Do you know that feeling when you wake up and don’t remember where you are or how you got there? That’s me right now — but I actually don’t know where I am or how I got here.

I just woke up, my head feeling dizzy, in a completely white room. I can’t even fathom where the edges of the room are. I sit on the floor, with my legs crossed, and look around. The room is so bright that my eyes hurt. It’s similar to a sunny day when you’re outside and look directly at the sun, only constantly.

I try to close my eyes, but I still feel the light getting in. It blinds me and fills my confused brain, hindering me from thinking about any other thing. I spend a few minutes with my eyes closed, just existing. Then, I take a deep breath and let the limpid air fill my lungs.

I open my eyes and squint, but I actually feel my body getting better. Weightless. The room is niveous and clean, but not frosty. It’s kind of odd how I don’t feel cold. I look down and notice I’m only wearing a silky white dress, similar to a summery nightgown.

After a few minutes, I stand up on my bare feet and start to walk around the room. The whole chamber seems to be made of a white shiny stone, but the floor has some mistiness to it. Feels soft on my feet.

After some steps, I get close to the wall and touch it. Weirdly, it doesn’t feel like a prison. I can tell there’s more beyond it and I want to explore it. My hand is laying on the wall and I don’t feel scared about it.

As I move, my left foot stumbles on something and I notice a white piece of paper on the floor, almost unnoticeable on the white surface. It’s folded in four. I open it and it reads itself out loud: “Your meditation session is over. Well done.”

"Your future is a blank slate. What happens next is your choice. We have unburdened you of the baggage you think of as your worldly goods. What will you do next?"

There was no signature. No logo. I wondered whether there was a right answer or a wrong answer. Unlimited possibility? That is the holy grail of modern life, yet the very notion felt overwhelming.

As I sat pondering the ramifications, the lack of distractions or focal points became a distraction. I realized that this decision was truly up to me, that I would not be able to blame anyone or anything but myself. This decision would lay bare my very soul, like a festering wound or a shining star. Which would it be?

Thoughts and emotions swirled like a gathering storm. I felt anxious. Wasn't this what I wanted more than anything? Why the trepidation? I guessed it would come down to good or evil. Bottom line? Who am I? A selfish monster or a saint?

I could find a cure for cancer or become a cancer on society. I could find a fortune and use it to feed and house the homeless, provide health care to the uninsured, stand up for justice or oppress the hopeless, become a peacemaker or a robber baron.

My mind began to settle, the blankness of the room softened. I knew what I had to do. The room began to crymble around me.

"Wake up! You have a very important appointment this morning. Wake up!" The voice pierced the fog. I sat up, realizing I had been on the floor ... no, it was my bed.

"Madam President, your breakfast is ready and your clothes are ready."

It all came flooding back. I had gotten what I wished for. Not fame or fortune, but the ability to make the world a better place. I took a deep breath and stood up, ready to face my future.

Confused, I looked around the seemingly blank room for some sort of clues. I had my pants and socks, shirt, and clothes. My shoes had vanished.

In my usual habits, I clapped my hand over my pockets. No phone, no wallet, no keys. "What the hell..." I muttered, now running my hand over the white wall's perfectly flat surface.

It glowed ever-so-slightly at the touch, but there was no light source in the room whatsoever. Almost like I was trapped inside an Amazon box painted white. There were no windows, doors, tables, chairs...it was practically a blank space.

Panic set in by now. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten here. I just...was. How old was I? Where was I from? Why couldn't I recall anything?

All I could do was search and search around the room, growing more and more desperate about hoping to find SOMETHING that was not...void of any detail. I could feel myself sweat from the anxiety.

My focus on the walls and ceiling had distracted me, however, and I nearly kicked myself when I saw a folded piece of paper. How could I have missed it!? Was it always there? Had I ever actually looked at that spot?

Was it, like this room, blank?

The last question hit me like a ton of bricks. The faded blue denim of my jeans contrasted the floor vaguely as I looked down. The paper felt...well, I'd never really thought about how it felt before. It was just...there.

As I unfolded and heard the crackle of the page, an odd sense of hope flooded through me. Maybe it was a clue to getting out. Instructions or a detail about something I missed in this room.

