Down the hall, turn right, up the steps, turn left, turn right, and walk into the second room on the right.

“This will be your room while you stay at Smyert Detention Center.”

I look around. There’s a white bed, a white table (complete with white chair), a white television, a white telephone, and a white personal computer. The floor, ceiling, and walls are bleached, and they look electronic. Probably bugged. This is pretty nice for a Detention Center.

“I’m impressed. Do I actually get to use the electronics, or are they just for show?”

“All electronics work fine.”

“Great.” I walk over to the bed. I can see now that there’s a small compartment under the bed. I open it and see white jumpsuits.

“Doors will be locked from 7 pm to 6 am. Visitation hours are 12 pm to 4 pm. When doors are not locked, you may wander with guard. Lights out at 11 pm. If you do not comply, actions will be taken to help you sleep.”

The guard doesn’t speak very good English. Smyert is located just outside of Moscow.

The guard leaves, and I go online immediately, hoping to communicate with my boyfriend over IM.

I log on using the generic password and username. To my disappointment, there is one program.

Solitaire.

I log off and turn on the television. The “Conformity Is the Best Way” program was all that was on. I sighed, and lied down on my new bed. How long could they possibly keep me here? Not long, I should hope.

A few of my friends have been here. They went in smirking and saying “They can’t change my rebellious spirit! Don’t worry, Scar, it’ll all be fine.”

(My nickname is scar, because I have a blue scar that runs down my face.)

But when they came out, they were totally different. They did as they were told. No facial expressions, no laughter... Whenever I asked them what happened, they say “It’s better this way, Darya. You’ll understand soon.”

I stood up and went over to the door. Locked.

“HEY!” I yelled. “I KNOW THE WALLS ARE BUGGED! WHAT TIME IS IT?”

The guard responded in Russian, “Dva-pyatnadsat”. 2:15.... great.

“I’m finding it exceptionally hard to sleep. May I have medication?”

No answer.

I growled, picked up the chair, and threw it against the door. 2 minutes later, 3 guards came in with sedation, and I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up later and discovered there was a clock on my computer. “9:15 AM. Funny.” I walked outside with a guard.

I had to communicate with Russian, seeing as the guard knew no English.

“Sir, is it not 9:15 in the morning?”

“It is, yes. Why do you ask?”

“It’s still dark out. It should be light.”

He paused for a moment. “You lived underground, right? You were a part of that rebellion. ”

“Yes. Many friends came here, and... Changed. Why?”

“You will know, soon enough. It will happen.”

“...Oh.”

“How long were you there?”

“Five years, I think. But before that, I was in a different facility, seven years. No windows, no news from the outside.”

His expression darkened. “I see. Well... in 2095, 6 years ago, the 8th continent was formed. A part of Australia collided with this... new thing. Supposedly it was underwater, although I think that not true. They were highly advanced... Well, Russia got off on the wrong foot with them. They attacked us, with this weird bomb. It spread disease throughout the country, killing everyone on the surface. There were a few facilities underground, and several in the sky. They survived. Everyone must live in the ground, now, because the surface is still extremely toxic.”

“Oh my god... that’s terrible! You’re joking.”

“Would I joke about such a thing?”

“I suppose not.” I sighed. “Wait... we are on the surface?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t it toxic?”

“Yes.”

“Then... why are we here?”

“So you can be exposed to the disease. So it won’t spread to you from a sick inmate. We have a vaccine you can take, when we go back inside.”

“Wonderful. Thank you, so much.”

“Yes, let’s go inside now.”

We walked inside quickly, and I was given a quite painful shot. They took me back to my cell, and I laid down on the bed. After a minute, I got up and went over to the computer. I began to play solitaire, and as I did, I calmed down. Strange.

Well, I should probably say why I’m in the asylum in the first place.

My dreams tell the future.

No joke, I dream it, it happens. Sometimes I can probe people’s minds or databases with my dreams. So weird, I know. But anyways, the officials don’t believe me, they just think I’m crazy. Guess that’s what I get for telling my best friend I’ve known since I was three. I still don’t understand why Lena squealed…

A guard came in and gave me my meds, and I quickly went to sleep.

I wandered through the halls. There was a door on left. I went into the room. There were about 10 televisions, all filming patients. Were there only 10 people here? No… that couldn’t be. I saw a clipboard on the wall. “Solitaire Therapy.” What the heck?

I looked to the televisions. I saw two men being tortured, 3 women playing solitaire, and 5 women sleeping. I saw myself, included in the 5 sleeping. I was tossing and turning though. I began to scream.

I willed myself to calm down, but before I could, a couple of guards came in and gave me a shot. I would be waking up soon.

I quickly scanned the database, searching for a way out or… or something. Suddenly, I had a brilliant plan. The guards were still watching over me, and they had the door open. I could pop awake, and run out!

I ran my mind through all the security cameras, looking for the tunnel. Yes… there! I found it! Down the hall, left, left, left, right, straight, right, left, and there it is! Okay… One… Two… THREE!

I sprung out of my bed, too fast for the guards to catch me, and bolted down the hall. Left… left… left… right… straight… right… left… THERE! I pushed the doors open, and jumped into one of the vehicles. Good thing I know how to hotwire. I got the vehicle going in no time, and zoomed through the tunnel.

HA! Take that, stupid Smyert! I found a nice cave to camp out in for the rest of the night, but I parked the car about a mile away from it.

Finally, I laid down to get some rest. I was still drowsy from the meds.

The next morning, when I opened my eyes… I was in the cell. “What?! NO!”

I looked at the computer. Solitaire was open… but I had closed it last night…

Something strange was going on here.

I carefully chose my food; I didn’t want to get something gross.

I looked around the cafeteria… one seat, next to a creepy looking old man. I sat down beside him.

“Hi. I’m Darya.”

“Nicolas. Kage.”

“…The old movie actor?”

“No no, the crazy guy.”

“…Oh.”

“And by the way, your dreams’ll get you nowhere. There’s no way out of this place. I should know, I can read minds.”

“What color am I thinking of?”

“Blue.”

“Nice.”

I’d been here for 2 days, and already that didn’t surprise me.

“I was the homeless crazy guy. Stayed on the surface too long, that’s why I look so creepy.”

I blushed. “I’m sorry.”

“S’okay.”

“Well… nice meeting you, Kage.”

“Nice meeting you, Scar.”

I grinned. He’d probed through my mind to find my nickname…

















This isn’t good. I’m being taken somewhere. Into a large room…. I sit down. There’s a woman sitting at the table.

“Hello….Scar.”

I realize with horror who it is.

Lena.

“Lena?! What are you…”

“I’m the Warden, dearest. Yes, that’s right… you told the warden of a detention center that you’re psychic!”

“Oh Lena…”

“And now… to make you like all the rest of them. Come with me.”

We walked out of the room, and down the hall. Into my room. I saw myself sleeping peacefully.

Lena walked up to me.

She held up a needle. “This shot,” She said. “Will make you like all your other compliant, brain-dead friends.”

“NO! PLEASE NO! LENA!”

“You see, that “disease” the Austro-aliens spread…. It gives you powers. Like that hobo. I was affected by it… and I formed this detention center to make sure that just anyone doesn’t have these special powers.”

“You’re evil!” I spat in her face.

She just grinned, and wiped the saliva off her nose. Lena then proceeded to give me the shot.

My eyes flew open. I stood up.

“Wonderful.” Lena cooed. “Let’s get you ready for checkout.”



“Off you go! Don’t come back!” Lena yelled as the taxi drove me away. I grinned. You thought you fixed me… you didn’t.