The Facility

A quiet, repeated beeping that seemed to echo – this was the first thing that Cassidy had heard as she regained consciousness.

Not knowing where she was, she strained to hear all she could while keeping her eyes closed. She listened for what seemed like an eternity with her anxiety level where it was, but other than the steady beeping, all she heard was a constant low hum – the air system she guessed.

It was quite a bit cooler wherever she was than in her house. Her mother kept the house at a strict 76 degrees.

Knowing she was not going to find out any more than she already knew, she slowly opened one eye enough to peek out.

Because she opened her eye slowly, it adjusted to the bright light, but the brightness still caused her eye to tear up. Above her she saw a row of lights evenly spaced on a white ceiling.

The tear the bright lights caused, rolled down the side of her face, creeping towards her ear. It tickled as it continued down and without thinking she went to wipe it off. At least she attempted to, but her arm would not move.

Her anxiety was already high, and it only increased as she realized her feet were also restrained, and she began to struggle.

The beeping increased with her racing heart. She heard a new sound – a crackle – from above her.

“Ah, good,” a deep male voice said. “You’re awake. I was beginning to wonder if we gave you too much, or if you were faking sleep.”

Cassidy stopped her struggles. “Let me up. Let me out of here,” she demanded.

“Patience my dear, and I will let you up. First some basic rules. Disobedience has consequences. I would rather not see you hurt, but if it comes to that, know that I will not hesitate.

“You will be required to interact with certain people. While I do not wish these people hurt any more than I want you hurt, know that they will be of no use to you. If you manage to take one hostage say, I won’t bargain for their freedom. They are expendable for the greater good. This facility has safeguards, and if those fail, then that person will be expendable. Everyone here knows that.

“Act civilized and you will be treated well. Am I clear?”

Cassidy pulled at her restraints one more time before she said, “Yes. Now release me.”

“Now is that civilized?” the voice asked.

Cassidy gritted her teeth, then said, “Please release me.”

Machinery buzzed and the table she was on vibrated as the restraints loosened.

She pulled her hands out of the opening loops, holding them, and then struggled to pull her feet out as well.

Sitting up, she finally looked around. Three of the walls were like the ceiling – stark white and totally void of any type of distraction. The fourth wall was clear, and Cass saw a corridor beyond.

She might have missed it except it reflected what looked to be a fragile Japanese type rice paper dividing screen next to a bed.

Opposite that was a sink, what Cassidy guessed was a toilet enclosed in a short metal wall that looked to go from ankle to waist if she was standing, and to the left of that a mostly transparent enclosure.

A strip of frosted glass went from around from around knee height to just above her eyes, she guessed. She could probably see out if she stood on her tip toes. It must be a shower, she thought.

After taking in the room, Cassidy turned to get off the table and stopped when she felt tugging on her chest.

Until now she hadn’t bothered to look at herself. She was wearing what looked to be white hospital scrubs.

A wire ran up under her top, and she reached out grabbing it and yanked it out.

She immediately regretted it as the sensor came off, along with a good portion of her skin.

She let out a hiss of pain and grimaced as she tossed the wire and pad back onto the table and swung her legs over the edge.

Being short, the table was high enough that she had to hop down.

The floor was also a sterile, clinical white and cool under her bare feet.

Cassidy caught movement out of the corner of her eye and twisted towards the motion. Someone was walking down the corridor she could see into.

She ran across the room to the see-through wall and pounded on it to try to get the woman’s attention.

As Cassidy hit the base of her small fist against the clear wall, it did not even make a thud on her side and she knew it was too thick to be heard through. In frustration Cassidy screamed, “Let me out of here!”

“Temper, temper, young lady,” the calm voice said.

“SHUT UP!” In her fury she lashed out at the only thing she could think to use and flung the light wood and rice paper screen against the wall, where it disintegrated into nothing more than toothpicks and confetti.

As far as she could tell, the wall was not even scratched.

In an amused, yet sad tone, the disembodied male voice said, “As I said before, disobedience has consequences.”

With a whisper that drew her attention upwards, several small round sections of the ceiling slid open and a white fog came down from within them. It was quickly filling the small room.

Cassidy tried to use her power to keep it away but there was nothing tangible to push or move; the droplets were far too small for that.

It was of course, part of the air. She tried to hold her breath but quickly gave up knowing it was pointless.

Still pounding on the clear wall, she soon because still and slid down the wall, losing consciousness.