Injections

(THE WHOLE THING)

My clothes were sticking to my ribs, the rain made it impossible to see three feet in front of me. The soles of my shoes hit hard on the concrete. I heard the faint splash grow louder behind me. A blurry light became visible, I ran towards it. My constant breathing dried my throat, a cramp in my side made me cringe as my long hair tickled my nose. A small glass door appeared with words written on it, I didn't bother to read them. I turned the lock until it clicked. I tried to lean against the door, but my wet back made me slide to the cold tile floor. I looked around, a coffee shop? Of all the places open, a coffee shop? I stood, my legs weak from running.
A boy my age came from the back, a late working barista I suppose. He had a friendly smirk on his face. A name tag on his chest read Tony. "Please help, he's right behind me!" My voice wasn't much more than a squeak. He said nothing, he gestured for me to follow. Desprate, I did. He led me to a back room, it looked like a storage closet. It smelt musty, there was cleaning supplies, and and stacks of to-go cups. The grin reappeared on his cheeks. Something glistened behind his back.
I tried to move quickly, but not fast enough. The shelves of cups, and supplies tumbled like dominoes. I fell, I was down. A sensation ran from my arm to my head, it was warm and cold at the same time. Everything became a fuzzy picture, I lay my head on the floor. It had felt like something had bitten me. I looked around, I saw Tony standing over me smiling, a syringe was lying next to me. Everything faded to black.
We had lived in a two story home, it was all I wanted. Me, by three older brothers, Sam, Dennis, Kam, my mom and dad, and our dog Butler. My mom was out in the yard, tending to the flowers. She loved plants, and had many. Dad was working on some project which he often did. I was sitting on the front porch, the sun was warm, and all the flowers were in bloom. The day was calm. But that night we heard a loud banging coming from the basement. My dad went down the steps, Sam followed. A few moments later we heard a smash, and some rumbling noises. Two men dressed in suits and guns came up the stairs. Me, my mom and my brothers Dennis and Kam struggled, but the men cuffed us and pushed us down into the basement.
It was horrific. My dad and Sam lay in a small pool of there own blood. Red seeping through a small hole in their shirts. Glass shards litter the floor. They pushed me to the ground, and grabbed my mom's wrists I could hear the screaming. "Jennie!" My mom's voice rang out. They strapped a bandanna around her face, and mine. I felt two wiggly bodies struggle against mine. "It's ok! Kam, Dennis?!" Two frantic grunts responded. I heard the men talking on the other side of the room. They took our blindfolds off. My mom was gone, the door was wide open. Only one man was left. "What do you want!" Dennis screamed. The man laughed. The other man came back in with a syringe in his hand. "Search the place!" The first man shouted. Three more people in suits came through the door, but they were all women.
We watched as they wrecked our house. "Why are you doing this!? We don't have anything for you!" I shouted at them. A man, tall with slick gray hair slowly walked to me, hands behind his back. "We won't need you, so I suppose we can tell you." He smiled the whole time he talked. "You're father has developed a potent drug called Nittoxiea. We need that drug. Effects of this drug can result in severe memory loss, and memory displacement." I felt my face scrunch with confusion. "But, why?" He said nothing, and walked off. I stood, hands restrained. Immediately, guns aimed at my chest. One women came from upstairs, she looked Asian. "We found it." All the women and men gathered and shuffled out the door. The man with gray hair pointed a small handgun at me and my brothers. Suddenly I was pushed over, I heard my brother yelling out for me.
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I was in a white room, on a bed. I looked around frantically. A clear tube ran from the bend in my arm to a bag of greenish blue liquid. There was a plastic cup like mask on my face. A lady came in with a tray of food. She placed it on my lap. "Eat." she said, she sounded sweet. She removed the mask and proceeded to give me a forke. On the tray was a gray looking steak, and a salad. I felt so weak, I could hardly hold the fork. After I had eaten, another lady with blond hair walked in. "You have a visitor." A boy came in wearing jeans a white T-shirt and a gray army jacket. He looked familiar but I just couldn't figure it out.
He smiled, "How are you Jenny?" How did he know my name? "Fine." I replied. He chuckled. The two ladies left the room and shut the door. The boy circled the bed, then sat in a chair. "Do you know why you're here?" It didn't dawn on me that I was here for a reason. I began to think. My eyes grew, my mouth opened. This was the boy who had given me Nittoxiea! I struggled to call the nurses, but no one came. He rushed and put his hand over my mouth. I bit his finger, but it had no effect. He pushed back his jacket and looked at me sternly. I looked down, in his jacket were more syringes of Nittoxiea.
He reached over my stomach to my arm, he took off the tape and gently pulled out the needle. "Who-" I didn't get to finish. "My name is Tony Adams." He didn't even look at me when he spoke. Even if I did get to finish my question, I probably would have stuttered. He ran frantically around the room, grabbing things. He threw my clothes at me, they were no longer wet. "Put these on, fast!" He stared in my direction. His stare became more intense when I didn't move. "What?" I exclaimed. "Put your clothes on!" His voice was stern. I slowly started to move to the bathroom. He let out an irritated sigh of exasperation.
