Life continued as it had always done for some time after that. No one knew
about my dream of the men. (Was it a dream? I remember waking up from it
but everything seems to be a dream for me.) When I lay on my bed in the
dark, watching those eerie blue flashes that I know are just in my mind, I
could feel something. Sort of like when I used to get butterflies in my
stomach, but slower and more purposeful. I placed a hand on my stomach. I
swear I felt movement, like when a baby turns over inside its mother. I'm
not pregnant though, I split up with my last boyfriend three years ago.
I've had no contact with any potential partners since coming into this
place. I doubt I ever will again. I can't help thinking that it could have
something to do with that thing the men in my dream had.
Don't be ridiculous! It was a dream you silly woman, a dream! I've always protested my sanity, but I fear I may well be going mad. This place gets to you.
Suddenly an image bursts into my mind. A man named Neo walking down a subway towards me.
"I once said you were different to other people. I told you that you would meet Smith. Don't trust him, you are on the path to the truth. He will say that he wants to help you. He doesn't want to help you; he will cure you then throw you back where you are now. People don't know the truth; they are too dependent on the Matrix. You will have your chance to escape. Take it and we will meet, fate has deemed it so. The answers are out there."
The image disappears.
Just then a nurse walks in.
"How are you doing dear?" she asks with false sympathy. The staff treat us like we're simple. "Listen, you eat this up and then we'll take you to the visiting room. You're very lucky Rebecca, there's three nice men come to speak to you. Won't that be a lovely treat?"
My blood runs cold.
"I'm not going." I stammer. "I don't want to speak to them. I don't want to speak to anybody. Leave me alone!"
"It's okay dear, calm down! I've had a word with them, they're very nice. Say they've figured out a way to mend your vision. I don't know how of course, our doctors can't do anything, but if they can cure you then you'll be able to go home! Won't that be super?"
I think for a while. Maybe I'm just overreacting. They might just be a coincidence. Anyway, if they can cure me, I won't need to worry about things like this ever again. The nurse is right; I will be able to go home!
I nod silently and turn to my breakfast. Porridge. Again. Great. Still, better than nothing I suppose. I dress quickly and the nurse takes me to the visiting rooms. I take a deep breath and walk in.
I feel winded, terrified, shocked, stunned, I'm in disbelief. It was supposed to be a dream. They weren't supposed to be real. I don't know whether to laugh, cry or scream. I'm rooted to the spot. The nurse closes the door behind me with a sinister clang. I just stand and stare at my visitors.
Smith gestures to the phone.
I walk across the room and pick it up with a trembling hand. I place it to my ear, feeling sicker by the second. I hear a crackly version of his drawl on the other end.
"You look surprised to see us, Miss Fairfax. I can understand what you must be feeling," he says, which is ironic coming from a group of men who appear to have the emotional range of a teaspoon.
"We are going to shoot the glass again. Get down"
I can't dive quickly enough. A few shots later the glass crumbles and the men turn me over onto my back. One of them (Brown as I remember) produces a strange contraption out of a black bag. He clamps it over my navel and proceeds to remove the probe.
"I thought that wasn't real." I gasp.
"It isn't real," says Brown. "However it has monitored you so we can sort out your little problem."
"I have here," says Jones "a pill. Take it quickly and we will sort you out."
I eye the little red pill carefully.
"What does it do?"
"It is part of a program that alters your electronic signals," says Smith. "Once you take it, we will be able to trace your signal and fix your connection."
I take the pill. Another image flashes into my mind, Neo again.
"You will know when your chance for escape arrives. You will be able to feel it. Follow that instinct and you will be free to find the truth."
This is my chance to escape. I know it.
The Agents wire me back up to the contraption. They put little pads all over me, lie me back down on the floor and Brown starts tapping at a laptop.
"You will begin to feel quite sick in a minute." Says Smith. "Don't worry that's completely normal. You will fall unconscious. Don't worry about this either. I can't say what you will experience then. You may not remember anything or you may have strange dreams. Just remember, these dreams are just dreams, this is the real world, this is where you belong."
