothing had happened. They were intact, and the figures were still watching him, like statues.

"Jake!" Vincent called.

"Jake please!"

"I didn't mean it!" he yelled, staring into the darkness.

But a voice shunned him. It was another Hominota. It really spoke this time. "Be quiet…" it said.

Vincent's gaze immediately turned to face it. He froze, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. It wasn't possible. The Hominota couldn't speak, could they? 

"Don't stare into the darkness." it warned.

"Wh—who are you?" Vincent asked.

"I don't remember."

Vincent swallowed his own saliva. "You don't remember…? How long have you been here?"

"I don't remember."

"What are you…?" Vincent continued.

"I don't remember."

Vincent stopped. It seemed that this thing didn't remember anything about its identity, nor how long it had been in here. Everything felt surreal. 

"Are you… okay?" Vincent asked.

"I don't know."

"...do you know the other three?"

"I don't know."

Vincent hesitated, unsure of what else to ask. The situation felt beyond his comprehension. Vincent finally managed to voice his thoughts. "What do you want?"

Its eyes bore into him. "I don't know." it replied.

Seems like he's talking to a wall, maybe the others would know something? Vincent turned his attention to the Hominota with the golden mane, hoping for more clarity or perhaps a different response. He needed to understand what was happening, and these mysterious beings were his only connection to the truth, however obscured it may be. "Hey…" he called, putting his hand on the glass. "Can you… speak?"

It nodded. "Yes."

Vincent pressed. "Do you remember anything?"

The Hominota paused for a moment, as if considering the question. "Bits and pieces." it replied.

Okay, maybe this one remembers something— just something. Vincent continued. "Do you know why we're here?"

"To be observed." it said simply.

Vincent sighed. "Who is observing us?"

The Hominota's response was immediate. "Those who seek knowledge."

Frustrated, he pounded his fist against the glass wall, before turning to face the third one— the one with the dark fur and sharp claws. 

"Let me guess. Some cryptic shit?" Vincent grunted.

"Help me…" it called.

Vincent's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected plea for help. "Help?"

The Hominota's eyes bore into his, filled with a mixture of fear and longing. "They... they're hurting us." it whispered.

"W—who?"

The Hominota's voice trembled as it responded. "The ones who brought us here... the ones who seek to control us."

"You… know?" Vincent gasped.

The figure scratched at the glass, filling the air with an unpleasant sound. "You… will… be a victim… too." it said.

"Of… what?"

"What our kind did to deserve this punishment… your family…" the Hominota choked and went dead silent.

"You know…!? My family!? Where are they!?" he raged.

"I don't know." the Hominota replied.

"Yes you do! You fuck! Bastard! All of you!" his fists bashed continuously.

"Useless!" he roared, his voice reverberating off the chamber walls. "All of you, useless!"

"Die a painful miserable death!" he continued, but the creature didn't budge. Vincent proceeded to demand further. "I am certain you know about my family! All of you disgusting beasts do!" he yelled.

"Looking at you grosses me out! You damned… zilch!" Vincent growled. "Once… I get out of here…" he put his hands on the glass walls, and glared at them dead in the eyes. "I'll make your kind extinct." he threatened.

"You hear me!? Stupid abomination! This is all your fault! My misery, my family's!" he fumed.

"If your kind didn't exist, I wouldn't be put through this! My friends… betrayed me! Because of you!" he hissed at them, it was as if his voice was dripping with venom.

"I'll kill you."

"I'll kill you all."

"I'll make sure none survive."

"I'll make sure none survive at all."

"I don't care if you have feelings."

"I don't care."

"You will pay."

"I vow."

"That's right…"

"I vow."

"All of you will suffer."

"I'll slaughter you all."

"I'll become the… zilch slayer."