The four walls are white, the bed is white, the table is white, the tap is white. There is no door. You opened your eyes and saw the glaring whiteness before you. Nothing is another colour. You notice there are no shadows. The lighting— you look up, you can’t find any lights. But there is this glow which mimics that of the sunlight, making this large yet seemingly vacant room appear to be naturally lit. That is not possible.

 

You get off the bed and walk towards the window, feeling light-headed and unsteady with your feet on the impeccably clean floor. It doesn’t even feel cold. There are no floor tiles. It seems like this room is just one complete stretch of material bent around the edges to form a large box where you are trapped in. You touch the window grille. It’s cold like metal, but it doesn’t feel like metal. The material is something you have never seen before, hardy and white to the core. 

 

You look out the window only about half a metre wide and a metre tall. It shows you a view of a green field matched with a blue sky spotted by white clouds. The only other colours you see here is this fake projection outside the ‘window’. You know it is not real. Even though it makes such a perfect copy of what is in real life, everything outside this white frame looks too perfect to be true. It’s tricking you to believe that there is an ‘outside’. There is not. Your gut feeling tells you there is not.

 

Your head feels like it is going into a spiral from this surreal dream. Is this a dream? You knock your own head a few times. 

 

“Wake up, wake up…” You chant to yourself, forcing your body to end this horrible joke. All the whites around you is making you feel nauseas. This whole place, this white prison is too perfect— it looks too sterilised. It’s unnatural. 

 

You feel a wave of nausea hitting your gut. You squat down immediately, putting your head in between your knees. The tears come out hot and quick. Choking in sobs, you kind of wish you would really throw up and dirty the white floor. The splatter of your stomach juices might actually purify this disgustingly pristine white floor.

 

A rustle. 

 

You look up in bleary eyes, blinking back your tears quickly. Your heart is racing wildly in fear. There is something else out here. Your eyes search the room for the source of the noise which ceased. In the concentration of white colours, it is not difficult to spot the other living thing that was edging towards you. You stare wide-eyed, stunned.

 

It’s a man. He’s looking straight back at you as well, his eyes widened and focused upon yours. He’s sitting on the floor, legs spread in front of him and his palms resting behind his back on the white floor. The two of you took a long moment staring at each other, searching desperately for signs that it is okay. Both were hoping desperately to find a companion in the same plight, somebody who can relate, somebody who can help break out of this trap.

 

You suddenly feel less on the edge as your heart weighs in on the possibility of having a saviour. This man could be able to save you.

 

He begins to shift towards you again, still remaining low on the floor, edging on his fours. He does it slowly, maintaining the eye contact. You already know he can be trusted. To see how cautious he is, it means he has also experienced the same kind of trauma you went through. The both of you would agree that this is abnormal. And dangerous. This man could be a good partner to escaping. 

 

He finally reaches you from across the room. He sits directly in front of you crosslegged. 

 

His eyes are bright and attentive, roaming your features as they go like they’re checking if you are real or a robot. He’s very fair. His skin matches the pristine walls in this prison. His white clothes could have put him in camouflage with the flawless ground if not for his messy black locks. He reaches out a hand towards you and touches your knee, tapping cautiously.

 

He looks relieved to confirm that you are real.

 

“Where are we?” You asks.

 

He gapes, hesitating before shaking his head slowly. “I don’t know.”

 

“There’s no door here.” You feel the panic returning. This is starting to feel hopeless again.

 

“There’s a window here.” He says, attempting to suggest an alternative to escape.

 

The both of you speak at the same time, “But it’s fake.”

 

He smiles a little and you return the gesture. Looks like the both you are on the same page here.

 

Three hours pass, according to the clock on the wall. The two of you sit with your backs against the end of the bed, having exhausted all attempts to look for a clue in the room. There is absolutely nothing here.

 

“What’s your name?” He asks, absentmindedly fiddling with his fingers. If you’re going to be stuck here together for a while, it is best to know each other better. It might get boring. 

 

“Daeun. What about you?”

 

“Donghae.”

 

That rings a bell.

 

“Are you…”

 

“I’m… a singer? If you know?”

 

“You’re really from Super Junior?” You chuckle. Fancy meeting a celebrity here. No wonder he looks so familiar.

