Test Four

The Familiar Place

I wake with a jolt and grab the first thing closest to me, ladies shoulders. I stare at her and she stares at me. I look around the room, still clinging to the shoulders; people stare at me, their hair groomed, most accompanied with glasses. I let go of the shoulders and realise I'm in a plain, hospital like room. That hospital... This hospital.

"What-"

"You're in a testing room, Ella," says the lady beside me, "I am Dr. Katrina, you probably do not recognise me, but you did know me, once before." I did? A testing Room?

"Wha-"

"You were a test Ella," my breath stops, a test?

"A tes-"

"You were a test to see if you're... type...-"

"Brain,"

"Yes that's the word, thank you Dr. Peter, anyway, it was to see if your brain type would function in these situations... without committing suicide or becoming entirely depressed."

"What do you mean..."

"You're not human Ella, or if you are even Ella... More like test 4." I laugh- confused. "There has been four failed tests since you... look you should be happy... you survived, now we will test if you can make it through harder situations... deadly situations- except you can't die... unless you kill yourself... or of coarse-"

"Dr. Katrina," says one of the Dr's

"Oh sorry, I'm getting carried away,"

"I'm sorry..." I draw in my eyebrows, pulling my head back. She ignores me.

"So she is invincible." One of the perhaps trainee- if I could even say- doctors asks.

"Yes and no; you can commit suicide, and die, or become depressed, but in a bad situation that happens like a fire surrounds you and engulfs you in it," I wince, "you live."

"What about my mum, my brother, all of the people in my lif-"

"Oh you mean the simulations?" I freeze, and tears fill my eyes, "Look darling, all you world was made up... basically."

"But my mum and dad... I HAVE MEMORIES OF WHEN I WAS LITTL-"

"Of course you do... we had to put some in there, couldn't start you blank as a teen could we?"

"But..."

"Hey at least your dad is... technically not dead... but he never really was alive!" She bursts out into laughter, but I don't join her, "Anyway, I will give you time to think... It'll be fine, don't worry," she pats me on the back before her and the others leave. Everything... Mum, dad, my auntie, my brother, my sister, Katie, Jayce, Isaac, Conner- everyone, is all fake. How does she expect me to just get over it... I burst into tears and my whole body shakes. I, I need my mum, my dad, Will, Mila, Harry... I... I panic, wanting to get up, but I cant, I am too weak. My hand drifts over my pocket in my jumper that has something in it. I reach in and pull it out, a piece of paper. When I unfold it I realise it's actually a photo, of me and my family, when we first moved into our house. It was when that old lady took the photo, before I met Jayce, before I met actually anyone except for my family. I remember now when I got the photo, it was from mum, before we left onto the plane, and I never unfolded it. It has been in my pocket through all the washes. I stare at the picture before I cry again, into my knees.

"How?" I mumble to myself, "I'm not even human.." I touch my head to find no hair, just a smooth surface, I wince and start to shake as I cry. I stare at the picture again, all I know is that I will have to go back, into another person, with more situations. I take a big, stuttering breath, "I wont fail, for you guys." I bring the picture into my chest; closing my eyes.