Waking In The Opaque

His feet were wet. That's the first thing he noticed. The only first thing he could have noticed. Only silent, still darkness surrounded him.

He knew this was an odd situation, but he wasn't sure how or why. The man searched for memories that seemed just outside his reach. He tried to recall his name, where he was and where he'd come from, how and why he'd come to stand in this puddle in total darkness. But his memories were as impenetrable as the darkness enveloping him.

Why can’t I remember my name? he thought.

Breathing slowly and deeply, he tried to calm the throbbing in his temples. He heard the sound of air crossing his lips as he sucked in. That satisfied one desperate curiosity; he may have gone blind, but he wasn’t deaf.

The man reached his arms out into the space before him. Only cool, wet air greeted his outstretched hands.

He slid one foot forward through the ankle-deep water, hands still searching the black. The floor felt like slick rubber, maybe a butyl membrane used to waterproof the room.

Great! Useless information about butyl rubber I can recall.

The sound of his feet sliding through the water died without an echo. But it was answered by the hurried sound of something else moving nearby.

Whatever caused the splash, it hadn’t moved further. Much as he had done, it stopped to listen. Perhaps, also like him, it listened in fear of his movements, wondering about his intentions. Maybe it hunted him, just waiting to strike. For all he knew, he was blind and was only being toyed with in full sight of his antagonist.

He held his breath to hide and to hear the slightest movement. But his throbbing headache intensified, filling his ears with the sound of his own heartbeat. He gasped, surprised at the migraine’s sudden ferocity.

Another nearby disturbance caused a splash of water. He felt the tiny waves ripple around his ankles. It had moved toward him, but again it stopped. He could almost sense the creature listening, probing the darkness for him.

Behind him, three quick splashes crashed through the water. This one moved away. Perhaps other fearful prey.

Then, the first creature moved again. More aggressively this time. It seemed to stop just ten feet away. It panted, a slight rattle in its breathing.

“Hello?” asked the creature.

It was an older woman. Her voice cracked, and she gulped after speaking. She sounded just as afraid as he was.

“Please,” she continued. “Do you remember? Because I can’t seem to.”

The pain and fear in her voice were too much to ignore. Anyway, if something stalked them in the dark, perhaps it was better to have safety in numbers.

“No, ma’am. Do I know you? I-I’m…” he stammered. “No. I’m afraid I don’t remember anything.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Where are we? I’m so frightened.”

“I don’t know that either.”

Behind him, long strides pushed through the water. Whatever had retreated earlier advanced now. He wasn’t sure if it was another person or a stalking animal. And even if it was another person, would they be friend or foe?

“What’s that?” the older woman cried.

“Wait,” he said. “I’m coming to you.”

He slid his feet across the smooth, rubbery surface. He thought it must be a floor, but still feared tripping over something in the zero-light.

“It’s OK,” a deep voice announced. “I’m no danger. I’m just as confused as you folks.”

“Alright,” the man said to the other man. “Keep heading toward our voices. Ma’am, continue speaking, please. Until we find you.”

“Oh, I…” she began. “I’m not sure what to say.”

“That’s OK,” answered the other man. “Try singing.”

“Oh, um. Alright.” She sounded comforted, as though she’d found an anchoring memory in this storm of uncertainty.

“This is an old one, hundreds of years old. But you’ve probably heard it just the same.”

She began to sing about eyes and disguises.

The man found himself smiling in spite of the situation. She sang an ancient, popular song that was now a lullaby.

Wonderful, he thought. Another unhelpful memory.

“Ma’am, don’t be startled. I’m reaching for you now.”

The older woman never stopped singing, but as he reached for her, the man found her hands reaching back. Comforted by the touch of another person, he held her hand as they waited for the other man.

The other man said, “Oof!” as he abruptly stopped moving.

“Sorry,” said the other man. “Are you OK?”

“There’s someone else?” asked the man.

“Yes,” answered the other man. Then he whispered, “Are you alright?”

No one answered the other man. He asked them more than once, but they never responded.

The other man splashed as he moved toward them once more.

“Please sing or speak some more until I find you,” the other man said.

The older woman went on to sing about stuttering to her tired friend in the cold and the damp and something about a warm wind.

The man said, “That’s beautiful, ma’am. Your voice is lovely.”

The man could hear the older woman’s smile as she sang. Her singing warmed him in this dark and frightening situation. It may not be helpful in remembering anything else, but the woman singing that lonesome old lullaby gave him a buoy to cling to.

“I think they’re sleeping,” said the other man. “I tried to wake them, but they wouldn’t stir.”

As he reached his hand up toward the other man, he answered. “You heard them breathing?”

The other man caught his hands. Then the other man placed one large hand on his shoulder.

“I did,” answered the other man. “It’s odd. Sleeping while standing up?”

