Prologue

There isn't a whole lot of color in my world.

There's some blue and bits of brown and black, but otherwise white and green is all I'm surrounded by. It has always been that way as well- just as this place is all I have ever known.

The scientists tell me I'm ten-years-old, so ten years is how long I've lived here. I know there's a world beyond the massive white walls that keep me in my yard, but I don't know anything about it. I've never bothered to ask any questions. I don't really care. That world is not my world. I'll never be a part of it, so why should I get all worked up about something that has no impact on me? Besides, I like where I'm at now. I have a nice room with everything I could want. The yard the scientists say was constructed especially for me is so big, and it has many things for me to play on. Why would I ever want to leave?

I'll admit though... I do get curious about the rest of what's attached to my room. I think it has to be a big building. I can sometimes hear noises of people walking about coming from above my ceiling. I did manage to catch a glimpse once of what was past my always locked bedroom door. I was disappointed to find it was simply a short, empty corridor that lead to another locked door. The scientists are really adamant that I never know anything more than what I already know.

And who am I?

My name is Ethereal. I belong perfectly to the world I am in for I am white just like most of the rest of it. I have been told there are people of all different colors in the world beyond. White is rare though. It is special. Not many people have been born lucky like I have, which is why I must remain where I am. I have been given no details as to my part in the project the scientists have planned for me. However, I figure it's a pretty big part indeed.

However, I don't do much. I'm told that's alright. All I need to do is be here to fulfill my purpose. I spend most of my days outside. I like dipping my feet in the pond with the little river that divides my yard or swinging on the swings. There's also hedge maze I like to explore. I discovered the way out and all other paths a long time ago, but it's fun to forget and get lost in the winding turns. Unfortunately though, sometimes I have no choice but to stay inside. My skin and eyes are very sensitive to light. If the sun is too bright, my skin starts to burn and my eyes water. I'm told that's normal for a person like me, and that I'm not to push myself when the sun and heat overwhelm me. I do prefer being outside, but inside is nice as well. There's lots of toys to play with. I have a staircase up to a second floor that is pretty much just a big balcony for me to run about on.

There is one part of my room I don't like. That's the examination room. Situated in the corner, the door to it is almost always locked just as my bedroom door is always locked. The window allows me to peek into it, but I avoid looking at all the equipment in there whenever I can.

I'm alone most of the time. I only know three people, and they're all scientists. I like Mr. Blue the least. When he appears is when the door to the examination room is opened. That's when I have to do the rest of what's required from me for the project. I can handle the times when Mr. Blue gives me a check-up. All he does then is take my temperature, pulse, and small things like that. However, most of the time a check-up is not what I'm in for. For the majority of instances I am sedated. Mr. Blue never lets me know what he does. Each and every time I wake up covered in small cuts. A decent amount of blood is taken as well, and I end up feeling sick. It's not the normal kind of sick either. Rather, it's more like he messes with what is the core of me. Nothing he does ever really physically harms me, but I still feel wrong.

Ms. Yellow is okay. I can't say I like her or dislike her. She's not nice, and she's not mean. I see her much more than I see Mr. Blue. She comes to bring me my three meals and checks on me twice a day just to see that I'm alright. We hardly talk other than when she's making sure that I'm not sick. Ms. Yellow simply comes and then goes.

Eden is my favorite by far. He refuses to have me call him anything other than Eden even though Mr. Blue and Ms. Yellow tell me I should call him Mr. Green. I don't get why they want me to call him Mr. Green anyway when Eden says his last name is Yonder.

Another thing I don't get- Eden's job. He once explained that his job was making sure I'm psychologically healthy. I had no idea what "psychologically" meant, so Eden simplified his explanation by saying it was his job to make sure I don't turn into a nut case. A part of me thinks he's lying and monitoring me for something else. Eden never does any tests or anything. All we do is play together. According to him, playing with me is what he has to do to keep my mind on track, but I don't see how it all works. I try not to question him too much though. I know I don't understand a lot, and I'd rather trust Eden than be suspicious of him.

