The Treatment
Published July 2025
All Rights Reserved
Opening my eyes, I’m surrounded by a calm blue color. My mind is a haze, barely able to form a single thought. I look around to see that I am lying in a hospital bed. Rubbing my eyes, I wonder how I’d gotten here. Confused, I take a look at myself and see that I’m not hooked up to any sort of monitors. As I try to think back to how I got here, I can’t remember. The more information I try to gather, the more unnerved, I become, realizing the gravity of my situation. I don’t remember how I got here. I don’t remember who I am. Is this temporary or has something awful happened?.
Dread fills me wondering if perhaps I’d been in an accident and that’s why I can’t remember. I scan myself for injuries but find nothing. As feeling returns to my body, I can sense something in my hand. Moving it to my lap, I find a note scrawled in tiny handwriting. It reads: Trust no one. Don’t eat the pills.
Just then, a nurse walks in.
She smiles.
“Oh good, you’re up. I’ll go get your pills.”
The words on the note ring in my head: don’t take the pills. I don’t know who wrote it, but my gut tells me to trust it, so I do.
I smile at the woman, watching as she makes her way out the door.
If I don’t go now, I won’t get another chance.
My heart begins to race in my chest and I climb off the bed as carefully and as quietly as possible. I inhale and exhale, trying to calm myself. The first step is to get out. The marble floor is cold against my bare feet. Waiting a moment, I peer out the hall, grateful to not see anyone walking through them.
The voice in my head urges me along, and I don’t know why I was given that note, but I know that I should listen. I have the sinking feeling that if I don’t, I won’t make it out of here alive. To be given instructions the way that I had meant was that something was wrong. I’m not sure as to what but I’m hoping that I’ll figure it out.
Then, I run, aiming to go as far as I can, as fast as I can. I’m relieved to be steady on my feet. My mind races, looking for answers to questions that it doesn’t have. The deeper I think about it, the more the situation causes me to panic, although I manage to move steadily. Under harsh white light, I move down what seems like an endless vertical hallway. I glance from one name plate in the room to the next, not finding what I’m looking for.
STORAGE ROOM, OPERATING ROOM, COOLER.
I slip on the floor, trying to hurry along.
Gritting my teeth, I climb back to my feet, hoping I haven’t made too much noise. Hearing the sounds of footsteps making their way toward me from the front, I dive into the closet, locking the door. I push my way deeper, hiding amongst jackets. Hearing the steps move through, I hold my breath when they stop. I hear a door creak open and another pair of shoes joins the hall.
“The operations are going as expected. All progress is positive so far, give or take a few minor setbacks.” A calm professional female voice says
“And what of the setbacks?” A cold male voice asks
“Disposed.”
“Excellent. I’ve looked over your report. The only issue I have is that the numbers are not as high as desired. That must be dealt with.”
“Yes, of course, sir.”
Relief washes over me as the footsteps continue down the hall.
I wait another long moment before peering out to see that the hall is empty again. Shuffling through, I pass by more rooms before making it to the one I was searching for.
FILE ROOM
Closing the door softly, I twist the small piece inside the knob, locking the door. Taking a moment to catch my breath, I also use the time to refocus myself.
Alright. Time to get some answers.
I turn around to see a large array of filing cabinets lined out horizontally throughout the room. Not knowing how much time I have before I’m found, I begin to dig, opening one cabinet after the next, scrolling through the words listed on the tabs.
Each had titles.
ORGANIC PEST CONTROL, SEASONAL PLANTS, VEGETABLE CHART.
Not the one I’m looking for.
I hop to the next.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, PROPOSED TIMELINE, RISK ASSESSMENTS, TRAINING.
Knowing I’m close to what I’m looking for, I go to the next cabinet, now realizing I’m in the section for important documents. Based on the doomsday events, nothing is secure. Who would break in when everyone is compliant, dying, or brain-wiped?
Pulling out the next file, I glance at the words on it and freeze.
Last Line Defense: CLASSIFIED
Defense?
Against what?
Opening the file, I begin to read the words on the page, each statement more horrifying than the last. The world had begun to crumble due to overpopulation. As the natural resources began to diminish enough to become truly noticeable, the government began to act, making moves in secret.
The author writes coldly, in emotionless descriptions of the government’s final decision upon the issue of the world’s overpopulation. One cold and calculated act to try and save generations to come. Every human being in the world, regardless of age, would submit their information to the government. If you did not, you would be hunted down for failing to comply. By the end of the year when all was set, they acted. Every person on a date selected on the card would make their way into a building known only as: The Facility.
Nobody knew the secrets it held within its walls. The truth, your fate was one of two. Either you would lie back and be pricked with a needle that would wipe out all previous unique memory or the needle that would be plunged into your skin would release chemicals into your bloodstream, stopping your heart. Few were absolved from the treatment, high-ranking officials, the doctors who ran the treatment, and those who designed it as well as those who hold high ranks in the government.
Looking at the numbers at the bottom of the sheet, I feel as if I cannot get air into my lungs. The papers tremble slightly within my grip. I feel like I may pass out but hold strong, inhaling before I turn the page.
Cleansed- 2 billion
Disposed- 3.5 billion
Awaiting - 3 billion
Exempt: 500
My stomach churns and my hand flies to my mouth as the nausea washes over me.
They killed three billion people.
That’s three times the population of the entire United States of America.
Gone.
They’re slaughtering us.
