Waking up in a room having no idea where you are, is not really the best way to start a story, is it? Allow me to take it back a few notches and inform you on how I got here. Oh, that's right; I can't. I have no idea how I got here. I am unable to see anything in front of me. I am literally siting on what seems to be a rolling computer chair. My legs are free; I can swing them around me. There is nothing in front or around me, well, as much as I can tell for now. My wrists are loosely tide to the arms of the chair. It's as if whoever has done this wants me to be able to get out. I don't want to make any sudden judgements or movements for that matter. I need to know what I am dealing with here. Think, think think. I have no idea, no memory, of what I was doing prior to this. The last thing I can remember is getting coffee with one of my friends. Who was I with; damn, my memory is so fuzzy. What is going on. Come on, who were you with, who... think. Oh, that's right; I was with Jackson.
It was around 5 PM; Jackson had texted me saying to meet him at the local coffee shop in town. I agreed of course; he has been my best friend growing up, we were practically siblings. So, as I was saying; I met him up and we grabbed our coffees and took a seat in a far-left booth, right next to the window, so we could people watch of course. "So how is Ji-Won?" he asked. Ji-Won is my wonderful boyfriend who I never shut up about. Jackson loved to see me happy, and he knew whenever I would bring up Ji-Won my face would light up. "He's amazing! He's actually back at the house working on a new robotic design that is going to blow the socks off of these engineers. He is going to change the way we see technology forever. I swear. He is so smart, and handsome, and..." I would go on and on; Jackson cut me off before I could ever finish. "Okay, okay sorry but not sorry I asked. I am so glad that you are happy. You two are perfect for each other." He said with a warm smile. "So, why did you really ask me to meet up here with you man?" I asked because obviously it wasn't to hear me go on for days about my love. But then he Jackson did something funny, something I had never seen him do. He did nothing. Nothing. All he did was stare back at me with a blank expression. I thought he was about to start crying or something I wasn't sure what was happening. "Jackson? Hello? Anyone home in there?" I said waving my hand in front of his face. Then he smiled, shook his head, and said that the only reason he asked me to come down was, "I just wanted to see your beautiful face is all.". I looked at him oddly, hit him on the shoulder and told him to shut up. Then we both kind of chuckled and at that point I had just finished my coffee, and I remember telling him I had to go back to Ji-Won because he wanted my help with some of the testing on the robot and such.
My head is killing me. There is no light in here but it feels like a thousand suns are beaming at my eyes. This is awful. Maybe if I try moving the chair, maybe I can find a wall. Just so I can have a better idea of where I am, maybe there is a light switch somewhere. Alright the chair is rolling, that's a good sign. Bingo. Found the wall. Now if I can just feel for a light switch. I feel like this wall never ends; how big is this room? Ah ha! A switch. Beautiful. Alright don't panic. I just have to wiggle my wrists out of this rope. There we go, freedom. Something inside me does not want to turn the light on. I have a bad feeling about this. Standing up is out of the question, on the count of the fact that I am very tightly tide to this chair by my waist. If someone or something is in here and by some chance the light wakes them up, I am stuck in a chair with wheels defenseless. Just peachy. Well. If I don't flick this switch I will never know. Alright... let, there, be, LIGHT! Oh my god that is one bright light. Damn. I am uncontrollably squinting like I am staring right at the sun right now, wow. What kind of wattage are these? Who lives here? I wish I knew what the hell was going on. This room is nothing but white walls. Wait there is a camera in the corner of the room. Some type of surveillance system. Hold on, there is four cameras; one in each corner. What is this...? Okay think, how; my brain hurts because its like a blank gap in my mind. It feels like so many thoughts before this moment have been erased. Let's see what did I do after getting coffee with Jackson. That's right! I went home to help Ji-Won with the robot data.
