Chapter Text
This is quite the predicament I found myself in.
I don’t know how or why, but I found myself lying in a bed that definitely wasn’t mine. The covers are pink and lacy, much cuter and fancier than anything I ever owned. The bedspread wasn’t the only pink item in the unfamiliar room I found myself in; the whole room was pretty much filled with pink decor and furniture, it looked like something you’d see in a movie about a princess. It’s… Eerie. Fear gripped my spine like a vice, was I kidnapped? What happened to me?
I couldn’t remember a thing; one minute I’m walking down the street, on my way home from work. I take the same route every day, and my work schedule is very regular so… What could’ve happened? I sat and thought long and hard, and it eventually came back to me. I had headphones in… Then there were bright lights coming at me, a car veering off the road? A drunk driver perhaps? The last thing I saw… Was a bright white light.
Wait! Does that mean…?
My breath started coming out in harsh pants, my chest squeezed tight, my lungs closed up like I had been punched in the gut. I couldn’t breathe. Panic took over and I withered in on myself, curling up into a fetal position on the surprisingly soft bed. Too busy trying to sort out my thoughts, it took me a moment before I realized that I’m laying on my long hair, which is peculiar since my hair is cropped short.
What…?
I couldn’t process any of my panicking thoughts as I stared in horror at the long brunette locks clutched tightly in my confused fingers. Subsequently, my eyes wandered to hands that weren’t mine, but somehow are, just like my hair. Petite, dainty fingers and pale skin isn’t what I remember looking like. I’m much skinnier too, which I didn’t know how to feel about, since I was always someone who was very self conscious of my weight. Still… This is unsettling, to say the least. It’s like I’m in in an entirely different body!
I got out of bed as quickly as I could and frantically searched in the dark room for a light source. There’s a small table next to the bed with a simple lamp on it. I reached over and found the switch, flicking it on, feeling so strange in this new body. Am I dead? Is this heaven or hell? I couldn’t tell, and I’m scared… If I’m dead, then why am I in a different body, in a room I’ve never seen before?
Don’t freak out! Keep it together!
I felt as if I was on auto-pilot as I caught sight of a mirror, attached to an elegant looking dresser near my bed. I’m afraid of what I’m going to see, but my feet carry me forward anyways. This has to be some fucked up dream, right? If it is, I’d like to wake up already.
When I looked in the mirror, I wanted to vomit from the absolute horror and shock from what I saw looking back at me. It’s me, but it’s not me. The girl I saw in the mirror definitely wasn’t me; her dark brown eyes mirrored my terror and confusion. My bangs are long and overgrown, pretty much blinding me. The length of my hair swept to my waist, straight as sticks, and I wore a black nightgown that slipped over my skinny, pale shoulders and went down to my knees.
Why am I inside a stranger?
I lifted my hands to my face, and pinched my cheeks as hard as I could, until they were bright red. To no avail, I still found myself standing in this strange room, looking at a reflection that’s not mine. All I wanted was to wake up, safe in bed, away from this place and this nightmare. But… there’s no doubt about it… I woke up in the body of someone else, and I’m pretty sure the real me got murdered by that lousy or drunk driver. I stumbled back against the table as my knees buckled harshly, tears spilling down my cheeks as the reality set in.
Am I dead? Am I alive? WHO AM I?!
As the panic took over, my rather calm demeanor cracked; I let out a scream, a scream that’s filled with fear, grief… Will I never see my parents again? Or my siblings? My skinny frame shook violently, I accidentally rattled the table too hard as I collapsed to the floor, toppling the poor table over and also sending the lamp crashing to the ground. The light bulb shattered, bathing the room in dark yet again. I sat with my back against the bed and pulled my knees to my chest. My small hands gripped the sides of my head as the tears overwhelmed me and poured out uncontrollably, my breath came out in harsh gasps. I couldn’t breathe again… I’m so scared…
Suddenly, the door flew open, “Hey! What’s wrong in here!? Are you okay!?”
My head snapped up, startled, I didn’t know who or what I expected to see, but I certainly didn’t think I’d be faced with two large hooded figures. I couldn’t see their faces in the darkness of this room, the fear that blossomed within me climbed even further, and I resorted to panic again, “S- Stay away from me!” I shouted in a voice that wasn’t mine. That’s strange, I noticed, I’m speaking a language that certainly isn’t english, and yet I can speak it fluently as if I was born speaking it. Is this Korean, perhaps?
