Control Group

Chapter 1: Gray

He woke up.

The blinding, poorly installed fluorescent light above his head made him squint immediately. He rolled out of his bed or “cot” really. The sink in the corner provided his daily drink of water. He was always so thirsty. The flap under the wall gave him his food. It was a daisy salad today. He loved the daisies but hated the cherry tomatoes. It was comforting to know he at least knew something about himself.  The little he knew was that he had always been here. Any type of memory he tried to have had been something he couldn’t understand. Every day.

He finished his salad and laid back down on the bed. There was nothing else to do. What is there to do in captivity? He was very skinny, on the verge of underweight, and he seemed to be in good physical shape, judging by his broken reflection in the mirror. It was a chore to keep himself optimistic. Maybe they would let him go one day. Maybe he just had to wait.

One thing that kept him sane was a crack in the wall. He knew he wasn’t being monitored, so he could intrude on conversations without fear of redemption. Most of the rooms, he had learned, were soundproof, but a crack in the wall had let him listen in on some of the conversations of those who worked here. Some were incredibly humorous. Joy and Laughter2 were some of the most pleasant to listen about. They were some of the lucky few who could interact with the staff. There was less security for some ponies because there was no danger of escape or emotional scarring to the employees. Yet here was Gray. Stuck in a windowless room, cement walls, a cot, a toilet, a sink, and a one-way flap in the bottom right corner of the room. What a life.

He hoped he would be able to tell someone one day. About the things that happened here. He had every page of the book he would write about this place in his mind memorized. Not a day went by that he didn’t add a page to his book. Without meeting anyone he had made protagonists, antagonists, background characters, love interests, and a happy ending.

Then there was everyone else.

Each pony in captivity, name reduced to a mere emotion. He bled for them. He shuddered at the thought that he might be the only one who was conscious of where he was. He was the only one who knew why he was here.

Why was he here?

He had no excessive emotions as far as he knew. Why was he here?

The light flickered. He rolled on his side. He had thought too much today. Time for sleep.