Crash and Burn

4: Red Light

I can't remember all that much. Just flashes of consciousness. A little flicker of colour and sound before it all went blank again. I remember seeing doctors almost every time I opened my eyes. I could hear stressed voices, the beeping of machines... And then silence as I was once again pushed further into my own mind. After what seemed like hours of this, I finally broke the surface.

I opened my eyes slowly, taking in the white panels above me. It was quiet, other then my own heartbeat. I expected for the flash to fade away, but it didn't. Confused, I slowly lifted my hand in front of me. No blood. No pain. I pushed myself upright and slid my feet onto the cold floor. I stood carefully, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me as I did so. I braced myself against the wall to regain my balance.

The lights where bright and disorienting. I couldn't focus on things for more then a few seconds at a time. From what I could see, I was in a small, clean room with a table, two chairs and two beds. There was a glass door across the room. I could make out figures walking past, so I made my way over. I looked for a handle, but there was none. Confused, I knocked on the glass, trying to get someone's attention.

"Hello? Can someone please tell me where I am?" No one paid attention. I knocked again, louder this time.

"Hey!" I shouted. A woman walking down the hall with a clipboard turned to me with a look of pure disgust, almost hatred. I took a step back, my heart pounding. The woman turned away and continued walking once more.

Suddenly, I remembered something that I'd over looked. There where two beds in the room. Shaking a little, I walked over to the other bed. I could tell there was someone in it. I bit my lip, peering over the edge. Then I let out my breath.

"Tyler!" I cried. The boy's eyes jolted open at once, his pupils adjusting to the light. He looked right at me, but didn't smile.

"What's going on Ty? Where are we?" I said. "I thought you..." I couldn't get the words out.

"We didn't die." He said blankly. I blinked. I started to ask more questions, but he stopped me.

"But that's what they told everyone else." He finished. I furrowed my brow.

"No..." I said quietly in disbelief. "That's not... Why would they..." I couldn't get a full sentence out. I started to piece things together in my mind. I placed my hands on the wall behind me and slowly slid down. They'd taken us. Told the world we where gone. Our family, friends... They'd all think we died in that car crash. No one would look for us.

The only thing I didn't know was why they needed us.