Social Experiment

The Replacement (Scott)

My eyes open. I'm laying on a bed, everything is spectacularly white. It gives me a headache. I wonder just how much I drank last night. Does drinking make everything look white?

I sit up, taking in the room around me. It looks nothing like my apartment, nothing at all. Not to mention there's a body on the floor...

Screamng, I run out of the room, terrified. My heart pounds. Doors open along the hallway I'm in. Aghast faces peer at me.

"Who is he?"

"What's he doing in Shawn's room?"

"Is he one of Them?"

I back away, wondering what all these people are talking about. Directly across from me is a door marked with a huge red "F".

"Who are you?" A calm voice asks.

I turn to see a pretty African girl with beautiful dark eyes.

"Scott." I add inquiringly, "Who are you?"

"My name's Dameeka. Can you tell me anything about yourself?"

I blink at her, trying to remember. However, the only thing I can think is how good a beer would be right now...

"Did I pass out? Am I in rehab?"

Her eyes grow big. "Rehab? No. Why, should you be?"

I try to think. "I don't... Why don't I remember anything?"

She gives a sympathetic smile. "It happened to all of us, when we first woke up here. All we know is our names."

I look around at the people surrounding us. None have strayed too far from the door they crept out from.

"You still don't remember anything?" I ask, panic rising in my chest.

"Not from our previous lives, no."

"P-Previous lives?" I stutter, "What are you talking about? Where are we?"

"Underground. A... society called ISOSE put us here. They left a note, since They knew we wouldn't remember. We're part of an experiment."

"What kind of experiment?"

"We don't know. They didn't tell us much. But a few people have tried to give us hints. They were killed by ISOSE, and put here, in Chamber 30."

I have no clue what Chamber 30 is, nor do I care to. "Why isn't he in there, then?" I ask, pointing to the body in my room.

Dameeka's smile fades. "Shawn wasn't... wasn't killed by Them. He was killed by one of us, Grace."

I look around, expecting the killer to come forward.

"She's locked in Chamber 18, along with Terrance and Westin."

"Who are-" I start to ask, but she cuts me off.

"I promise everything will be explained in the morning. Goodnight, Scott."

Everyone disperses, and I am left to go back to sleep in the room where Shawn's dead body still lies.

I can't sleep, my eyes keep darting to the body. How long have these people been here? This guy Shawn, he looks young. They all do. About my age, perhaps.

What did Shawn do to make Grace want to kill him? I make a vow to find out, and not make the same mistake. I promise myself that I will not die in a tunnel and become worm food. The best way I can think of how to do that is befriend Grace.

The next day, I wake up to what sounds like many people arguing. I follow the sound to the end of the hall. Indeed, everyone seems to be debating something.