THE CODE THAT LINKS US ©

Chapter Seven

MADISON

A piece of incessant music drills my head forcing me to open my eyes. I wake up lying on the floor of my room while my cellphone thwarts itself on buzzes playing that horrible melody that is my alarm telling me it's Monday and that time didn't stop running when my whole life vanished in lies.

I turn the alarm off and for a moment stay looking at the ceiling, what's next? I touch my forehead hoping I would find myself with fever but not even that is in my favor, maybe leaving this place would help me to get my thoughts together. I try to stand up and immediately feel how my head spins and weights me more than usual, I close my eyes for a moment and then finally get to stand up.

I look at me in the mirror and how I expected I am made a mess. My eyes are swollen and irritated for all that crying, my face red and my hair made a vine, but even with all that, I manage to seem a little better than how I feel. I walk to my closet and take a pair of denim jeans and a white sweatshirt, I put them on and when I look at me in the mirror a little smile gets formed in the corner of my lips just for imagining the disapprobatory look my supposedly mother is going to give me for dressing this way.

I brush my hair just getting to make it fluffy and then I remove with my fingers the makeup drained under my eyes and I put on some concealer, then a little bit of blush in my cheeks trying to look a little better, without success. I put on finally a pair of white converse and then open my door. I don't find anyone out so I go down the stairs in search for something to eat.

In the dining room, I find the rest of my family taking breakfast and as expected their looks immediately turn to me. I don't say anything, just limit myself to sit down at the other edge of the table ignoring Teo, who already was holding the chair open for me in front of my mother.

Sarah brings me a dish with my usual fruit and when she leaves it she forces me a smile to which I do not reply. I start eating without raising my eyes from the fruit, feeling the expectant looks of my parents over me, in fact, the looks of everyone in the house. The fruit is delicious, it creates a unique mix of different flavors that I enjoy with every bite I give. At least food still has the same flavor. It even tastes better than other times but I am sure it's only because I didn't eat anything last night.

"Madison..." my father begins to say just when Sarah changes my fruit for a pair of fried eggs with bacon that seems and smells exquisite. I only sigh and begin to eat, please don't say anything else, I useless think because then my mother decides it's her turn.

"Honey, you know we will always be here for you."

"That's right Madison, things don't have to change because of this," I try hard not to spit the food I have in my mouth at the nonsense words of my father and I gulp what I'm eating. Close my eyes for a moment and then finally look at them.

"Sweetie, sweetheart, honey, what's next?" I spit the words out without double thinking. I let them out just as they come through my mind. "Experiment, injections, tests, what else do I need to know?!" my rage increases as I let the words leave my mouth and they just look at me, surprised.

"We are sorry honey, everything was so fast," says my mother with tears on her eyes increasing my fury, I stand up pushing the table and the juice my father was drinking spills over the table and his fine suit.

"Madison we are really trying to explain you everything!" he gets mad this time at my apparent mess and I leave to my room striking the door behind me.

God this is a mess and it's just getting worse. I walk in circles around my room and my headache increases little by little, what am I going to do? What am I going to do?