I walked home from the coffee shop; I only live a few blocks from it. Anyway, I got home and greeted my wonderful boyfriend as I always would. "Excuse me, is my lovely amazing, incredible, handsome man around anywhere?" I said sweetly batting my eye lashes looking innocent. Ji-Won was in the office room with the robotic parts putting together some finishing pieces. "Could that be my beautiful girlfriend that has finally arrived home?" he said lovingly. He makes me so happy. I skipped into the office room all giddy like a school girl. Ji-Won had blown me away this time. Standing in front of me was a 6-foot-tall robot. "Meet the new face of home security babe." He said smiling proudly. This huge metallic figure was made the world's strongest metals, or so he told me. I knocked on the chest of the figure and it seemed strong enough to without a great amount of force. "I have a few more finishing touches for the details; there is even different skins you can program on to it! Intruders will not know what hit them. Inside my creation, several defense weapons are built in..." He went on for 20 minutes straight telling me the unique qualities of the bot. My man is quite the genius. Then I remember an intense ringing, it was almost a violent ring. Both of us covered our ears and fell to out knees. Suddenly the ringing stopped and both of us looked up at each other in confusion. "What the hell was that?" I asked concerningly. "Most likely a short circuit in the wiring, I will fix it baby don't worry. I hope your ears are okay." He said pulling me into his arms. Then I remember going to the kitchen to fix him some dinner.
Ji-Won.... Where is he? Should I call out for him? I can't risk any sudden moves yet. I still haven't figured out what is going on here. Okay. There's four cameras, I am tied to a chair, and this light is bright as hell. I have no other clues, there are no windows, no phones... wait, there's a vent up there. On the upper right part of the ceiling it seems as if there is a vent leading somewhere out of this room. Do I climb in it? I mean of course right now I have no way of getting myself even close to that vent if I stay tied up in this chair. There has to be a way out of here. Wait. I am remembering something. I left before finishing dinner the other night, Ji-Won wanted a noodle dish and I was out of some of the ingredients so I went to the grocery store to pick them up.
Getting there is a blur, but while I was in the super market I felt as if I was being watched. "Mam, can I help you find anything?" a store clerk asked as I was clearly just fine and didn't need any help. I get triggered when I am trying to shop and they ask if I need help. If I needed help I would have asked; now let me shop. Anyway, I went down isle 3, where all the spices were, and as soon as I turned the corner... "BOO!" it was Jackson. "JACKSON WHAT THE HELL YOU SCARED ME!!" I Scolded. "How did you know I was here?" I asked confused. His shopping cart had a package of cookies, a gallon of water, and an assortment of fruits and veggies. "And since when do you eat vegetables?" I asked concerned. He is the last person on earth that would buy healthy foods for himself. "You know, just trying to stay on the healthier side of things. I have to build up my strength sooner or later, never know what could happen..." he paused and jumped at me hoping to startle me. I hit him of course, smacked him right on the arm. "Cut it out. Not. Funny." I hate being jump scared.
Jackson has been acting odd lately. Could he be behind all of this? Why did he say he had to build up his strength? To knock me out and tie me up? See, no, that sounds ridiculous. Or does it? No stop that, stop freaking yourself out. Alright. Focus. I need to find something sharp, a corner of something, anything. Damn. Maybe if I tip over the chair will break. But what if it doesn't and then I am left there in need of life alert. You know because I would have fallen, and been unable to get up. Ha. I crack myself up. Wait a second... the kitchen.
When I returned home, whenever that was. I started to make dinner for Ji-Won. All I could hear was robotic sounds, clanking and banging, and small remarks of frustration coming from Ji-Won. "Baby! Dinner is almost done, ask your bot if he's hungry!" I yelled playfully. Then I heard footsteps come into the kitchen behind me as I was putting his dinner on his plate. But the footsteps were heavy, very heavy. I turned around in shock because staring at me was his robot, staring right at me with a smile. I screamed of course because you know, it's not everyday you turn around and there's a functioning robot man standing before you. Ji-Won came strolling in prouder than ever before with a giant grin on his face. "Babe, meet Z." he said pointing to the robot. I smiled politely followed by a nervous laugh. "What's shakin'...uh...Z" I said unsure of what to expect. The robot began to convulse and shake out of control. "Oh my god babe I didn't mean to break it!" I said in a panic. He rushed over to his spazzing creation clicking the button on the back of its neck. The robot shut down and stood lifeless. "I guess it needs a few more minor adjustments." He said laughing walking over to his plate of food. "Thank you for the dinner baby." He said kissing my cheek and sitting down to eat. "Do we have to eat with that thing in here?" I said grabbing myself a plate. "Don't be rude." He said. I wasn't sure if he was joking or not. Could the robot hear? Who knows. After that we began eating and talking about other things.
