Her Heroes

Chapter Forty-Four

Dreams of men in black and guns and chains and danger plagued me throughout my restless slumber. I wanted to wake up, but my body protested, telling me that it wasn't time yet. Would it ever be time to wake though? It seemed like that was all my life was: an endless tunnel of darkness. Nobody knew what it was like to have lived through what I did and not be able to share a word about it. Well, besides those that it happened. But that wasn't my brothers, no. As much as they tried to understand, they never would because they never knew what it was like sitting in a dark room, wondering when it would be their  time. Or what it was like as their hand was burned shut, or the feeling of glass being wedged deep into the skin. Or how about the feeling of not knowing who you were? It was like imposter syndrome at its finest when anyone asked me any questions about myself.

The dreams kept getting more and more detailed. Turning in my sleep, I cried out in fear, in pain, in anguish, and so many other emotions. The red-haired girl was running in one but in the next, she would be hugging the man with the Cheshire grin or even covered in blood. Then all the families came and went through the foster system, never taking a second to look at us besides the dollar signs we had over our heads. Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel came, showing me my brothers and their flaws—their flaws that came with their caring personalities and their need to protect me after so many years. That was something I would never take for granted again—the feeling of being wanted and accepted for who I was... who I am. They may not understand everything, but they sure as hell tried to.

***

Cold water hit my skin and I cried out, bolting upright. Immediately, I searched for Alexandre or Gabriel, but neither was in sight. The only other people in the room were two men who wore matching snarls and black leather jackets with black pants and gun holsters. Who were these people and why were they in my room?

My room... Something felt off about it. Looking around the space, I took in the murals of flowers and exquisite furnishings. This wasn't my room, but an oddly familiar space that looked like it was straight out of a magazine.

This couldn't be right, I needed to go find my brothers and figure out what the hell was going on. Pushing myself from the bed, I moved to get to the door; but, I fell to my knees when my foot wouldn't move. Hearing a clanging, I looked over my shoulder to see a shackle around my ankle. Shaking in fear, I took in the thick chain that attached it to a small hook under the edge of the bed. What was this place?

Pulling as hard as I could, I tried to get to the door.

Eventually, it dawned on me that I wasn't anywhere near strong enough to get the cuff off by pulling at it. Panting, I sat back on my heels and tried to figure out the next best move.

"Are you done yet?" My head shot up and I took in the two men. I had forgotten that they were in here with me. Instead of the blush that would normally coat my cheeks, I only felt anger. Anger at the fact that they stood there and watched me struggle. Anger at the fact that they knew what was happening and I didn't. The two men stepped aside suddenly, drawing my attention to the person who stood behind them.

She was the same, but she wasn't at the same time. Instead of a school uniform, she adorned a cropped, black tank and grey-camo cargo pants. Her blonde hair was slicked into a high ponytail that had a braid running down her part and she wore black combat boots. She even had weapons: a gun holster on her left thigh and a sheathed knife on her left bicep. A familiar tattoo adorned her right bicep and I shuddered. Instead of her signature, sweet smile, she wore a malicious smirk that made my blood curdle. This wasn't the girl I knew... who was this person?