Where Am I?

The gentle pitter-patter of rain was the only thing Illianna could hear when she had woken up. She took a moment to stretch and sit up when she had realized she was not in her own bed, her own home.

"If I'm not in my room then where the hell am I?" she whispered to herself.

She had pulled herself out of the bed and made her way to the window, but to her surprise when she had pulled back the curtain and peered out she saw only machines. So many silver machines with wires, tubes, and a wide array of small lights against a stark white wall. Illianna stood in confused silence, she didn't even realize she could no longer hear the false rain. All she could hear now was the sound of her own unsteady breath. Quickly the lights outside of the windows went out leaving the machine lights faintly glowing in the distance. Slowly she had backed away from the windows and back to the bed. It was soft, like a warm hug, easy to fall into, and never leave. And that is exactly what she planned on doing. Like a child she had curled up into the blanket for safety, her entire being softly shuttering in the deafening silence.

Why was she here?

Where was here?

What was going to happen to her?

Her mind was racing with thoughts, with what-ifs and hypotheticals. She sat in the silence, in the dark, for what seemed like hours until she heard the faint click of a door unlock. Slowly but surely a door to her right was opening but all she could see through it was a bright green light. It was blinding, everything it touched was graced by its brilliant green glow.

"Am I expected to walk towards it?" she said

But as quickly as she spoke it, she did it. She ran, quickly making her way to the door. Carefully she poked her head out from behind the frame, checking both directions. After ensuring she was safe, she made her way forward, towards that bright green light, hoping to turn it off, hoping to get some answers. She continued forward for a few seconds before realizing she wasn't getting any closer, no matter how much her feet moved she was no closer to her destination. She spun around to return to the room from which she came, but there was no room there. Just the walls, with those sleek silver machines. She froze, fearful and confused, she fell to her knees. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She was alone. She was desperate and afraid. She wanted so badly for this to be a nightmare, to wake up safe and sound in her own bed. Illianna took a few moments to gather her thoughts and her emotions before making her next move.

"HELLO?" she screamed. "ANYONE PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME GO"

*click* The light turned red and then shut off altogether.

"Please turn the light back on, PLEASE. I don't know where I am or why I am even here" she exclaimed

With that, a warm white light turned on above her. Illianna rubbed her eyes trying to adjust to the abrupt change. Carefully, she opened her eyes only to find herself surrounded by people. So many people. All of them in the same white, medicinal outfit paired with plague masks and crisp white gloves. Behind her, a man slowly approached with a tray.

"You do not need to know where you are child for it will all be over soon"

His robotic and monotone voice was the last thing Illianna heard before falling into darkness.