I wish my memory wasn't so screwed up right now, why is it so hard to remember. Wait what was that. I hear something. Should I shout for Ji-Won? What if he was near the rooms exit, where ever that was. Maybe it is like a secret hidden door. How else would I have gotten in here? Alright I am going to attempt to free myself from these ropes. Ill just simply throw myself sideways without breaking my neck and...YES! The chair legs were not as strong as I thought. Now if I can just loosen this rope. Wait another memory... about the robot.
We were sleeping that night in bed all cozy and warm. Ji-Won had his arms around me snuggled up tight and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere is in the world at that moment. But a noise woke me up from downstairs. I opened my eyes and looked around the room and listened carefully but heard nothing after that so I simply closed my eyes again. Then I head the strangest noise and it seemed to be coming from right by me. I slowly peeked my eyes open and my heart nearly stopped. You know that frozen fear you get from a nightmare; that was how this felt. Looking right into my face was Ji-Won's robot. Squinting pretending to sleep I tried to breathe normal and not scream while this machine was glaring into my soul. It tilted its head as if it was trying to learn something about me. Then I heard my own voice come out of its open unmoving mouth. "Do we have to eat with that thing in here?" It repeated my voice from earlier at dinner. I nudged Ji-Won under the blankets with my leg trying to not draw attention to the movement. Ji-Won groaned and out of habit went to pull me tightly into his arms again. His arms swung hitting the metal of the robot. "What the..." Ji-Won rubbed his eyes shocked that his creation was standing right before him now upright away from my face standing at the side of the bed. "Sir. There is someone outside I am sensing a threat." It said. I looked at Ji-Won concerned and we both went down stairs to see what it was. But before we left the room I turned around to take a look at the robot. I thought maybe it would follow us downstairs. As I turned back the robot was now turned facing me, and it slowly just smiled standing there. I got so creeped out I ran down stairs following Ji-Won.
Ah! Free at last. Took me a minute but I am finally able to roam this white room freely and figure a way out of this. I am still not sure how I got here but I think I am getting closer to figuring it out as my memory keeps coming back. Slowly but surely. Okay the vent. It's not to high off the ground, the ceiling is pretty low. Plus, I have a broken chair that could be useful. Maybe if I throw the chair at the vent. Maybe it will be enough force to pop it open. Let's see here, oh this chair isn't heavy at all but could it break this vent. Yes. Yes, it could. Alright here...we...oh damn it my head...a memory just blasted in my head as I was about to throw the chair... it has to do with throwing? I mean good thing I stopped because looking around I just realized I should probably knock out those camera before getting in the vent. Did I throw something earlier? I feel like I... oh wait...shit, I remember.
When we went to look if anyone was outside, there wasn't. "What is with that robot. I don't want to go back to sleep. Babe that thing was right up in my face." I said worried. Ji-Won walked over to our liquor cabinet pulling out a bottle of Vodka. He looked at me smiled and said "Then let's not go back to sleep.". I smiled running up to him and grabbing his face giving him a kiss. I was so down to drink. But something felt off. As we were drinking we heard footsteps coming from the hall way. "No way. Is it that damn bot?" I said drunkenly swinging the bottle around like an idiot. It stomped into the room and stood still. It was just looking at us. Ji-Won laughed at how odd it was acting. I was to drunk to care how and why it was moving freely. I must have just thought it was a malfunction and Ji-Won would handle anything that went wrong. Then it acted up. The robot stomped towards us, and fast. I screamed and swung the glass bottle at it shattering glass everywhere. "Babe!" Ji-Won scolded at me as I sat in shock. I really didn't mean to, I was scared and didn't know what else to do. When a giant metal machine is marching at you what else are you going to do? It just stood there after I hit it, twitching.
