Ruby Banks
They came for me in the dead of the night.
I was wrapped in my covers, hugging my pillow and in that half in and out state. That place where you're asleep and on the cusp of dreaming but you can hear everything going on around you.
I heard the front door of the apartment open and murmurs, but I ignored them. I figured Mom was just bringing the nightly clients back to her room for some... work. But then somebody burst into my room.
I sat up and screamed. This wasn't happening again. My throat was raw and my eyes squinted as a flashlight blinded me. Then somebody grabbed hold of my legs and my wrists, pulling me out of the bed.
"No! Stop!" I screamed. They were going to hold me down and... and...
"Ruby Banks?" An official voice said as I blinked spots out of my eyes and self consciously covered my pajama clad body with my arms.
"Please," I sobbed, "Please don't touch me." I was set down on my feet and I fell to the floor, retching and gagging.
"Ruby you have been sanctioned by the courts to attend Stablewright Academy For Troubled Teens instead of being incarcerated. You will have 5 minutes to put a bag together under supervision. You will not attempt to bring weapons, drugs, electronics or other substances or objects that may be illegal. Should you disobey or act out in any way, you will immediately be transported to the Manhattan Juvenile Detention Center. Do you understand the instructions you have been given?"
"Yes but-"
"Do you agree to comply with those instructions?"
"Yes," I said meekly, my vision finally clearing to see two police officers standing above me, one of them reading from a piece of paper.
"Sign your full given name on this paper and then proceed to prepare your belongings." He set the paper on a clipboard and handed me a pen as I signed. I'd thought I would go to prison, in fact I'd been enjoying my last night to myself before appearing at my sentencing.
I stood up and hurriedly dragged my beat up suitcase from the corner, throwing the rest of my clothes in.
"Am I allowed to go to the bathroom to get my personal care stuff?" I addressed one of the officers, my voice quivering.
"Yes, but you can't bring razors or products with alcohol in them. You are also not allowed to bring any kind of hairspray or air freshener as those are very flammable." I ran into the bathroom across the narrow hallway and the officer watched as I put things into a grocery bag.
I paused, staring at the pads and tampons underneath the cabinet. And then I looked at the male officer. He respectfully averted his eyes after he saw the boxes I was packing in the bag and I felt kinda relieved. At least he wasn't going to treat me like a criminal.
But the other officer, the one who read the paper, he pulled me to my feet after my minutes were up. Dragging me out the door. My Mom stared after me, her arms crossed over her faux silk robe. She didn't care. The other officer gently put my grocery sack of bathroom stuff into my suitcase and sealed it up for me and I was grateful. He didn't need to do that for me, my guess was he was new.
I was still wearing my sleep shorts and my t shirt and I was glad I'd put on a sports bra to sleep in the night before so at least not everything would be out in the open. I shivered in the cool night air, trying to avoid tripping as the bad cop shoved me over the the bus.
I walked up the steps, getting shoved once more and falling before the ribbed flooring of the aisle bit into my hands and knees. Some of the guys in orange jumpsuits jeered and laughed after I fell, but others were asleep or stayed silent. Some were in street clothes and I knew those must be the ones going to the school.
After collapsing into my seat, I realized I hadn't slept and probably wouldn't until the next night. So I laid my head back and closed my eyes, hoping to get some rest.
The bus woke me with a lurch.
I stumbled to my feet, brushing my wavy red hair out of my face. I took my bag as a guard handed it to me, hugging it to my chest. I got through the security checkpoint and went to the dorm room. I figured I would get in, take a shower and take a nap. My neck was stiff from the bus and I wanted to enjoy some alone time before my roommate got here.
Each room had an adjoining bathroom to the room next door which I thought was odd. But as I leafed through the student handbook and saw the emphasis on no sexual assaults, I realized this was for the better. The room was simple, two bare mattresses on wooden frames on either side of the room. There was a closet clearly divided in half by red paint with small dressers on either side of it. The window in between the beds was covered with bars.
I closed the door behind me, putting my suitcase on the bed and taking out a set of clothes. The bathroom had two shower stalls that were clean, thankfully. And I shakily closed the door behind me, looking at my face in the mirror. My light red hair was tangled and there were bags under my eyes from not getting enough sleep. I had a few bruises on my wrists from where I'd been grabbed and forced out of bed. I wanted to cry but I wouldn't let myself, not now. I just needed to shower and then go to bed. I'd feel better once it was not longer 5 am. So I undressed and got in the shower, scrubbing my body thoroughly.
The hot water felt amazing on my skin but as I stepped out, I realized I'd forgotten a towel. So I shook off the water and wrung my hair out before dashing into the room.
"Uh," I whirled around, my hair flinging drops of water in front of me. I saw a girl with lavender hair sitting on the bed, staring at my naked body.
I immediately froze, biting my lip as her eyes traveled from my breasts and further down, her eyes leaving goosebumps in their wake.
I grabbed my towel, wrapping it around myself.
"I'm Kat," she said, "I'm so sorry, I'm just going to-" She turned around just as I ran in the bathroom, my cheeks turning bright red.
What a great way to start off my year in hell.
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