Stolen Secrets: Chapter 1 Part 2

This time I awake somewhere different, more relaxed and comfortable. Dim lighting, smooth caramel colored walls with a stripes of deep blue, and now resting in a soft bed my body has restored some health, darkening to a shade slightly tanner than before.

Ruining the illusion is the I.V. needle in my arm connected to a dangling bag of fluids along with the stiff hospital robe, my clean hands and bandaged leg. Why? Why did these people keep me here, probably make me kill that person, practically die, then heal me back up good as new, nothing made any sense.

Enough, I’m done pondering for answers I have to get out I have to leave. Find that somewhere, no something, it was like a taste of the sweetest dessert in the world but I don’t know what kind, or where to find it. Which was the most frustrating feeling in the world, suddenly a sharp headache shot through my head with flashes of words and pictures fading in and out but the only thing I could remember from the whole ordeal was a name, Emma Claire, my name.

Even though the information came with screaming pain it was something. I could scream, jump up and down at the moment but I don’t have time, this just created more questions than it did answers.

Time to take action, pulling myself up, ripping the blankets off and the I.V. needle out leaving a small dot of leaking blood. Jumping on my feet which felt odd and unbalanced as if I hadn’t walked in 6 months, has it been that long or longer since I had opened my eyes, another thought never to be answered.

I glance around the room looking for supplies, if I’m going to take on an army might as well be prepared. Only finding a water bottle and protein bar, in the drawer of a nightstand, I devour the snack and take a few swallows of water. I decide to make it my number one priority after, escaping of course, to find some suitable clothes.

Swinging the only exit being a sturdy steel door open with eyes alert, I trotted down the hallway keeping my head low in case there are any security cameras and trying to be silent but completely failing. As the sound of my bare feet slamming the floor echo in the long, empty, white hallways which seems to be a popular color choice in this mysterious facility. Anyways I take two lefts then a right passing a few closed doors labeled to be storage closets until I find a locker room that doesn’t appear to be busy so I wander in hoping to find clothes that don’t automatically say “runaway patient zero” or “target practice”.

That’s exactly what I find, a pair of gray and green scrubs along with a schedule sheet, map and an empty lunch box, which means it’s past lunch time and I only have a few hours of light left. The scrubs were baggy but still meant for a petite woman, I let out a long sigh realizing I still don’t even know how old I am but I would guess 16-19. Taking a moment to look at myself in the mirror, I am raw, bare with no make-up, tangled, dark, red tinted brown hair, the shade of burnt velvet cake, thick eyebrows, and dark blue eyes. Unexpected anger blooms inside of me, I can’t bare to look at such an unfamiliar face, that I have should recognize in a crowd but I can't.

Strolling down the hallway passing a maximum of three or four other workers until an announcement begins with a high pitch noise “Warning, if suspicious personal is seen please report to the main office immediately, thank you” I have only been gone thirty minutes at the most. Running down the hallway following the map, I haven't seen anyone else but before I turn the last corner three guards walk right into my speeding body.

The adrenaline pumping into my veins gives me the strength to grab hold of the first guard’s chest armor and sling him to the ground propelling myself through the other two. Running so fast I begin to have side stitches with a dry, scratchy throat from breathing yet I still continue with no other choice, giving up is not an option anymore. I can see the setting sun through the thick glass doors, while listening to the echoing shouts of the guards and the noise of their radios alerting anybody else in the area. Finally reaching the doors and busting through into the last drop of sunlight almost being tackled by a guard.

Just taking a second to breathe in fresh air I begin to Sprint again into a barely visible forest. With the darkness disabling my vision I consistently trip over roots, sticks, and holes, the guards are persistent, now using strange long distance taser guns, one of which I stole from the first guard is gripped in my hand.

Still sprinting I begin to slow to a jog, I'm about a mile away with the shouts fading, my hope for survival and escape rises spreading a joyous smile across my face for the first time. Yet navigating became a challenge from steep hills to sharp cliffs and the activeness of the day has set in with aches along with tiredness.

Out of the blue another piercing headache came with a vision of beautiful autumn leaves, little girl giggles, with a man I believe was her father or my father. I can't quite break down what is happening but when I finally come to my senses I realize I've tumbled down a sharp hill with a stick poking through my abdomen.

The pain settles instantly causing me to wince and scream without end, all hope is gone there is no way anyone will find me in these woods before dawn when I will be dead. I can't take the burden of all the pain, questions, fear in one pointless day, all this struggle for nothing, so I let my conscience slip forever to be gone.