Reality in the Shadows

Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep....

The sound of the alarm beside the bed dragged me kicking and screaming from my peaceful sleep. I rolled over and hit the snooze button and then in the dinginess of the morning light I felt my way to the side of the clock and turned off the alarm.

As I slowly opened my eyes completely I realized that everything was very blurry, and instinctively reached for a pair of glasses. Sitting up and adjusting the glasses so I could see I noticed that the clock read 4:35 am.

"That's weird," I muttered to myself, "I don't remember setting my alarm. Why am I up this early?"

Why? The word rang like a bell in my head. I looked around the room. It was bare. There was the bed I was sitting on, a nightstand with a lamp and clock, two generic photos of some random scenery and a small window opposite the bed. In the far corner were two doors. The open door seemed to lead to a bathroom that was very small. The closed door had a peephole and a chain was used to secure the door beside a bolt lock.

My thoughts were interrupted by my need to relieve my bladder. As I passed the mirror in the bathroom I stopped in my tracks and looked intently at the person in the mirror.

"Who are you?" I asked. I noticed the lips of the person in the mirror move as I spoke. My need to relieve myself passed as a new question entered my mind: "What is your name?"

"Arrrrgh," I groaned as I clutched my chest. My heart was beating rapidly and a wave of nausea and pain flowed over my body. I slumped to the floor and the darkness closed in on me as I slipped into unconsciousness.

Bang, Bang, Bang, BBBBang, Bang Bang....

The darkness lifted as I heard someone knocking on the door. Still foggy and full of questions I stumbled to the door.

"Don't open the door," a voice in my head screamed. "Something isn't right! Get you bearings first!"

I shook my head and peered through the peep hole in the door. There was nothing there. I stood back and felt my face twist into a very incredulous look.

Bang, Bang, Bang. I felt the pounding and jumped back. "What is going on?" I thought. "There is no one at the door, and yet someone is banging on the door."

I quickly peered through the peep hole again. Again nothing, no one was there! I tip toed back to the bed and sat down. The clock showed 7:30 am. I was almost out for 3 hours!

The pressure on my bladder punched me and I ran the the bathroom. As I left the bathroom, after relieving myself, I noticed that light was trying to stream in around the curtain.

I walked over to the window and stood back so I could peer around the curtain without moving them. It looked like another brightly lit room. That wasn't sunlight I saw. Gently I moved the curtain just a little so I could get a better look. I was a large room with several doors that led to what looked like hallways. In the middle of the room were ten tables. There were no chairs. On each table was an object. A box maybe?

No one was in the room, and I noticed nine other windows. A box for each room? In the wall opposite my window there was a large double door. The light coming through its windows seemed more natural. Could that be the way out?

A shadow in my head questioned me, "Who was banging on my door? Why am I here? Are they watching me?"

With the last question lingering in my head I turned and searched the room from top to bottom. I couldn't find anything that resembled a camera. So, what was going on? Who was I and why was I in this hotel looking room? What was my name and where did I come from?

I waited until 2pm and decided to check out the room with boxes. Instead of using the door I chose the window. It was just big enough for me to get through head first. Somehow I instinctively knew how to drop and roll.

After waiting and looking around for a few minutes I guessed that no one was coming. I got up and quickly and quietly made my way over to the tables in the center of the room. The tables were around in a semi circle so I could see all the packages at one time. They were all wrapped very neatly and with similar style. The biggest difference with how the string was tied that held the paper around the box.

I scanned each one twice, but my gaze would always return to the fourth table and package. Something was different, and yet something felt familiar. I reached out and lifted up the tag and read, "John." A wave of nausea and pain raked my head and the shadow in my head whispered, "I think that is our name!"

After shaking off the headache I looked at all the other boxes and each label had a different name written on it. 1. George 2. Brian 3. Wallace 4. Trudy 5. Jody 6. Alice 7. Jake 8. Peter and 9. Cornelius. Somehow the shadow in my mind and instinct had found my box, or did it?

I took my box and went back to my window, but the box wouldn't fit. So, I went to the nearest hallway. Peering through the hallway door showed me an empty hall that seemed to lead directly to my room. It lead to a perpendicular hall that should lead back to my room. As my door was still locked I left the box beside the hallway door and used one of the tables to climb back in my room.

I carefully opened my door and stepped back in astonishment. A box wrapped in brown paper that was nearly exactly like the one I had taken from the table was directly outside my door.

I composed myself and gingerly looked out into the hallway. Left looked like a dead end and as I expected right lead to the hallway and the big room. Beyond the hallway was another door and dead end. In front of that door was also a box. It was different than mine, but looked similar to the box with George on it. I quickly went to the doorway to the big room and looked through the window. Nothing had changed. My other box was still on the floor near the door and the table was under my window.

I went through the door, returned the table and grabbed my box. I noticed that I had not really been making any sound. My feet were very quiet and my movements were fluid! I needed to get back to my room and think. I grabbed my first box and rushed back to my room.

I put the box on my bed and went and got the one that was still out in the hallway. They were definitely different boxes. The first box was fairly easy to carry, but the one in the hallway was very heavy.

It was time to think and find out what was in the boxes.

Frederick was the name on the box by my door. "Frederick John," I thought. "That sounds right. That sounds like my name!"

Before opening the boxes I let the shadow in my mind assimilate this new name. "Frederick John." I was a couple steps closer to finding out what was going on and who I was supposed to be!

Again the shadow warned me to be careful with the boxes. I took heed and examined each one carefully. No trip wires or booby traps seemed evident on the external surface.

Both boxes had the same bow so I pulled each of them simultaneously. As the strings fell off the paper nearly unwrapped itself. I was astonished to see two glass like boxes staring up at me. One had weapons; two knives, a short sword and a mini crossbow. The other box had a Karate Gi folded in proper fashion and very crisp. As I was preparing to through the brown wrapping paper away I noticed some writing. I unfolded the paper and put them together to read. Choose and go outside to find out who you really are.

The shadow said, "Gi." Somehow I knew how to wear the gi and tie the very worn black belt. I felt at home. The shadow in my head seemed to smile.

As the brightness of daily light blinded me I heard a group of people suddenly stand at ready. When they realized I could see about 50 people dressed in gi's and lined up like they were prepared for a class, they bowed and shouted "Oss!"

Like in a dream and out of habitual training I returned the bow and said, "Oss!"

The nausea and pain swept over me again and I fell to the ground unconscious. The shadow screamed, "Nooooo, not again!"

Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep....

The sound of the alarm beside the bed dragged me kicking and screaming from my peaceful sleep. I rolled over and hit the snooze button and then in the dinginess of the morning light I felt my way to the side of the clock and turned off the alarm.