TAKEN

[11]

About twenty minutes had passed before the lady returned with a bowl of white soup and a bottle of juice. She also had some clean towels and a change of clothes. I was halfway across the room when she entered.

Quickly, she dropped the tray on a nearby table and met me right on the floor where I was crawling on all fours, naked.

"No! Miss don't do this." Her right arm quickly spread around my waist. "Here, let me help you."

I shrugged off her arm, moving quickly on my knees to get to that door. She rushed after me, barring me from further movement with her body blocking my way.

"Let me help, please." She crouched to the floor, making another attempt to reach me but again, I brushed her away.

Still not giving up, she began pulling me to my feet. Instantly, my head flipped in her direction, meeting her weakened gaze."I do not need your help." She shuddered as a snarl left my lips.

Using that same energy, I pointed at the adjoining door, "I need to know what's going on there!"

Her head shook nervously back and forth like a bird whose execution was almost complete.

"For the sake of God, I beg you," She whimpered as though she knew what was behind that door. Staring pointedly at the door I was hoping to invade, "Do not go in there!"

"Why?" My gaze stayed on her while I adjusted my butt down on the tiled floor, blocking out the pain in my abdomen.

Her height reduced as she took the space beside me, fixing her gaze back on me. "This thing you are about to do will create more problems for you. And if there's anything I genuinely want for you is that your pain to be minimized."

Something in her voice spoke of kindness and her eyes were filled with sympathy.

"Do you know something that you are unwilling to say?" I asked, squinting to numb the headache banging off in my head.

"Somethings are better left unsaid." She answered, staring off. "I am only doing my job."

"But your job is to save lives and not cause harm?" My shaky right index finger pointed at her.

I saw her eyes squeeze shut as if she was trying to block out some memories. When her eyes flashed on me, she shook whatever fog off her head and resumed trying to get me off the floor.

"You still have twenty-four hours to get rested." She groaned under my weight which was almost dead weight because I refused to help her get me to a standing position.

"All I'm here for is to make sure your body is relaxed until then." She grunted out of exhaustion.

Our conversation ended just as she changed the topic. Deep down, I was hoping she could stop being invasive since she even tried to show a little kindness to me. Those words out out of my mouth in quick succession as though there was something big she didn't or wasn't allowed to spill.

After watching her helplessly try to pull me off the floor, I decided to help myself end her struggle. We ended up making it off the floor and into the oversized bathroom where she scrubbed me clean like a child.

While under that hot shower, I thought of freedom and how nice it would be to be outside without looking over my shoulders. Tears cascaded down my face as the water helped wash them away.

Her fear made me wonder if it was only I who was a captive of her or were both of us suffering the same fate but on different levels.

"What's your name?" I asked as she continued to leather my body.