One of the nurses came back in. Tony was scrambling about. His hand griped mine, and squeezed it hard. I was still in my gown, but we ran. There were a lot of ladies in white hospital outfits, and others in green army gear. It was all such a blur. The women in army gear, got closer. Tony grabbed my arm, and supported my back. The drug weakened me. I felt like vomiting.
All the screaming faded, and I was in a black room. I couldn't see anything, but I heard a chain rattling in the corner. "Hello?" My voice shaken with fear and anxiety. There was no answer. I walked in the direction of the chain. I tripped on the metal links, and hit the cold cement. I fell in front of a person. Warm breath moved around my cheek and nose. I reached out and felt a face, a familiar face. I danced my fingers along the bridge of their nose and face, it was firm. I couldn't see who it was, but I didn't need to see. I leaned forward, his lips were warm as they moved about on mine. His hair felt damp with sweat. His fingers moving along my temples found my ears. I was jerked away from him, I heard his scream ringing in every corner of the room. My head hit something cold.
I was sitting upright in a bed. The metal headboard was chilling. I looked around, Tony was nowhere in the room. But I heard noises coming from the kitchen. Tony was cooking. I was weak, my legs felt soft. I followed the smell of chicken. I collapsed, a warm hand wrapped my arm and kept me from the floor. I reached up, eyes closed. His face was firm. Despite his grip I made myself fall to the floor. He helped me sit up in a dining room chair. He sat in front of me. He made himself look serious.
His mouth opened, I swear I wasn't staring. "Do-" He paused as if embarrassed. "Do you know who I am?" He looked afraid, as if the answer would send him into oblivion. I narrowed my eyes at him. Looking him over, his eyes hazel, hair a light orange color. His eyes became glassy. "No?" I said, as if not realizing I had spoken a bullet right through his face. He got up and walked around the table. He stood over me, I looked up at him with fear, I didn't know what he might do. He squatted down, he looked at me with a strange nostalgic fondness. His arms coiled around me. I felt a strange deja-vu feeling. "Uh, Tony? Where is this place?" The ends of his lips curled up. "This is a fallout shelter our- MY dad built, A, couple years ago." A frightening realization came to me.
"Wheres my family!?" I said loudly as I stood up. Tony's hands pushed down on my shoulders. I sat back down in the chair. He pulled another chair closer to me, so it was facing me. It squeaked along the floor. He sat, and looked at me with another look of fear. "You, don't remember anything, do you?" Now I was the one with the look of fear and confusion. He let out a sigh, as he rubbed his face and eyes. "What do you remember?" His voice was more serious now. I thought hard. My past had seemed like I had picked up all my memories and put them somewhere else. I couldn't put my finger on it.
A voice whispered in my ear, a soft comforting voice. "Jennie" My face became wet, as a salt drop fell from my nose. I grabbed a syringe and injected the fluid into the boy. My eyes wouldn't let me see him, it was a blurred face. His breathing stopped, then started back up again, faster. I wiped my eyes, my knuckles were now damp from tears. His face, it seemed so familiar, so recognizable.
I stumbled backwards out of my chair. Tony quickly stood, his hand outreached for mine. I just sat and glared at him. He was confused "Are you OK?" He reached his hand out farther. My eyes grew wide. My lips quivered as I could remember the soft brush of his. 'Tony..." He appeared to be rejoicing, but also afraid. I could not understand this. Tony lunged forward as if he was pouncing on a kill. I retreated, his arms coiled around my back. His hands shivered and his breathing was shaky. We turned to face each other, tears blended with a large grin spread wide across his face. He leaned inwards, our lips touched. He was soft, treating me like a fragile object, as if I could shatter at any moment. It made me feel delicate. Memories flooded my mind, of us sitting on the neighbor's roof, and ice skating. "How? You do remember?" I nodded my head slightly. "All, but what they did with my family." His smile faded, "What do you mean?"
My face tensed. "They were, they killed my dad and, my mom was taken. What about my brothers!" Tony's face relaxed a bit more. He didn't say anything. I started to the big iron door, that he had supposedly brought me here through. He ran up and grabbed me, and pushed me away from the door. I hit the ground. "What the-" I was angry at him. "Shh!" He urged me to follow him quietly. We tip-toed to the room I had woken up in. He hid in a small closet, I squeezed myself into the cramped space. "What?" He covered my mouth with his hand. It was hard to see, but I could feel his arms moving about along the wall. Suddenly large lights came on. He pushed passed the clutter of winter coats and dress pants.
A huge hallway, lined with metal ceilings, walls and floors. Tony raced to a box like room at the end of the hall. I slowly kept behind him, walking sluggishly. "What is all this for?" Pressing silver buttons along a panel on the wall, he spoke. "It's, ah, it's an elevator." I had my suspicions. "Nah, really? What is it." The doors slammed shut as I was forced downwards. I crouched as my ears rang and popped. I looked over and Tony was standing straight up. His face made him look in pain. The image of my brother, and dad's lifeless bodies, and the cold picture of that man with the gun, and gray hair, flashed in my mind. The elevator came to a halting stop. It took me a moment to find my balance, and stand up. Immediately, Tony was out the sliding metal doors.
