Our Manufactured Reality

Chapter 2: Patient 121

A steel wall stood in front of me as I opened my eyes. I observed my body was lying down, and I was in a very small space. Man, I'd hate to be claustrophobic in here.

I tried to open the door of my vessel, but it would not give. I spent some time and effort shoving on it's frame, and tired easily.

Then I thought about why I was so tired. How long was I asleep? Questions arose in my mind, and I tried to answer them, but found I had no explanations. In fact, I realized I had no memories.

Now, I was starting to become a bit scared.

"Who puts someone in a s-steel pod without a way out?" I tasted the unfamiliar sound of my voice and took in my stuttering problem. I guess that's one habit that followed me without memories. I grunted while banging on the surface of my cell, and finally gave one more push to watch it open.

Once I'd gotten out of the container, I surveyed my surroundings. Soon enough, I'd walked over to a blinking surface and linked up it's glow with one on my arm.

I placed my arm on the dot, and felt a needle prick my skin. I flinched and drew my arm back slowly. Then a voice spoke from a nearby speaker.

"Welcome Patient 121: Charles Daily."

"Charles Daily. I g-guess that's my name. Alright then." It was involuntary that I stuttered. Incredibly annoying and demeaning, but still involuntary.

Just then, a door opened to my right, but I was not too eager to venture outside. All these events were much too crazy to absorb at once.

I paced the room, piecing together the few moments I'd encountered, as if new ideas would kick in... They did not.

Anyway, I took time to examine the entire room. The dusty, old console lining a wall. The pod I'd escaped from. And even the other pods in the room. Some of these pods contained people. I tried to free some of them, but it seemed even harder to open the chambers from the outside than within.

Almost ten minutes had passed before my slight fear of what lay beyond the door was replaced with curiosity. I stopped pacing, took a deep breath and strode over to the still open door.

Alright, you, I began giving myself a pep-talk and it took me a moment to remember my name. Imagine that! I kept talking in my head nonetheless. You know you can't stay here. Come on, you have to leave this room if there's any chance finding out who you are. There could be people with answers outside that door. There could also be people in danger.

Suddenly, I found another trait that had survived my memory-loss... The need to help people.

Yeah! I rationalized. There could be people out there that need your help. I mean, it's not too far off to even assume that other people lost their memory. Just like you. Just like you, Charles. My name echoed through my mind.

Just like you.

I stepped through the door-frame and into the unknown.