(Ana's POV)
October 5, 2015
"Waiting is a sign of true love and patience. Anyone can say I love you, but not everyone can wait and prove it's true." -famous-quotes.us
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I have been here for fourteen days, 2 hours, 15 minutes and 5 seconds. I think. It's hard to keep track of time without a clock or a window. Jazzy and Marcus were here not five minutes ago. It's time for Jazzy to go to school, and for Marcus to go "help look" for me. All he's really doing is steering them away. I've tried to be patient, but it's getting hard. I've had a total of seven broken ribs, each arm was broken twice at one point and had both legs broken, as well as a broken ankle. Tears filled my eyes and I quickly blinked them away. Crying won't help anybody. Crying won't help me. I hissed as I moved my head, I am ninety percent sure Jazzy gave me a concussion when she hit me on the head with her gun. I checked my surroundings again. Sometimes, Jazzy will forget something in here.
Moldy bricks and cement blocks covered the walls and puddles of murky water pooled upon the floor. Nothing was here. I looked down. Cracks in the floor was the only hint of my torture, for Jazzy made Marcus clean up all of the blood. I looked at the ceiling and bit my lip to hide a laugh. There was a dent, yes a DENT, in the hard cement. It was from when Jazzy saw a spider and tried to hit it with the metal bat she was using to torture my abdomen. The spider jumped onto her face and she screamed and kept slapping herself to get it off. Crap, laughing definitely isn't good. My head began pounding as I felt a migraine come on. I managed to get an idea of where I was. Apparently, Marcus has a brother-in-law, who is currently in jail for murder, who used to own a chain of warehouses. This was one of the warehouses he owned, and it is near the sewage center in downtown San Francisco. I highly doubt that anyone would guess to look here, I mean, seriously, who would question Marcus or Jazzy? They look completely harmless! That's when it hit me, literally.
A small drop of water fell down onto my head and I looked up, to the best of my ability. There was a little crack in the ceiling near the hanger holding me up! It seems like my weight is breaking the already worn out cement! If Jazzy hits it, or if I manage to use my weight, which is practically nothing, to wear it down over a period of time, it might break off and send a chain reaction, buying me time to be found! A smile inched across my face but was quickly tossed into the trash by a frown. That only happens in the movies. I'd have to be here for months. The pain in my arms started building again so I shifted my body weight. How long would this be my life? I shifted my weight again when the door opened suddenly, surprising me. I tried to look at whoever came in, but a bright light assaulted my eyes. What is happening?
"I found her! I found her!" Someone yelled. Hope filled my body and I relaxed. That's when the voice laughed again and the light turned off. It was Jazzy and Marcus. What are they doing here?
"You actually believed that? You worthless pig! Ha, nobody is going to find you until you're dead and Marcus and I are sipping wine in Italy. Where were we staying again hun?" She chuckled, taunting me while swinging her flashlight.
"Hotel Artemide." Marcus said, coming towards me with a black bag.
"Oh right! It'll be great! As for what's happening, we're moving you to another warehouse on the opposite side of the city. School was cancelled due to the plumbing exploding, and Marcus has the day off, if you were wondering." She giggle like a psycho and skipped out of the room while my arms were given a break as Marcus brought me down from the ceiling.
So much for my plan. Jazzy bounded back in with a syringe. "We don't want you giving away our little secret! This should knock you out for a few hours! We changed cars too! Nobody will ever know!" She sang, injecting me with the drug and skipping out.
My vision went blurry and I knew I had to do something. I felt one of my rings digging into my ankle and I gaped. I had hidden them there during the movie filming so that nobody would try to steal it.... How had I forgotten about that? I managed to roll it out of my shoe and onto the floor, thankfully without Marcus seeing it. He was too preoccupied with getting the ceiling hook down. I nudged it into the corner and sighed. It was engraved specially, so if anyone found it, it would give them a clue that I used to be here. My vision went black as Marcus placed the bag on my head. I was dragged outside and placed in the boot of a car. I felt my weak bones scream in agony as I was pulled into the drug induced sleep. I hope someone finds that ring.
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"WE ARE HEEEEREEEEE!" Jazzy screamed, making me shoot up and scream in pain. I was hanging from another ceiling in another room.
I looked around. It was a small room, similar to the old one, with dust in the corners and mold on the walls. I noticed a steel table in one of the corners. I cringed as I taste the metallic taste, and flinched as the stench of bleach entered my nose. Jazzy grinned at my reaction and ran her hands over the table.
"Nice isn't it? We'll be having lot's of fun with this tough old fella." Marcus walked in through a steel door with a bag.
Jazzy kissed his cheek and took it from his hands. She dumped it and many torture tools fell out and hitting the metal with little clangs. Holding up barb wire, she looked directly into my eyes.
"Let's have some fun, shall we?"
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(Josh's POV)
"Are you sure he's okay? It doesn't seem right! Could you-"
"Ma'am, it's been a week, this is normal for someone who had the injuries he has suffered through." Voices whispered in my ear, making my eyes open.