I wobbled behind him, my legs felt like cooked noodles. Tony turned around, in his eyes I saw a confusing mixture of irritation and excitement. He plucked another syringe from his coat, my legs wobbled even more. The thought of having another needle stuck inside of me sickened me. But this syringe was different, it had a very short needle, and instead of blue fluid it was clear. As he came closer, I could see the sharp needle was a plastic tube. He cupped his hand around the back of my head, I leaned back into his hand. He paused, then put the syringe in my mouth. A sour tasting liquid ran down my throat. I suddenly felt the muscles in my legs tense, a rush of adrenaline ran through me. Tony again ran, but this time I followed only a few steps behind him now. I stared at our reflections on the silver walls as we ran.
A large iron door, like the one in the shelter, blocked our path. Tony began frantically examining the door, moving his eyes over every inch of it. "What are we running from?" I say nonchalantly. He glances at me from over his shoulder "They know to." He pulls a huge metal bar from the door. "Know what?" I ask. He doesn't answer. The door opens, white and yellow light streams through the door. When I expect to see sun, I see a large street light, hanging in the dark. Tony stepped into the frigid outside. I hear a strange commotion coming from far down the hall. He grabbed my arm right above my elbow, and pulled me through the doorway. The door shut as soon as I hit the ground. He is breathing heavy as I try to catch mine, from hitting the ground before.
I looked around, to try and gain familiarity from this place. I did not know where we were. But Tony must have, he glanced East and jogged down the dark street. It seemed strange, a road that felt so familiare was now desolate and empty. The only things illuminating the road were three big street lights that hung over the asphalt, glinting with fallen rain. Tony picked up a large stone, roughly the size of his whole hand, and chucked it at the lights, all three. Sparks shimmied down before plummeting into the black and grey world. I couldn't see anything, not even my own feet. All I had now was my memories to see.
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As I was jerked from the warm embrace, (Tony) A familiar looking man was looking down on me. He was tall and had grey hair. "What do you want with me?" I said forcefully. A tag on his chest said in small black letters, McClain. The barrel of a gun moved around my head, and pressed against my temple. My eyes looked to see who was thinking of putting a bullet in my head. A short asian women was staring into me with violent eyes. I looked back at the man, he was gone, but the women remained. Her face stayed firm. A younger man, maybe mid twenties, came walking from the darkness, looking down at a clip board.
He had brown hair, and rectangular glasses. He gave off a geek vide. A name was written in fancy handwriting on the back of the clip board. "Devon, Ràng nín de jiǎnchá, ránhòu wǒmen bǎ tā sòng dào shōuróng suǒ." I didn't understand, she spoke the rest of her sentence in chinese I suppose, followed by a nod of the head. The man whose name was Devon, dipped down in my face and observed every inch of my body. He began to write something on the paper on the clipboard.
My head started to throb. I pressed my index and middle finger against my forehead. Devon stood and faced someone off in the distance I could not see, "She'll be out for a whi-..." his voice echoed and trails to a deep mumble.
"Jen!" a small pebble bounced off my temple. I rubbed it as the pain decreased. Tony was looking flustered. "Come on! I know a place we can hide." He ran off into the dark, I followed. As soon as I caught up we stopped running, we were now going a slow jog. After a few minutes of silence between us, I broke the quiet night. My voice felt out of place in the dead of dark. "Where are we going?" I asked. He looked down at me. "A place that's safe." His voice sounded agitated, I didn't think he was mad at me? I briefly remember the warmness of his arms around me.
It felt as if we had been walking for hours, and because there were no more lights it seemed as if we were walking right through space. Tony abruptly stopped, I could tell because I didn't hear his feet anymore. I tried to focus in the direction I thought he was looking in, but saw nothing. "Well, here we are." He said with a sigh of relief. I squinted, but still saw nothing. I could hear Tony's feet begin to shuffle around among the gravel stones I felt through my shoes. I ran as to not fall behind. A small yellow light turned on, illuminating a small door, barely hanging on to its rusty hinges.
Tony stood in front of the door, arms stretched out as if presenting a majestic piece of art. Box shaped houses lined every gap on either side of the pathways. "A trailer park?" I was now confused. Tony rested his arms by his sides. "Not just any trailer park, Rhododendron Parks." By now, I am losing my patience with him. I furrowed my eyebrows at him. Using my body language to speak alongside my words. "So, what does that mean?" He rolled his eyes and shrugged it off, he turned to face the door.
He took a random key from his pocket that didn't look like it would fit into the lock at all. Smothered the teeth in some petroleum looking gel, and jabbed it into the lock. Surprisingly, it turned and the door gave way. We stepped across the threshold of an old musty trailer. There was not much in it. An old out dated T.V, a couch that was falling apart, and in the kitchen a dirty stove oven, and a small refrigerator. "What do you think! Pretty nice right?" I was starting to worry about him.
"Yeah, it's just like what i've always seen you living in."
"Ha ha, hilarious. This is where i've been hiding from the 'Bad men'"
"Who are the 'Bad men'?"
Tony took off his jacket and flung it onto the the opposite side of the threadbare couch of which he sat. "The government basically."
