“If I survive can I go home?” My voice is barely a whisper, a broken rasp, a shattered sentence. My entire body aches, my mind throbs continuously. My hands are bound with metal wire behind my back, I cannot move. A cool voice answers my request “Oh, you shall not survive reprogramming.” I stare around trying to find the speaker, the one who is holiding me captive. “I’m sorry? reprogramming?” I am utterly confused and furious. I glare around me, desperately trying to understand where I am, how I can escape.“Don’t be frightened the transition will be sharp, quick and painless you will take your place in my perfect society.” The mysterious voice continues to talk.

I take a deep breath and mutter the question I have been frequently too afraid to ask.“who are you?” I whisper. “I am your owner” the voice purrs “I own everything and everyone in MY civilisation.” I take a deep breath, my ribs and chest in agony. “I do not need an owner I am not a dog.” I scoff, building up as much courage as I possibly can. The voice answers “No? Well I can make that happen if you truly want to be a dog? But I have better, bigger plans for you.” I’m frozen to the spot both mentally and physically.

“where are my family?” I question “Oh, they are not YOUR family anymore, when they went through reprogramming they were assigned a more.... functional family.” I do not know how to respond to this so instead I remain silent. “I told you I own and control everything that happens here.” I bite my lip, my eyes racing across the darkness, trying to find some light. “What are you going to do to me?” I subconsciously question as my glance traces across the room. “I shall do to you what I did to everyone else, alter your brain.” My breath catches in my throat, alter my brain? Surely that is impossible.

“Where will I live?” I continue. “You will live where I want you to live, it will all become clear to you very soon, that’s enough questions for now.” The voice becomes slightly agitated as if it is as eager to finish this strange conversation as I am.

“One last question.” I muster. “Will I remember who I am when you..........reprogram me?” The answer is short and plain “No, your memory shall be destroyed, you won’t need it where your going.” I nod my head as if I am agreeing with everything this disturbing voice is saying. I watch in confusion as the lights spark on, I am in a hospital like room. The walls are washed a tacky blue colour, a cheap colour. The floor is tiled white, it’s clean and immaculate, not a single spot of dirt. At the end of the room is a metal framed bed, the kind of bed you lay someone down on and wheel them away to the operating theatre on.

I feel a sharp prick in my arm, a jabbing sensation, as if someone’s giving me an injection. My vision clouds over, my head begins to lull. The last thing I hear is a slow calm voice “Take her away, when she wakes bring her back to me.” Then the entire world brakes and darkness fills my sight.