Fifteen folds...who the hell has the time for that? It felt like an eternity to undo them all. My own impatience would be my undoing it felt. My eagerness seemed like it would get the better of me as I unfurled the final fold to reveal a single, sloppily written sentence in the middle of the page.

"We have been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty."

YoUr NaMe IS MaDiSon

That's it. There's nothing else. I flip the paper over. There's nothing written on the back. I walk around the room, counting my paces. 36 steps wall to wall. It's a perfect cube. I frown and look down at my clothes, a white cotton midi night dress, not unlike the ones women would wear years ago. There's a pocket with something in it. I narrow my eyes and pull it out. It's a pen. I look it over, sitting down to take it apart and put it together again. "Yep... Its a pen" I sigh, grabbing the paper. I read the line over and over again. I say it out loud, I read it backwards, I even reverse the syllables but it doesn't make sense. Nothing does. I scribble out letters, maybe it's an anagram? Nope. Doesn't work.

"Madison. My name is Madison." I can't deny... It feels right. It feels like my name. Why can't I remember anything? I go back to pacing, nibbling at my lip. I guess I have a habit? The metallic taste of Iron fills my mouth as I keep nibbling while I think. My hands start clicking. What? Why? It's like every part of my body has to be moving. I can't keep anything still. Now I want to jump. I start jumping, my body moving itself. Why? Why can I not keep still? Now my head is bopping. I try to look around but can't. I'm not in control here. Am I going crazy? Suddenly I freeze - my whole body going rigid. I can see green numbers - wait that's binary code. Why can I see binary? I feel my energy drain, and my eyes start to close. I fight it. I don't want to sleep. I'm scared. Will I remember when I wake up? My eyes eventually shut and I feel my body drop. Then there's darkness.

I wake up in a pure white room. There's nothing with me... Just my clothes and a piece of paper. I open the folded paper.

YoUr NaMe IS MaDiSon yOu ArE NoT hUMaN

That's it. There's nothing else.

It's... blank. It's just a sheet of pristine white paper, the same color as the walls around me. Confused, I struggled to remember what happened before I got here. No use, my mind is just as blank as this sheet of paper.

Confusion soon gave way to anger as I slammed my fists against the walls, screaming in frustration. I was only answered by silence. Hoarse and exhausted, I soon slipped into a sleepless stupor interjected by wild manic nightmares.

I jolted awake, my watch showing I passed out for almost half a day. I soon returned to despair as I realized I'm still exactly where I was. Another day of screaming ensued before I once again passed out from exhaustion, both physically and mentally.

...

I forgot how long ago it was when I realized I never got hungry or thirsty in this place. My watch had long since died, making this prison a timeless void in space for me. Despair was a long forgotten feeling, everything was nothing and nothing was everything.

...

I stirred, having sat motionless for.. ages. Or minutes? It didn't matter. Nothing did. My gaze once again traveled across the room, seeing the ever present white all around me. Am I expecting to see something different? Was insanity defined by repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting different results? Am I insane? My internal monologue was broken by the sight of that piece paper I tossed aside so long ago.

I see that it's just as perfect as the day I saw it. No creases, no blemishes, perfectly.. straight.. edges.. so.. very.. sharp. Pulling the edge across my fingers, I was struck by an overwhelming sensation of pain and surprise and my fingers cut and bled. I forgot what it felt like to.. feel. Awe and wonder as I stared at my wound, the paper shining bright and white.

Realization soon dawned on me, as I beheld the keys to my freedom. Right there in my hands. It may be slow, it may be swift, but it will be a sweet release all the same.

I opened my eyes upon a bare white room. It contained only myself and a single white chair. The walls were eggshell smooth, perfect and unblemished, unbesmirched by any smallest speck of dirt or dust. The emptiness of the room was striking.

I blinked twice and then turned on the spot, eyes darting round the perimeter, searching for a nonexistent exit. The smooth walls extended around me like a virtual hug, impersonal but inexorable. I felt a cold quiver of claustrophobia climb my insides.

I quashed it and observed the lone chair. It was a stiff, upright wing style, upholstered in white on white brocade. The textured pattern shimmered in the diffuse white light, beautiful and cold, uninviting.