“It’s alright, please calm down…”
“I said to stay away!” my voice pitched higher, throwing a pillow at them. As harmless as that seemed, I was too scared to throw the broken lamp just yet. Perhaps I’ll need it… My survival instincts have already kicked in, I felt like a cornered animal. The pillow bounced harmlessly off one of them. God, why am I so weak? Are they feeding me properly here?
This is when the second figure spoke, “She’s right, you know the rules, we’re not allowed to touch her, only Ray can,” he inclined his head to the door, “Go fetch him at once, he’ll deal with this.”
“Understood.”
At last, the two retreated from the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts and allowing me to calm myself. I knew I didn’t have much time since they’re getting someone named Ray to come here, but I needed to figure out what was going on before I thought of anything else. My panic and mourning will have to come later. I’m devastated, but I have to pull myself together for now. I’m not sure what will happen if I don’t.
Am I a captive of some sort? It would be just my luck to wake up in the body of a kidnapped girl. Were those men guards? Why were they dressed in those strange cloaks? This whole situation is so daunting, and I had no idea how to handle it. Perhaps… Perhaps I should just pretend that everything’s fine? That I was having a panic attack or an episode of some sort? If I play dumb and helpless, maybe they won’t kill me.
However… I did notice that those two men didn’t lock the door behind them, but I found it strange that they were close enough to hear me scream. It didn’t look like they were sleeping or passing by, they came in here so fast, as if they were standing watch outside of my room…
Okay, plan A is playing dumb, because it’s the only thing I could do right now. If that doesn’t work-
The doorknob to my room twitched, then turned, and the door slowly creaked open this time. I gulped and steeled myself, my palms breaking out in a nervous sweat. I didn’t bother standing, my knees were shaking so much, I felt like I was going to pass out at any minute.
A young man who appeared to be in his early twenties stepped into the room; he wore a magenta jacket, and had strange colored hair. It’s pale blue with pinkish, reddish tips; his bangs are also overgrown, framing his mysterious pale eyes. He looked like a character out of an anime or something, I couldn’t help but pause, because as strange as he looks, he’s also… Very familiar. But there’s no way I know this person, right?
“Are you alright?” I’m taken aback to hear a concerned question come from him, I thought he would come in here to intimidate me into submission. However, there’s an air of gentleness to him. He approached me and knelt in front of me, he’s so close!
“H- Hey… Wait... Get back…” A bunch of protests spilled from my lips all at once due to the close proximity. What’s he going to do?
“Oh no! What’s wrong? You don’t hate me, do you?” Instead of moving away, his hand reached out, as if to touch me.
I’m stunned, “W- What…?” That’s an odd response, one I certainly wasn’t expecting. I bit my lip nervously as the boy gazed down in what appeared to be a mixture of concern and something else I couldn’t read. Before I could think any further, his hand gently cups my shoulder, jostling me out of my whirlwind of thoughts.
His touch is so gentle, warm and inviting, yet somehow… Lonely. He looked like I hurt his feelings, and for some reason, I’m compelled to reassure him. I looked away, not meeting his gaze as I thought of how I could explain this away.
“Did you have a nightmare and wake up disoriented?” The man named Ray pressed even further, “Please, allow me to get you on the bed, I don’t want you to hurt yourself on the broken glass.”
“Um… Okay…” I hesitantly agree, for a reason even I don’t know. The stranger nods and tugs me towards him. I felt lethargic, the panic had made me physically and mentally exhausted, and yet...
“You’re shaking all over, are you still scared?” With those gentle words, he tucked his arm under my knees while the other arm lifted me into a bridal style embrace before he deposited me back onto my bed. He’s moving me like I’m something valuable, being as gentle as possible with me. He set me on the mattress and I scooted back a bit, self conscious of the fact that I’m in a nightgown so I put some distance between us. He looked hurt, but didn’t try to get closer to me again. He has this longing stare that just looks so… Isolated.
“You’ve lost weight, are you eating properly? I told them to bring you three meals a day, but I’m sorry if it’s not good enough…”
Those words snapped me out of the brief enchantment he had over me. I had to focus! A lot’s happening right now, I feel so disoriented with all the information that I’m being forced to process. Still, I have to be smart about this; I don’t know what my circumstances here are, but clearly I have to figure it out if I want to form a plan to escape this place… Wherever this is.