Without wanting to really know what he was talking about, I walked to the small fridge. "There's some Sprites in there, and some noodles." I grimaced at the thought of old noodles. "How long has it been since you stayed here last?" He paused to think for a moment. "Three weeks, I think." I opened the old fridge, and took a can of Sprite. I began to wonder "Where are we going to sleep?" Tony glanced, as if he himself didn't know. Then he pointed to some rolls of fabric in the corner. "Sleeping bags. The T.V doesn't work by the way." We sat in an awkward silence for a good thirty minutes. "I'm so bored!" I groaned aloud.
Tony got up from his seat, and headed for the door. "C'mon" he jerked his head for me to follow. We walked far enough from the trailer that I couldn't see it anymore, but the faint glow of its porch light glinted through the trees. I could see shadows, darker than the night so they were just barely visible. A swing set, old and fragile. Tony sat in the second swing to the right, and me on the left. We sway back and forth, the squeak of the swing chains, screaming for grease, the only sound other than our own breath. "This better?" he asked. I gave a light chuckle before answering, "Yeah" The night was foggy and silent. No stars, no moon, no light, but somehow so perfect. Our hands clasped together in a hand-hug, swaying together in sync.
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Sun shattered my gradually breaking fantasies. I stretched out from a fetal position, and wiped drool from my cheek. A warm blanket encased me like a cocoon. I glanced around but did not see Tony. I did see a pile of worn blankets in the opposite corner. I smelt food, the type of food was undetectable. I grabbed a frying pan incase it was the M.O.S.S.H or whatever, and krept out the door. Tony was on the side of the stoop in front of a grill. "Morning sleeping beauty!" He said sort of sarcastically. I lowered my weapon. "What are you making?" I asked hopefully. "Chicken." He replied simply. He extended his arm towards me, a plate with grilled chicken with sauce coating it. My stomach rumbling inside of me, I grab the chicken.
Without a fork, I scarf down the warm meat. A black mass falls from the sky, near our feet. "A Cowbird?" Tony inquired aloud. I pause, a drop of sauce falls from my chin. Gunfire goes off repeatedly in the distance. Sparks and bullets shoot from the treeline behind us. Tony's warm body falls atop me. We scurry to our feet. He grabs my hand and runs, not to the trailer. But to the street, where we could be an easy target. We dive behind an old, rusty fallen billboard. Our breathing is in a panic. Tony moans and falls from a squat to sitting on the crumbling road. He grabs at his shoulder, his hand comes back a scarlet ruby color. He peels off his shirt. I remain silent on the subject of the blood dripping from a wound on his upper back. "Have, you gone to, the bathroom today?" Tony asks. I did not understand how this was relevant. I began to cry with frustration and worry. "No." I whisper back. Without word, nor warning Tony pulled me close. His lips brushed mine, they parted.
After a moment of delight and shock, I jerked back. I put my hand on Tony's cheek, thinking he was going to be dead. He stood, and ran out from behind the billboard. I followed him frantically back to the trailer park. He grabbed our stuff, and headed out. "What?" I asked. "Automated guns," He answered. "We need to get out on the county before they come back for us." He tossed me a small plastic shape. "Put this in your ear." I looked at it. "An ear-com?" "Yes, now put it in!" We jogged behind a massive oak. Tony pulled back a camouflage sheet, to reveal a dusty motor cycle. It was army green, and vintage looking.
A round shape flew towards me, and my breath jolted out of me. I slid on the helmet and proceeded to position myself behind Tony on the bike. The bike sputtered and we were off at surprising speed. We glided smoothly through the empty roads. I stared at the lines on the asphalt. Tears blurred my vision, I thought about how my mom, and brothers were probably dead, or how they might be being held somewhere tortured for answers.
I woke up strewn on the sidewalk. People, strangers, gathered around me, gazing at me with frightened looks on their faces. My body ached, I moved my head to get my barrings. A piece of cotton and a band-aid, made the skin under it sweat. There were band-aids on my arms, wrist, shoulder, forearm, and even the crease of my elbow. A man with graying brown hair came forth from the crowed, wrapped my arm around him, and heaved me to my feet. While I got my balance, the crowed spread more. Now I could see the small gathering consisted of twelve to fifteen people.
"Are you ok?" Why are you on the lying here?" They bombarded me with questions I just simply did not have the answers to. The man that had helped me up offered to take me to a hospital, I kindly rejected and asked him to take me to 102 Brickwood street, my house. The others in the crowd exchanged glances, more so the older bunch. My head throbbed with motion sickness, I felt sick to my stomach. We arrived at an older house, and old green color. Funny I thought it was white? The roof was falling in, the yard was out of control. "I, don't understand?" I looked up at the man, his face stricken with sadness. Then I remembered, I didn't have a family anymore.
The bike sputtered to an uneasy stop, and the smell of exhaust was overpowering. I moved my head in all directions, "Where are we?" I asked genuinely confused and worried. Tony turned his head to face me, he looked sad, but nostalgia whispered for help in his eyes. "You, don't know where you are?" I thought hard for a moment, as I looked around once more. An old house, green with mold on faded vinyl siding. I shook my head. "Me and you used to sit up on the top balcony, and watch as the neighbor kids played ball."
