I fall, think, <Into the womb of America,> throw flashlight.

The flashlight twirls through the dark above.

Flickering light shines from below.

I feel weightless and slow.

Rails, poles, stairs; rails, poles, stairs; white, black, white; rails-white-poles-black-stairs-white blur gray.

The gray extends.

Flickering light point becomes a light spot. Spot becomes a beam.

<|If die.>

I grip medstick. <|I die.>

Body is weightless.

I lift arm and hold medstick horizontal.

The floor is.

Legs hit. A pop, a crack are.

Head shock breaks bone. Bone snap echoes.

Pain explodes head and knee.

Nothing is.

,,AHHHHHHHHH!!!''

Body slams ground.

Nothing is.

...Darkness is...

...Pressure pushes, pulses, presses skull out.

Nose, chin, jaw, cheeks are broke.

A scream is.

Scream echoes, echoes, echoes...

The brain beats.

Pain stabs from leg to spine.

Right jaw joint is broke.

Skin holds broken face.

Skin stretches.

Heart beats broken face, skull, knee.

Screams echo.

Jaw hangs, pulls, stretches.

<|LIGHT.>

LIGHT is.

<|What?>

Pain is.

Nothing is.

A scream is.

The ring is.

<|Where? Why?>

Brain pounds with heart.

The darkness fades to light.

<|I don't.>

Head raises from ground.

Head falls. Head hits surface.

Pain stabs through head.

Pain is.

Chest convulses and lungs cough.

Pain stabs head.

<|This is, this is.>

Darkness is.

<|Oh no, no...> ''No, no, ju, do.''

Brain pumps. Brain pumps.

Knee pumps, pushes, pulses pain with heart beat. Hands hold knee. ''Jus do.''

Pain jabs jaw.

Light is.

Pain is.

<|Med?>

Face is pain.

<|Med.>

Pain stabs face.

Nothing is.

Face is pain.

<|Med.>

Pack, Psycho are.

<|Med.>

Panic emitter is.

Shock rod is.

Hand cuffs are.

Injection instinct enhancer is.

Pepper spray and panic emitter are.

<|Med.>

Sex cap and contractor badge are.

Medstick is beyond Psycho.

<|Stick.> Palm pushes pain. Jaw clenches pain. Brow wrinkles pain. Lips expose broken pain. <|Closer.>

Knee pain and ankle pain push breath and body quivers.

<|Just.>

Brain pounds and pushes.

<|...Get...>

Face puzzle shifts.

Pain is.

Nothing is.

Somewhere a scream echoes.

Lungs inhale and exhale. Coughs are. Saliva and blood spray.

<|Medstick.>

Saliva and blood drip, pour, drop from lip.

<|Reach.>

The medstick is.

<|GRAB. GRAB.>

Fingers grab medstick.

<|PUSH.>

Pain stab is. Brain pumps.

<|Face.>

Wrists and elbows reach and pull.

<|Face.>

Hands hold medstick.

<|Face.>

The hollow dull fills with pain.

Body twists on back.

Hand presses medstick against skull.

Head burns.

A scream echoes filling head with sound. A scream fades...

Nothing is.

...I open eyelids.

Jaw is stuck.

<|Jaw stuck.>

The knee pulses and pushes pain.

I feel face.

Face has jagged edges.

<|Shattered.>

Pain of knee is.

Hands grab sex cap.

Pain is knee.

Eyelids close tight.

<|...Focus...Roll it...Roll it...>

Hand puts sex cap between broken teeth.

Torso rises. Head pumps.

Body coughs.

Sex cap falls from mouth.

Blood and saliva drip from lip to chest.

Head softly pulses with knee.

<|...Focus...>

Left leg is bent right.

Hand puts sex cap between broken teeth. <|Fuck.> Hands lift ankle of left leg.

Pain shocks.

<|Straight.>

Hands lay left leg upon floor.

<|Straight.>

Leg is straight.

Sweat drips from jaw.

Hand presses the medstick tip upon knee.

Pain explodes.

Jaw pops, hangs.

Sex cap falls to floor.

There is a scream...

...Body lays supine upon floor coughing.

Cough convulses pain.

Hands grab medstick. Hand sets jaw with skull. Hand presses medstick tip under jaw.

...Head is numb and hollow. The eyelids blink. The jaw opens and closes. Jaw clenches.

I cough. I press medstick to chest.

Cool flow then a soft burn fills chest.

The ceiling is a pool of glowing black and white.

<|...Stairs, white box, all nano machines...>

Nano machines swarm cylinder room ceiling.

A center light shines from floor to nano ceiling.

I grab right jaw joint. <|Where am I?>

The floor is cold, hard and smooth. Its surface is level. <|Granite?>

A flat granite plane flows to the distant wall.

Jaw pain jolts. Body quivers. Jaw muscles pulse.

<|If government. One exit.> I look at pack. I look up. <|Not physical.> Eyelids lower over eyes. I think, <|What to detect?>

A hollow white noise vibrates from floor and walls.

<|...The drill? The hole. An exit.> I turn head and lay ear to floor. <|Too much quagmire?>

The floor has no creases.

