The lab smelled vaguely of antiseptics and disinfectants that lingered in the air like a poorly erased mistake. Daniel had to crinkle his nose slightly, this wasn’t what he expected when he signed up for being a test subject. Daniel expected something easy, like answering a few surveys or something along those lines. He wanted easy money, sue him.

 He and the participants had to sign a contract that declared that the organization could keep them for as long as the experiment went on. They were then separated and placed in different rooms with an object, while the scientists gave them free rein on what to do next.

Daniel spotted a fairly obscure button along the corner, “What happens if I press this button?” He inquired politely to the scientist. 

“Nothing.” The scientist replied in a toneless voice that was reminiscent of the industrial androids that populated the laboratory.

    Daniel shrugged nonchalantly and rammed down the button with a careless fist. There was a brief period of heart-pounding expectation, which soon dulled when nothing happened. 

    “It’s when you let go of the button is when things get messy.” said the scientist darkly as the steel-door entrance closed slowly behind her.