I could hardly speak as a dreaded though floated into my bogged brain. "You mean, this is the same place where I hid from my brothers when they had friends over?" Tony gave a slight gesture of the head. This, this old barn looking structure was my house. "Why don't you remember?" Tony was scared it was easy to tell. "What were you doing this time last year?" Simple right? "I was... at summer camp." His eyes grew, he shook his head slightly. "You've been running for three years." The sorrow in his voice alone was nearly enough to make me cry. A seemingly respectful moment of silence passed between us.
Tony spoke softly. "If I knew you were so corrupted, I, would never have given you that dose." A single tear waved down from his nose onto his cheek. The first time I can remember seeing him cry for real. And these 'for real' tears, they were for me.
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We ventured inside the decaying building. Windows, broken, cabinets ripped from their hinges. The carpet in the living room once a creme is now a shade of yellow from the sun bleaching it, pink and red walls, peeling and faded. All was silent inside, Tony and me paced around all the rooms, quietly reminiscing of memories long forgotten.
Loud pops and bangs came from all directions. Bullets flew at me from different angles. Tony grabbed my hand and darted for the back door. The bullets got closer, the bangs louder! Toney pushed down hard on my shoulders. He lay atop me. When the guns paused, I rolled him off me and started to run. Until, I realized, he wasn't following me. A big man came out from his discreet hiding place and lumbered towards me. I dove to Tony laying on the ground. The carpet was soaking the scarlet red slowly oozing from him.
I pushed on his side and he rolled. More blood was seeping through his shirt. I could only think of the worst. The big man was slipping a silver knife from the waistband of his pants. I grabbed Tony's arms and began to pull, he barely moved across the carpet. The man had a deranged smile run across his lips, as he took a swing at me with his knife. I dodged the blade just by a millimeter. I pulled even harder on Tony's wrists. The man took another swing, this time grazing my hands. Blood dripped smooth over my knuckles. I jerked back, the man now walking closer to me and Tony. I suppose it was a rush of adrenalin, or a miracle, but somehow I managed even with my slit palms, to pull his body far enough away from the house that they didn't come looking for us.
I knelt down next to Tony, and brushed my fingers up to his nose. He was breathing, low and shallow. I cupped my hands around his colorless cheeks. My tears dripped like rain onto his face. I now could see a glaze gathering in his eyes. I pulled him a little farther into some brush, and nestled him into a nest of leaves. His jacket the only excess clothing we had available. I tore the sleeves off and wrapped them around my injured hands. I left him some water rations, and took off running. I figured it best to leave to find a hospital, or a doctor. My run slowly came to a jog, then a fast walk. I was getting tired. I quickly took a swig from my water, I had taken some off Tony. After what seemed to an exhausted me, hours, came a town simply out of the blue.
It was a small rinky-dink town, a few homes, a supermarket, and a little medical clinic. There was almost no one on the streets, the few that were out and about were either riding bikes, or walking. After asking around, I found the clinic. People seemed frightened of me, a newcomer? I threw open the clinic doors but there was no one inside. A few chairs lined two of the four walls. It was obviously an old place, much like the town. There was a short middle aged man sitting in a red swivel chair in the back, asleep. Being in my situation I ignored the the door, and leaped right over the counter.
I went up to the glass and banged on it with a closed fist. The man jumped from a startled sleep. "What! Were closed!" He shouted. I was now angered by the way he could refuse help to a young girl, when he clearly didn't get much business. "My name is Jennie Erin Switz. I need help!" He seemed astonished that I shouted back in this way. "Someones been shot darned you!" He began to fumble his equipment. "Y-yes, take me to them!" I followed him around to the side of the building, there waited a small white van, equipped like an ambulance with lights, and a siren. On the side said Citra county medical department. The man loaded up his case of things and pulled himself into the driver's seat, he flipped a switch and the blaring sirens came on. Wheeee whoooo wheeee whoooo! "Left! Bear right! Oh, turn up ahead!" I lead him all the way back to where I had hidden Tony. The rest, was a blur of beeping medical equipment, tears, and frightened eyes.
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The beeping of a heart rate monitor lulled me into a shallow slumber. My thoughts took wing. A huge monster with thin pointed teeth that spewed a deadly liquid (Syringe), a small squealing girl (Me), and a man who had no soul that controlled said monster. My imagination conjured up an idea of death, while my body attempted to face the reality of it. The same low beep that had put me to sleep woke me as well. I found myself in a stiff hospital chair, staring at a figure I did not recognize at first, Tony.
I strode across the room to him, wrapped in white sheets that matched his pale skin. Wires and tubes draped this way and that. A soft knock came from the door, a soft looking short lady peeked through, then strode right in with a syringe. Not the deadly kind I had seen in the dreams, but a fat orange one, the kind for kids. "How are you Ms. Switz?" She said in a sweet high pitched voice. She flashed me a pity grin when I failed to answer. "I'm fine" I replied. She then looked down at Tony and proceeded to gently squirt a pink fluid into his mouth between his teeth.
"Would you like something to eat?" She said with an ever present smile on her face. I then felt my stomach rumble. I nodded my head. I was reluctant to leave Tony, this must have seemed apparent to her because her comment was "He will be out for another few hours" I tried to wipe the concerned look off my face but struggled. I followed her down to a food court. Along the way, I peered into nearly all the rooms, they were all empty, and I hardly saw any other nurses. The food court was very small, there was only two restaurants and a coffee shop. The nurse and I grabbed coffees and walked around slow, empty halls. Everything was silent until I spoke. "Why is this place so, empty?" She took a moment to reply. "This isn't exactly a '5 star establishment'" she said using air quotes. "But we do what we can, the best we can, with what we have."
