Part 1: Falling Asleep
Aurora checks in for her study.
I’m throwing my hat in for another writing project! Our good friend,
, encouraged me to take on The Blackwater Files. The premise got me thinking about who would make an interesting patient for this kind of study. What if someone experiencing insomnia were to apply? What lies behind her insomnia?About a week ago, I posted a few teaser images in my notes to share the little details incorporated into my story. It got mixed responses, but I think that’s a good thing. You won’t know what to expect including myself, which hopefully makes for an adventurous reading experience!
My story is turning out to be much longer than expected. But, hey, I’m here to exercise my writing skills, and Blackwater is proving to be a good project for that purpose.
With that said, please join me as a young college student suffering with insomnia visits Elysium.
Aurora Duran faced a towering office building speckled with sparse lighting. While it was dawn, she matched the address on her phone to the plaque on the building. She passed through the double doors to find a Directory Sign to her right. She scanned the various listings to find the pharmaceutical company:
Elysium: 34E
“Damn, that’s so far up.”
Six floors away from the top of the building.
An elevator waited for her at the other end of the hallway. Its chrome doors opened as if to welcome her with an embrace. She selected 34, then caught her reflection on the elevator mirror.
To pass the time, she curled her onyx hair and styled it half-up. Even curled, it fell past her shoulder blades. Her hair was the only formal part of her look: sporting a hooded jean jacket layered over a rose-colored shirt, dark jean shorts, and rose hi-top Vans.
Her under eyes called her attention. They resembled the grays in this building. She rubbed her face, wishing to wipe away the bags under her eyes.
Aurora didn’t give Elysium’s ad a second thought until insomnia ruled her nights. Her friends tried to convince her to back out of the study. One of the university’s football players visited Elysium a month ago, and he walked out of there a different person. No one could describe exactly what had changed. Yet there was something ominous behind his words, which unsettled everyone.
If participating in a sketchy study meant she could finally sleep, so be it.
The doors opened to an empty hallway with six office doors. She timidly exited the elevator and found office E to her right.
Aurora entered the waiting room to find…no one. No one was sitting in the gray, boxy seats. No one was on the other side of the plexiglass to greet visitors.
“Hello?” She called.
The door guarding the doctor’s offices was closed, but the sound of footsteps crescendoed from the other side.
A doctor opened the door as if pushing back a stage curtain. His dark hair was slicked back, and he displayed a perfect set of teeth.
“You must be Miss Aurora Duran.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I am Dr. Robert Karasevdas. Welcome to Elysium.”
She accepted his handshake. While his skin had olive undertones, his color was a stark contrast against her terracotta skin.
“Please come right in. We will begin in the room at the end of the hall.”
Aurora crossed the threshold. On the other side of the wall, two nurses were typing away on their desktops. Neither acknowledged their presence. The doctor silently led her past the nurses.
“It looks like I’m your first patient today,” She observed.
“Indeed, you are. But by the time you finish your study, the clinic will be full of patients. Have a seat, Miss Duran.”
The operating room contained a simple desk and an exam table propped up for sitting. A large mirror was to her right. While she settled into her seat, Karasevdas positioned across from her.
“I like to speak with my patients to help ease any nerves you might have about the study which you volunteered for.”
“All right.”
He reviewed his clipboard.
“Now, you noted in your application that you are experiencing insomnia.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you have any ideas on what is causing it?”
Aurora lingered, pretending to reflect on her sleepless nights. She sensed that she could not trust him with personal details.
“I’m not sure…stress I guess? I am finishing college, after all.”
“Well, I must admit that your insomnia is what piqued my interest in your application.”
Dr. Karasevdas made direct eye contact, a spark of passion revealing itself.
“I firmly believe that insomnia is a result of our subconscious keeping us from the truth - as if there’s something within that does not want to be discovered. That is where we come in. We will work to investigate what is keeping you from your sleep. Whatever that is may be the key to immortality.”
Behind his dark eyes was a religious fervor she witnessed in preachers who pontificated on the campus’ free speech lawn.
“Have you had other patients with insomnia?” She asked.
“Yes, but unfortunately there was not much we could do with their results,” He said dismissively.
“What do you mean, Doctor?”
“They were rather afflicted after their participation. But I can tell that you are a resilient young woman, Miss Duran. I am confident that this study will be quite revelatory…and alleviate whatever is causing your insomnia.”
She felt his hand on her left shoulder and fixed her posture, subtly imploring him to withdraw. He flashed a smile.
“Well, if there are no further questions for me, I will send someone in shortly to prepare you.”