Liar. You liar. I can't tell you why I know he's lying; I just know he is. I believe in Neo. It's okay Rebecca, hang in there. Don't let them know you've rumbled them. This is your chance. Don't blow it. God, I can see what he means about feeling sick.
I look at the pink-tinged ceiling, white to regular eyes, and black out.
Don't be ridiculous! It was a dream you silly woman, a dream! I've always protested my sanity, but I fear I may well be going mad. This place gets to you.
Suddenly an image bursts into my mind. A man named Neo walking down a subway towards me.
"I once said you were different to other people. I told you that you would meet Smith. Don't trust him, you are on the path to the truth. He will say that he wants to help you. He doesn't want to help you; he will cure you then throw you back where you are now. People don't know the truth; they are too dependent on the Matrix. You will have your chance to escape. Take it and we will meet, fate has deemed it so. The answers are out there."
The image disappears.
Just then a nurse walks in.
"How are you doing dear?" she asks with false sympathy. The staff treat us like we're simple. "Listen, you eat this up and then we'll take you to the visiting room. You're very lucky Rebecca, there's three nice men come to speak to you. Won't that be a lovely treat?"
My blood runs cold.
"I'm not going." I stammer. "I don't want to speak to them. I don't want to speak to anybody. Leave me alone!"
"It's okay dear, calm down! I've had a word with them, they're very nice. Say they've figured out a way to mend your vision. I don't know how of course, our doctors can't do anything, but if they can cure you then you'll be able to go home! Won't that be super?"
I think for a while. Maybe I'm just overreacting. They might just be a coincidence. Anyway, if they can cure me, I won't need to worry about things like this ever again. The nurse is right; I will be able to go home!
I nod silently and turn to my breakfast. Porridge. Again. Great. Still, better than nothing I suppose. I dress quickly and the nurse takes me to the visiting rooms. I take a deep breath and walk in.
I feel winded, terrified, shocked, stunned, I'm in disbelief. It was supposed to be a dream. They weren't supposed to be real. I don't know whether to laugh, cry or scream. I'm rooted to the spot. The nurse closes the door behind me with a sinister clang. I just stand and stare at my visitors.
Smith gestures to the phone.
I walk across the room and pick it up with a trembling hand. I place it to my ear, feeling sicker by the second. I hear a crackly version of his drawl on the other end.
"You look surprised to see us, Miss Fairfax. I can understand what you must be feeling," he says, which is ironic coming from a group of men who appear to have the emotional range of a teaspoon.
"We are going to shoot the glass again. Get down"
I can't dive quickly enough. A few shots later the glass crumbles and the men turn me over onto my back. One of them (Brown as I remember) produces a strange contraption out of a black bag. He clamps it over my navel and proceeds to remove the probe.
"I thought that wasn't real." I gasp.
"It isn't real," says Brown. "However it has monitored you so we can sort out your little problem."
"I have here," says Jones "a pill. Take it quickly and we will sort you out."
I eye the little red pill carefully.
"What does it do?"
"It is part of a program that alters your electronic signals," says Smith. "Once you take it, we will be able to trace your signal and fix your connection."
I take the pill. Another image flashes into my mind, Neo again.
"You will know when your chance for escape arrives. You will be able to feel it. Follow that instinct and you will be free to find the truth."
This is my chance to escape. I know it.
The Agents wire me back up to the contraption. They put little pads all over me, lie me back down on the floor and Brown starts tapping at a laptop.
"You will begin to feel quite sick in a minute." Says Smith. "Don't worry that's completely normal. You will fall unconscious. Don't worry about this either. I can't say what you will experience then. You may not remember anything or you may have strange dreams. Just remember, these dreams are just dreams, this is the real world, this is where you belong."
Liar. You liar. I can't tell you why I know he's lying; I just know he is. I believe in Neo. It's okay Rebecca, hang in there. Don't let them know you've rumbled them. This is your chance. Don't blow it. God, I can see what he means about feeling sick.
I look at the pink-tinged ceiling, white to regular eyes, and black out.