The true cost of wealth: Shattering your perception of loyalty and trust

Darren walked behind them __ was scared but was determined to make riches. He would rather go against his pack than die a poor man. He squinted his eyes as they turned the lights on, a muffled sound coming from Sharek as they dragged him away. He looked over at him and saw the pain in Sharek’s eyes but none worked to put regret in his heart.

This image

They walked through doors, with the official who they were following, sliding his ID against the lock. The first door opened and was the same as the second door.

They finally got to their destination which was an empty room with just a bed sitting in the center of the room. Their footsteps echoed and as Sharek looked scared and surprised, so was he.

“Lie here,” the official said and Sharek stared at his white overall and back up at his face as though he had not heard him.

“Lie here!” He repeated sternly and Sharek slowly sat on the bed and slowly, he raised his legs on the bed and laid flat, staring up at the ceiling and awaiting his fate.

“What happens next?” Darren asked and the doctor smiled.

“Your payment,”

“Gold?” he asked with greed evident in his eyes and the doctor nodded.

Sharek shrugged on the bed out of pure agitation and the doctor hurried to hold him down. His bones cracked and his blood rushed to his face, causing the strip that covered his mouth to tear open.

“You traitor!” he yelled at Darren and even though the doctor held him down, his agitation seemed to overpower him. “You betrayed the pack for gold? May your children and grandchildren suffer for your deed!!” he yelled at the top of his voice which was loud enough to cause the lights to flutter.

“Get me that syringe!!” the doctor yelled as Sharek struggled to free himself from his hold.

Darren rushed to the small table that was attached to the bed and grabbed the syringe, handing it over to the doctor.

The doctor pierced Sharek’s shoulder with the syringe, drilling the liquid into his bloodstream, and in a few minutes, he became unconscious with his eyes slowly closing up till he was finally knocked out.

The doctor buckled the holds that were attached to the sides of the bed to his hand, tightening it around his wrist firmly and around his ankles.

After he was done, he looked over at Darren and nodded his head as he walked towards the door and he followed him.

“You did well!” the doctor said and Darren nodded as they walked back through countless doors that they had followed.

Darren was quiet and his mind did a lot of juggling with thoughts streaming into his head.

“Do you regret it?” the doctor asked as they walked further, glancing back at him to see the look on his face.

“Me? No, I don’t,” he quickly said and they finally arrived at a part of the building that was busier than the part where they were earlier.

“These are the team. They walk day and night to get the traits in their genes and you have been a great aid in helping us achieve that,” the doctor said and he smiled, nodding.

Regrets were finally seeping in.

They walked back to his office where he was given the contract to sign. After he was done, a box was handed over to him.

Darren opened the box and checked its content, it was indeed what he had fought for, tons of gold. His lips stretched out in a broad smile and a thought replaced whatever he had going on in his mind ‘this is worth it!’

He looked up at the doctor who was checking through the contract.

“Thank you,” he said and the doctor looked up from the pages.

“Darren Essei,” the doctor called with a straight face, and for a moment, he thought something was up but almost immediately, a smile played on the doctor's face, standing to his feet and stretching his hand out for a shake.

“It was nice doing business with you. I hope we get more wolves to work on,” he said and Darren stood to his feet as well, taking his hand.

He clutched the box to his chest and walked out of the lab that was in the middle of nowhere.

“This is so worth it!!” he said to himself, shaking his head continuously.

Sharek opened his eyes, panting and immediately trying to free himself from the buckles that were holding him down.

“Free me!!” he let out a loud yell that erupted from the depths of his throat. “Free me!!” he yelled again.

“You see what the pack would do to you?” the doctor walked forward from the shadows with glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

“What did you do to me?” Sharek asked, sweating with fear evident on his face.

“That was a time travel to the future!! Your pack would betray you, dear Wolf!”