Random Writings, 1000 word exercise - Code Name: Soliloquy (Part 1)

I was drowning. Liquids filled my lungs with a taste of salt and other unknown horrors. The black viscous element consumed me until there was nothing. It faded slowly, ever so slowly to white. It was a bad dream. My mind was clearing. There was a light beginning to form, but it was reddish as if looking from behind my eyelids. That’s exactly what I was doing. I was coming out of a nightmare. My eyes slowly opened.

It took a moment for me to realize where the light was coming from. There was a glow from underneath me and from the walls themselves. A harsh blue from below, and a yellowish white from the walls. Why were these details so peculiar? They were in themselves not fascinating or alarming. It must be the setting.

I slowly sat up and put my feet down on what felt like a hard tile floor. I was in a white jumpsuit. Most everything in this room was white. Four matching beds spaced evenly through the room and one wardrobe with three other jumpsuits lined the inside.

Instead of analyzing the present, my thoughts started to wander to the past. I was instantly overcome by a great weight, like something was in my mind preventing me from reviewing my memories. I tried again and like before I encountered a wall that prevented me from knowing who I was or what I was doing here.

I felt like I should be panicking, but I didn’t know if this is how it had always been. Perhaps this was normal. There would be no reason to panic if there were no memories to be had. Was I just born? Am I new?

I felt like I couldn’t be alone. Someone had to be here.

I looked around and located an opening that led up some stairs. A redish glow emanated from the top. I was already completely dressed with shoes. Why would I sleep with my shoes one? But then it occurred to me, why wouldn’t I?

I proceeded up the stairs to the landing at the top. What I saw surprised me. I was greeted by an enormous room with pillars full of liquids that slowly pumped from one unseen place to another. As big as the room was, there was nothing here. It was a circular room that had 4 openings, one which I had just come from, but the other 3 were a mystery. The room was indented softly to the middle where a small pyramid of light rose out of the ground.

I walked down the steps and approached the light. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it seemed peculiar. I passed my hand through the light and was greeted by a warm sound. Slowly materializing from the light I found myself looking at face. I did not know who it was but it was floating in the light. The face looked at my expressionless and then opened its mouth.

“Good morning Malena.”

The voice was startling.

“Malena?”

“Yes. That is the name that which you are designated and have been since you came here,” it replied.

“Where exactly is here?”

“This is a testing facility. You, along with your three colleagues are here to try and solve the disease that has threatened humanity.”

I looked around. There was nobody else here.

“Who are my three colleagues?” I asked.

“I’m sorry. I do not have that information.”

“Well where are they?”

“I’m sorry. I do not have that information.”

This was frustrating. I was supposed to be here with three other people but they weren’t here and this giant talking face didn’t know where they were.

“What are through those doors?” I pointed to the three other doors.

“The first one is the bath and wash area. The second is the kitchen and dining area. The third—” the face cut off. “I’m sorry. I do not have that information.”

This talking head was hiding something or withholding something. Either way, it didn’t seem trustworthy.

“You mentioned we were here to solve a disease? What disease are we here to solve? And how exactly do we go about doing that?”

“Ah, yes. The disease that is in question is the ICD-10 G30.6. It is related to the classic Alzheimer’s Disease, however this one is quite different, almost in every way. The scientists who discovered/released it described it as such and thus that is how I am describing it to you.”

The head paused briefly enough to allow me to scour my brain for Alzheimer’s Disease and what it was. It had something to do with memory loss.

“The G30.6 is disease that had been weaponized to make people forget things that happened. It was first used in the middle east when the former United States invaded former Syria. They wanted the citizens of that then country to forget that they were ever there, thus neutralizing on threats with no opposition. The plan backfired and became a lethal virus that spread rapidly throughout the globe. It started slowly. It took a few years for it to even show itself. By then it was too late. Everyone was infected, but everyone was forgetting. Research facilities such as these were created to research the virus, and overcome it with either a vaccine or other methods.”

“Great so how do I research this virus or disease or what if it is if all I have is a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen?” I said it as sarcastically as possible knowing that the great and powerful Oz wouldn’t pick up on it anyway. The reference I just used didn’t make any sense I tried to remember where I learned that phrase and how it applied to this situation but to no avail. That was odd. I should write that down.

“There are research stations along the wall. They are labeled and a simple palm scan should open the facility and equipment for use. If you have...