 

“I guess you know me. How old are you?” He smiles. You are a little more relaxed with the small talk.

 

“I’m 28. I’m a scientist— I guess. I work in a lab. And you’re, Super Junior.” You laugh a little and he grins shyly.

 

You feel a little attracted by his sweet eyes that avert from your gaze.

 

“I’m 33… I’m older.” He carries on the conversation. The fake white clouds floating ‘outside’ harmlessly.

 

“Do you expect me to address you formally then?” You joke and he meets your eyes for a second, smiling.

 

“Nah, there’s no point in this damned place.” He stretches out his legs in the white pants, the hems covering the back of his feet.

 

“How did you end up here?”

 

“I wish I knew! I just suddenly woke up— I don’t know how to describe it. I just suddenly— I opened my eyes and I am standing here in this room. And then I saw you lying on the bed. I went close to you but I was scared so I didn’t dare to wake you up. I sat in the corner for about an hour until you got up.”

 

What a strange experience. You rub the goosebumps on your arms. “I don’t know how I got here either. I woke up on the bed as you saw.”

 

“What were you doing before you got here?” Donghae asks, then goes on to ponder himself. “What was I doing…”

 

“I think I went to bed, to sleep. Then I’m here.”

 

“Me too! I was sleeping. Is this a bad dream? Have our consciousness gone on a trip?” He suddenly gets very excited, his bright eyes twinkling.

 

You feel hopeful from his enthusiasm. Maybe there is a clue to help you get out!

 

“Pretty close!”, a strange voice booms out of the blue, the loud timbre surrounding the entire room. You scream in surprise from the peculiar voice, its pitch and tone unworldly. You and Donghae put your arms around each other, frightened and doubtful. You inch closer to him as a chuckle resonated around the room. Donghae tenses as he tighten his hold around you. You can tell he is also disconcerted.

 

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.” says the voice from nowhere. Its electronic tone giving you the creeps. “Now now, don’t the two of you make a good couple?”

 

“It’s ok.” Donghae reassures you as he pats your arms gently. The two of you sit with your backs pressed to the end of the bed, hip connected to hip, peering nervously around for the source of the sound.

 

“Don’t be scared. I promise nobody gets hurt!” The voice sounds apologetic but you don’t feel at ease. “Well, let me introduce myself. I will not tell you my name but I will let you know that I am what you earth dwellers refer to as ‘alien’. I have, um, ‘abducted’ the two of you for a little experiment of mine. So I will need your help to complete this observation before I can let you off! I have not kidnapped you physically of course, I have however, made a visit to your hidden subconscious and dragged out your minds to this observation pod— Isn’t this built to look very much like your common quarters eh? We don’t live like you guys. Anyway—“

 

“Who are you? What do you want from us?” shouts Donghae, startling you. “Let us go home!”

 

“Donghae…” You pull him back. You’re afraid that he’ll anger your abductor. That might lead to irreversible consequences.

 

“Ahh, I can’t, mister! I need to do this experiment! And you’ll have nothing to lose if you help me! This is only your conscious like you’ve guessed earlier. Your physical selves are still very well in bed, sleeping!” The voice rings with glee as it chuckles.

 

A projection casts across the white wall in front of the two of you. It shows the view of your sleeping forms side by side in your individual homes. It is extremely peculiar and confusing to see yourself, and in such a way. You don’t know if the ‘alien’ is just tricking you, or if it’s really an ‘alien’ not a pranking human.

 

Whatever it is, this entity has the power to trap the both of you here in such an elaborate and advanced set up. You’re sure it is able to kill you if it wanted to.

 

You turn to look at Donghae, who looks rather overcame by confusion and uneasiness. His grip on your shoulder remains tight, trying to reassure you even though he is also afraid.

 

The strange voice alternates between electronic frequencies, going from high to low pitches, as if to hide its true tone.

 

“Don’t be scared, earthlings. Like I said, I won’t hurt you. I just need you to help me with my observation slash experiment.” 

 

“What?” The two of you mumbled under your breathes in sync before exchanging looks.

 

“There will be a checklist of what you need to achieve each day. If you fail unreasonably to complete your tasks, there might be consequences.” The singsong voice does not seem to match the hair raising threat you sense.

