Today was unusual. Waking up besides my daughter, I looked around and noticed that all the photos had been taken away. As I got up, there were also traces of wet footprints scattered all around the floor. Every inch, except for where we slept, had been stained with the footprints. In one of the corners of the room, there was a small chair with a notebook and pencil firmly sitting on top of it. As I walked over, I noticed that it was a diary. Leather striped covers and a red thread to use as a bookmarker. Standing over it, the diary had already been opened, and someone had written something in it.
25th June
Hello Harold.
I am leaving this diary with you in hopes that you will begin to write down your personal experiences whilst being confined inside these four walls. I have noticed that writing your feelings or thoughts down helps you keep your sanity as well as your correct state of mind. Maybe it can help you too. I hope. Every week, I shall provide you with a fresh pencil, so I implore you to write out to your hearts content. Do not shy over implanting your feelings into these pages. It will not only help just you but also me. And even more so for science and our future.
Please ignore the stains on the floor as some of my researchers tend to have habits to...swerve of path. As long as you are not awake during the night, you and your daughter shall be safe, that I can assure you. Furthermore, at the end of every week, I shall be taking in the notebook to review your entries, but I promise not to release such information to the public. This is just for my personal interests. It's a sort of hidden conversation if you may think it as that way. All I ask is for you to abide by my requirements, and your time here will not be as miserable as it could be. Before I leave, I have one piece of advice for you, my dear friend. Whatever you do, wherever you go, and whatever you think is happening. Always, and I mean always...be afraid.
Goodbye.
What the hell was that last part about? And who are these workers of his that I should be wary of?
My mind propped up multiple questions, which I knew I wouldn't get the answer to. But I had worked out a few things now that are essential to my survival.
1) Do not stay awake during the night.
2) Do not write down my plans/ideas for escaping.
3) Do not lose my mind.
If I can follow these three rules, then I can ensure my and Alissa's safety. But Alissa is a child. She could wake up during the night from a nightmare. I need to make sure that these cases do not occur.
As I sat beside her watching her smile, I gently stroked her hair. It was as soft as a feather, and her maple brown hair spread across the floor as if water had been spilt, forming a tree-like pattern. She looked so innocent whilst she was asleep. Thinking back, she always had such a calmness about herself, something that Alice didn't have, making her much more mature at a younger age.
She will be a fine woman when she grows up. I thought.
After a while, I began my usual morning routine. Stretches, then a few pushes, sit ups and squats, and then meditation to top it off. Whilst being extra careful as to not make sudden noises that would wake her up.
As I was wrapping up my usual routine, my nose caught onto an unusual pungent smell. It was something I had never experienced before, but it felt oddly familiar. As my nose darted across the room, I tried my hardest to recall what this familiarity was. Searching for a while, I noticed a much more presence near a random part of the wall. It was near the corner but not quite. As I made my way towards it, the horrible smell began to enhance as my nose couldn't handle it anymore.
Reaching my hand out, I caressed my fingers across the area of the smell, trying to find something out. As I brushed my hand across it, the material felt out of shape. Normally, the wall had this strong white padded fabric that was plastered over it, but here it was much more of cotton than of paddings.
How come I never noticed this before? Unless it had just been changed.
Using both hands, I tried to rip apart the cotton cloth that was in the way. It felt indestructible. My hands quickly gave up from the sheer pressure that was exerted onto it.
"Dammit, what kind of cotton is that hard?" I whispered to myself, clearly frustrated by the lack of damage done onto the cotton.
"Daddy, what are you doing?" Alissa said, rubbing her eyes and letting out a small yawn as she lifted herself up.
"Nothing darling, did you have a good sleep?" I asked, diverting the topic.
"It was really comfortable. Why are there footprints?" She said, looking around the room.
"I'm not sure, honey." I said as I sat beside her.
"I'm hungry." She replied as she leaned against my shoulder.
"They usually send food in a bit, so don't worry. Why don't we play a game?" I asked, trying to find ways to delay her hunger.
"Yes!" She said enthusiastically.
We played for what felt like eternity. It was unusual as we had not heard any input from The Scientist. Not even a whisper. So, we continued to play and play and play. After a while, a small hole opened from one of the walls surprising us as we turned our heads. From it, a pale white hand sent a box through it. Rushing to the hole as fast as I could, I tried to get a glimpse of the outside or who was there, but I was too slow. Opening the box, it had essentials that would last us for the rest of the week. Water, food, clothes. Instantly,
Alissa grabbed a sandwich and gobbled it down hungrily, her mouth covered in breadcrumbs. Watching her eat and her guilty expression after made me let out a small laugh as I patted her head afterwards. After eating, Alissa decided to take a little nap, so I sat in front of the cotton fabric, thinking of ways to rip it open.
"Are you in a pickle, Harold?"
"What does it look like?"
"Do you need some advice?"
"Why try and help me when you locked me in here in the first place." I said, staring at the speaker.
"Because I'm that kind?"
"Nice joke."
"Oh, come on, don't you want a hint?"
"Sure, enlighten me." I said mockingly, rolling my eyes.
"It is pretty simple, think inside the box."
"Inside? Not outside?"
"Yep, inside."
I sat with my legs crossed and my hand placed on my chin as I began to think. "Inside the box." I whispered. "Inside. Box. Room. Box has walls, so does a room! I need to use something here!" As I stared around, my eyes fixated on one spot. "The mirror." As I stood in front of, I thought of a way to break it without waking up Alissa.
"Well done, Harold. You're smarter than you look." His tone always reflecting his superiority irritated me.
"I have a question?"
"What is it?"
"Why help me?
"Fun."
"Is that all? Do you think this is fun?"
"Of course. Why else would I trap you here. Science is a factor but for my own amusement as well. Seeing people struggle in vain just to survive is so fascinating. How will they act? What will they do? Will they use their mind or their brute strength? Who will lose themselves first? All these thoughts and questions are eating me away day after day. My body becomes restless as I yearn for that answer. Seeing humans flail and struggle brings out so much of their true nature. When the fear of your own survival or someone close to you is present, then we forget about or ideals and morals and resort to savagery. That is true humanity! The wildness, the ruthlessness, and the lack of morals are what we were born as. And that is what we resort to."
"Do you truly think we are all the same?"
"Yes. No matter how much we deny it, the truth will always exist. We must accept it as it will bring us benefits beyond understanding."
"You're insane."
"Maybe I am. But the truth itself is something only insanity can bring out. Do not live with lies in your life. The truth is what matters, and at the end of the day, if insanity is the only way for it to come out, then we must accept it."
"Then I shall prove you wrong. Just you wait. And then I'm coming out there to beat your ass."
He let out a chuckle after I had said that. It struck a nerve in my body, but I remained calm. "Then I shall wait for you. Goodbye."
And then he left me standing there. But I had my conviction, and I would not waver.
"Until we meet."