On the Other Side

1 & 2

On The Other Side

DAY 1

    It was a cold winter day, I could see my breath as a walked alongside the road. Today was the day, I thought. I ran my hand on the railing of the bridge. Once I got to the area with the deep blue underneath I stopped. I let the breeze shuffle through my dark brown hair, fixating it into my light green eyes. Maybe I shouldn't do this.. Listen to everyone for once! It will get better.. No it won't. Just as I straightened up, I hear a man's voice calling out to me. 
“Hey! What are you doing?” The police officer yelled at me. He quickly jogged to me, awaiting my answer. 
“Just looking at the sky. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” I say smiling the best I could. He relaxed and apologized for thinking anything bad. The sunrise was beautiful anyways. He spun his foot, turning around. As soon as he did I jumped over the railing and plummeted to my death. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, I wished it'd go faster. I suddenly felt very calm and at ease. Like nothing mattered, like my mom was watching TV not drinking her life away, like my dad wasn't feeling up some woman that wasn't mom, like I had friends and a life. 
And then.. It all came back. I heard the yelling of people, and the crashing sound of my feet hitting the water. I felt my body being pulled downwards. Just as quickly as it came, it left. 
All sounds gone, a scary numbing feeling all over my body, and water surrounding every inch of it. 

    I woke up in a white bed, similar to a hospital bed. I sat up slowly, my vision returning to my eyes. It looked like I was in some type of hospital but all the posters on the walls were about your brain and happiness. Damn, I really didn't die? I thought for sure I would. I looked to my left, where a window was. I sat up a little more to try and look outside. To my surprise it was summer. I'm 99.9% sure it was winter. I saw houses and people all smiling happily. I was so confused and baffled. When I turned back around there was a young looking man just sitting there. I screamed and jumped so high I could have hit the ceiling. He looked up at me startled. The guy got up from his seat, grabbed a syringe filled with an interesting blue liquid. He walked over to me holding it up. He then took my arm and held the syringe up to it. I quickly pulled away before he could do anything more.
“What the hell are you doing?” I yelled pushing him away. He stared at me.
"You talk." He said in a sedated kind of voice. 
"Of course I talk. What is this place? And why are guys so obsessed with happiness?" He stared a while, then finally spoke up. 
"We found you in the ocean. Do you know where you are or your name?" I replied easily.
"I live in Michigan, and my name is Elliot."

"Age?"

"17." He sighed. He seemed frustrated.

"Look, I'll try to explain this the best and shortest way possible." I nodded. "Look, this is California, near Oregon. We saw your body in the ocean. Also, my name is Jack Turnner. I'm a doctor here at this hospital. And we are not obsessed with happiness, we just inforce it a lot.” 

“That sounds like bullshit.” I say plainly.

“Wha- no, don't say that! They'll hear you!” Jack stutters out. 

“Who will hear me? The ghosts?” His face turned bright red and he jabbed the syringe into my arm. As I felt myself drifting away I thought, Wait- did he say California? 

When I woke up again my eyes faced an annoying bright light. I tried to sit up but there were bonds holding me down. I squirmed around until I saw a creepy man come into my vision. He was smiling wide but almost too big. 

“Hey there, son. It looks like you don't come from here.. So were just searching your memory, that's all.” My eyes widened. No way, this can't be Califrnia. They wouldn't keep such valuable information to themselves, would they? Searching your brain.. I tried loosening the bonds by moving around once again but several hands from the darkness around me reached out to hold me still.