Everyone settled onto the couches while Olivia tried to figure out how to get the equipment to work, but it was more complicated than it looked. When she couldn’t figure out how to turn on the system, Micah came over to help her out. Finding the button to open the device player, he nodded at her as she dropped the disc into the tray. She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling that technology wasn’t really her thing, and this thing was obviously archaic.

  She didn’t join the others on the couches, choosing to stand beside them instead, anxious about getting too settled anywhere in a situation like this. She wanted to be able to run at a moment’s notice if necessary—not that there was anywhere to run to. The only door they hadn’t explored was a massive black metal monstrosity near the wall with the shelves. It had a wheel that turned, but when Jade tried it she couldn’t get it to budge an inch. Sloane had given it a try as well with no success. Even Zoe had given it a tug. The petite blond woman looked like a delicate cheerleader, but she was stronger than she looked. Even so, the wheel remained fixed in place.

  When Micah pushed play on an awkwardly big remote, the fuzz on the screen dissolved into darkness while a calming guitar soundtrack played in the background. The title of the video appeared on the screen in narrow block letters above the same symbol that was painted on the wall and embroidered on their clothing. It then dissolved over a beautiful seaside view complete with azure waves, white sand and a perfectly arched palm tree on one side of the frame. An asian woman in a white suit walked into the frame.

  “Welcome,” she said in the soothing voice of a therapist. “I hope you had a good rest. This compound will be your new home for the foreseeable future and is complete with many amenities, some of which will become available to you over time. I’m sure you are disoriented and perhaps worried about your missing memories, but rest assured that you are here starting this new life because you chose to be here—because you dreamed of a brighter future.

  “You will find additional information about that choice in individual packets that will be released to you once you have adjusted to your new living arrangements. We know the transition can be difficult with too much information to overwhelm you, and it’s important that you give the memory suppression treatment time to fully take effect before you take in any information about your past. I’m sure you have many questions, but try to be patient and give yourself time.”

  Worried glances were exchanged between several members of the group, but everyone remained silent.

  The woman on the screen spread her arms wide in an all-encompassing gesture. “Getting to know your new roommates is an excellent way to settle into your life here in the Nest—that’s what we call this new home of yours, a nest because it will keep you safe until you are ready to venture out into the world again. You can stay here as long as you like and will be provided food and all the necessities you need to make your life comfortable. Here at New Life Industries, we pride ourselves on providing security and peace of mind for our customers for as long as they need our support.” Her gentle smile faded briefly as her expression turned serious. “Be aware that while you may leave once you have completed the mandatory transition period, you must remain in the Nest until that period has passed.” As she spoke, the screen flickered a few times as if the DVD was worn and not reading properly and then skipped to a new portion of the video.

  The woman on the screen was now standing on the opposite corner and pointing to a device attached to the palm tree next to her. “You have probably noticed this equipment in your rooms. We monitor all activity within the Nest for your own safety and the safety of your new living partners. You can find the rules of engagement for the Nest in the drawer below the DVD player. Before taking the memory suppressant, you all agreed to abide by these rules, so we will review them now. Any violation of the rules could result in forcible removal from the Nest. While that might not sound like such a bad thing to you right now, you chose this shelter for a reason and don’t know what is waiting for you on the outside.”

  The screen turned black and a phrase appeared on the screen in the same typeface as the introductory screen. “Rule one: any violence against your roommates, verbal or otherwise is subject to immediate expulsion.” The woman appeared on the screen again. “After any violent exchange has occurred, the group will convene a review meeting in the living room. Voting materials will be provided via the drop slot in the door and must be returned through the same slot. The group must vote to either confirm or overrule the expulsion.”

  Another blank screen appeared along with the second rule. “Rule two: Damage to the Nest facility or equipment will result in immediate expulsion.” Appearing again on the screen, the woman’s expression was firm. “This rule will be enforced via the monitoring station and cannot be appealed.”

  The video then proceeded to the next rule. “Rule three: All disagreements within the Nest will be resolved by an anonymous group vote if resolution cannot be found otherwise.” The woman was smiling now as she said. “This includes disagreements about distribution of supplies, living arrangements and environmental settings. If a solution cannot be reached and the monitoring station determines intervention is necessary, a vote will be commenced with terms to be set by the monitoring station.”

  “Medications labeled with each resident’s name will be delivered daily through the drop slot. It is important that you complete the transition period by continuing to take your prescribed dose of memory suppressant. Interruption in the treatment can lead to serious complications and should be avoided at all costs.”

  Moving to the center of the screen again, the woman’s smile widened into a ghoulishly exaggerated expression of pleasantness. “ If you have any requests or questions, they can be submitted through the slot on the sealed entrance door for the Nest labeled: correspondence. Paper and writing utensils can be found in the desk in the main living area. New supplies will be delivered daily into the deposit shaft in the utility room.”

  “On behalf of New Life Industries, I want to personally welcome you to your new life and wish you a pleasant stay.”

  The video ended with a reprisal of the strange symbol and more twangy music before returning to white fuzz. Silence reigned for several minutes as they all digested what they had seen.

  To her surprise, Olivia was the first to move. She wanted to read the full rule book and make sure there weren’t any loopholes or additional guidelines that could trap them. The language of several of the rules made her uneasy and she felt they would be easy to misinterpret. The rulebook was in the drawer just as the woman on the video had said, a surprisingly thick stack of papers bound on one side by a spiral binding.

  “I’m going to watch that again,” Micah announced, moving to the DVD player.

  Jade groaned. “Then I’m leaving the room. That video gave me the creeps.”