<|Or maybe rubber.> I look up. <|Elevator nano machine too. Part of shaft nano machines.> I look at the wall. <|Big room...I should have died? Want me here?> I sit and look. <|...Gray wall. Flat floors. ...Gray wall.> I reach for pack. <|They look gray here. No cracks floor, Psycho core cracked?> I wipe sweat from eye sockets. <|I hope.>

I look to wall. <|Gray.> I roll to stomach.

Pains explodes ankle.

Arm reaches and hand grabs medstick.

<|Will there be?> I press medstick against right ankle. <|Set later.> I clench teeth.

Pain needles poke and stab tooth nerves.

Body tenses.

I cough.

I bend right leg. Arms and right leg push body. I stand, and I put pressure on left leg. <|No pain.>

Left leg is stiff.

Center light brightens to a center beam into the nano ceiling. The nano ceiling spreads dim rainbow waves from center to wall.

<|The fool.>

Knee pain beats with heart beat.

<|A broke fool.>

Jaw is stiff.

I lean, grab pack strap.

Pack straps are broke.

<|Changed, not broke.> I clasp broken strap, lift and slide pack over shoulder, think, <|No, broke,> walk slow. <|Not dead.> Thumb and index finger rub temple. Leg slides and leg steps to light beam. I think, <|The beam. Transferring? Input or output? Is for me?>

Sweat drips from nose and falls into a bowl in floor.

The beam is bright.

<|A tap.> I squint. <|For a killing machine?>

<|The bowl is the size of Psycho's core.>

<|...Or a human head.>

<|The tap.> I blink. <|This is a tap. This is at the center of the circle room.>

Sweat flows down face. Sweat beads form on chin and nose. Sweat beads drip.

I feel and think, <|Am I the next killing machine?>

I cough.

<|Or is Psycho?>

Sweat drops fall to ground.

<|The nano machines?> I lower eyelids. <|Why the tap?>

The dim white light becomes bright.

<|Test.> I raise eyelids.

The light beam shines bright from floor to ceiling. Ceiling ripples rainbow colors from center to wall. <|Like rainbow heaven.>

The rainbow shimmers and flows and splashes color upon the gray wall.

<|No way body leave.> I look from bowl to wall. <|Check wall.> Knee pulses. Right leg quick steps. Left leg swings and pivots and pushes forward. Right leg quick steps. Left leg pivots and pushes body forward. Right leg quick steps...

<|Probably no way but up. Command for the nanos. Not if all or any security nanos.>

Jaw clenches. Left foot braces. <|Not far.> Right leg quick steps. Left leg slides and pivots body forward. Right leg quick steps. Jaw clenches. Foot braces. Hands grab and pull pack straps and pull pack closer to back. <|The nano machines fuel Psycho?> The knee locks. Pain pops. <|THIS.> I look up. <|Government. No exit.>

I limp and step.

The rainbow waves flow through ceiling to wall.

<|Could killing machine core reprogram nano ceiling to form killing machine?>

Pain shocks from left knee through spine.

I stumble.

Pack strap slips from shoulder.

I catch pack strap. <|Would Psycho be?>

The floor rattles fast then settles to a slow hum.

<|Test tool?>

The pack hangs from shoulder.

The floor vibrates.

Right leg quick steps. Left leg drags then pivots body...

<|The wall. THE.>

Sweat drips from chin.

<|The wall safest place.>

A low hum is.

Right foot quick steps. Left foot slides forward. Body moves forward.

<|Huge drill.> Pain spikes knee. <|If wall is not exit. Hole in center.>

Sweat drops drip from chin.

>|OPEN.< I wipe face.

Jaw pops. Pain jerks neck, jolts mind.

I stumble then steady stance. I walk.

<|...Psycho might have exit. Could the...>

Sweat drips.

<|If there are Gee Forty-three...> I stop. <|...So be it.>

A flat, circular and shiny gray wall encompasses all.

<|No indentations, seams, holes, bumps, cracks, scuffs.> I rub hand on wall. ''...Nothing but gray,'' I say and take two steps. <|What if there is nothing?>

<|Wall is smooth.>

Rainbow rays illuminate gray wall around room.

<|What if nothing?>

The floor and wall vibrate.

<|If test? If Psycho?>

Pain spike jabs knee.

I slide left foot, step with right foot. <|Can I enter? ...Test? ...Escape? ...A test tool. ...Put head in machine, see what happens?>

Floor and wall vibrate.

Pain rod jams through knee to spine to skull.

I clench jaw, loosen grip on pack strap.

Pack falls to ground.

I grab strap of pack.

Pack jerks then hangs.

<|DON'T feel.> I stumble. <|Focus.> I throw pack over shoulder.

Wall shakes.

<|The drill be here before walk all wall.>

Sweat falls to floor.

<|There is no door.>

The vibration becomes a soft shake.

<|The drill aims center. The hole. The nano machines could be used, can't control nano machine. Can Psycho? Could find a way to control through the quagmire?>

Pain pops from jaw into brain.

