Ephemeral

Building Blocks

"How are you feeling today, Vienna?" Came the nurse's reply from behind me, but I didn't bother to turn around. I stared numbly at the barred window of the commons room, seeing the sunny courtyard that was just outside the window. My knees were pulled up to my chest, and my arms were wrapped around my legs.

I wore a pure white outfit – a white shirt along with white pants. White grip socks were on my feet, and my medium length hair was braided down the middle of my head.

"Did you take your drugs?"

"Does the sun rise every morning?" I snapped back, turning to glare at the nurse. I had been here for about two months now, and luckily Aidan hadn't visited me since I had checked in.

It was a good thing, too – I realized how much I was slowly returning back to a human being. The drugs that they practically had to force down my throat the first couple of days, and seemingly every day after, might have had something to do with it.

"Leave me the fuck alone, Linda."

I turned my head to look back out the window. I heard her quiet footsteps and allowed my brain to become numb again. 

It wasn't bad – being here.

Being rid of Aiden for the time being.

Having other like-minded, broken people being around you...it was better than the den of monsters I was held captive in.

At least I was brought over to the United States to be checked in – it didn't seem like Aidan really trusted the Japanese to give me decent treatment. I would assume that the language barrier influenced that decision. 

It was almost time for our daily walk outside. I could tell from the sun's position in the sky. The skill used to be rusty – but now it's all I could do to tell time at this place. There was no concept of time, and in a miniscule way...it was exactly like back at the mansion.

Unlike at the mansion, though, at least here I was aware of the passing, fleeting days.

It was currently May – I would have almost finished my senior year. I would have went to prom that Jack had been talking about since the beginning to the school year. I would have beat Lindsay Chamberlain's score and had been accepted to Florida State.

Heartbreaking to think about...

"Vienna, you have a visitor."

Those words shook me to my core – they could only mean one thing. There was only one person that knew where I was and that would be able to visit me...

I hope I'm wrong.

I quickly turned my head in the other direction to see Aidan standing there. The common rooms were mostly empty, and so it was mostly just the two of us.

The nurse turned to talk to the man that caused me to be broken in the first place. "She's a lot more responsive than when she first came in, Mr. Mathis."

"Is that so?" Aidan asked, looking at the nurse. I glared at the two of them, watching the way that Aidan was walking over to me.

A small, hallow smile was on his face.

I turned away, trying my best to ignore him despite the unwavering gaze that he was directing towards me. I didn't want to be anywhere near him. At least when I was alone here, it was almost as though I was there living again.

I wasn't surrounded by teen hunger games, and human trafficking.

"Vienna, how are you feeling today?"