When we finally got back to Tony's room he was sitting up a little and seemed conscious. I immediately reacted and dropped my coffee cup into the nearest trashcan. He glanced his eyes at me, but his head didn't move. I ran to him and wrapped my arms over him, he did not move his arms but he sort of melted into me. The nurse backed out quietly and closed the door. I began to cry, my tears dropped onto Tony's hospital gown. "Are you going to be OK?" I asked, never have I felt this kind of fear for someone else before. When I watched as my own parents got killed in my own house I felt as if a part of myself died, but this felt different as if I longed for something never to come, a calm life with one person, the way the world was before. A family, living the simple life.
I sat in the stiff recliner near the window, the only sounds in the room was the sound of our breathing and the beep of the heart monitor threatening to stop his. I couldn't do anything but stare at him, and pray that miracles do happen everyday.
I woke startled and in a cold sweat, a flat monotonous tone rang out in the room. Doctors and nurses flooded into the room. Before I could even comprehend what was going on, I saw him laying there cold and motionless. The nice women who had taken me to the food court ushered me out of the room and closed the door behind me. That was it, I broke down right there right then. I fell to my knees and hit the floor I couldn't bare to see this. I thought maybe I should just go now and knew I could never come back, but something told me not to. I laid there hot on the floor.
The visions of him hitting ground, blood pouring from his shirt. The sounds of my family being taken to, the heavenly father knows where! When I finally opened my eyes it was not the sight of dust and a puddle of tears, it was a white pillow and the smell of beef and tea. My brain was muddled and fuzzed. A soft moan drew my attention to the right of me. Tony, he was alive. The gentle thud of my heart, and the slow motion like swell of Tony's breathing was my lullaby.
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A man with glasses and brown hair that swooped across his forehead handed me a paper. Mine and Tony's release papers. We were leaving this rinky dink town. On our way for the one single moment of fulfilliation. We exited the hospital doors, a dry heat consumed us. "Where are we going to go?" It had just occurred to me, I had no idea. Do we run? Go try to find my family, and probably die in the process? Or go back to the shelter and live the last of our days? I could let myself die when I still wondered about my Mom and my brothers. Without a word between us, we began to march. We were on a journey, of strength and though I could not foresee what would become of us we pushed on.
The hot sun was merciless, both of us limping from our wounds. The night was no more kind, warm dry air came through every crack, no matter where we slept. And yet despite all the troubles, and pain, we found the strength to push on. When things were at long last, beginning to look up, we had gotten directions to the nearest government base. The sun was starting to set everything was at a perfect cool temperature. It was quiet and optimistic for only a few short moments. We could see the base up ahead, a large towering building. Fear struck me and my stomach dropped and gurgled. I was anxious to get inside.
My vision was blurred with memories of all the things I have seen and been through. The screams, the pain, the anxiety. And yet, through all the doubts I have found the only part of a human soul that wants to live, death was no longer an option now.
Men and women stood in uniforms with loaded guns at every turn and every possible entrance. I stood and observed the building, the structure the windows and foundation. A whisper sounded like a shout drowning in the horrific wales of my thoughts. Tony was trying to get my attention, I followed him to a hole in the ground. "I think this might lead inside the grounds." He said as he began stepping into it. "Do you expect me to climb down this dark hole and the great God knows what's down there." He grabbed at my ankle as he stepped into cavern. I closed my eyes and plunged in after him. My feet touched the ground in mere seconds. There was hardly any room and absolutely no light. I could feel Tony's body right next to mine.
We felt along the walls, the dark tunnel seemed as if it went on for miles. Tony hit something hard that let out a low metallic ring. A door. It was cold and gave way. We peeked through and saw a room that looked like a hospital, except it was dark. It was just one room and it was round. The lights were dim, and the floors were dirty. It looked abandoned, an old musty basement that smelt of mold and dirt. We stood in the middle of the room and looked up, there was a hatch. It was a small rusted opening but there was no latter. Tony squatted and linked his fingers together. I placed my foot in his palms and he thrusted me upwards. I was standing in an even bigger room, except this one was clean and smelt of clean laundry. It was empty except for a metal wire pulley next to the hatch. I grabbed one end and lowered it to Tony. He grabbed it and climbed his way up.
There was a double door at one end of the room, it resembled a school door. We tried to push on it but instead of opening alarms sounded, screams of pain. We tried to jump back down the hatch but the fall would be too painful one of us would certainly break an ankle. Men in quarantine suits rushed in with restraints and guns. With disregard of our shouting protests and our flailing limbs they tied our hands back with wire, and put a type of bag mask over our faces. They must have been infused with a chemical because I can't remember anything after that. When I woke up I was in a room just like that old hospital room, except this one was clean and definitely usable.