I was in a hospital room. Drew and Dad were passed out in the chairs and a doctor was arguing with a short woman. I moved so I could see her better. Aunt Tilly? What was she doing here? Where am I? Is this about mom? Did she not die? But they said he, maybe it was Uncle Sam? I looked up as a nurse entered and walked behind me to the bed. I turned, but I couldn't make out who it was.
"No change in vitals, doctor." She said to the older man as she did a check on the patient.
The nurse moved and I tried to get a better look, but it was like someone or something didn't want me to see who it was. I frowned and sat down in a nearby chair. Aunt Tilly and the Doctor kept bickering, so I tuned in.
"How long will he stay like this? I can't stand to see Matthew and Andrew like this!" She asked, batting her eyes to keep the tears away.
"What happened Aunt Tilly? Who's hurt?" I asked, looking at them.
They both ignored me and the doctor answered her.
"Maybe a week, maybe a month! It's up to him. He sustained many, many injuries, some fatal, but you know this. Just be patient." He said and patted her shoulder before walking out of the room.
A sigh blew from her mouth and Aunt Tilly started to pace. Her hand went to her mouth and she began biting her nails. She always does that when she is scared or nervous. I stood up and put my hand on her shoulder.
"It will be alright Aunt Tilly, the doctor said so. Just sit down." I whispered.
A tear fell down her cheek and she sat, well more like collapsed, into the chair.
"I'm so sorry Kandice. I miss you so much. I wish I could help him. I really do." She exclaimed, sobbing quietly.
I sat with her as she cried, rubbing her back and whispering comforting words. Five minutes quickly turned into ten as Aunt Tilly expressed her grief for her sister, and the mystery person. The sobs quieted and the tears dried on Aunt Tilly's face as she slowly grabbed a hold of her emotions. She stood with a wobble and stumbled to the side of the hospital bed. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the person's forehead. Caressing their cheek, she smiled weakly.
"Here you are, always getting into trouble and getting yourself hurt. Do you know how worried we've been? You missed a lot of school too baby, but we'll worry about that when you wake up," She breathed, brushing their hair. "Everyone's sympathetic, loads of your supporters sent gifts and cards. They're waiting for you."
Maybe it was cousin Henry? He's an intern at Sally Morin Law. Turning my head I saw a table filled with gifts and presents. I walked over and picked up the first card I saw. Opening it, I skimmed to the bottom to the name just as Aunt Tilly spoke again.
"Come back to us Josh."
The card fell from my hand and I turned my head to the side so fast, I got a little bit of whiplash. The face on the patient was clear now, and sure enough, it was me. My mouth fell open and I started to panic. This isn't possible! Am I dead? No, the monitors would have said I was dead. What is happening? My heart rate monitor started going flat and a noise emitted from it. No, no no! Doctors and nurses flew into the room with a defibrillator. Dad, Drew and Aunt Tilly were removed from the room and a bright light assaulted my eyes. I turned my head towards the light and felt my jaw drop.
"Mum?" I asked as she stepped into view.
"Yes honey. It's me." She said, caressing my cheek.
"But, but, you're dead! Am I dead?" I cried, confused.
"No, you aren't dead, yet. This is the point where you choose. You can come with me and see all our past relatives and watch over everything, or you can go back into your body."
"Will I wake up if I return?" I asked, sitting down and jolting as an electric shock bolted through me. Mum frowned and waved her arms. Everything went into slow motion.
"You will only wake up when you come to terms with everything in your life and forgive." Mum replied, sitting next to me.
I frowned, "Where am I?"
"You are between life and death. In this form, you can go everywhere you once went before this state, or where you can think of." Mum explained, as her body pulsed.
"What's happening mum?" I asked as she stood.
"I cannot stay in this realm. I am dead, remember."
"But I don't want you to go." I said, selfishly.
"I know, but you must choose. If you choose me, walk into the light. If you choose life, lay down in your body."
I looked at mum, and back at my body. "I'm sorry Mum, I have to stay alive."
She smiled understandingly. "Promise me you'll take care of your father and Drew, and Aunt Tilly. She is going through a hard time."
I nodded, watching as she walked away. Before she entered the light, mum turned back.
"Josh, go get your girl."
She was gone. I lay in my body and felt the zapping stop. The monitor returned to normal and my family was let back in. I closed my eyes and concentrated. OKAY Josh, forgive and forget.
I thought of my dad. I forgive him for abandoning us. I really do. It's in the past. A small weight was lifted off my chest.
Melinda. I forgive her for being the way she is, for cheating. For everything. Another weight was removed, but two remained.
Who else? Ana. I forgive her for being so beautiful, charming, deceitful. I want to find her, tell her I'm sorry. One weight remained now.
I can't think of anyone else. Who- Mum. I winced and opened my eyes. I was next to my body. I don't know if I can. I saw Drew crying in dad's arms, and Aunt Tilly hugging them both. I have to. I lay back down and closed my eyes.
I forgive you Mum, for leaving us. For making me upset. You are the best mum in the world, I will never forget you. The weight was gone and I was tugged into a swirling space. I was falling and falling until I landed on something comfy. I saw Mum smiling at me and I opened my eyes.
"Josh?! NURSE! DOCTOR! HE'S AWAKE!"
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