 

The pictograms of your sleeping selves switch to an image of a checklist.

 

Only one item is present: Get to know each other

 

“Let’s follow instructions and I’ll release you soon eh?”

 

The urge to puke comes up again. You feel an overwhelming sense of discomfort in this godforsaken place, about to be forced into a ridiculous trial of experiments. You want to go back home in one piece. God knows if this is just a twisted game of a malicious ‘deity’ it portrayed itself to be.

 

Donghae appears to be shaken. He lets go of you and rushes up to the projection, banging on the walls. Only a solid sound resonates through the room. How thick is this barricade? You wonder about the security of this place. Your hopes thinning every moment.

 

“Yah! Let us out! I’m not playing this twisted game!” yells Donghae, violently kicking and pounding the solid white walls.

 

You wish his fit could throw some effect. Maybe the agitated protest would make it change its mind to release the both of you.

 

You were dead wrong when Donghae doubles over in pain, dropping to the ground like a fish out of water as he twisted his body in agony.

 

“Oh my god, Donghae!” You scream, scrambling over to him on your four limbs. His knuckles are turning white from the death grip over his abdomen. Cold sweat form in beads on his face as he struggled to keep his sanity. He lets out a tortured scream, curling into a ball as he visibly jolts from another piercing pain in his abdomen.

 

“Please stop! Please stop!” You beg constantly as the punishment doesn’t seem to stop. Tears stream down your face messily, your speech turning incoherent as you watch Donghae in the convulsing pain helplessly.

 

The tension leaves Donghae’s body abruptly as he uncurls himself, lying limply on the ground. His lips are pale, his fringe wet and plastered onto his face. You wipe away the sweat on his face, brushing his hair out of his eyes and held his cheeks urgently, patting him lightly to check his consciousness. He turns his head in discomfort, clearly still with you and breathing.

 

You gasp in relief, pulling him up to rest his torso against you. You rub his arms in quick motion, trying whatever you can do to make him feel better. He rasps weakly, “I’m okay.”

 

“There, I told you there will be consequences.” The voice emerges, injecting fear with the new tone of a growling monster. “All misconduct will be punished.”

 

The projected screen ceases and so did the voice. You peer around. It seems to have left— or rather, it has returned to its silent observation.

 

“Donghae, are you alright?” You ask, deeply worried as his face is still sallow. 

 

“I’m okay.” He attempts to push himself up on his elbows and you help him. He sits up on the floor, slouched but slowly regaining himself.

 

He peers up at your concerned expression, consoling you, “I’m fine. I’m not dead yet.”

 

“Don’t do anything dangerous like that again!” You disapprove strongly. “We should keep low in a situation like that. The thing has the power to trap us here, it will have the power to kill us as well. And we’ve seen how it’s able to inflict pain upon us without any effort…”

 

The both of you recall Donghae’s torture just seconds ago. You feel a chill tingling your spine in an eerie manner.

 

“I’m sorry. What I’ve done has put myself and possibly you in danger.” Donghae sighs.

 

You have gradually realised what was a dream is actually truly happening. Whether this is only your conscious or not, the two of you are able to be mentally disturbed and physically tortured in this dimension. Even if your physical selves are safe and sound back at home, you doubt you could get back in one good piece if you attempt anything boldly. 

 

“We need to take cautious steps.” Donghae says, having learned his lesson confronting it. “And be discreet. It’s watching and listening to us.”

 

You look up and search for it unknowingly as Donghae’s voice turn low to a whisper, you do that even though you know you can never find anything. You’re trapped like a lab mouse.

 

“Let’s be strong. We will find a way, hmm?” Donghae’s words of consolation only releases the tear ducts in your eyes. He was the tortured one yet he’s much stronger than you. You should be the one consoling him now. You feel your weakness and bite your lip in determination to toughen up.

 

You meet Donghae’s eyes, his lips still rather pale. The both of you exchange a determined look and a hug.

 

“It’s ok, it’s ok.” comforts Donghae as he pats your back gently. You nod in response. 

 

He whispers under his breathe. “We will get out of this, definitely.”

 

The checklist flashes its return on the ghastly white wall, ‘Get to know each other’. 

 

Harmless yet threatening.