I (M27) am truly getting on in age. I’m young, yes, but a sort of ‘Time to settle down and marry’ young. I’m relatively good looking, fairly muscular and average weight. I’m just a normal looking guy. However, I do not have a current girlfriend. My parents dissaprove of this greatly, especially my father being a misogynist ‘must marry and bear children and work’ kind of guy.
Anyway, I am not very rich and am trying to get a much nicer apartment - or better - house. But I got fired. Last week. So, I looked all over for job listings. One caught my eye: ‘HOUSING INCLUDED! Looking for a hardworking, strong and persistent worker to look after subjects! Routine cycle, well payed! More details at interview. (Along with various other things, email and state ect.).’ I thought it was weird, yes, suspiciously vague, but I needed it. The rest were all prostitution ads, or fast food joints. I sent in an email and went to bed.
I awoke in the morning feeling very energetic. Later on in the day I decided to check my emails. To my surprise, they had answered. “Yes! Are you free for an interview at 2PM at Dayton Metro Library? Then we can take you to the official interview location. Thanks, TSOTU.”
That was weird. What did TSOTU stand for? Why can’t I go straight to this ‘official interview location’ straight away? It was close by so I got ready and drove there right away. I slowly shuffled in the library and adjusted my tie. I saw a small group of people huddled in a corner, all wearing black suits and ties. I went up to the receptionists desk and asked, “Excuse me, I’m here for an-“ but before I could finish my sentence a firm hand gripped my shoulder. “Right here buddy,” a deep, gritty voice spat. I was shocked but at this poin, didn’t care. Only two of the people - two young women - who were speaking were whispering and scribbling on clipboards.
Before I knew it, I was being pushed into a small shack. The rest of the group followed and one older man punched in a code. Suddenly, the room moved. It was an elevator! I sunk down, and it got darker, and colder, and darker, and colder… A loud crunching noise and two metal doors opened. Two big hands grabbed me and I was pulled along this long, metal corridor with foggy glass along the sides. It was like a sick zoo, except you couldn’t see anything. I looked straight ahead and I was being thrown into a white room, with an obvious double sided mirror. I was terrified at this point, and then a gorgeous woman strode in, wearing a white lab coat and goggles.
“Sit.” She prompted and pointed to a metal chair. I hadn’t noticed the sparkling metal chairs and table. It wasn’t nice. It looked like a weird interrogation station. Anyway, I didn’t want to mess with this lady and sat. “I am going to ask you a few questions. Then, you shall be taken to your living quarters and your purpose here shall be explained,” she sniffed and sat down. “Question one. What is your name?”
I was trembling but managed to utter… Actually.. I don’t remember what I said. Huh. Funny. “Right. Question two: Would you like to know your pay?” I remember this bit. “Yes, please!” I nodded excitedly. “3,600 thousand.” She looked at my face falling. “A day.” She finished. “W-what? Really?” I was shocked by the sheer amount of cash I would be getting! Then, she proceeded to ask me a few questions, like previous jobs, skin stretchiness, eye strength, ect. Hold on. Those aren’t normal questions.. nevermind. Its fine. After that I was whisked away to this room. I don’t remember what the way to the room looked like. I imagine it was very nice though. Sunshine and flowers. The room was decent. Cosy. Warm. But not as good as my old apartment. But for 3.6k a DAY? Hell, I’d have lived on the dirt. There was a separate bathroom, but in the main room there was a desk, a closet, a bed and some books. Then, one of the two guards that took me to my room started speaking.
“Right. I’ve been told to explain your job to you. You will wake up and 06:30AM and eat your breakfast. It will be in your room. Always. Then, at 6:40, you will be escorted to your block. Your block is called T-BLOCK. You will monitor everything and write down EVERYTHING on your clipboard. If anything goes wrong, hit the big red button located by the entrance. Then, at 12:00PM you will be escorted back to you room and eat lunch. It will already be there. Then, you go over everything you have written until 12:30PM and he escorted back to T-BLOCK. Then, at 07:00PM you will be escorted back to your room to eat dinner. It will be there. Then you have free time until 08:00PM. Then you must sleep. Or else. And then the cycle repeats. Clear?” I nodded and then… Well, I don’t remember. I’m very forgetful after.. Well, it doesn’t matter. Not yet, anyway.
I woke up at 6:30AM. I don’t know how, but I did. There was a bowl on the desk. I assumed that must be the breakfast. I wolfed it down, used the facilties and opened my closet to find a bunch of grey jumpsuits. I assumed this was work attire and slipped it on. And then, when I was just wondering when I’d be ‘escorted’, the same two burly men whisked me away to what I guessed was ‘T-BLOCK’.
It was like the entrance but without the foggy glass. It had glass, yes but it was clear. Windows. And metal doors with another code puncher. I had the clipboard and a pen and got down to noting. It was pretty normal for a mysterious lab. Weird jellies, odd plants and various liquids. It was when I got to the last window I panicked. There was a little girl there! Misshapen, bruised and oddly fake. She saw me and ran to the window. “PLEASE! LET ME OUT! LEAVE AND TAKE ME WITH YOU!”
I jumped and panicked. She must have got locked in there by accident. I bolted to the red button and alarms went off. Her scared face twisted into an evil smile. I backed away as she crawled up to the window and smashed it open. Just in time, a group of security burst in and shot her down with odd guns. I was immediately escorted back to my room and they ushered me in bed. I look hazily out the gaping window (that was really a wall of glass) in my room and saw people shouting. They pointed at me and then.. Well.. It was very gassy.. The glass fogged over and… I don’t remember. All I remember was waking up in a lovely stately home. I look different. I look… Better. I’m free. Although, every day from 6:40 am to 7:00 pm there’s a man who gasps at me and scribbles on a clipboard. Maybe its because I fashion some new, fancy pairs of eyes. Maybe it’s because of my claws and purple skin. But I remember less and less. And care less and less. All I know is the cozy home I live in. I have my phone. I have a TV. I have everything. It’s like my own, little world.
But I’m getting stronger. I know how to be free. I learnt a few tricks from the day I got here. Maybe I should use them? Maybe I should stay here? But.. You know what? I can’t remember what I was going to say.