Rare Treatment

The fluorescent light flooded my eyes as I woke, my body suspended on a silicon bed that formed perfectly to my dimensions. Instinctively, I shut my eyes, light spots appearing on the back of my eyelids. I waited a few seconds for my retinas to calm. I tried again, slower this time. The bright light tried to force its way in, but I held tight. Forcing the rays to reach my retinas slowly, less painfully. Gradually I grew accustomed and was able to get my bearings. My surgery must have been a success, or at least I didn't die which was good considering it was a risky treatment, something like a sixteen percent chance of success.

I sat up, and the bed moved with me, holding me, I hated being pinned down, that feeling of helplessness. Looking around, I was in a small, windowed cube. The only thing I could see around me was my little box, the light causing the glass to reflect my room back to me. Squinting I could see the weird bed that moved with every minute movement I made and attached to that bed was a long tube. The tube was connected to the head portion of the bed. Reaching around I felt the tube, it pulsed, and my head ached. My heart began to race as I traced the tube to the back of the living chair. I awkwardly slid my hand behind my head feeling the cool metal penetrate the back of my skull. Struggling to breath, I started to panic the tube pulsed faster, matching my heartbeat. As the pounding in my chest rose an alarm started to go off and within a few seconds a seamless glass door slid away, and a humanoid figure entered my cube. The robed figure moved walked to my side. It leaned in to look at me. My eyes went wide, the face looking back was not a human, but rather were three black eyes, two slits for a nose, and pointed ears. Its skin was smooth and blue and instead of two human arms there were four with three larger fingers on each hand.

Fear took over and I tried to free myself from my bed to get away from whatever this thing was. Four arms shot out of its robes, holding me down. Adrenaline surged through my athletic build and as I wrenched my body from the sticky bed, it peeled off like a slimy octopus tentacle. This caught the alien off guard as its eyes went wide with shock. I took this moment to shove its fairly slim frame, which was surprisingly heavy, but in my heightened state I managed to push it back and I forcefully stood up. The metal tub inside my head ripped out. The intensity of the pain from my skull caused me to crumble to the floor. It was like nothing I had ever felt, as if someone had removed a hot metal bar from my head. My adrenaline was pumping, and it was fight or flight. I pushed myself onto all fours as the alien grabbed my shoulders and legs lifting me off the ground with immense strength. It attempted to put me back on the bed but as I writhed with my naked slimy body the being lost its grip dropping me off the side of the bed. Nearly knocking the wind out of me. I coughed as the creature lunged back at me. The two years of Jiu-Jitsu training came rushing back to me and I spun getting my feet out towards the alien. I managed to kick the alien back, kip up onto my feet and sweep its leg tripping it causing it to fall on the ground. At this point my mind was just a passenger in my adrenaline-fueled body. Quickly, I mounted it and punched it one, two, three times, it stopped moving.

I rushed to where the alien had entered the room. The glass slid away, and I was in a very foreign place. Directly out of my room were smooth rounded metal walls encapsulating the space. To my right was a hallway and along it across from the walls were a dozen glass cubes like what I had just left. I felt woozy and I could feel my stomach wrench as I tried to hold the feeling down. Sweat dripped off my brow as I braced myself against the metal wall. Unable to hold it down any longer I threw up on the polished clean floor. Stumbling forward, my head pounding. I touched my skull. It was hardly bloody and there was a cold metallic feeling where the tube had been. I probed further, feeling the metal ring and hole at the center, into my brain. I nearly threw up again.

Unsure of what to do, naked in a foreign place, I sprinted down the hall, passing these similar rooms. Two more of these aliens rounded a corner up ahead. I ducked into the nearest cube and hid behind the operating table. The creatures walked past towards where I had escaped. Peeking at the person on this bed, I noticed a human female, sleeping undisturbed. Her entire head was shaved with a similar tube in the back. I touched my own head; it too was shaved. I can't believe I hadn't noticed that in the reflection earlier. It didn't bother me, I tended to keep my hair short, it would grow back.

I left her there, she seemed peaceful, and I had no way of escape or way to help her. I hated leaving her. I told myself if I found a way out, I would free her, free all those trapped here. The door to her cube slid open without sound as I leaned out to see where these aliens had gone. They were checking each glass room one at a time. Counting the chambers, they were four away, I had to move. As soon as they entered the next cube, I bolted. My bare feet slapped against the cool metal as I ran down the corridor.

The hallway stopped and I had to go left or right. I chose right, I don't know why, maybe because I'm right-handed. This hallway had a slight bend to it. I heard an alien language further down, it grew louder. I ducked into a nearby room. Luckily it was empty. I stood in a small office-like room with a desk and technology I had never seen before, at least I thought it was technology. It was lit up and there were holographic projections in place of screens. I froze. The back wall was entirely glass or some other transparent substance. I was looking out over Earth. I was in space or a simulation; or dreaming, I must be dreaming. I had surgery; this must be me dreaming during surgery. I didn't remember dreams feeling so real and painful.

I thought back as I stared at the incredible view, real or not. One year ago, I had signed up for an experimental study for my rare cancer. They had told me I had a year to live. I searched for other options, and I found this rare study. I was desperate and would try anything, and since it was free, I volunteered. Everyone that survived it lived for years after what they were told. The last thing I remember was being drugged before being taken to the operating room. I came out of my thoughts, and my hands were on the glass, just staring out at home.

"Mr. James." A voice from behind me said. I turned around slowly to see one of these aliens standing in the doorway. Its large frame blocked the door. It wore white sleeveless robes for its four blue arms which were folded across his body. "Mr. James, please return to your bed, the procedure is not yet over." Its three eyes blinked at me, waiting for my response.

It was talking English or at least I was understanding it. The being took a step closer. I backed up, my naked back pressed against the window. The alien sighed and its form slowly began to shrink, its two arms became one and the third eye disappeared. Standing in its place, was my Doctor, Dr. Sanders. At the sight of seeing my doctor having transformed from an alien I fainted.

I awoke on a medical bed; the mattress was lumpy and overused. I blinked, but the light wasn't nearly as bright. I still panicked, checking my surroundings I saw an old curtain separating me from another patient. A window to my right. I could just barely make out the Vancouver skyline. I was home, I must have been dreaming. Slowly I touched the back of my head. It was shaved clean just smooth skin. No evidence there had ever been a metal tube.

A nurse came in, gave me some pills, and asked how I was feeling. I said, "Fine," Still not fully trusting. She left, encouraging me to rest. I looked back to the curtain as the person on the other side stirred. I slowly swung my legs off the bed. My bare feet touched the hospital floor. The IV tube dropped to my side before becoming taut as I reached the curtain. I grabbed the material and pulled it across. Sitting on the other bed staring at me was a familiar bald woman.