“You know who you are or why we’re here?” asked the man.

“And do you know us?” added the older woman.

“No, I’m sorry,” the other man answered. “I heard the two of you speaking before, I’m just as confused as you are.”

“I’m honestly not sure what to do,” said the man. “Other than the person you ran into, we seem to be alone in a room with water up to our ankles. I’m just not sure what to do with that.”

“I’m glad you two are here, though,” said the older woman, relief in her voice.

They agreed before falling into thoughtful silence. After a few moments, the man felt the other man stroke the material covering his shoulder.

“Maybe that’s something?” the other man said more to himself before continuing. “You’re wearing the same thick shirt the other person. And I’m…”

They heard the other man run his hand over his own shirt.

“Yes,” the other man went on. “I’m wearing the same. It’s more of a bodysuit than a shirt.”

The man and the older woman felt over their clothes and agreed.

“It feels like a diving suit,” the older woman said.

“OK, great!” the man said. “What does that tell us?”

The other man and the older woman didn’t respond. They all felt the weight of another unhelpful discovery.

“Where am I and why can’t I see?” called a voice some distance away.

Other voices answered from the other direction. “Who is that?” and “What’s happening here?”

Several others shouted, “Help! Please, someone help me!”

“Everyone!” shouted the man. “Please stay calm.”

“Who are you?” a nearby woman asked. “What have you done to me?”

“Yes, what’s happened here?”

“I don’t know!” shouted the man. “I’m as confused as you are!”

The room fell silent. He took that to mean they were at least listening.

“I don’t know who I am, and I don’t know where we are or why we’re here! But several of us have gathered here! If you can make your way to us, perhaps we can work together to figure this out!”

Many voices responded at once. Some thought he may be tricking them while others were concerned with walking through the dark.

Finally, one voice cut through the din. “I’ll come to you!”

Then another, “Me too, I’m on my way!”

The sound of sloshing steps rose around them, and so did the voices of decent. Not as loud as before, but it seemed to be gaining volume quickly until someone else yelled.

“Quiet!” The voices ceased, and those that had been walking stopped. “If you wish to stay where you are, fine! But shut up if you are!”

Another moment of silence ruled the room before the same voice called out again. “Mister! You or someone in your group speak up so we can find you.”

“Oh, yes,” the man said. “Ma’am, sing your song again.” Then he shouted, “Yes! Follow the lullaby!”

The older woman sang the old song again, her lilting phrases a blind man’s lighthouse. Instantly, the sound of sloshing filled the air.

Some of the disembodied voices rose again, deciding not to respect the call for silence. But they did speak more quietly this time.

Somehow, this is even more surreal, thought the man. A dark room full of lost souls searching out a siren’s song.

“I know this song!” someone called.

Then, from much closer, “Oh, yes! It’s 20th century grunge!”

“I love this old song,” someone said, more to themselves.

The other voices fell away, leaving the space to fill with the sound of splashing water and the older woman singing “Black Hole Sun”. They absorbed the song like an old friend, holding onto the comfort of the familiar. It was just an old song, first sung long before any of them had been born. But they knew it. They remembered it.

“What’s that?” a far voice yelled.

“I don’t know! It just flew over my head!” someone answered.

“What are they talking about?” asked the man.

“I don’t know,” answered the older woman.

“No,” added the other man. “I didn’t hear it either.”

Screams and bodies splashing to the floor swelled toward the man. He braced himself as something flew over his head, chattering and whirring. A frightened wave of startled people continued past him, following the unseen bird-monster flying on in search of prey.

“I’ve heard it now!” shouted the other man. “And it can’t be good!”

“What was that?” asked the older woman.

“Stay close!” the man yelled. “Everyone, come to the sound of my voice! We’ll fight together!”

The sound of water splashing and bodies colliding filled the pitch black. Even those who had scoffed at coming to the man’s location before now seemed to better of it.

Some still complained, “Fight? In this darkness?” But even those people moved toward the man as they repined.

As people gathered around the man, the older woman, and the other man, the whirring creature buzzed overhead. It crisscrossed above them, chirping as it flew by, and sounding more agitated with each pass.

The bedlam quieted as they coalesced. Arms on shoulders and around waists, the community of darkness held its collective breath. The monster continued to sweep over the crowd, but they no longer screamed in panic as it went. They wondered what the bird-monster might do now. And they hoped the group was too large for the creature. They wished it would fly off in search of easier prey. But it wasn’t to be.

The bird-monster whirred by them again before stopping somewhere over the crowd. People there yelled curses and threats at the thing. The man imagined some were waving their arms overhead in a violent, albeit blind, attempt to frighten off the beast.

A woman screamed over the shouts, and shocked silence took the crowd. The same woman yelled. “It stung me!”

