Taken

A grey, wispy cloud floated far above a small town, guarding it from the bright rays of the sun. Down below, the streets were bustling with people, yet appeared colorless in the inescapable shadows. At the center stood the Treatment Center: a large, white building towering over the dozens of smaller houses and its inhabitants.

At the edge of town, beyond the chain-link fences surrounding it was a forest, an endless sea of leafy trees full of mystery and unknown. One particular tree, however, was especially familiar to the girl sitting inside its hallowed base this peaceful morning. But wait—she wasn’t alone. Not anymore.

Someone came up behind her.

Emma let out a loud yelp as a pair of hands suddenly grabbed her shoulders. She whipped around to find Brandon with a huge grin on his face, showing no effort to hide his amusement at her reaction.

“Shhh! We’re gonna get caught and sent to treatment.”

Her frightened expression quickly became a scowl. “You were supposed to meet me here ten minutes ago.”

“I got held up.” He sat down beside her in the tree. “The Treatment Center looked awfully busy today. Looks like they’re bringing in more and more each day.”

Although she had known Brandon for a long time, Emma never quite understood why he would take such a risk to try to satisfy his curiosity. But what about her? Getting caught climbing or going beyond the fences could lead to the same fate. But this is worth it, she thought. In a way, it felt more peaceful and safe out here in the forest—an escape from the busy streets and the Treatment Center itself.

She gave him a serious, yet concerned look. “You shouldn’t be poking around that place so much. What if you’re next?”

Leaning back against the inside of the tree, Brandon appeared too relaxed to notice. “Don’t worry about me, I’m always careful. You should come next time,” he offered while glancing over. She gave him another fearful look, frantically shaking her head.

But that doesn’t mean what happens within the white building doesn’t intrigue her as well. She had heard countless stories from her neighbors—well, the ones that were still “themselves”. As far as she knows, people were taken in for some kind of procedure and come out, never the same again. But don’t they all live to tell the tale? Well, yes—they look perfectly fine, except for the blank faces and empty expressions. These people returned with no memory of the procedure or any true emotions—like empty shells prepared to re-enter society.

Emma shuddered just thinking about it. Her concern for safety, however, was more for Brandon’s sake than her own. The Treatment Center seemed to target and subdue individuals with dynamic personalities—curious and outgoing people, just like him.

Brandon suddenly popped up, walking outside of the tree. “Gonna get some candy from the store. Wanna come?”

She shook her head. “I’ll take a nap. But please be careful.” And he disappeared through the trees.