In The Cold
It told us we can’t go home. It told us we can’t speak about this to anyone. It told us we would be stuck here forever.
Today started off like any other day. I left my wife and kids to go to work. I started my shift normally, shoveling paths through the snow. I remember the cold chill that bit my nose. I remember the laughs shared between coworkers.
I remember the loud crash that made everything go dark. My ears ringing, my sight blurred, and my body aching. The bloodied bodies of my coworkers by my side. I could feel my head throb as my own blood flowed down my face.
I tried to stay awake. I tried to see what happened. I’m sorry, I tried.
I don’t know how much time had passed but I awoke in a cabin with a bandage around my head. There were about 20 other beds around me. Nothing looked familiar. Each bed had someone in it, everyone including me all injured in one way or another.
I heard steps coming up stairs from the opposite end of the room. I was the only one awake. I didn’t know what to do so I pretended to be asleep.
A young woman with an apron walked inside the room overlooking each bed. I shut my eyes tighter as my heart thumped louder. I was terrified she could hear it. The room was so silent it seemed possible. Luckily she walked back down the stairs without any words.
After this moment I knew I needed to escape. I didn’t know where I was. I still don’t know where I am. From my count of the nights and days it seems I have been here for two weeks.
After she left I went back to sleep. But I was awoken the next day along with everyone else in the room to a voice over what seemed to be a loudspeaker. Everyone in the room was confused and scared. I recognized some of my coworkers but others were people I have never seen before. The voice was deep and caused the speaker to crackle.
“There is a red suit on your assigned bed. Put it on, head outside, and get to work. No one leaves. This is your life now. Get used to it.”
Everyone took a second to comprehend the voice. In unison we all looked to our beds. As the voice stated, there was a red suit for each of us at the end of our beds.
“I’m not doing this shit. Get me out! I have a family!” One man screamed as he started to bang on the walls.
One second he was fine but the next he was on the floor with his eyes rolling in the back of his head.
The voice once again came over the loudspeaker.
“Forgot to mention, anyone who fights will die. Now hurry up.”
That sealed our fate.
We all did as told. Everyone stayed silent. I didn’t want to speak. I was afraid what would happen if I did.
The downstairs looked like a normal cabin you rent for a getaway. No one was down there but there was a huge table filled to the brim with freshly cooked breakfast. The smell of bacon grease filled my lungs.
We all didn’t want to trust the food but we were also starving. Something caught my attention besides the breakfast. Outside of the huge window at the front of the house there was a huge piece of metal that looked broken. At closer glance I could tell it was a UFO. I tapped one of my coworkers on the shoulder and pointed to it. One by one all of our jaws dropped.
We are all here now and we can’t leave. Whatever is keeping us here is not human. I can hear things scratching in the walls. I can feel my mind turning to sludge. Day by day we go out and fix the damage on the UFO.
I miss my family. I hope they are okay. I don’t know what to do. But what I do know is that I need to get out of here.
I found a pad and pen that I’m using to write this with. I also found a camera. I’m discreetly documenting everything. There are no cameras pointing over where I sit right now. That’s how I’m writing. I managed to capture the photo attached above from the balcony of the cabin.
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