Reprogrammed

Trapped Again

"Nothing yet." Natemare. He was a little farther away.

"Alright, give her a jolt," Dark ordered.

You felt a hand on your back. Before you could decipher who it was--it was probably Anti--an electric shock shot through your body. You convulsed a little, but you still weren't in control. However, you felt your eyebrow crumple, almost uncontrollably, before relaxing again.

"That's a movement on section E, subsection 4," Natemare stated.

"Interesting," Dark said.

"Now, what?" Anti asked.

There was no answer. You assumed they were conversing non-verbally. A set of footsteps approached. Sounded like leather shoes. Knowing the viruses, they probably belonged to Dark.

"This would be awesome if it would work," Anti said.

"Sh!" Dark hushed him. "In spite of her state, she can hear us."

"Really?" Anti asked.

"Natemare?"

"Yep," Natemare responded. "It looks like she can."

How the heck did he know that? You told yourself it was probably better that you didn't know.

Dark sighed. He was standing in front of you now.

"What's up?" Anti asked.

"I'm debating," Dark said quietly. 

You could feel the tension in the room. There was anticipation, excitement even, from the viruses in the room. Even you could tell that further intensity was just around the corner.

"Zap her again," Dark said. "Two-fold."

You felt both of Anti's hands on your shoulders. Once again, electricity shot through you. You jolted again. This time, you felt both your eyebrows draw together. Your left index finger twitched. 

"Movement on both eyebrows," Natemare reported. "As well as unit two, section six, subsection three."

There was a brief silence. 

"What?" Anti asked after a minute.

"Index finger," Natemare said. "Left hand, third knuckle."

"How did you even see that?" Anti asked. His attention shifted to Dark. "You okay Dark?"

He didn't answer, but you heard movement in front of you. No footsteps; he was just changing position. 

How did you even know this stuff? You couldn't see them, so how were you sensing these things? Maybe, since you were blind and couldn't move, your other senses had been heightened. Or maybe they had done something to you.

"What are your secrets?" Dark asked quietly.

There was another brief silence. Then, Anti spoke again.

"She's responding to the shocks," he said. "Why not just keep up with that until she comes to?"

"It's too dangerous," Dark said. "Too much, and we could kill her. She isn't like us." He shifted again. "We need to find the balance between aggression and delicacy."

"Fair," Anti said. "Keep talking to her."

You heard him step back. 

"Tell me, (y/n)," Dark stated. "How do you feel about us?"

You couldn't answer. You weren't even sure how to answer now. They were getting to you.

"Nothing," Natemare said.

"Fine." Dark's voice sounded different. There was something in it that you didn't recognize. Something that shot a pang through your stomach.

"How do you feel about your friends who left you?" He continued.

Your eyebrows drew together again. This time, it didn't feel as involuntary, and it lasted longer than the previous twitches. 

"Ooh," Natemare said. You could hear the grin in his voice. "She's angry."

"Interesting," Dark said. Anti let out a hard laugh.

"How do you feel about your YouTube channel?" Dark continued.

You didn't move. 

"Nothing," Natemare said after a minute.

"Excellent," Dark said. "She's shutting down from the real world." 

There was a brief pause. Dark stepped closer. You felt two of his cold fingers make their way underneath your chin. He tilted your chin upward.

"Who are you, really, (y/n)?" He asked. "Are you one of them? Or one of us?"

Dark pulled his hand away. You heard him step away again. "Do your thing."

Anti approached from behind. He placed his hands on your shoulders. You stiffened at the touch.

"I felt that," Anti said. You could hear him grinning. He was getting excited.

"I think she's ready for the next phase," Natemare reported.

Anti's hands slowly wound their way into your hair, before resting at the sides of your head. Another set of hands locked around your ankles. One final pair of big hands rested on your shoulders.

"Steady," Darkiplier said quietly. "Now."

All at once, you felt something pulse through you. It felt like an electric shock, but different. You flailed, uncontrollably. A cry rang throughout the room. It took you a moment to realize it was yours.

As soon as it started, it stopped. No pain. No shock. One by one, the viruses removed their hands from you. You sucked in a breath and lifted your head. Then, for the first time in what felt like forever, you opened your eyes.

Darkiplier smiled down at you. "Welcome to the inside, (y/n)."