Scarlet (The Monster Within Me Book 1) Read online

  Scarlet.

  The Monster Within Me Book One.

  Faded.

  Pain throbbed along my temple. A pulse of it thumped repeatedly. When I raised my hand to touch where the pain drummed, a spark ignited, and I winced. It was soft and tender. Maybe I shouldn’t be touching that spot so carelessly.

  Instead, I dragged my hand down my face and looked out at the grey, stone floors and walls. There was this feeling in my brain when I shuffled into a seated position.

  After a few hard blinks, I stared before me at this white screen that had red colours that swirled around from one end of the screen to the other. With a slow blink, I tried to take everything in. I looked around, but all there was, was a bed that I was sitting on. The bed is pressed against the corner with thin, grey crinkled sheets that were ruffled over the top. Beside the bed was a boxed, dark brown bedside table and above the table were slots inside of the wall.

  I slid off of the bed, pressed my feet against the cold, smooth stone and went to the inbuilt shelf, where there was a dresser as well that was beside the bedside table. Inside the slot above the bedside table were these strange gear-like objects. The different equipment had these leather and black looking straps that look as if it goes around my waist, perhaps. I wasn’t really sure.

  Weirded out, I settled the leather straps back down in the slot where numerous other things that resembled gear were located. Then with a frown, I crouched before the dresser and when I squatted, I curled my thumb over this grey and long gown that I was wearing. It was overly big, and before the rough and somewhat uncomfortable fabric that scratched skin dropped down to my waist, I lifted the material back up and along my shoulders.

  When I opened one of the dresser drawers, inside were many more gowns, along with bras, socks and underwear. They were all the same grey washed out in colour. They were very unappealing to the eye and dull in appearance. With nothing else inside, I closed the first drawer and went to the second. Inside were regular grey clothing pants and baggy long-sleeved looking shirts. When I closed that drawer, the last had two types of shoes. One pair looked like regular shoes, I suppose, but as of right now, I wasn’t particularly sure what normal was when I picked up the sneakers. A little curious as well, I sat down and slid one of the shoes on and realised that it was a perfect fit for me. I then took them off and placed them back in with the other pair that looked bulkier, thicker, and with many buckles on the brown leather boots that were laid down inside.

  Finished with searching inside of all of the drawers, I leant back and looked around the room some more. There were two doors. One looked as if it was leading out. I knew because above the door, there was a sign that glowed a red and announced, ‘Exit’.

  I stood and, in my mind, that was the door that I wanted to see open first, however, I was slightly hesitant when I realised there was no handle. When I touched the door, my fingers went down the lines that outlined the door, but there was nothing. Confused, I stepped back and looked to my left and at the door that was at the end of my bed – the room was inconsiderately small – which did have a handle.

  The door clicked and opened when I grabbed hold of the handle and pushed down. Inside the room was squishy. There was a shower nozzle on the back wall and on the side when the door closed and was not in the way, there was a toilet. There’s definitely no room for moving. In fact, the only comfortable place to stand was underneath the shower nozzle that was basically two steps away from the door.

  With pursed lips, I slid back out through the gap and closed the door. I then walked back over to my dresser and took out the more comfortable clothes and got dressed. Afterwards, I placed the socks and the most comfortable shoes on and stood from the bed. In my hands, I held the gown and looked around. I wasn’t particularly sure what I should be doing, or where to place the clothes. There wasn’t a basket that indicated that I should put the clothes in there.

  When I looked around once again, where the shelves are above the dresser, I noticed a little sign.

  ‘Insert dirty clothes here.’

  With a grimace, I placed the folded gown where it said, and after a second, there was this sound of air that sucked up. A second later, the dress went upwards and out of sight.

  Confused, I scratched the back of my head, and when my fingers curled around hair, I pulled a few strands so that I could see the fiery red colour. With furrowed brows, I wondered if this was the first time that I have seen my own hair, for I don’t seem to remember anything. I don’t know where I am or who I am, and what has happened.

  At this point in time, I felt lost.

  Seated back down on the bed, I was now wearing the new clothes that fitted well. After, I stared at the white screen that was across from me. In the reflection, there was a thin, pasty, red hair and this blue-eyed girl that stared back at me. A girl that I find unrecognisable. I then looked down and raised my arm. My fingers glided across and touched all the groves of the lines that were marked across the back of my hand, and then along fingernails that were clear of any polish, chipped and broken. As I stared blankly, I tried to remember anything.

  How I got here?

  Where I was before I got here?

  Who I am?

  “Good evening!”

  With a rapid few blinks, confused, I looked around the room, and to the door that doesn’t have a handle, but the door was closed, and there was nothing that I could see at all. I wasn’t sure where the voice would have come from, considering no one entered my room. That was until I looked back at the screen. The swirling red currant of lines moved differently from when I saw them a moment before. All the lines appeared to be in the shape of lips that went from one end of the screen to another instead of streaks of lines.