Upon the seat of the chair sat a white envelope. It bore crisp black letters, the only splash of substantiality in this blank place.

I picked up the envelope and read my own first name. The chill climbing my insides shot up through the top of my head. The crisp black letters seened to dance before my eyes.

Where was I?

Frantically I tried to remember where I had been and what I had been doing before arriving here. I remembered my whole pointless life--but not the past day. I remembered yesterday, brushing what was left of my teeth. Going to bed. Getting up this morning? I drew a blank. Had I gotten up at all?

Fear kindled a fire in my belly. I tore the envelope open. Inside was a sheet of thick, smooth, dead white paper, cut with more crisp black lettering.

There was one sentence written on the whole folded page.

Welcome to Hell.

Numbly, I sat down on the uninviting white chair and stared at the unmarked white wall.

I stared and stared. The room was silent. I could hear the rush of my blood.

I was alone with my thoughts.

Eventually, I started to scream.

‘The experiment has begun.’

….. You look down at the clothes you’re wearing. All white. There’s a bed, and a toilet. A sink, and shower. That’s all.

Well. Other than the camera. You knew it was here somewhere, even though you couldn’t see it.

‘You agreed to 60 days in this cell. You were shown it beforehand and have accepted responsibility for your own care inside it.’

Looking around again…familiarizing yourself with this place….maybe savoring it a little. After it’s over, after you know this place, it’s all old. It’ll become old too quickly.

‘There will be a closet, of food supplements nearby. Again, you yourself are responsible for your own health here.’

It was all white. It had blended into everything, but when you look closely, there it was. A deep closet, all filled with white bottles. You let out a sigh.

‘As per the terms of our agreement, you will subject yourself to physical and Psychological evaluation once leaving the cell. You will be compensated; you and your family will never want again.’

A small roll of your eyes. From the beginning these lab coats have held your situation over you. You, your wife…your daughter. Almost jeering at your situation.

‘Once you go to sleep for the night, this note will be gone. Everything you need to sustain your body is in here. Again. It is up to you to maintain…or fail to.’

Next to the toilet, toilet paper, white. Near the shower, white bottles. Body wash, shampoo, conditioner.

You almost didn’t want to read the rest. It would be real when you finished, and everything would start to spiral…slowly, but surely, you knew. You would probably not be the same man you went in as.

‘I, as the director am personally looking forward to seeing the effects of isolation. Of how well a human will take care of themselves under such circumstances. This of course would never be allowed anywhere. So you and your situation have given us a wonderful opportunity.

Thank you, sincerely. Good luck. You know the risks.

I hope it pays off.

—Director Clamwell.’

….. Crumbling the paper, you look around. Somewhere there was a camera, watching you like a rat. Like an experiment. They didn’t particularly care wether you lived or died. Either way….

“…You guys…already won huh. Well…don’t expect me to lose either.”

Sitting on the bed, you stared ahead. Thinking of…anything to do.

60 days, 1440 hours. 86400 minutes wouldn’t pass themselves.

'I don't know if you're getting these, but we're trying our best to get you out!' The young man crumples up the note and tosses it onto a pile of notes.

Ya'mir: "Your best, huh? What a joke...."

He sits down, laying his head in his arms. Until a soft disembodied voice speaks.

????: "Lost?"

Ya'mir looks around frantically.

Ya'mir: "Wha- Who's there?!"

????: "Just a concerned friend. I noticed your presence in my realm and thought I'd come see your dilemma."

Ya'mir clenches his fist, tears forming in his eyes.

Ya'mir: "It started when I signed up for this stupid internship. I had to collect data for anomalies forming around my town, Faela, but as I collected data. The scientist wanted more for their studies. So they asked me to go inside the rift in the ground....I would've said no, but the rift became bigger and I lost my footing. They thought it would lead to a world like no other.....guess they were right."

????: "The place you come from. What's it like?"

Ya'mir: "Huh? Why do you care?"

