She was running, running from her abusive stepfather, running towards freedom, spurred ever onward by the haunting melody of her own ragged breathing. Suddenly, a hand closed around her arm-

He watched pensively as the girl’s every action played out on the large screen, watched as she tried to escape her stepfather’s iron grip. She opened her mouth to scream-

“Let go of me!” she screamed. Hazy with alcohol, the man struck her cheek-

He paused in his note-taking, winced at the angry welt now marring her tragic face. Watched as she wrenched herself away-

She stumbled, then sped off again, wishing wishing wishing it was all just a dream-

He strode over to where her sleeping body lay curled up on the lab table. Gently he attached another electrode to her temple, pleased with the new insights he had gleaned from today’s experiment-

She kept running, bolstered by the prospect of freedom, so achingly close. She almost smiled-

His hand hovered over a red button. Restart, it said.

-

She was running…