Keep An Open Mind {Lynn Gunn}

20) Find A New Place, Another Space To Invade, Another Brain To Decay

Dr. Hoppus connected the electrodes to my head. There were four in total, two on my temples and two on my forehead. I laid down on the mattress, as I was told, and waited for a better explanation on what was going on.

"This, Lynn, is the proof of nowadays progress." Dr. Hoppus explained. My parents were beside the mattress, standing in an awaiting posture.

"We need to thank technology for it. It's going to be very simple and you're going to feel more at ease than you think. This machine..." he pointed to the monitor of a computer. It was a weird monitor though, didn't look exactly like a computer but still very similar.

"...It is going to filter your dreams. We're going to see them on the monitor and we'll also be able to alter them a bit. We're going to study your reactions and see what we can do to make the situation better, alright?" Wait, were they seriously going to intrude in my head? I looked at my parents with wide eyes and they seemed to agree.

"You're going to let this happen?" I asked.

"It's for your good." My mother said.

"I don't want to do this." I objected, turning to Dr. Hoppus. What's going on in my mind is private, they weren't going to break through my privacy walls.

Dr. Hoppus leaned down, closer to me.

"If you don't want to do it, I can't force you." He said, softly.

"But if I were in your shoes, I would give it a try. This therapy might be crucial. It's also a good way to test yourself, isn't it?" I furrowed my eyebrows as he stood up again and thought about it for a moment.

"Lynn, you better do it." My father piped up. His words were like nails on a chalkboard to my ears. They stung.

I knew what he meant, it actually was better for me. It'd lower the chances for me to be kicked out of my house and sent to a mental hospital.

Whatever. It won't be that bad.

"Let's... do this then." I reluctantly muttered, causing Dr. Hoppus to nod and turn the program on. He typed something on the computer's keyboard and ordered to close my eyes, so I did.

"Now, relax, Lynn. You're sleeping." He said. I wasn't sleeping, but I guess it's how I was supposed to feel like. As if I actually was sleeping. I took a deep breath and loosened every other thought, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, everything went black. I was sleeping.

No I wasn't.

I wasn't sleeping, I felt so alive, so awake. I was already running out of breath, as if it was being torn away from my lungs. It almost felt like suffocating, a cold air was stuck in my throat and Imy hair was dizzily flying everywhere, covering my view.

That was it, I was falling.

I didn't realize I was falling apart in a hole until I received my harsh impact with the ground. For one split second, I felt a sharp pain spread through my body, then I felt my limbs go static and the pain stopped. As if it never happened.

I didn't know what was going on, but I was aware the only logical thing to do was to look around and make an hypothesis.

I stood up and started scanning the place. From here, underground, it looked like some sort of cave. It wasn't too large, but it  was able to contain at least fifteen people, which isn't bad. Also, it was empty. There was only a small pound of crystalline turquoise water that was shining profusely. The walls were made of limestone, a light brown.

Judging by the consistence of the rocks that formed those walls, they could be climbed. They could be an escape from that hole, but it would take a huge effort to climb that height.