Body sways.

I hobble step and slide leg, rub hand along the smooth seamless wall surface.

The wall's smooth gray surface curves left and right.

Sweat drips from tip of nose and chin.

<|Do I need Psycho?> Knee pulses. Jaw beats. I look above. <|Depot is nano machines. Nano machines could be tap. If nano machines are? Psycho rebirth in system.> The nano machines shine soft wide rainbow ripples. <|Like an upside down sea of happiness.>

The room shakes.

<|My head in the tap. What they want? Why they let me in here?> Sweat drips from chin to floor. <|Where's the heat?> Psycho's core hangs in pack. <|The nano machine. Me.>

Floor shakes pain from ankle to knee.

The pack strap slips from loose fist.

I catch pack strap.

Strap stretches with pack.

Pack's bottom stitches snap. The seams separate.

Psycho falls to floor.

Nano ceiling stream flows from ceiling to Psycho's core and lifts Psycho's core.

Psycho's core ascends.

<|Probably connected now.>

The gray core floats up.

<|I probably would have thrown up.>

The core rises into nano ceiling.

Black ripple spreads from Psycho through the nano ceiling, the rainbow waves and through the light to the wall.

The room is black.

A dim light shines in center of room.

The room is white.

<|Can't be good,> I think.

The room is black then white, black then white...

I look up.

...Ceiling is white then black, white then black...

An indentation of Psycho in the nano ceiling flows to the center light.

<|Center.> Right foot steps. Left leg vaults body and right leg forward... I move to center.

Pain is.

I clench fist. I move forward. I lift head.

Eyes blink. Eyes water.

Palm rubs eyelid corner. Water pools. The burn cools. <|...Nano machines.> Feet step. Head hangs. Palm jiggles tears and flesh.

<|Waste.>

I step and step.

A tear falls.

I walk with limp.

<|Can't be good.> I blink and blink and blink. Eyelids close. I wipe eyes with bicep, blink.

Body taut, knee pain fades.

I walk.

Everything is blurry. The ceiling is black then white. Psycho flows to center.

<|No.> I think, <|Center.>

Right foot steps. Left leg vaults body, and right leg quick steps...

<|Move, get there. No pain.> I feel pain from knee. <|No pain.>

I move.

Pain beats body and brain. <|No pain.> Jaw muscle jerks and flinches, hangs. <|No pain.> Left leg swings, sticks.

I move.

Pain stabs spine.

I move.

<|No pain.> Right leg lunges. Body vaults forward. <|No pain.>

Pain jerks head.

Force pushes head out.

I step. I lift stiff, straight, left leg and step. <|Fast.>

<|Too far.> I swing left leg, step right leg, vault, swing left, step right. <|Move.>

Psycho flows to center.

I swing left leg, step right leg, vault. <|Move.>

The pain is.

<|Move.>

<|Close.> I fall to ground.

The center is near.

<|Move.> I crawl on hands and right knee to the center. <|Move. Move. Move. Move. Move...>

Body and mind pain burns. Knee hits against the solid floor.

Psycho's core emerges from the nano ceiling.

<|Almost.>

Psycho's core falls from ceiling.

I reach.

Psycho's core falls.

Left forearm crosses over tap.

Psycho's core falls on forearm.

Bone cracks.

A scream deafens. A scream echoes.

Nothing is.

...I awake. <|...No pain...> I open eyes.

Floor shakes.

Forearm is by bowl. Forearm is numb and bent. Face is covered sweat, saliva, blood.

Psycho's core lays by head. Psycho's core is covered in a gray shell.

<|...Is Psycho on?>

>...Psycho is alive,< sees Psycho to mind.

Psycho's mental voice sooths body pain. <Like winter mint for the mind.>

>|You're writing to my mind.< I focus thoughts upon Psycho. >|More than eight bits of information.<

>The nano machine shell amplifies data transmission,< thinks Psycho to mind. >|I have no body to restrain me.<

I lift head. I think thoughts to Psycho, >The voice. You've entered.<

Psycho thinks thought to mind, >Psycho never left.<

I push Psycho.

The floor shakes then vibrates.

Psycho rolls away.

The room shakes.

Stone hits floor near body.

I look up.

>|Your body will die, Dick,< thinks Psycho to me.

Ceiling is darkness. <Nano ceiling gone.>

The room shakes.

I think to Psycho, >|Tap transmitted with the room.<

Psycho thinks to me, >Yes, Dick, and the tap is severed once the room is destroyed.<

Blood drips into tap.

Dust covers body. Vibration becomes a twisting shriek. A crack spreads from wall to ceiling center.

Psycho's color flows the rainbow.

The room jolts, cracks.

>Am I the next killing machine?<

Stone falls upon Psycho.

Pebbles hit face.

>|Psycho?< I wipe face with forearm. I look at the glowing bowl of white light. <|Psycho.>

Sweat falls from nose into the bowl.

<|The tap.>

Quagmire drips on forearm.

<|I will die.>

The floor vibrates.

Stone breaks near feet.

<|Is this a test?> I think, <|Is this real?>