Subject 116

2

They call it the submersion pod. I simply see it as a dark, wet, cold abyss. Every day I'm put under for hours, every kind of headgear and wire imaginable strapped to me, sending brain waves and heart rates back to the machines outside. I'm usually comfortable with being submerged, until my fingers start to prune, and boredom finds its way into my brain. I wish it was a little warmer too, they always have the setting set to cold, and all they have to say to my complaints are "it's for more concise results." I was tired of that answer, but they knew I wouldn't resist, I had nothing better to do anyway. Today was the same as every other day. I wake up, I'm asked questions about how I'm feeling, and then I'm put into the pod.

All I could see from inside was the light adjusted to be hung directly above me, but that didn't change how melancholy and desolated it was in there. I also couldn't see the light very well, since any time I tried to open my eyes, they burned from the water seeping through them, and it was all blurred. Along with the glass keeping me from air being coated in condensation, droplets making their way to the other side from how chilled the water was. The only way I was able to breathe was from the mask slipped over my nose and mouth, which made an obnoxious sound every time I inhaled and exhaled, but I had adjusted to that. Sometimes I managed to block out any sound coming through to me, and I felt as if I was sinking, but there was nowhere to go, just the bottom of the pod holding me up. Every now and then I would see one of the doctors leaning over the glass to get a clearer view of me, almost like they wanted something from me. But I never responded, and they seemed to be alright with that. I didn't know some of their names, most of them in fact. The only one I was strongly familiar with was Doctor Brahms, she doubled as my psychiatrist. She was the one to ask me the daily questions, same every day, unless my results from the pod had come out abnormal, and the only time that had happened was the first few times. I kept asking when I could come out to receive only silence. I was worth a fortune to them, or that's what I had been told, yet I was treated like a danger. I had calmed overtime, since I wasn't getting out of this treatment. I didn't really want to either, I didn't know what was outside of this room. I didn't know anything actually. I had no memories of my life before the hospital. The doctors were confused on why I had lost them, but said it was an opportunity for something great. I'd say they'd lost their minds. I didn't feel important, I never did. But I didn't have a say in that, since my life had basically started at seventeen years old. I would say I was distraught about whoever I had forgotten, but I didn't know them anymore, so there was nothing for me to be sad about.

I thought about what I was missing during my submersions a lot, that's what kept me content and how I had such a strong ability to avoid boredom most of the time. Apparently, the doctors didn't know where I came from either, they just escorted me here like everyone else and after a while, my mind completely blanked, making me forget everything from the outside world. They said I was contained because my ability was different from the others. They couldn't figure it out, which was why I was isolated from everyone else, they needed to get to know me. They called me their prodigy. I didn't really understand what that meant.

I thought it would be nice to see people, I only knew a few after all, and seeing people my age might be good for me. But they hadn't given anything away signaling that they might let me out. So I dealt with it, if this was where I was meant to be, then I suppose I would have to settle for the time being.

Today was my fifteenth day doing nothing but floating around and only focusing on my breathing and thoughts. The hiss of the tank from outside was making my ears ring. I tried to focus on something else, but because I had been inside so many times, I started focusing on every minor detail that came my way. It must have been at least two hours by now before the hissing grew louder, and the top of the pod opened automatically. I registered that I had to get out, and lifted my upper body so I was half-way out of the water. The temperature didn't bother me anymore, but every time I got out, I was shocked at the amount of fog and droplets on the glass case from the top. I breathed in shakily, it wasn't easy breathing out of the oxygen mask, and slowly started removing it. Doctor Brahms was sitting next to me at her desk, adding something to her clipboard before turning to look at me. I don't know how she took me seriously all the time, I must look like a mess after coming out of that thing. My long, choppy hair was soaked and made awkward dripping sounds as some of the water fell from myself back down into the tank. I kept up my breathing pattern she had taught me for exiting the pod, which worked after a few minutes or so, it was nice to have fresh air going into my lungs.