  “How are you, Iseya?” The red threads of lines that joint together moved like lips when the screen spoke to me. I then looked around and wondered who the feminine and female voice was talking to. “Yes, you. The girl with the flaming red hair.”

  Well, it was particularly apparent that she was talking to me.

  “Iseya, correct?” She questioned as if she was unsure, yet I was hesitant and unsure.

  Was my name Iseya?

  The name doesn’t ring a bell. I hoped if anything, mentioning a hobby I liked, or perhaps my real name would jolt some memories back to life. The name also sounds foreign in a way.

  In the end, I replied with, “Yes.”

  I don’t know my name. I don’t know who I am, but I feel they may know more about me more than I know myself. She stated my name when I didn’t respond and clearly looked lost. She wanted to know if that was really my name.

  As of now, Iseya was my name. If I can figure more out about myself, I can then actually confirm if Iseya really is or isn’t my actual name. Perhaps she will know more about me. I could have just woken up with memory loss. I could have lived in this small and compacted room my entire life. I could know exactly where I am and what this place is.

  “Welcome, Iseya, to our Paradise, Eden.”

  Or I could be completely new.

  I then looked around and grimaced.

  I wondered if she was serious with paradise. For one, when I pictured paradise, I expected an oasis of some sort, after a long journey through a desert. Water and waterfalls that were beautiful crystal-like and glistened in the sun. I imagined many palm trees and a garden of flowers that burst with colours. I imagined a hut-type of homes that overlooked the ocean, with straw roofs, and a type of atmosphere that felt pleasant and was. Paradise definitely is not a room that resembles a cell of some sorts. Paradise definitely is not a room that has a smaller room that’s so squashed that I felt more than claustrophobic being in
there.

  This was not my paradise that I have imagined. Not in the slightest.

  “I am your personalised guide.” The screen changed as she spoke and numerous lists, strange lists, appeared. “I will help you through your transition and will give you items when you gain enough money from your winnings.”

  Winnings?

  Confused, I went down the list of Rules and guidelines. Weapons. Gear. Clothing. Food. Drinks. Decorations. Fabrics.

  This was more than confusing to me.

  Weapons, really?

  “Before I unlock the door, I will have to tell you more about our rules and guidelines, to make your transition in Paradise, Eden, be much more comfortable.”

  This was definitely a new place for me. There’s no doubt that I am new and this was not a place I should be familiar with. Which makes me wonder where I was before I came here.

  Did I have a family?

  Or was I here for an entirely different reason and picked out from the crowd and gained immunity in a place like this?

  Then that suddenly made me wonder.

  If this was called paradise, what does outside of this place look like?

  Is there something wrong with the world?

  The thought of this Paradise made me concerned.

  Should I be afraid?

  “Okay,” I responded. I was unsure but knew I needed to adapt well enough to understand and not break any rules that will send me out of here. If that were to happen, I was slightly worried about what would wait for me. Right now, this seemed to be a safe enough place, so far, to be. “Um, could you show me the rules and guidelines, please?”

  “Access granted,” she chirped.

  The rules and guidelines lit up a vibrant red colour. The screen changed, and a list rolled upwards from the bottom in bold and easy to read words that were spaced out enough to understand.

  “I will go through the rules first. If you want to address any rules further, please speak vocally, and I will go through that specific rule thoroughly.” I nodded, but I was unsure if she could actually see that I was agreeing. But then realised that she did ask my name twice when I looked confused by her words. However, she could go by voice and because I didn’t respond, could have tried to clarify again. Except, I do have a slight feeling that she could see me right now and that bothers me. “First rule: There is a strict time for leaving your room. On weekdays, you are to be awake at six in the morning, ready and geared up by seven and out of the room which will light up green and to the main floor down the stairs. On weekdays, your Team Leader and coach will tell you when to leave and go back to your rooms, and if you do not abide by those rules, you will be sent to the blue room.”

  “What’s the blue room?” I asked.

  “Punishment.”

  “You get punished in paradise?” I questioned. I was suddenly doubtful about my living arrangements. “Team leader. Do we also have a group?”

  “Correct. With the blue room, it is supposed to keep all of you in line, and to follow these set rules so that you can have a welcoming and safe stay.” But punishment, or the blue room, whatever, doesn’t necessarily sound like a safe stay. I really wanted to dig further, but I didn’t want to offend this voice and get sent to that said room for persisting. “As for team leader, that is also correct. You and four others will have a team leader that will assist in your new lifestyle.”

  That’s fair enough, I suppose.

  “On weekends, it is leisure time. No work and no fighting –” Fighting? “You will be able to do as you please, within levels. Some levels will be out of bounds and are locked, and the elevators will not grant you access unless you have a code, or with your Team Leader, which has access to all of those levels. On weekends, you can wake at six and leave whenever you like, but your room will lock at eleven at night, and if you are not in your room before then, you will be punished in the blue room.”

  Right, because here, there is punishment in paradise. Perfectly excusable.