????: "Merely conversation. I could leave if you li-"

Ya'mir: "NO! N-No, please don't go.....it's been so long since I've heard someone else.... My place is very magical. We can get wherever we need in the blink of an eye, conjure up fire with the wave of our finger. Stopping to think about it, I don't know where we'd be without powers like those."

????: "Do you think you can show me some of that power?"

Ya'mir: "I would, but i haven't eaten in what feels like forever. I can't use it on an emp-"

Suddenly, a fully cooked pot roast appeared in front of him.

????: "Will this suffice your appetite?"

Ya'mir looks on amazed. He drops down and begins scarfing it down. Once he's done, he stands up and shakes his body.

Ya'mir: "That's all I needed. How'd you do that anyway?"

????: "My realm, my rules."

Ya'mir: "I see, that's amazing. What else can you do?"

Wind begins to pick up swirling around Ya'mir. He covers his face as the wind becomes extremely intense. Once it stops, Ya'mir opens his eyes to see a world full of life. There were vibrant green hills with flowers along them. A waterfall could be heard in the distance, and the skies were clear blue with a bright sun shining on Ya'mir.

Ya'mir: "T-This is amazing! All of this.....you did all of this?!"

????: "That's right, hehe~ My realm, my rules remember. Now, about your power?"

Ya'mir: "Oh right, sorry!"

Ya'mir closes his eyes and kneels down, sparks begin to fly from his feet as he dashes, and in an instant, he's at the water fall.

Ya'mir: "Controlling it tends to be hard unless I'm focused solely on distributing it."

????: "That was amazing!"

Ya'mir: "Heh, thanks. By the way, I never got your name."

????: "Oh my name?"

A young girl comes from the waterfall and holds out her hand.

Gaia: "You can call me Gaia."

Ya'mir shakes her hand, smiling.

Ya'mir: "Right, it's nice to meet you."

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The note disappears in your hands before you get the chance to read it. You try to wake up, but this isn't a nightmare. How did you get here? No one knows the answer. You attempt to run your hand against the walls to find an escape, but can't even find the walls. You yell out for help, but are all alone. You try to recount the events of the previous days, hoping it might shed light on how you got here, and how to get out.

It was a day like any other, you wake from your slumber at the crack of dawn, ready for what lies ahead. Up you rise to greet your family, before making breakfast and heading to work. You love your job as a school teacher, it does have its ups and downs, but overall you start everyday with a smile on your face and leave with joy in your heart.

Today was different though, and from the start you started to suspect something was up. The children seemed less focused than usual, more nervous, like they knew something you didn't. It is probably fine, you have nothing to worry about. You continue teaching as normal until a message comes over the loudspeaker. What happened next is a blur, all you remember is trying to get your students to safety as panic fills the air. It is probably fine, you have nothing to worry about. That is what you tell yourself, that is what you convince yourself is true, but deep down you know it isn't. You don't quite know what happened after that, all you remember was hearing the sound of a door creaking ever more open, then the sound of a pistol.

Back in the room you see the note appear again, "Welcome to the afterlife, there is no escape. Get comfy, the grim reaper awaits your next lesson."

The note reads “I Want to play a game” and I sigh “Not this shit again.” I say as I wait for billy to appear on this old ass TV just casually on the ground. The TV flickers on, Billy appears into the frame. “Evan, the only way to get out is by digging in this shit water head first and retrieving the key tapped to a poisonous pufferfish that will sting you if you make any wrong move, and the face is gonna hurt.” Billy said before laughing. “You have 2 minutes.” “Fuck! I’m fucking fucked!” I said as I brough up the courage and held my breath. I dug in, quickly searching in the shit as fast as I could, I felt like my eyes would melt, I saw the pufferfish, it was flared up, I would never be able to get it like that so I found a shard of glass to stab it with. I then quickly retrieved the key, opened this bear trap off my head and the door soon opened. I took a deep breath, i felt disgusted as I was covered in shit. Billy was at the door to greet me. “Well, that’s certainly not a look for you, Now for your next test!” He said as I muttered “No! Please no!” I said as he began meniachly laughing and I fell to the floor, I then woke up in my bed. “Well that was a weird dream”.

