The Disguised

Surreal

"Lay down, we'll just insert this liquid and nothing else." The doctor said.

"What will happen to me?" I asked as I laid down on a white hospital bed with straps.

"You'll just go into a deep sleep. Don't worry, nothing hurtful will happen." She assured.

Something warm started to surge through my veins as they injected me. I started to feel lightheaded and sleepy. Everything began to seem blurry and then the world faded to black.

———

Knock, knock.

I woke up, the sunlight shining brightly from the window. I looked down at my arm where the injection would have gone in. But nothing. I wasn't in a hospital. Or a lab. Why did it feel so real then?

"Noah?"

I got up and walked to the door. Lauren was at the door holding what seemed to be a stack of new clothes. And a pair of shoes.

"I came to give you your new set of clothes." She smiled.

I grabbed them and examined that they were the same as everyone else's. "Why the same clothes as everyone?"

"Just something Dr. Erwin told us we should wear the same outfits. So we wouldn't feel different."

I rubbed my eyes. "Uh ok. Is this the only thing I'll be wearing?"

"No," she replied. "There'll be more outfits like this one coming soon. It's just for now."

"Well, hurry up changing. Breakfast will be ready soon. I'll just wait out here."

So I left to change and when I finished, we headed our way towards to cafeteria. Now that I thought about, Lauren seemed a bit familiar. As if I knew her before this, but I can't exactly pinpoint where I might have seen her. When I thought about it, my head begins to hurt. I let myself forget about it for now.

We sat at the table we did yesterday and everyone was there. Jay, Amanda, and Dace.

"Hello, sleepyhead." Dace said. He looked a bit tired and worn out.

"Hello." I replied. I guess I look the same.

A bell rang and the cafeteria staff started to emerge from the kitchen with bowls and silverware. They served everyone and I saw that our breakfast was cereal. Without sugar. Well, I guess they like to stay healthy.

I suddenly began to get a wave of head pain. What was happening? I looked up and saw the cafeteria staff with wide smiles on there faces. As if serving teenagers was the most exciting thing on earth. How come I didn't notice that before? I looked around at everyone around me, their faces seemed fuzzy. They were laughing and smiling and I could hear a distant ringing noise.

A heart monitor was increasing in noise. And the laughing and shouting of the cafeteria began to fade until I coukdn't year anything. I was beginning to feel unreal. Like if this was unreal, the world that I was living in.

"Noah?"

In a second, my eyes began to see clearly, and I once again started to hear the noise of the cafeteria. No distant ringing noise.

"Noah, are you ok?" Lauren worried.

"Uh yes. Of course." I managed a smile.

She looks at me for a while longer and then went again to talking to Dace and Jay. Dace glanced my way but decided not to disturb me.

Could this have something to do with my dream?

———

After breakfast, everyone left the cafeteria and began to do their own thing,

We all decided to go outside and hang out. Did they not do anything? No work?

"You good?" Dace asked as we were sitting on a bench watching the others play around with a ball.

"Oh, of course. Just... a bit of a headache." I answered.

"Oh," he didn't sound like he believed me.

It wasn't only the headaches but the dream that I had. It felt like I was in a hospital. Or somewhere else where people were dressed similar. What's the word? A lab? Yes, a lab. Why would I dream about a lab?

"Something is bothering you." He said.

I think that was one of the things that I liked about him. He would joke around, but he'll know when to be serious.

"Just the mark I have on my arm." I half lied. I was actually also bothered by how I was the only match in years.

"Well, I see how that would get you thinking. Especially since you're matched with this handsome guy right here." He pointed to himself.

I chuckled. "You wish." I was glad for the change of subject.

I sideways glanced at him. He had smile on his face.

"Stop being a idiot Jay!" Amanda shouted. "Pass the ball!"

"Sheesh, fine." He kicked it so hard and it hit Amanda on her right shoulder.

"OW!" Amanda whined.

Jay and Lauren laughed.

"It's not funny." Amanda said,

"Well, it is a bit funny." Dace said.

Amanda glared at him and crossed her arms. But she smiled. They got back to playing, as Amanda the goalie.

"How is it here?" I asked.

"It's great. But I find it a bit disturbing we don't do anything. Like this is a perfect place for everyone. I don't like it. But I still think it's a great place. Sometimes I feel like this is a dream." He picked a blade of grass and started to twirl it around his fingers.

I nodded but he obviously couldn't see it. He was deep in thought.

Could this all not be real?

———

The next few days went quickly. Before I knew it, 2 weeks had passed since I've arrived. Nothing new has happened. We don't do anything but sometimes we have to exercise to keeps us fit. We also do different activities everyday, but they get boring for a while at least for me.

I was exhausted from a day of exercise and gardening, which we had to do to keep the plants alive. And we also farmed and collected wheat, carrots, and more.

It was time for everyone to go to sleep and I was was filled with joy. I really wanted to take a shower and sleep. I grabbed some extra clothes from my small closet and went to the showers. For some reason I kept having these "visions" through the whole week about me being in a lab and agreeing to be used as a experiment. I also saw a girl who i thought was my little sister, but I didn't have one; It was quite interesting.

Once I was done showering, I went back to my bedroom and laid down on my bed. But as I laid down, I felt something under my pillow. I grabbed something furry, and brought it out.

It was a stuffed bear with the words "Leo" stitched to the bottom of one of its feet.

I big wave of pain attacked my head. I began to hear the heart monitor once again, and the world around me began to fade. The beating of a heart grew louder in sound. Then everything went quiet and everything was pitch black.

I felt myself laid down on a bed. And I heard the heart monitor once again, very clearly. As if it were right next to me. I heard chatter. And finally, a female voice said,

"Noah?"