Taken

Chapter 14

Where am I?

            I blink, trying to clear away the sleepy haze from my vision to get a better look at my surroundings. My head throbs above my left eye and my body is sore, feeling as if every inch of me is bruised. My left hand stings and my shoulder burns as if it was being held to a flame. I groan and blink again and then clutch my right shoulder. I try to sit up, but the fire in my shoulder increases and I hiss in a breath and fall against the pillow with a thump.

            Breathe Aria, just breathe, I tell myself as I try, once again, to sit up. I manage to haul myself into an awkward leaning position against the headboard, but then my energy gives out and I can't lift myself up anymore.

            In, out, in, out. God that hurts.

            I lift up my left hand and find it bandaged. When my gaze falls to my chest, I find myself in my black tank with gauze wrapped around my right shoulder. I can see the blood seeping through it. The room begins to spin and I feel nauseous.

            My eyes squeeze shut as my breaths quicken and sweat beads on my brow. I'm bleeding. Oh God, I'm bleeding in a strange bed in a strange place and I hurt everywhere.

            I clench my teeth and reopen my eyes to get a look at my surroundings. As I presumed, I'm in a bedroom, lying on a rather large bed that has a navy comforter and dark wood frame. To my right rests a waist-high dresser and beside it is a closed door. To my left is an end table that harbors a blue-shaded lamp and black wind-up alarm clock. Across from me, is another closed door.

            Despite its lack of personality, the bedroom seems normal, but I notice something strange. The walls aren't the typical flat or textured drywall, but it seems to be made of tree bark like that of an oak tree. Even the single window to my left has a frame made of branches twisted around one another in a delicate pattern. And above me is a chandelier also made of branches and tree root woven together, but instead of having light bulbs, it shelters the same floating balls of light from my dreams. They cast a soft, comfortable glow around the room as they bob up and down in place.

            I blink, wondering where in the world I could possibly be, when my shoulder ignites in another burning shockwave and I gasp. I grasp onto it tightly as I hiss in labored breaths and my heart beat quickens. Black spots dance before my eyes and a layer of perspiration sticks to my skin and dampens my hair. I don't know what to do, it hurts so much but I can't move. I can't do anything except let the fire consume me, let it fill every crack and crevice as it drowns me.

            "H-he…lp…help," the word whispers out of me in such a soft tone that even I can barely make it out. I swallow as my chest rises and falls at an alarming rate. "H-help," I try again, my voice thick and rasped from lack of use.

            My throat burns along with my chest and my shoulder. I feel as if I'm drowning, forever suffocating in the agony that anchors me to this bed. My vision blurs and my hand twitches as I attempt to move my limbs, trying to get off of this godforsaken bed and find help.