I woke up in a warehouse.
Not the best of places to regain consciousness, but I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. My head throbbed, and my stomach was tight, like something heavy had settled in my chest. The scent of rust and something faintly sweet lingered in the air—chemicals, maybe. My limbs felt like lead, but I pushed myself up, grimacing as my muscles screamed in protest.
The floor beneath me was cold and concrete. I didn't recognize the place, but I could feel the slight hum of machinery in the distance, the faint vibration of heavy equipment, and the way the temperature fluctuated between warmth and coolness.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to get my bearings.
"What the hell happened?" I muttered to myself, voice hoarse. My throat felt like sandpaper, and my thoughts were fuzzy, like waking up from a nightmare I couldn't remember.
I stood, shaky at first, then more stable. Looking around the dimly lit room, I saw nothing but boxes and crates, some of them stacked haphazardly. There was a door, slightly ajar, leading out into a narrow corridor. It looked like it might lead to some sort of office or control room, but I wasn't in the mood to go poking around yet.
My mind was racing. The last thing I remembered was… I didn't know. There were flashes of something. Maybe a fight. Or a crash? No, that didn't make sense. I closed my eyes, trying to piece it together, but it was like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands.
I took a few cautious steps toward the door and peered out. The hallway was dark, but the faint light from above illuminated the floor just enough for me to see. There were signs of movement. A sign of life, if not an immediate threat.
I moved quietly. I wasn't sure what I was walking into, but it felt ominous.
---
An hour later, I found myself wandering deeper into the building, passing by offices, dark rooms, and storage areas. None of it made sense. No signs. No clues as to where I was. No one to ask. There weren't even any security cameras.
Just the annoying sound of machinery.
I rounded a corner and stopped. The hallway opened up into a larger area, and I could hear the low rumble of a machine starting up. It sounded like an engine.
The room was large. It was full of odd devices, strange metallic structures, and screens that blinked in the dim light. I could barely make out a few figures in the distance, people hunched over their workstations. They didn't seem to notice me, so I kept my distance.
I continued to observe for a while. The workers looked normal, dressed in lab coats and overalls. They seemed focused on their work, engrossed in whatever they were doing.
I had no idea what any of the machines were supposed to do, but the air felt thick with the scent of oil.
I debated going closer, but something in my gut told me it was a bad idea. So, I backed away, slowly retreating toward the door I had entered through.
---
The night dragged on.
I found a few other rooms, some filled with blueprints, others with equipment I couldn't begin to understand. The patterns were alien to me, and I found myself growing frustrated with each step forward. Where the hell was the exit?
I had no memory of how I got here, no idea where I was.
It was getting late—well, I assumed it was. I found an old supply closet and decided to rest for a while. I couldn't afford to be careless.
I collapsed onto a pile of rags, letting my mind wander. What had happened? I was supposed to be—what? I didn't know. I tried to reach into the back of my mind, but the fog was thick, and the harder I tried, the less I remembered.
Then, a distant sound—footsteps—pulled me back to reality.
I stood up, instinctively moving to the far corner of the room. The light from the hallway crept under the door. I held my breath.
A shadow passed beneath the crack.
The door creaked open. A voice—muffled and low—sounded from the other side.
"We've got another one."
The door opened wider. A figure stepped inside, dragging something heavy. It looked like some kind of crate. The figure didn't see me, and I didn't move. I didn't want to attract attention.
Then, another voice from outside the room: "Is it ready to move?"
The first figure grunted, moving the crate toward the far corner. "Just about. Another day's work."
They left without saying anything else.
I waited in silence.
---
When they were gone, I opened the door and slipped into the corridor again, careful to stay in the shadows. It didn't feel like any warehouse I'd ever seen.
I didn't want to think about what kind of place this could be. I didn't want to consider who these people were or what they might be doing. But I knew one thing for sure:
I wasn't supposed to be here.
I turned down a narrow hallway and found a window. "Finally," I peered through it. Beyond, a sprawling city stretched out before me, the lights blinking from towering structures.
But I didn't recognize anything. Not the skyline, not the streets. The cars were sleek, modern, but nothing I could put a name to.
I pressed my palm against the cold glass, staring out into the vast unknown.
I had no idea where I was. No clue how I got here.
---
To be continued…