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  “I’m with you,” Sloane agreed. “Let’s go check out the other unopened rooms.”

  Ethan and Zoe retreated to a corner of the room and began discussing what they’d seen in quiet tones while Olivia took a seat on one of the recently vacated couches and began to read. Micah’s replaying of the video was a bit distracting, but she was good at focusing in spite of whatever was going on around her. She was able to tune out everything else—even the repetitive, gibberish sounds of Micah skipping around in the video and scouring the frames for clues. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find anything at all suspicious in the rulebook. It was written in depressingly circuitous legalese that was even worse than the signed contract she’d found in her room. She was about to give up when Micah interrupted her train of thought.

  “Got you!” he cried, jabbing a finger toward the screen.

  She followed his gesture to the television and was startled to see a blurry image on the screen of a group of people standing on a patio with an overgrown rocky path behind them. The sky was dark and stormy and the horizon was lit with an ominous green glow. There were no signs of civilization on the horizon, just more forest and sky, but she could make out a broken sign on the edge of the frame.

  “What is that?” she asked.

  “Remember when the video flickered?” Micah asked. “Right after she said that we wouldn’t be able to leave until we’ve completed the mandatory transition period?”

  Olivia shrugged. “Sure. I guess.”

  “This frame was hiding in the glitches.”

  “Those people look familiar.” Olivia stood up and walked closer to the screen to get a better look. She recognized Jade’s cornrows and her own red hair, although most of the frame was too blurry to make out. The number of people certainly matched their group’s number.

  “That’s us!” Zoe exclaimed, biting her lower lip as she came closer. “What does that mean?”

  “We arrived here together?” Micah offered.

  “We’re standing outside,” Ethan pointed out as he wandered over, a lip pressed against his bottom lip. “Everything is so overgrown. And doesn’t the sky look weird?”

  “What are you suggesting?” Olivia asked curiously.

  “Well, it doesn’t look right, does it? Like the aftermath of some kind of disaster.”

  Zoe shook her head. “Or maybe we’re just in some remote part of a jungle or something. You can’t read too much into it.”

  “No, he has a point,” Micah said. “Why did we come here? Why would we allow our memories to be suppressed? Something had to drive us to do it.”

  “What are you saying? That the world is ending so we decided to shelter here? And things are so desperate that we asked to forget? But if we know each other, why would we want to forget that?”

  “Maybe we don’t know each other at all,” Olivia pointed out. “Look at the body language. We are all standing apart and no one is interacting in a way that would suggest friendship.” She shook her head. “But that isn’t the question we should be asking anyway.”

  “Oh?” Zoe demanded. “Then what should we be asking, sensei?”

  Olivia did her best to ignore the other woman’s mockery. She had a feeling that this was not unusual for her. “What is that frame doing in the video in the first place? If this video is an orientation for people coming to live in the Nest, why would it be hiding a picture of us?”

  “There’s only one explanation,” Micah replied thoughtfully. “It’s a message.”

  “A message from whom? To tell us what?” Zoe threw up her hands in exasperation.

  “We don’t know what it’s supposed to be telling us,” Olivia said. “But we can almost guarantee it’s a message from our captors.”

  “Captors?” Ethan asked in surprise. “The video indicated that the cameras are for our own protection. Caretakers would be more appropriate.”

  Olivia shrugged. “Assuming the video can be believed at all. We don’t really have any proof, do we?” She looked up at the camera in the room in a challenging way before closing her eyes and looking away in frustration.

  “Even if their motives are nefarious, we can’t be sure the message was from them.” Micah said.

  “Who else would it be from? Didn’t they put the DVD in here?”

  Olivia met Micah’s eyes and wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was, that there was a traitor among their supposed enemies. She glanced up at the camera, hoping he would understand. He nodded. “I guess it doesn’t matter what their motivations are,” she said. “We are trapped in here and they can hear everything we say, so it’s not like we can hide anything from them.”

  “You are both insanely paranoid,” Zoe said with a scoff.

  Ethan nodded. “She’s right. We all signed those forms, so we must have known what we were getting ourselves into. Worrying about possibilities that might not even be true is pointless.”

  “What wouldn’t be pointless right now?” Micah asked, his tone much lighter than his words would have implied. “We don’t know why we’re here exactly or under what circumstances we agreed to be locked up in this place and forget our pasts. What are we supposed to do? Settle in and take a nap?”

  Zoe growled in frustration and walked back into the bedroom where she had woken up. Ethan sighed and glanced at Micah before turning to follow her. “We’re supposed to be getting to know each other, right?”

  “I guess,” Micah replied, but he sounded reluctant.

  Sighing, Ethan shook his head and walked away.

  Olivia was still studying the screen in search of clues. “I wish we could print this off or something,” she murmured.

  Just as she spoke, the DVD began to play again on its own. “You have probably noticed the equipment in your rooms,” the woman said before Micah paused it again. He began backing up frame by frame to get to the photo again, but this time he got all the way to the comment about the transition period without finding it.

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Micah protested, scrubbing the video back and forth over the area several times. “This is a DVD, isn’t it? How could it have just changed?”

  “Could we all have hallucinated that image?” Olivia laughed nervously.

  “Or maybe it was projected onto the screen somehow by someone outside?”

  “Whatever happened, it looks like it’s gone now.”

  “I guess they didn’t want us to keep studying it.”

  Olivia nodded, relieved to have found someone who thought like she did. “You’re right. You know what that means, don’t you?”

  Micah grinned. “It must have contained an important clue.”