[[13:05.|sigh]]

Did you [[work?|work1]]

[[12:21.|what]]

[[BZZZ.|Beep2]]

You sigh, returning it to its place. You reach out again into the darkness. Your hand traces a wall and you find a [[switch|switch]].

The alarm cuts through the darkness,\nwrenching you towards the [[violent intrusion.|violent intrusion.]]

[[BZZZ.|Beep3]]

You replace the box and fall back.\nYou [[close your eyes| close]],\non edge between willing yourself back to sleep\nand forcing yourself up.\n

"Wonderland Complex."\n\n[[//~ Chapter 1. ~//|Start 1]]\n\n//"I once found myself\namong mad people,\nbut couldn't tell\nwhere their\ndreams and nightmares\nended\nand mine\nbegan.\n\n- Patient 037211, "Penny"//

The armoire opens soundlessly. Inside is a white [[robe|robe]] and a pair of thin linen [[pants|pants]].

You remember sitting around a table drinking,\neveryone piled into a tiny room.\nThe faces are indistinct.\nThere was a girl laughing,\nher smile bright enough to fill the room.\nA guy you spoke to often was pooring from a dark bottle. \nA couple was making out in a corner, stashed away.\nYou vaguely remember a crumpled photo,\nbut it's blurry in your mind,\nlike a [[half-remembered dream|dream]].

Is this another night?\nYou look back at the [[alarm|1302]].

You try to shake the sleep from your head. You feel [[exhausted.|have you]]\n

The doorknob feels cold to the touch. With a rattle, you twist, and you find yourself [[locked in|room4]].

The cold pulls you away to old memories. \nFlashes you don't entirely recognize. \nYou shiver as you reach out and feel a [[counter|counter]].

The armoire stands open. Inside is a pair of white [[robe|robe]] hanging.

You look back at the [[alarm|1221]].

[[But...|shake]]\n

The fabric feels rough to the touch.\nNot any blanket you owned,\nand much to stratched for your liking. \nIt feels institutional almost.\nYou reach out and find a [[counter|counter]].

Have you slept? Really? You remember lying down, but that was hours ago. You don't remember dropping off. You spent hours staring into the darkness. Maybe, you thought, maybe I'll sleep tonight. You did set the [[alarm|check1302]] for the morning...\n

[[BZZZ.|another1]]

Old memories come to you.\n[[Childhood|childhood]] glimpses of playing in the sun.\n[[College years.|college]]\n[[High school|highschool]] memories.\nYou remember working in an [[office|office]].\nYou remember working in a [[bar|bar]].\nYou can't seem to remember what you did several hours ago,\nunder the daylight.\n

//To Be Continued in Chapter 2.//

You pull the robe on. It's thin, but warmer than nothing. It feels [[comforting|room5]] somehow.

[[3:27.|wait]]

Wonderland Complex

Your keep your eyes closed,\nbegging sleep to come.\nWhy was the alarm going off?\nWhen did you set it?\nWhen did you go to bed?\n[[How much time has gone by?|Beep2 1]]\n\n

[[Another?|327]]

[[You pull the pants on.|armoire2]] They remind you of hospital scrubs. It's not what you're used to wearing, but as you stick your hands in the pockets, you [[feel better.|room5]]

You reach out and begin to [[feel around.|Feel]]

Is this [[another night?|check 1221]]

[[What.|time]]

[[13:02|what2]]

The doorknob feels cold to the touch. With a rattle, you twist, and the door [[opens|Start2]].\n

You slam your hand down on the sound,\nslapping the snooze button by accident.\nYou rub your eyes and turn the box.\n[[Neon numerals|410]] cut through the darkness.

[[13:02.|another]]

The walls are bare and painted off white.\nYour bed is stainless steel metal.\nThe armoire in the corner is nearly featureless.\nThere is a side table next to the bed,\nwhere the alarm and the lamp sit.\nA small window looks out into darkness.\nThere's a simple door set in the wall.\nThis is a room for sleeping and [[little else|room3]].

You don't remember it as your [[room|room4]].

Where?\nWith whom?\nWhat happened to the [[day|day]]?

You remember sitting in a cafeteria,\nin boring classes,\nsitting on park benches and skipping classes.\nGroups of friends hanging out patter school,\nplanning what was to come next.\nYou vaguely remember a crumpled photo,\nbut it's blurry in your mind,\nlike a [[half-remembered dream|dream]].

You remember the tedium, the routine.\nThe days would slipped by as they repeated.\nEverything blurred together,\na semi-sterilized mess of suits and dress shirts,\nand computer and phone work.\nDrudgery for a pittance that let you survive,\nbut not live. Just enough to keep going,\njust like those working next to you.\nYou vaguely remember a crumpled photo,\nbut it's blurry in your mind,\nlike a [[half-remembered dream|dream]].

You struggle to remember the last day you had,\nin [[detail|detail]].\n

[[Wait.|another?]]\n

You wake up in a [[dark room...|...]]\n\n

You remember the lights,\nthe noise of a room of people shouting over each other,\nover the music,\nwaiting for their turn to talk,\nno one listening.\nThe smell of spilled liquor and beer followed you.\nYou saw people outside of work when you could.\nYou vaguely remember a crumpled photo,\nbut it's blurry in your mind,\nlike a [[half-remembered dream|dream]].

The room is [[striped bare|room2]].\nWhether from minimalist choice or required mandate,\nyour room feels very institutional.

It feels [[cold|cold]] under your fingers.\nYou're not sure if you know where you are.\nThere's [[fabric|fabric]], but as your hands explore,\nyou find more [[metal|metal]] than you expect.

[[BZZZ.|Beep1]]

It's smooth and cold, chilling the bare tips of your fingers.\nYou shiver. \nYou're hand reaches the edge,\nand you feel a [[counter|counter]],\nmaybe a table.

You stand beside your bed, unsure of what to do.\nYou could go [[back to sleep|bed]].\nYou could throw on [[clothes|armoire]].\nYou could [[get out|door]] of the bedroom.

You climb back into the unfamiliar bed and turn off the light.\nYou lie awake in the darkness.\nYou close your eyes,\nwilling sleep to come.\nYou lie awake\nfor\nhours,\n\n[[staring\n\ninto\n\n\nthe\n\n\ndarkness...|Start 1]]

Dim light fills the small [[room|room]].

You stand beside your bed, unsure of what to do. You could go [[back to sleep|bed]]. You could [[leave|door2]].

[[4:10.|replace]]

You try to remember the afternoon.\nYou try to remember the last time you saw the sun.\nIt's been [[so long|work]].\n

The alarm's box seems solid in your hands.\nYou aren't sure whether the time switched to military time.\nYou didn't know it could.\nBesides, it clearly isn't the [[afternoon|afternoon]].

Alex Steiner

The memory slips by,\nleaving you turning the [[alarm|1305]] over again in your hand. \n

You remember you were with your friend.\nYou were playing on the grass,\nbright green and freshly cut.\nThe stains covered your clothes,\nthe smell filled your head.\nYour friend fell away with age,\nas so many do.\nYou can't remember their name,\nwhat they looked like.\nYou vaguely remember a crumpled photo,\nbut it's blurry in your mind,\nlike a [[half-remembered dream|dream]].\n