It was warm in there, uncomfortably so, and Mildred felt sweat begin to form on her neck and arms. The air smelled strange, almost indefinable. It was peaty, or earthy, and yet she scented the distinct odor of something animal—something alive—in here, as well. The chamber she found herself in was round, with dull metal walls that extended roughly twenty feet up to the grated ceiling. She felt warm air wafting across the top of her head, and looked up to see several fans on the other side of the ceiling blowing air into the room. Looking back at the center, she saw something there—some kind of mass—but couldn’t make out any more detail. She took a step forward, and that was when the voice spoke. “COME FORWARD.” The words hit her brain like a hammer, staggering Mildred. It was a cacophony of a hundred—no, a thousand voices...young, old, male, female...all blended into one singular tone that shouted directly into her mind.