  “There is to be no eating or drinking inside of your room. There is a mess hall on the main floor that is labelled for you to eat, and if you order specific food or drink on here, the meal will be at the mess hall with your number. The mess hall is open all the time, yet you only have specific times to be outside of your room, so choose your eating time wisely when you can, especially on weekends.”

  I nodded slightly.

  I understand that they more than likely want to keep rooms clean and leave all the food mess in the mess hall. To have parasites and bugs inside of a person’s room, unhygienic and unkempt would bother anyone that walked past and could take a whiff of disturbed stenches.

  “Rule three: You are not allowed to communicate to the robots at all. Some that have a red outline is there to guide and to take you from one destination to the next on outings. The ones that wear blue survey the levels during the day and to make sure no one is out after eleven. If you want to speak to a higher authority, or to anyone in general, you can speak to your teammates or your team leader or anyone in general, if they are within the levels that you are allowed on. If you are caught talking to the robots, you will be punished by going into the blue room.”

  Surprised, I asked, “Robots? Are we that advanced?”

  “Paradise, Eden, is the most advanced society in the world,” she agreed. “We are also the only society that has spaceships to travel to sites and sectors outside of the perimeter.”

  Wow.

  “Rule Four: You are forbidden to have any level of intimacy with any of your team members or your team leader. The reason for this is because outside, there may be some clouded judgment at work and the urge to protect someone you care for can be the wrong choice and can get another member killed.”

  “Killed? What is our work?”

  “I am unauthorised to tell you. Once I finish relaying the rules and guidelines, the door will unlock, and you will then go down the stairs and to your Team Leader that will assist with those following questions.

  “Still on Rule Four: You are able to have intimacy with members at your level only. You are forbidden to have any intimacy with captains, leaders, and people of higher authority or are on levels that are higher than yours. You are on level one. You are allowed to have intimacy with other people within level one to ten. If you are caught disobeying this rule and are having some sort of intimacy with anyone higher, you and the one you are intimate with will be punished by going into the blue room.”

  Seems all these rules revolve around the blue room. Which makes me highly curious to know what was inside the blue room. Right this moment, I would be highly disappointed if the room was not blue.

  “Rule Five: You are prohibited from fighting with anyone in Paradise, Eden. The only acceptation would be training with another in the training room. We are a family, and we stick by one another at all costs. If you are seen breaking this rule, you will be punished by going into the blue room.

  “That is all with the rules. The guidelines are simple and will come up within ten seconds for you to read and then agree.”

  When the guidelines did roll upwards, I did read through, but they were pretty basic guidelines to follow. Always dress appropriately when on a mission, as well as weapons, which were worrisome, and made me think back to the list this voice opened up that had weapons listed. The guidelines, dress codes, and schedule made sense. My schedule was before I leave, I need to check what I have on. If I were having trouble locating an area or where I was supposed to be, there was a map that I would need to memorise before I leave the room. I can shower whenever, and for however long I want but will have to keep in mind of my schedule as well.

  In the end, when the guidelines finished, the screen blinked. An agreement with fine print and a square signature box underneath the fine print appeared.

  “Press your index finger inside the square box to agree to these terms.”

  I stood up from off of the bed and raised my left hand and pressed my index finger against the box. I
thought fingerprint, but there was this prick that surprised me, and when I flinched back, there was a droplet of blood that slipped down the box on the screen before it sunk into the screen along with the agreement. After, the red currant of lines went from one end of the screen to another.

  “You are now allowed access outside of your room. Your first destination will be down the stairs to your main floor area where your team leader will be waiting for you. You do not need to find your team leader when you are down on the main floor of your area. They will find you.”

  That’s promising.

  When I turned towards the door with no handle, the red light above that had the ‘exit’ sign turned green. After the exit sign lit up, I heard this click sound as if the door had unlocked. However, when I stepped towards the door, thinking they were automatic, they did not open. With a grimace, I touched the door, and once I felt the cool metal, it lit up green, and the door slid open and to the right.

  Outside and on the metal, rustic looking and red flooring, I noticed that I seem to be on the second floor of this level that the voice talked about. When I stepped further out, I jolted when a door to my left opened, and someone came out casually, and less frightened and weary and with more confidence, unlike me.

  I watched as they went down the stairs that was near their room. They wore the same clothes as I, perhaps some parts were different, looked less dull and washed out and fitted adequately more than the baggy clothes that I wore. Maybe they bought clothes from their screen. I am only assuming everyone has one.

  The person seemed to walk as if they have a destination while I just stood there and was unsure of what to do when I was reminded that I needed to go down to the main floor that was on this level.

  As I walked towards the same stairs that person walked down, I looked around. The entire second floor seemed to have doors that may be just the rooms. The voice said there are other levels, and through more examination, I did see down below and, on the right, and near the corner of the first floor, that there were two elevators with people in weird gear that guarded them. They also had weapons. One, on the left, had a gun, while the one on the right had some sort of sword, knife, or something of the kinds that resembled a sharp weapon, which made me even more weary on what type of place I was currently living in.