The Bodyguard

Fifteen

I awoke with a headache and slight confusion. When my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw I wasn't in my room anymore. Instead it was a dark, cold room with no windows and only one door. There was a rusted toilet and a sink. I was still in my pajamas and sneakers from that night at the pool. How long had I been here? Who had taken me?

The big, bulky door opening interrupted my thoughts and I grew with fear. I could see a silhouette of a man, I assumed, walking in. I couldn't see his face, even as he came closer. He grabbed me and I screamed and thrashed around.

"What do you want!?" I screamed

He didn't answer me. Instead he threw me over his shoulder and carried me out of the room. There were bright lights that blinded me and my eyes wouldn't adjust. Before I knew it, he had taken me to a different room and threw me. I screamed as I hit a pool of cold water. My body was trying to register the pain and temperature all at once. I quickly scrambled to the surface, but a hand pushed my head back under. I was trying not to panic, so I could save my breath. When the hand that trapped me in between oxygen and drowning left my head, I quickly came up to breathe.

I coughed up the water stuck in my lungs and held my arms close to my body. I was freezing and I couldn't stop shaking. The man grabbed me again threw me back over his shoulder. He brought me back to my room, still shivering. He placed me on the ground and I was sure I was going to die. I couldn't feel my lips and my nose. I could barely move my fingers. I crawled in a fetal position to warm my body as much as possible. I stayed like that, thinking of death and what came after.

I'm assuming it was an hour later (since there is no form of time telling in this prison or whatever it is), the door opened and someone pushed a try full of food into the room. They quickly closed the door right after and walked away. I was still cold but was able to move my limbs. My stomach rumbled, now realizing I was hungry from the sight of the food. I crawled over to the plastic tray that had hard bread, tough, cold meat and cold macaroni and cheese that wasn't melted. He didn't even give me a fork.

As I ate my 'food', I thought about Andy in the hospital and how I never apologized. My dad and mom would never see their 'baby girl' again. Then there was Jake, sexy, yet mysterious Jake. The first boy who I've been half-naked in front of, the first boy I've ever slept with, well in the same bed. He saved me from Snake and killed him for me. He was there for me, even though he got me hooked on painkillers and weed, but he was still there.

I wonder if Jake and my dad are looking for me right now? What did Jake do once he found out I was missing?

Stale tears traveled from my eyes to my chin. I could still taste the drug they gave me mixing in with the stale food. I felt my stomach clench and my hand went over my mouth. I ran over to the toilet and emptied the contents inside of me. I wiped my mouth with my arm and cried till the tears ran out. I just wanted to go home.

I stayed awake watching the walls and listening to the sounds outside the concrete walls. It was dark, yet visible but there was no sunlight. I didn't know if it was six in the morning or six at night. My head was spinning from the withdrawl of the pills and my head hurt from the spinning. There was nothing to do, no one to talk to and I felt completely alienated from society and from myself. I began to replay every important conversation in my head from family members and friends. I remembered Ashli's laugh as if it echoed through the walls. I missed babying Aaron and enjoying his company.

The door opened again and more stale food came through. My mind knew it was disgusting but my stomach was growling. I ate the food and thought of it as Aunt Grace's porkchops and rice. I imagined myself eating at the dining room table with Jake and her. But by the time I was finished with my food, they vanished and the tears appeared again.