Closing my eyes, I try to bring any sort of memory to mind but there is nothing, no past, only present.
Those they hadn’t destroyed physically, they killed mentally.
What am I going to do?
I realize that first, I have to get out of here before I can do anything else. This is too big to take down on my own. One fast nurse catching me is all it would take for it to be over. The thought of how high the body count must be rising with every passing moment is enough to make me keel over again.
Come on, focus.
You can’t save everyone but if you don’t act now, you save no one.
I slide the file under my gown and open the door.
Slipping out, I make my way again through the endless hall.
After a few minutes and a couple of turns, I spot an exit sign.
Picking up speed, I run towards the exit.
“Hey!” A voice calls out
I turn to see my nurse standing a stretch away.
I don’t know why but in this moment I freeze.
Is she the one who had saved me?
Seeing her pull out a needle, I quickly realize I’m wrong.
Run.
Run.
Turning, I sprint forward only to collide hard. Backing up I see a doctor, a different one than the first. This one is covered in blood, now having stained me as well from our contact.
“Ona, what is this?”
“A cleansed patient whose lost their way is all.”
The doctor makes his way up to me, looking deeply into my eyes. I feel a chill run down my spine. Then he scans me up and down, checking for the results of the test. His eyes fall to my midsection.
Stepping forward, he digs, grabs, and pulls as I try to get away, scattering the documents onto the floor. The noise takes his attention and he turns to look at what I’d hidden.
I run.
“Stop her! Security breach!”
I hear the soldiers begin to make their way in my direction. My legs scream at me, my entire body aching as I push myself, trying to go faster. A shot rings out and the blinding pain in my leg forces me to drop. I lay, collapsed on the floor, unable to get to my feet. The soldiers quickly overwhelm me, dragging me back to the doctor. He gestures the nurse over.
“Tell me about this one.”
“She was scheduled for cleansing this morning. She vanished after treatment.”
Hearing this, the man turns, giving her a cold look.
“And why weren’t we notified?”
“After cleansing they are discharged. It took some time to return, I believed she had gone home.”
For a long moment, nothing happens as he stares from the files to me. Without any emotion, he turns to the guards.
“Prep this one for disposal.”
“Sir, are you certain?”
“We cannot risk this information being released if the cleanse fails. You heard me, disposal. Don’t question me again.”
Standing, he walks out of the room without meeting my gaze. They don’t hesitate, dragging me into the next room. The nurse follows behind. I’m held down as they place restraints on my wrists. Digging into the cabinet, she makes her way towards me with the syringe in hand. I plead for her to stop, but she only gets closer. Pulling as hard as I can, I cannot rip free from the restraints no matter how hard I try. Then, she stops, turning towards the doorway. Setting the needle down, she relaxes.
“I am sorry I could not get to you in time. By the time I’d realized you’d awoken, a nurse was already in your room.”
I stare at her in confusion.
“You’re not going to…prep me for disposal?”
Her look turns to that of horror and…anger.
“Of course not, Kels. You know I would never.”
“I don’t understand.”
“ Kelsey, it’s Reina.” She replies
Her expression quickly changes as she takes in my blank one.
“Oh no. No, no. Please tell me I’m not too late.”
Tears fill her eyes.
“Please tell me you know who I am.”
I stare at the woman before me, trying to think of where I’d seen her before but still, there is nothing.
Kelsey.
That’s your name.
Remember Kelsey.
Sniffling, Reina gathers herself.
“We don’t have much time. The plan is in place. All we have to do is get out to the exit now that I have you with me. Are you ready?”
I shake my head.
“No. Please, help me remember.”
“I’m your sister. Now, let’s go, there’s no more time. No matter what happens, we keep going. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Taking my hand, she pulls me forward, and together, we make our way out to the hallway. I move quickly following and stepping alongside her, unable to shake the feeling that at any moment, someone is going to stumble across us, and there will be nothing that we can do. We are much more careful this time walking more slowly, checking for the sounds of the steps every time we take a couple ourselves.
“Come on Kelsey, you’re almost there.” She encourages
I try to keep pace, tiring quickly but still moving.
A loud alarm begins to blare.
Not knowing what it means, I turn to look at my sister who has a very panicked expression. Whatever it is, it’s not a good sign. I begin to hear the marching feet coming from behind us, and I push myself to move even faster, knowing that whatever is coming for us will be the end of everything. I can’t remember what my life was like before and I can’t remember this plan that my sister speaks of, but the way that she had gone about describing it, it seems something big is a play and all I can think of is how much I want to help. So many lives had now been taken and after seeing their plans, it’s clear there’s no sign of stopping.
“What do I do once we get out?”
“The prisons are being emptied right now. After that, we blow the building.”
A shot rings out and we run as fast as we can now.
“It’s up ahead to the right, we’re almost there.”
Another shot sounds off and I watch as Reina falls to the ground.
Looking behind us, I see the armored shooters make their way toward us, faces hidden behind their protection.
I rush to her side but she smacks me off, urging me to go.
I dodge as another shot rings out.
There is no blood on her wound, but rather a small circular object.
“They already marked me. There’s no time, just go!”
“I can’t leave you here!”
“Go, Kelsey. Take a right then a left.”
I run, leaving my sister behind, and the shots continue to ring out.
The sounds of footsteps continue towards me. I follow her directions, sprinting through the hallway, barely able to inhale a breath as I run to survive.
Making my way to the door, I shove it open, blinded by the sun.