From small comments Eden has dropped over the years, I've learned he and the other scientists don't get along that well. I've heard him call them "inhumane", "cruel", "criminal", and a few other words Eden told me I shouldn't repeat. I can tell Mr. Blue and Ms. Yellow in particular don't approve of how often he comes to play with me. Ms. Yellow mumbled once about him causing complications with the project if he made me too attached to him. I had always lied to her about what we did, but I became even more tight lipped from that day on. I didn't want Eden to get in trouble and not be able to see me anymore. So I told Ms. Yellow we mostly sit around or play chess while Eden asks me a long list of questions about what I feel and what I think. We do actually do that each time he comes. I figure that's the actual part of his job he's required to do. I otherwise leave out how Eden is willing to push me on the swing for an hour, how we have sand-castle building contests, how we climb the trees, how we play tag, and everything else like that.

I really do like playing with Eden, but my favorite part of his visits are when we sit on the hill, relax, and talk. It's rather interesting how we hardly ever run out of stuff to discuss even though I never have anything new to say and Eden isn't allowed to tell me a lot. The conversation just flows easily. A lot of time Eden talks about what he wants to do in the future, which is teaching psychology at a university. He says he wishes he could quit "the company" and move on with his life. Those are the times when I don't know what to say. I can tell aside from playing with me that Eden doesn't like his job. He talks about leaving more than I would like him to. I am afraid each time he departs that he won't come back.

I get a little moody sometimes because of that. It doesn't help that Eden will try to tell me more about the outside world. It's not just because I know he's not supposed to tell me that stuff, but I get even more annoyed because I just don't care to hear it. When I refuse to listen is when Eden becomes mad as well. He always says that I should want to know more- that I should want to live a normal life. I don't think he likes very much that I'm alright with where I am. In addition to making him angry, a lot of times he looks sad. Occasionally we'll argue and get upset enough to the point where I want him to leave. I'll go run into the hedge maze and hide. Eden has a terrible sense of direction. He's gone through the maze hundreds of times and can even see over the top, but he still gets horribly lost and confused! He'll get so mixed up that I always cheer up when I hear him stumbling about. My giggling will give me away, and I'll help Eden out of the maze so we can go play some more.

Recently, it wasn't Mr. Blue's visit that made me feel sick.

I felt fine when Ms. Yellow came to check on me that morning to bring me breakfast. I eagerly ate the food she gave me. However, that food came up about an hour after she left. I threw up once more after that. I began to shake because I felt so cold, but my head burned. After sitting about doing nothing but feel horrible for the longest time, I went upstairs to take a nap on one of the couches on the second floor. The sun was streaming through the large windows, and the heat made me feel a bit warmer. I was even able to get a bit of sleep. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to my bed like was my plan. My vision swarmed and turned black after I took a few steps when I reached the bottom of the stairs. It was the first time I ever passed out.

I woke up in my bed with Mr. Blue standing over me. He was taking my temperature, and when he saw that I was awake he asked me what felt like a million questions. He did take care of me afterwards, but it wasn't the kind of care I wanted. He acted cold towards me as he always did. Mr. Blue was concerned about my condition only because I was the key part of the project. How I actually felt didn't matter to him at all. I wanted to see Eden so badly, but he wasn't allowed to come visit me for several days. Mr. Blue didn't want him bringing in germs or something.

It was five days later when I was finally getting over the nasty bug that had caught me when Eden made an appearance. I felt worlds better just having him there. I began to cry from relief at having someone who did care for me next to me. My crying concerned Eden though, so I had to tell him why I had suddenly burst out into tears. He comforted me until I calmed down. For the first time in those five days, I began to fall asleep with ease. Just before I slipped off into dreamland, Eden whispered something I don't think he intended for me to hear.

He said it wouldn't be too much longer before I would be able to stop having to see Mr. Blue. I just had to wait a bit more, and I wouldn't have to deal with this place ever again...