There was a body in the bed next to mine, but it wasn't Tony. It was Dennis! A mask covered his mouth and tubes went from him to IV drips and back. He looked asleep and his breathing was shallow. I tried to sit up but I was bound to the table. Tears swelled in my eyes. Dennis had a black eye and a broken arm. I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes more army men were wheeling me out away from Dennis. I didn't have the strength to fight. They put me into a box like room with a table in the middle. An operation room. I breathed in a gas that made me want to vomit, then I was out.
I was woken by a familiar voice yelling and a familiar hand shaking me. When I came to, I saw a women standing over me she was filthy and drenched in tears. "Mama!" I shouted. She hugged me and I never felt more overjoyed with sorrow. We cried. "What are they doing to you!?" She struggled to speak through sporadic sobs. She answered, "They took Dennis. And they shock us. And..." She couldn't say much more. "Oh mama! It's OK." But it really wasn't . "I saw him mama." She pulled away just enough to get a good look at my face.
A man came in and was carrying two plates of food. With a gun pointed at us he set the food down and backed out of the room. Mama was not hesitant, she went right for one of the plates and offered me one. I was weak. It tasted like meat that had been cooked in stale gasoline but it was delicious. After gaining back a portion of my strength I began to examine the door, tapping and poking parts that looked weak. "It's no use." Mama said from across the room, her voice barely a whisper. "I have spent many an hour beating and cursing that door and everyone outside it." There was pain and some kind of truth behind her words. A silence grew large and somewhat uncomfortable between us. "What happened to Kam?" I said hopeful she would say he's safe and in Colorado with our grandparents. But she didn't say anything, just let a single tear trickled down her nose.
In the middle of a mourning silence I doubled over. Pain surged through my spine and neck. It seeped into my legs as I fell to the cold floor. I felt like I was losing myself, it hurt. My breathing became rapid, and my eyes were wide but heavy. I could feel my muscles twitching. Mama held me and I felt myself go. Panic came over me. Mama rolled me so I was flat on my belly. She pulled up my shirt, her cold breath rushed over my hot skin. She ran her fingers over my contorted muscles. She pushed down and I felt something move inside my skin. More pain shot through my neck. The lights went dark, the room began to get hot and the door opened.
I expected men in uniforms to come in with guns and shoot us dead. But it wasn't army men, it was Tony. Once more coming to my rescue. I couldn't see Mamas face but I sensed her surprise. She stood and moved near him, he came to me and kneeled by my face. His fingers brushed my skin. He looked tired and beet. He reached behind him and lugged a large leather case out from the shadows. He reached in and took out a mask, like the one I had breathed through before. It was set on my face around my mouth. He stared at me with such intention that even if I could move I wouldn't have. My eyes shut and what happened next was dark rooms, knives, blood, and searing pain along with the sobs of my mother, and gunshots of my father.
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It was cold when I woke up, my mothers breath warm on my face. Immediately after gaining consciousness my back was sore. My vision was blurry but I could see Tony looking sadly at his leather bag. My eyes were tired but I forced myself awake. My voice hardly a shutter "What?" was all I could muster. Mama stroked the back of my head gently and Tony's face got bright at the sound of my words. "Hush baby, we fixed it." Mama's voice was shaky. Tony came over with a plastic baggy, as if I wanted to see what was in it. It was a small metal chip with bits of blood on it. " It heated up causing you to spaz out The way you did."
I rested my head back on the cold floor. Then it just occurred to me... "How do we get out?" Mama paused and looked at Tony, then back at me, but she didn't meet my eyes. "We don't." she whispered as her eyes began to well with tears. As did mine. I picked myself up from the ground, my back hurt badly. Tony tried to get me to lay back down but it was no use. I screamed and pounded on the door. He grabbed my arms as I swung them around in a panic. "We traded our lives out there for you're life in here!" He shouted, I had never heard him angry like this before. When he said this I stopped and looked at him through my wet eyes. He had a firm grip on my wrist in the air and his breathing was heavy, I watched as his chest rose and fell with each one. There was a scariness in his eyes they were dark and mature, not the boyish hero who I have yet to pay the debt of my life so many times over. He wore a scowl over his expressions.
He loosened his grip on me, turned and walked away without the slightest recognition of my wailes. He took a quiet seat in a solitary corner. Mama came and hugged me tight, I pushed her away. "Jenny..." I couldn't look at either of them. I gave the door one last kick as hard as I could, it didn't matter that it hurt. I laid down against a wall farthest away from mama and Tony. We traded our lives out there for yours in here. I thought long and hard about what exactly he meant by that. I couldn't imagine how much pain anyone other than me at the moment was going through.

Morning has come, or what we thought was morning none of us had seen daylight since my panic attack two weeks ago. Tony has not spoken to me since, he just jogs in place and never leaves his corner. It's been so quiet, I can't think straight. Mama doesn't do much, she just prays by the door, when the men bring us food they kick her aside. The last words I said were 3 days ago, I said them to Tony. You were stupid to do what you did, love is blind and you are to. It was hard to think about. Was he really dumb for giving up any hope that we might get out just for the small chance I would get to live inside a cage? I think his heart was in a good place, if he still had one. He's been so cold lately i'm afraid when and if this ever blows over he won't love me anymore. The thought makes me sick. Every time I look at him i'm sure he can see the sad nostalgia through my teary gaze, because his scowl never changes and he just looks the other way. But the most painful thought is I never got to tell him how much I loved him to his ugly little face.