Okay this is making sense. I guess I was only knocked out recently or else I wouldn't have this head ache. I mean its obviously from being hung over. Anyway. It's smashing time. I just have to swing the chair into these cameras and then quickly bust that vent. Easy. Alright good, good, and good. One camera left. These cameras are weak as hell. Bam. Alright it's go time. Come to mama vent. Yes! Wow I didn't think it would fall off that easy. Now I have to figure out how to get up in there. Hm. Maybe if I just stand on the chair like this... whoa... balance bitch, balance. Alright yes! Now I just have to lift my self up and... yes! I am in! What the hell? It's like an air vent of some sort this seems to lead to another room. I better move slowly and quietly as hell. I can hear a voice coming from the distance. Alright slowly move along girl you got this. It's starting to get brighter I think I am coming to an opening...Oh my god. It's Ji-Won. I can see him through the vent. He is tide up the same way I was in the same kind of room. If I call out to him something could happen. I can't risk that. I have to get his attention somehow. Wait I remember something... something awful.
It's fuzzy. But I can remember Ji-Won being next to me. We were being held by something unhuman. We were being held by something cold, something metal. We were unable to move. Being carried by Z. Where was he taking us? "Z stop this! Release us at once!" Ji-Won snapped at it. "I am to show you what I am capable of sir. You do not seem to know what it is that I am capable of sir." It said in an odd demonic robotic tone. I looked at him with a -what have you done- face. He shook his head trying to think of what to do. "The switch" Ji-Won mouthed to me. There is a button on the back of Z near its neck and it will shut it down. At least for the moment. We needed to reach that.
Oh my god it has to be Z. Z kidnapped us. No way. This is crazy. Kidnapped by a machine. What beautiful, horrific irony. We capture everything, every moment we want to with technology and it comes around and captures us. Oh my god. There it is. There is Z. What is he doing? He is walking in circles around Ji-Won. He stopped. Shit! The lights went out. Oh, I did not see this coming. Z's eyes... they are lit up red glaring at him. What is he going to do to him? I have to yell. I have to. Alright. Well that was a bad idea. Now the read eyes are staring at me. Let me just back up a little... Shit! Alright Dana. Good job. You probably twisted your ankle now that you just fell 10 feet to the ground. I need to go on a diet. I can't be out here falling through ceilings. At least the lights turned back on. But you know, that doesn't change the fact that there is an angry robot glaring at me laying on the floor. Look around, look around. There is nothing on the ground for me to... the rope! If I can get the rope off of Ji-Won I can use it to rope up Z somehow maybe. How do I distract Z? Ji-Won is looking at me funny. Wait he is already untied. Oh my god my baby is a genius. He is just waiting for the time to strike. Time to save the day. I am going to stand up and piss it off. Yes! Yelling like crazy and waving my arms around worked. Come on Ji-Won make your move for the button. Yes! He just stood up and clicked it just like that. Z didn't even know what was coming. My head....
Waking up, the sun seemed to be creeping into the window. It was morning. I curled up in Ji-Won's arms. Looking at him I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Then I realized everything that had just happened... could it be. I got up and ran down stairs. Ji-Won sat up concerned. "Baby where are you going?" He said. I kept going determined to hope that I was going crazy and there was not a giant robot downstairs. Ji-Won came running down after me throwing his arms around me into a back hug. "Baby what is going on? Come back to bed.". I stood in front of his office room door with a sigh of relief. On his desk sat a mechanical robot hand project he had been working on for his studies. "Baby..." I said turning around throwing my arms up wrapping them around his neck hugging him. "...can we install a home security system?" I said smiling. I figured if we had a nice one built in, my nightmare would have no chance of happening. But that's when he said it. "Baby we already have that though." He said happily swinging me in his hugging arms. "Have what exactly..." I said slowly. "Why are you acting like you have no idea what I am talking about." He said laughing. I wore a serious expression as he simply said a single letter that sent chills down my spine. He turned looking down the hall way and yelled, "Z!".
Oh my god.