Others said, “We’ve got you! It’s OK!”

“It stung me in the neck!” Her voice shook, wracked with terror. Then she said, “Oh no.”

“What? What’s wrong?” others asked.

“I’m dizzy,” she answered. “I…”

“I have you,” came a man’s voice. “She’s fallen! I… I think she’s passed out!”

“Poison!” someone else shouted.

Another agreed, “Yes! It must have a poison stinger! It’s some kind of giant wasp!”

The creature whirred over the blinded, terrified people again. When it stopped, it hovered no more than 20 feet from the man.

People under the hovering attacker tried to escape, shoving and pushing as they moved to get away. The violent reaction sent ripples of colliding bodies radiating out from those trapped under the thing.

A man screamed in pain, then yelled. “It stung me! Please help! I don’t want to die!”

“We need to do something,” said the other man.

“I agree,” said the man. “But what do we do?”

Before he could answer, a series of loud clunks sounded high above them. Slowly, light from the ceiling began illuminating the large room. The lights hummed as they struggled to brighten.

Even the weak light blinded the community of darkness. The man saw the older woman, a short, pale, elderly woman, and the other man, a tall, dark-skinned man in his forties, shielding their eyes as the light intensified. He shielded his own eyes and wondered why they looked familiar.

The man ducked as the whirring bird-monster flew over. After it passed, he saw the thing was a metal sphere with three articulating arms sprouting from its head. He watched in horror as it stopped over a younger woman, lowered one long arm and injected her with a needle.

The younger woman stumbled back from the flying sphere. She gasped, holding her neck and gawking at her attacker. Then her eyes rolled back, and she fell in a lump with a splash.

Seeing the attack caused terror to ripple through the group. Some screamed while others sprinted for the darker corners of the room. But they were in a room, and the man didn’t think there was a viable escape.

“It’s a drone!” shouted the other man.

The man nodded, that seemed like the right name.

“Get ready!” the man yelled. “We have to take it down!”

The drone returned, flying toward the man and stopping above someone just ten feet away.

The man and the other man looked at each other and nodded. Then they sprinted and leaped for the drone, their arms raised. They each grabbed an arm and flung the drone to the ground. Then they kicked and stomped their attacker until it stopped shaking and chattering.

They backed away to view the destruction. Then those around them cheered and patted the man and the other man on the back. Soon, the community of darkness shouted thanks and praises to the two men.

The whirring of several more drones cut the celebration short. They coalesced again, this time creating a ring facing out. The man and the other man had shown them what to do. They wouldn’t cower any more.

Five drones circled the ring of the lost. The people faced them even as their eyes adjusted to the brightening lights. And the drones seemed reluctant to enter the ring.

“Just tell me when it is working!” A man’s distorted voice blasted over speakers.

“I’m on now?” The speaker sounded frustrated and confused.

The speaker sighed and continued. “Passengers, please stay calm. I know you’re feeling disoriented, but if you allow the drones to replace your memories, I promise the situation will become clear.”

The man looked around and found his suspicion reflected on other faces. The other man and the older woman both looked back at him with the same distrust.

Silence filled the room before startled gasps came from several people. Those that were stung earlier began sitting up.

As the drone victims’ eyes cleared, they didn’t look frightened anymore. In fact, as they stood, they seemed aggravated more than anything.

Without a word, the drone victims walked across the room with purpose. The man couldn’t make out anything in that direction, but he still couldn’t see the walls either.

“Do yourself a favor,” said a large man walking by. “Get your memory injection and move on with your day.”

A stern-faced woman followed the large man. As she passed, she added, “We’ve arrived at Vistas. They just screwed up when we got here!”

“You’re damn right they screwed up!” someone else interjected. “And I’m going to sue!”

The speaker spoke again at this, sounding worried and embarrassed. “Uh, yes folks, we’ve arrived at planet Vistas. We apologize for the inconvenience. A nearby solar storm disrupted our systems and thereby the waking process as well.”

“I don’t understand,” said the man. “Why would they take our memories?”

Before the speaker could respond, the younger woman attacked by the drone earlier spoke up. “Memory removal decreases the chance of severe night terrors during stasis sleep.”

The man watched as she moved on with the other drone victims. They reached the other end of the room, and bright light flooded in as a door opened. People in orange jumpsuits waited in the hallway with beverages.

The other man rested his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I think this must have been a misunderstanding.”

The man worried as he looked around the room. But he had to admit, it was difficult to argue with after seeing the drone victims get up. They all seemed to understand afterward. They all seemed to remember.

The other man looked above the man, then he looked down and nodded up. The man turned around, and the drone pierced his neck with a syringe.

His head swam and his vision blurred. He sat down in the water. The man felt the slick butyl rubber under his fingers. Then he laid down and fell back into darkness.