Not Giving Up

Alone

Enjoy!

Pidge felt herself slowly emerge from a hard shitty sleep. She didn't move immediately, knowing normally when she was coming out of a migraine induced sleep it really drained her and left her unbalanced. Instead, she deliberately made herself stay still and take some time, letting herself take stock-her legs felt stiff, arms and fingers fine, head... Ugh. She still felt tired, which completely sucked because whenever she woke from one she knew she'd feel like crap all day. She yawned and stretched carefully. Feeling a sharp pain in her hip, she finally noticed that she was on a cold hard surface. Definitely not her bed.

When she opened her eyes, she blinked. Shit. It was dark. Like unnaturally dark...like she wasn't sure if she actually opened her eyes dark. She blinked but it was weird, it seemed the same-open or closed. She sat up gingerly, since she could not anything. Well this was not a good sign. She cautiously put her hand on the ground? And sat up fully. Cautiously she extended her arms looking for a solid surface but found nothing.

Pidge could feel her heart beat accelerating and her breath stuttering. But she knew that she did not have time for an anxiety attack instead she had to get herself back under control. Fast. It was imperative. So she started repeating the mantras to help center herself. Holts don't panic. Holts problem solve. Holts analyze. Holts can handle anything. Repeat.

Finally calm, Pidge takes careful stock, running through an internal checklist.  Okay, still in the clothes she had on earlier minus shoes. Good. She could move her hands and feet so she was not tied up or restrained. The lack of light was disconcerting. Knowing she was down a sense made her twitchy but she knew that if someone had her, Keith would be looking for her. She needed to be ready to help. So she needed to figure out as many clues as she could.

She cautiously swung a leg trying to feel for anything. Finally, she figured she needed to map out the area so she knew what she was working with. Crawling on her hands and knees, she carefully moved forward, trying to feel for a wall or even furniture. It was so dark she felt like there were lights dancing in front of her but she knew that was just her mind trying to make sense of something unfamiliar.

Finally after a few minutes she realized the area was very small, maybe she was enclosed in a box or crate??? Carefully she tried to stand and realized that she could not. So if she was figuring the perimeter she had about 5 foot by maybe 6. She could sit up but could not stand. And there was absolutely nothing for her to feel. No grooves, no tiles, so outlets...nothing. It was like seamless walls. Fuck. Quickly calculating the area she hope there was a a way for air to get in here otherwise she was so screwed.

Laying back down, she tried to remember what last happened. She knew that the stress of the day caused a migraine plus lack of sleep and food. Too much caffeine. Usually she knocked out for a few hours when one hit after she took her medicine. So let's say, 5 hours have passed.

She didn't think she was drugged but she could not really rule that out either. Fuck. That would mess with her timeline. Plus side, Keith could be looking for her longer. Negative, she doesn't like not knowing how much time she lost. Days? Thinking she quickly ruled that out, she didn't feel hungry so she'll go with a time closer to her original guess.

Keith was probably going crazy about now. Her parents. Matt. Swearing she realized, she had to focus. Okay, a person on average could last, 3 days without water and much longer without food maybe a week or two. If she had water. But she more worried about being in the dark for an unspecified time. While she wasn't really afraid of the dark per se, she did recognize that humans were not at their best in the dark and historically darkness messes with people. She's heard of people sitting in pods to open their minds and even knew that sensory deprivation tanks were a type of therapy...and punishment. Torture.

When she felt her breathing increase she tried like hell to remember what the data said. Data. Facts. Not feelings or fear. Okay, she knows that hallucinations were a real possibility but wasn't sure about how long. She knew that people used it to be more creative or think outside the box. Which for her wasn't a plus. She knows that people floated in water but she was on land so would that affect the outcome? She also remembered that extended or forced deprivation can result in anxiety and depression. So she needed to maybe use this to her advantage. Perhaps with only her mind, she could see some connections that weren't apparent before.

Unfortunately, right now she was feeling overwhelmed with the feeling like danger could hit her from any direction. She decided to scoot to the wall and anchor herself. She had no idea if the door was behind her or in front of her but the corner allowed her to feel two walls and the floor. She needed to keep her wits and have faith in her team. They would be looking for her and she needed to be ready for anything. Sighing, she wished she ate more earlier. Okay. Leaning her head back along the corner she tried to see patterns in the world. Failing that, she could always try to sleep.

Later, she wondered, Keith, where are you?