Those Thirty Days

  I walked down the streets of Fillydelphia, having just finished my usual work day at the firm. It was still early, and I hadn't had too many things to do, so I took a walk, not much caring about where I was going or doing. It was a normal day, at least so it appeared, and the city as a whole was quite calm, even for a calm day. As I took a corner, I was suddenly face with a pony. What seemed to be a brief moment, I moved past him with a tip of my hat, but what I didn't realize was that I had just lost about half an hour. I have only been recently reacquainted with those few hours, so allow me to elaborate. Upon facing this pony, I tipped my hat to him, but instead of passing him, he began to talk to me.

  "Sir, do you have a moment, I wish to talk to you about something." He said in a deep voice, one I doubt had actually been his natural one. I cocked my head in confusion.

  "What is this about?" I asked, not entirely willing to go somewhere with a pony that hid in a trench coat and used a fake voice for certain obvious reasons. In some ways, I wish I had kept my resolve, though in others, I am glad I did not.

  "I'm here to offer you a chance for work, I hope you will consider it very carefully." He said. "This work will have you partake in a social experiment sponsored by the Fillydelphia Research Institute. Any loss in time and salary will be made up for in double, if not more, at the end of the testing period. Are you interested?" I blinked in response.

  "Would you mind telling me what kind of social experiment you are talking about so I can actually give you an apt response. I rather not actually sign up for something I have no idea about what it might do." I replied.

  "Of course, sir, I'd expect no less from a pony of business." He said, the smile he hid in the shadow of his hat and coat oozing through his voice. "Please, let us discuss this matter somewhere more suitable. How does that cafe sound to you?" He said, raising a hoof to a cafe across the street. I hadn't been to that cafe before, but I supposed any cafe was as good as the next, though my friends would shout the contrary at me.

  "Alright, let's go." I said, following him across the cross walk, noticing briefly that two other ponies in trench coats were behind me, making me feel extremely uncomfortable. The cafe was simple, not that I expected extravagance. The two other ponies stepped over to a bench near by, looking over their menus towards me. I sat down across from the stallion.

  "Now," he began, "To the experiment. For this experiment, you will be gone for thirty days, so ensure that as few as possible social events are caught in the middle of that time frame. During this time you will be placed in solitary confinement without contact with the outside world." I nodded slowly, not entirely apposed to it thus far. "Food will be provided for you, along with all other necessities, except social interactions of course."

  "And I'll be payed more than twice the amount of bits I would've received during that time had I not accepted?" I asked, confirming what he had said to me before, to make sure I understood.

  "Yes, you're time is valuable, we understand, but science requires sacrifices, but they don't have to be completely without gain in turn." He explained. "The F.R.I. is not a nonprofit organization, and is more than capable of mending any damages to your person during the time of the testing." I thought the offer over. For the most part it would appear that it was a good one.

  "What about my family? What happens to them because of this?" I asked, though I had little genuine concern for them. They'd make it fine without me, and I without them.

  "They will be unaware in concern to the experiment, but otherwise will only suffer the loss of one month of your presence, for which the Fillydelphia Research Institute will not make reparations." The stallion replied. "Your expenses will be high as it is, the Institute doesn't wish to incur far to many damages to the budget, if you understand my meaning." I nodded slowly.

  "Alright, I'm sold. I am willing to partake in this little experiment of yours." I said foolishly. The thought of this as a sort of all expenses payed vacation danced in my mind, an idiotic notion at best, a fool's hope if I was kind. The stallion nodded, procuring a paper and a pen for me to write with. I lifted the pen and looked over the page, signing on the dotted line the stallion motioned to. He nodded, taking the paper back up, stuffing it into his coat once more, along with the pen, which he wiped off on a handkerchief.

  "To ensure the purity of the experiment, you must be unprepared for when this will take place, so as to not make it so you are just playing a waiting game with a fixed ending." The stallion told me bluntly.

  "So, what, you're going to whisk me away at an unknown time?" I asked, illustrating how naive I really was.

  "That is part of it, but I will also make it so you have no memory of this incident." He replied coolly. "It is a painless process, but you will have no idea of what is happening to you when it does happen. The contract is still legally binding of course, but to ensure that the legal matters are properly attended to." He then brought out a recording device. "I'd like you to read something into this device before I complete the process." I nodded dumbly as he took a smaller piece of paper from his coat, an action that made me wonder how much he could find into that coat. I looked at the paper, beginning to read after he pressed the button.

  "I do here by agree to the terms and conditions of the contract I have signed, and do understand and accept the privileges, as well as obligations, contained therein." The stallion pressed the button and gave me a nod before stowing away the recorder and paper.

  "Thank you, sir, the Fillydelphia Research Institute thanks you for your compliance and sacrifice. We hope your stay in our laboratories are a nice one." He said before motioning for me to stand up. "We will go back to the corner where you met me, there I'll complete the memory removal process." I nodded, still not understanding the magnitude of what I had just done.