I couldn’t see anything, I was awaiting the pit of my stomach to return. Everything happened so fast. Lining up angry wasps would’ve been easier.

I had no idea what was in store for me. The “man” had mentioned “programming.” What the heck did that mean? Was I going to be turned inside out? Was I going to be brainwashed? This felt like a science project gone wrong.

Horridly, horridly wrong.

Get a hold of yourself, Carter! one of my many internal voices yelled. You’ll go crazy before anything’s happened to you!

What does it matter? I tried to argue back.

Oh, it matters. You wanna keep your wits about you if they try to pull a fast one on you. You’ve made it three days, right? You survived the ‘before’ stages, right? You can survive now, just keep it together, man!

I nodded resolutely to no one in particular. But how was I going to keep it together?

I began murmuring under my breath, “Always look on the bright side of life.“

I didn’t have too long to perk myself up. I heard metal doors opening.