One of the guards came in with our 'afternoon meals'. He was tall and wore an army suit that suggested he was a rookie. Mamma was praying when he came in, he nudged her along with his foot like always. I guess it was more than she could handle because I heard her utter the words "O Lord help me God for what I do next" and with that she pounced at the guard. "No, Mama!" I tried to shout but it was only a whimper. He could have killed her right there and then and receive no punishment, but he threw her off and slid our food across the floor. Mama stood and watched him go.
Tony walked over and took his portion back to the corner. Me and Mama ate together talking like we hadn't done in a long time. We talked about Dennis, and I told her more about our journey to save her. For a moment I forgot we were stuck in a cell, I forgot about Tony, and how I may never see the sun again.
Three days, three whole days since Tony had last slept. Sleepless nights full of cold sweats, push-ups and water.
I sat facing the metal wall, imagining my life before all of this how did it even all begin? Loud smashing sounds knocked me out of focus. My head snapped around to see what it was. Tony was punching the door as hard as he could, his shirts lay in a jumbled mess where he slept. There was anger plastered to his face and his knuckles began to bleed, dripping little red beadlets down his forearm. I paused out of pure shock. I ran to him and tried to grab his strained wrists, he threw them about wildly much like I had done. When I finally was able to hold them firm he slouched. Went from silent beast mode to wobbling mess, 60 to 0, like my touch had flipped a switch. His breathing was uneven and his face was red, I let go of his arms and blood came away with my hands. His eyelids hung low over his stealing eyes and his shoulders were limp.
I could find the words to say. "W-why? Y-you need to sleep." But it seemed he already was, getting heavier in my arms. Mama had been asleep during all of this. I set him down gently on the floor. His soft eyelashes brushed gracefully on his cheeks. I couldn't think of a time more precious. He lay still for hours.
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When he woke up he seemed to not remember his 'episode'. He seemed back to normal, kind of. Another worker came in with a gun and our food, I constantly think this could be my last meal. The man seemed cautious at first, weary at our every twitch. But then he got comfortable that's when it happened. Tony lunged himself at the man, full body force. He was aiming for the belt, the gun. The man put up his arms in defense but not before Tony swiped it from the man. What would have been our food was sent flying like disks.
Tony was behind the man now, aiming the gun at his back bang the man fell to the floor. Rows of other men came marching down the hospital like hallway. We all raced along with what stamina we had in us. Mama began to wale, "We have to go get Dennis!" She jerked into the room he was being held in. He didn't have a leg cast anymore, tubed still running from his mouth to an IV drip and back. Mama tore the tubes from his mouth and cupped her hands around his face. He took in one huge gasp of air and his eyes bulged open. "M-M-M-Mama?" He stuttered. Tony stood in the doorway guarding us from view. Dennis tried to roll out of the bed but was held by a cord. Mama took a scalpel and cut it, Dennis then rolled out of bed. Wobbly at first he learned to stand. Moving his legs in a way meaning he had not walked in probably months.
"Guys we NEED to go, like now!" I had nearly forgotten the deep smooth tone of Tony's voice. We snuck down the long hallway and found a flight of steep stairs. "This looks like a basement, let's go." Tony had become so authoritative, his voice to 'take charge'. We carefully tip-toed our way down. It was a large black room full of junk and damp floors. We curled into a discreet corner, or what we thought was discreet. Boots thumped down the steps vigorously, an army. They all stopped in the doorway, parting for an older man with gray hair McClain. He had a smile on his face, the kind of smile every villain in Scooby-Doo. My stomach dropped and I looked at the remnants of my family, Tony had a stern face with his gun aimed at McClain. Mama was holding Dennis and shaking with fear, I only wondered what I was doing.
There was no use in hiding, we knew he saw us. We stepped out into the open, we were all sick and not able to run anymore. McClain snapped his fingers and two men came from the army crowd came and took my arms, I tried to fling and kick but it did not work. "PUT HER DOWN!" Tony had a force in his voice I never thought possible. McClain chuckled then spoke. His voice was deep and throaty. "Kids, what we need is simple. Put the gun down and come wi-" "NO" Tony kept his gun raised. Another man came with a syringe and pale blue liquid. "Unless you come with us this Taburn fluid will be injected into you're little girlfriend." "What's that going to do?" Fear slowly crept into his voice. McClain gave a throaty laugh. "Something you don't want to happen." I could see Tony's finger shaking, fiddling with the trigger. A single shot was fired, McClain dove to the floor. We all thought he was dead, until he stood up. The man with the syringe poked the back of my arm and a cold tingling sensation wriggled throughout the left side of my body.
All was quiet. I fell slowly to the cold damp floor. Tony ran to me and ran his fingers along my shoulders. My breaths were long and few. Blood dripped from where they injected me. My eyes could not focus on anything, everything was blurry. "She's going to die. It's inevitable." McClain's voice sounded proud. Tony stood tall and sure, he put the gun up to his head, I reached out with what little strength I had "W-Wait for, me." And with my last breath my eyes were closing, but before it could end, I betrayed myself, with excitement. A loud ring in my ears he fell limp. The cruel irony of death.