A Fresh Start

Chapter 29

Down the hall I went.

"The last door on the left," I whispered.

As I reached the end of the hall, there was a door opened to the right. I could hear the faint sound of someone crying. Curious, I made my way to the right. In the furthest corner of the room, there was a girl curled up and sobbing silently. She was in scrubs like me. I felt the strong urge to go and comfort her.

"Excuse me?" I said looking at her.

She jumped and picked her head up looking at me.

"Who are you? Why are you here? Get out! Get out!" she screamed.

"I didn't mean to intrude. I could hear you crying out there so I came to see what was wrong," I said putting my hands in front of me to get her to calm down.

"Did Gorman send you? You tell that asshole to leave me alone," she said.

"Are you, Joan?" I asked as I put all the pieces together.

"Yeah. And that asshole has had his fix for the day. I'm not going to him again," she said panic in her voice.

"Gorman is an asshole. I know that. No one sent me. I swear. I wouldn't listen to a thing that prick said anyway," I said.

She slowly stood up.

"You're new here aren't you?" she asked wiping the tears out of her eyes.

"Yeah. Only been here a few hours," I said.

"Lucky you," she said.

"I'm not staying. As soon I get the chance, I'm out of here," I said.

"No one leaves," she said.

"Well, I am," I said.

"No. You don't get it. You haven't been here as long as I have. They will come up with any excuse to keep you here," she said.

"They haven't met someone like me. I will get out of this place," I said firmly.

"You don't think I've tried? One way or another, they find out. And when they find you..." she broke off.

Pain was embedded in her eyes.

"Joan. How long have you been here?" I asked.

"Almost a whole year," she replied softly.

"And how many times have you tried to escape?" I asked.

"Too many times," she answered.

"Listen to me, Joan, I will find a way to get out of this place. You can come with me. I have family out there looking for me. They're good people. You'll be safe with us," I said reaching for her hand.

"No where's safe anymore. This is it. This is as good as it's going to get. Isn't that sad?" she said moving her hand away.

I put my hands down.

"No it isn't. Not for me," I said.

She looked at me intently.

"I was like you when I first got here. Hopeful. You'll soon learn that there is no hope. We're all stuck here and there's nothing we can do about it," she said.

"Well I don't believe that. A wise man taught me that hope is what keeps you fighting regardless of how helpless things may seem," I said.

She just nodded.

"I'm not losing hope and neither should you," I continued.

"And that's the difference between you and me," she said.