***

The small room was quiet with the exception of my rapid heartbeat and Chelsea's labored breathing.

I couldn't keep my thoughts from wandering. What was going to happen to me? What's going to happen to us?

I nearly jumped out of my skin when she coughed. It felt ridiculous. I was scared out of my skin. I had a good reason to be though.

After what felt like ages later, the man came back in, without saying a word, and handed us the trays of food.

Chelsea was asleep when he entered so I ate in silence. The food had no taste, just passed through my mouth without me noticing it. Everything seemed numb.

I had nothing else to do so I slept.

I saw my roommate, standing in front of me, frantically searching, tears in her eyes. She was looking for me.

I tried to reach out to her and tell her to come help me, to come save me from this hell, but she never saw or heard me.

I saw my parents, who I hadn't seen or even spoken to in months, cry in their living room huddled over the television where a news broadcast of the newest missing girl was being reported. Me.

I saw Carly, the waitress from the cafe, have a faltered smile while she served the customers. She was my coworker that I barely knew and I had never made an effort to talk to her.

I even saw Jason sitting in his office going through paperwork with a stone cold expression on his face. He was looking at an advertisement with my face plastered on and in big bold words, "missing" read across the bottom.

I wasn't sure if I could trust what I was seeing but there was a glimmer of sadness behind his eyes.

Then everything took a twisted turn fading my vision to red as everyone in my life I've ever had a connection with, good or bad, dismissed me. Mocking words and friends whispering behind my back that it was better that I was gone.

I awoke screaming and tears streaming down my face. Did people actually miss me? Were they looking for me?

Sadness was quickly overtaken by anger. How could someone do this to someone? Why did they choose me?

Me, of all people.

Chelsea was awake and looking at me in horror.

"They were here." It barely came out in a whisper. "He was at your bed talking to you."

"What are you talking about? I was asleep."

I saw the fear in her eyes. And she stared mumbling to her self as she twisted her fingers around a piece of string.

From an outside view, one might think she was certifiably insane. But these people had made her that way.

"That's how they do it. They insert the thought to your own subconscious so it feels like it's you doubting everything from the start. They're telling you what to think without you even realizing it."

Suddenly the metal door heaved open and slammed against the wall creating a loud ringing sound. The man from the cafe followed by another man only a few years younger than him stomped in towards Chelsea's bed.

She began screaming and thrashing around as they reached for her cuff and took her by the hands and ankles to carry her out.

I was left all alone.

***