He got up from his seat and shook her hand once more.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Duran. It is my great hope that together we will fulfill our mission.”
Once he left the room, she leaned back on the exam chair, fidgeting with the sleeves of her jacket. She could not ignore the anarchic eagerness behind his perfectly filtered face. What exactly were his expectations of her?
Three courteous knocks announced itself before the door opened. A young med student stepped into the operating room, intently studying his clipboard. He seemed to be around her age, with sand-blonde hair outgrowing its quiff haircut. His gray scrubs washed him out. Then again, the doctor seemed to be the only lively thing in Elysium.
He looked up from the clipboard. He seemed taken aback by her appearance, then cleared his throat to cover up his reaction.
“Miss Aurora Duran, is it?”
“Yes?”
“My name is Phil, and I will prepare you for the study.”
“Do you have a last name?”
“It's a policy that we do not share our last names. Sorry.”
She was surprised by how genuine he sounded.
“Please make yourself comfortable, Miss Duran. I will prepare the pill for you.”
He crossed over to the counter, and gathered his items.
“Are you the doctor’s assistant?”
She hardly remembered Karasevda’s name, so it seemed safe to just call him “the doctor.”
“Ah, no, I am one of the interns here. I am finishing my medical program soon, which requires participating in an internship.”
“How long have you been interning here?”
“I will complete my month very soon.”
“One month? That seems pretty short, even for just an internship.”
“Maybe. You’d be surprised as to how much you learn in one month.”
Phil lingered over the counter, lost in his thoughts. After an uncomfortable pause, Aurora led him back to their conversation.
“So, you’re almost finished here?”
He returned to his tasks, as if her words brought him back to life.
“That is correct.”
He turned around and approached her.
“I will go over what you can expect from this study, starting with this little pill.” He said while presenting a round white pill with a red dot in the middle - resembling Elysium’s logo.
“This is called The Undertow. You will take this with water before I strap you into your seat. Usually patients fall asleep immediately after taking the pill. Since you have insomnia, I imagine it may take longer for its effects to kick in.”
“Honestly, falling asleep is a big incentive for doing this.”
Phil offered an amused smile.
“I guess that is the silver lining of this experiment. I will stay with you until you fall asleep, then I will observe your dreams and monitor your vitals in the adjacent room on the other side of that one-way mirror.”
She followed his gesture towards the mirror.
“Once you fall asleep, you will find yourself in a lobby area. Interestingly, we’ve learned that everyone’s dreams begin in a lobby.”
“That’s a strange coincidence…”
Phil nodded in agreement.
“But we cannot see anything once a patient leaves the lobby. This is when we rely on your vitals to monitor you. You will be asleep for approximately eight hours. However, if your vitals indicate any distress we will ease you out of sleep.”
While Phil was thorough, his directions flew over her like a gust of wind.
“Do you have any questions for me?”
She glanced down at her lap. A whisper of regret was forming her thoughts.
“Has anyone gone crazy doing this experiment?” She asked, searching for the answer in his amber eyes.
Phil hesitated.
“We find that those who come out of the Undertow…troubled…already had mental issues. If your insomnia is stemming from a mental issue, then you might have some...unpleasant side effects.”
While his insight troubled her, it did not keep her from noticing his right arm twitching. The smartwatch on his wrist suddenly powered off.
“I hardly trust this experiment, and now you’re saying I might go crazy? What’s your plan if I do wake up insane?”
“Rest assured, Miss Duran, I am trained to de-escalate any situation. I will ensure that you are safe at all costs.”
His arm twitched again.
Aurora scrutinized the intern. She might have doubts, but Phil proved to be the most reliable part of Elysium…for now.
She relaxed her shoulders.
“All right. I’ll move forward with this study.”
Phil pensively observed her.
“Okay. Please make yourself comfortable. I will now set up the straps.”
As the exam chair laid her down, Aurora noticed his clipboard on the counter. She could not read her chart, but she did notice the word “insomnia” written in bold letters. The doctor’s expectations weighed on her chest.
Phil strapped her ankles in, adjusting them as needed. He moved through each strap like it was second nature. Drowsiness greeted her like a long lost friend. He paused by her wrists, waiting until her eyes met his.
“My last name is Elric, by the way.”
His arm twitched for a third time.
She fought a smile through her lethargy.
“Phil Elric…Call me…Aurora.”
Her Spanish pronunciation brought out his smile. He watched over her as he finished securing her in the exam chair.
The Undertow finally took its effects.
“Remember, I will stay with you until you fall-”