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           Mini woke but remained as still as she could. She fought to keep from panicking and took small measured breaths. On high alert and listening for any small sound. Her shoulder hurt but she ignored it. Can't move. Can't move. Don't move. If he thinks I am still out of it he won't hit me anymore. Minutes passed with silence all around her. She looked thru slitted eyelids and saw a bright, white room. First thing she did was take a grateful breath she was alone, but then wait. Where was she? Chancing a full look see, Mini sat up. She was alone alright. No entrance or exit, no furniture, no nothing greeted her sight. Grateful at first, then scared and now mad.
          Shaking her fist at the ceiling, "What have you done now Jimmy?" Mini yelled. "Why can't you just leave me alone? Why do you have to do things like this to me?"
          Mini stood, "Where are you? Say something!" she said, angry tears rolling down her face.
          There was no answer.
          Frustrated she let out a big sigh and looked down, there was a piece of paper at her feet. She had been sitting on it. Mini picked it up.
          "Touch the Wall." There was a logo , beneath the request. The letters "JA-R-US" were set in a half circle, like a smile.
          "Is this another one of your sick jokes, Jimmy? Is it? Just because you have money doesn't mean you can do anything you want to me."
          Not knowing what else to do Mini touched the wall closest to her. It became translucent and tall words scrolled down.
          "Greetings. Welcome to JA-R-US."
          A large keyboard floated up on bottom of the screen.
          The next line was, "You are facing your front door."
          Mini was stunned. But this all looked familiar. Her little brother had played a game sorta like this. She had to type directions and stuff.
          She tried, "Open front door."
          "Front door is open."
          "Exit front door." She answered.
          "You are in the hallway."
          Remembering the floor plan of her apartment she continued.
          Just as she reached the elevator a red warning flashed across the screen.
          "Jack Ass Alert. Jack Ass Alert. Jack Ass has been detected in the room ahead."
          Mini froze. It was Jimmy, he loved to corner her in the elevator. She couldn't go down the stairs either because his goons would have that exit covered. Now what? But wait, this was a game right?
          "Look through door." She typed one letter at a time, not knowing what would happen.
          A section of the door to the elevator became clear as glass.
          It was Jimmy. There were fresh red welts on his face where she had dug in with her nails. "That little bitch." He muttered smearing the blood drips across his cheek. "This is the last time I will let her get away from me. I will make her love me. She is mine and mine alone."
          Mini yelped out and stepped back in horror. "Oh my god. Oh my god. What do I do?"
          The screen responded with a "?"
          Mini typed ,"?" in reply.
          "Help Menu: When Jackass has been detected select an exile level by entering 'roll dice'. This will create an appropriate resolution for your Jackass."
          Mini looked around not really believing any of this.
          She shrugged her shoulders, winced and typed, "Roll Dice."
          "7. You have selected the Seventh Level of Hell."
          "Roll for duration."        
          "Roll Dice." She typed.
          "Double 6. The duration selected will be Eternity."
          She watched, half in horror, half in amazement as the elevator floor beneath Jimmy began to burn.
          "WHAT THE HELL!! HELP! HELP! GET ME OUTTA HERE!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.
          Mini was shrieking and shaking as she watched him fall from view, his yells becoming distant then stopping.
          All was quiet.
          "Thank you for playing JA-R-US."
          The wall went back to being a plain wall.
          Mini fainted.
          A loud banging at her door woke her up.
          "Mini. This is Cleo, let me in. Mini! Let me in. Are you alright?!"
          Mini sat up groggy and looked around. Her bed, her apartment. "What?"
          Stumbling to her front door, she let her best friend Cleo in. "What is it?"
          Acting like aliens had come to earth Cleo challenged her, "Mini, haven't you seen the news?"
          Mini blinked at her friend, she looked down and noticed she was still wearing the clothes she'd worn on last night.
          "Watch this." Cleo turned on the T.V.
          "Infamous software genius and crypto wizard Jimmy Glens has committed suicide. He was filmed jumping off the top of his penthouse. He fell into a construction hole in the street. His body has not been found. Film tonight."
          Mini sat back. Jimmy gone?
          No. It can't be. No. Digging in her pocket she pulled out a crumpled paper. As she smoothed it out the words on it were fading fast, "....JA-R-US..........."