“Bella? What’s wrong?”
I’m startled once again out of my thoughts at the sound of my own name; how the hell did he know that’s my name? I’m supposed to be in the body of another woman, and yet I still had the same name? I’m quiet as Ray cleans up the mess I made, using a dustpan and a small hand broom to sweep up the shards of glass on the floor.
Something’s not right here… Well, there’s a lot that’s not right about all this, but this is very mind boggling. I have the same name, but a different body? Why…?
“H- How do you know my name?” I found myself asking before I could think it through, my gaze finally meeting his pale blue eyes again.
Ray’s expression changes to a soft confusion, like he wanted to help me but he didn’t know how, “I’ve always known your name, Bella.”
I balked at him, unable to hide my surprise, but found myself saying, “U- Uh… Okay.”
“You’re being strange, did you hit your head?”
“N- No! I’m fine! I don’t know what’s wrong with me either...” I feebly admit, biting my lower lip yet again in my uncertainty. I didn’t know what to think, at this point. I avoided his gaze, worried about his reaction.
“That’s understandable, a new environment is a lot to get used to,” Ray’s words are meant to be comforting, but I’m still very much anxious. He continues on, “I appreciate you coming here to test my game, the fact that you trust me makes me really happy… So please, just rely on me, okay?”
Testing a game? That’s so strange, why would anyone agree to staying in this creepy compound just to test some app? What does being here have to do with testing a game? This is clearly a building housing a cult, judging from the strange cloaks and the way they spoke to each other, it was the only conclusion I could draw. I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn’t know what the hell he was saying, and I couldn’t understand the logic that brought me to this point. Just as I was about to question him just a little bit, I heard a prominent ding pierce the air.
“Oh, speaking of, looks like they want your attention now,” Ray’s smiling, but there’s a hint of sadness behind it. I briefly wondered why, “Try to get some rest, and if you need me again, I’m here for you.”
He turned away but paused for a moment, “I will be preparing your meals personally from now on, I hope you enjoy it… I’m so sorry that I haven’t been able to spend much time with you, but hopefully that will change soon.”
“Uh… Thanks? For… Well, everything...” I couldn’t deny that he didn’t seem like a cruel person, he seemed kind, gentle, and patient. Still, I knew to be wary around him regardless. Though he seemed to have a soft spot for me.
“Anytime, Bella,” with that, he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
I don’t know what to think, or do, so I merely sit on the bed in silence for a long time. I’m not sure how many minutes passed, but eventually I snapped myself out of it. I remembered that I heard a ding earlier, and he mentioned a game. Do I have a phone in here? I began to frantically search around, hoping that it would have some more information on why and how I’m here. It took me a moment but I eventually found it, hidden underneath the bed… I probably dropped it when I knocked over the table. I picked up the pink smartphone and gave it a once over; it’s a pretty decent, middle class phone. I unlocked and opened it to see a notification from an app that looked very… Familiar.
I opened the mysterious app; there's email, text, phone, and chat room options. There are icons at the top of the screen with a few user profiles of multiple people. As I clicked through them, the realization began to dawn on me. The reason why Ray and the people on this app look familiar is because I’ve seen them before. I remember downloading an app called Mystic Messenger a couple of days ago, I started playing when my spring break from college classes started. Since I had free time, I wanted to try something new…
Well, things got a whole lot more complicated for me. This has to be some sort of dream, right? How can I just die randomly like that, then wake up in a game? Nothing about this situation made sense, and I’m just going to have to accept it? I noticed that I didn’t have any service bars in my room, so I couldn’t call the police or anyone else from here. All I had was an internet connection and this app, and I guess I’ll have to figure out how to get the “good ending” if I want to come out of this in one piece.
I let out a sigh before clicking on the chatrooms option; the whole first day was already completed, as well as the second day. I’ll have to read through all of them to be caught up on what’s going on, so for now, I’ll continue to go with the flow if I can. Still… I’m worried for myself…
Shaking my thoughts off, I sat down on the bed and opened the first chatroom. I'm probably gonna be here, reading, all night. Not that I could get a good night’s sleep with all this shock.