Project Sarin

1 - Eyes

I open my eyes to be met by a blinding light. For a few seconds, all I see is white. The fluorescent lamps above me pierce my eyes as though they want me to close them again.

It takes some time before my eyes have adjusted to the new environment. When they do, I see a white ceiling. A too white ceiling.

I look around. The room is empty except for me and the bed I'm lying on. The walls are as white as the ceiling, almost making me dizzy.

Everything is too clean, too bright, as if someone wanted me to feel safe. But I could see straight through it.

As I try to get up, I'm overwhelmed by an incredible headache. It feels like someone took my brain out, modified it, and then put it back again. I look at my hands. They are almost as pale as the rest of the room. I must have been here a long time.

I try to remember how I got here. that is when I realize that I can't remember anything. All I see when I close my eyes, are bits and pieces of memories that don't make any sense. I see people without faces, locations which are nothing more than silhouettes, letters that won't form into names.

There are only two things that come out of the haze of memories. A name and a feeling. Sandra. Is that my name?

In my memories, I can hear someone calling my name, Sandra. It must be my name.

There is something else too. That feeling. A feeling that tells me that something is wrong. It tells me that no matter what, I have to get out of here.

For the first time, I feel that there is something on my head. There are all kinds of cords glued to my head, leading to a machine on a table next to me.

The machine looks like a closed laptop and has another big cord leading out of the room.

I tear the thin cords off my head and stand up. The dizziness almost takes over my consciousness.

I wear white clothes in the same color as the walls. If it wasn't for my head and hands, I would probably melt into the wall behind me.

I walk to the door since there are no windows in the room. It's locked with an electric lock.

At first I think the game is over before it's even begun, but then, I know exactly what to do and how to do it.

I go back to the machine and tear off some cords and other stuff, then go back to the door and unlock it.

It seems like I can do more than I'm aware of.

I turn the handle and leave the room.

The corridor outside is completely different from the pure white room. It's dark with only a few working lamps. Most of them flickering.

There are glass shards on the floor and dirt climbing up the walls. It looks like no one has been here in ages. Then, how come I'm here?

I step around the glass shards carefully on my bare feet and slowly make it through the narrow corridor.

On some sides, there are windows, showing old hospital rooms. All of them, as deserted as the corridor.

The contrast between the pure white room and the old hospital makes fear creep up my skin. It's like walking in a horror story.

Suddenly, there's a sound cominging from further down. Someone's coming.

I run into a room, tripping over some class shards on the floor.

I hear footsteps and voices coming closer. I try to hear what they're talking about, but they're still too far away. I feel a burning pain in my feet from the cuts, but I can't bend down to check on them. I'm frozen where I'm standing.

The voices come closer. I hold my breath. There are two men talking.

"I'm glad that the experiment is going well so far," an older man says, I would say he's around 60, "years of science and research have finally given a result."

"I'm happy when you are, Professor," a younger man says, "but, we have to keep everything top secret for now."

"That is what I hired you for, Grimes," the so called Professor says, "none of this can come out to anyone, anywhere."

"I know, Professor," Grimes says, "I'll make sure the leaks will be taken care of and that the two experiments stay isolated."

After that, I can't hear them anymore. I can see them take a turn into another corridor.

I wait a few more minutes before I go back out.

While making my way through the corridor I think about what the men said. There seems to be some kind of experiment going on here.

Am I a part of the experiment? They seem very keen to keep me here. But I'm not staying.

They said something about two experiments. If I'm one of them, then who's the other?

Right now, I have to focus on leaving this place.

I reach a door with a big red EXIT-sign on it. I push the door open and run down the stairs. The good thing with bare feet is that they don't make much noise when running. The pain in my feet is nearly gone now.

After a while, I get to a door which says 'Ground Floor'. I open it slightly at first, so I won't run into someone.

I'm so glad I took that descicion before opening the door. On the other side, there are people everywhere. It's like the entrance to an office building.

Everyone's talking and discussing documents, and everyone has a dark blue ID-card around their neck. I decide that any other way than this will be a safer way out.

I run down some more stairs and reach the parking floor.

Down here, there's no one else to be seen. I walk past a few cars and pillars. Then, I finally see daylight coming from an opening.

I'm just about to start running towards the opening, when I hear a voice behind me.

"Hey!" it shouts. No. Is the first thing I think. I quickly turn around. There are two men standing by the door I just came through. They are staring at me. At first they look surprised, then confused.

I see how one of the men reaches behind his back. Before I realize what's happening, my legs begin to run.

I throw myself behind a pillar just before I hear a gunshot. I thought I would be scared at first, but I'm not.

Or, at least I'm not scared enough to not move.

I run between a few cars, ducking to avoid being seen.

I turn a corner and meet a rather unexpected view. All kinds of busses are lined up in the parkinglots. Most of them are old and rusty, but some of them look new too.

I run in between the busses. This is a good place to hide. But, I can't stay long.

The two guards probably sent for backup. This place will be crowded in just a few minutes.

I walk quietly down the rows of busses on the cold ground. I can hear people shouting to eachother from somewhere.

I'm getting to the end of the busses. I thought I could sneak out from the other side.

Suddenly, there's a sound from behind me. I turn around quickly. There's no one there. I take one last look to check there's no one following me.

Then, I hear the sound of an engine. This time it comes from where I was heading.

I turn my head back in the direction I was walking before. There's a black car there. Only a few feet in front of me. Its lights feel like they are staring at me. Like big bright eyes.

For a second, I just stand there, watching whoever is in that car. Trying to understand why all of this was happening, and why it's me they're after. I didn't come up with a good answer before I knew that I had to move.