Pirate City

Chapter 6 Effects of confinement

I woke up when Stephano was carrying me to Amber, my head hurt and my neck burned but I was too weak to squirm. My face was exposed to the wind, and as he ran my hair whipped around my eyes. I burrowed my face into his chest to get out of the wind, ignoring the pain of turning my head. He slowed to a walk and opened a door with one hand and wrapped under my arms, the other under my legs.

I heard him speak to someone in a soft voice. There was a short gasp. Amber. Stephano took a few steps forward and tried to place me on a cot. I wrapped my hands around his neck and refused to let him put me down. I was too comfortable and he was too warm to let go. He hesitated before setting me down and forcing my hands to let go. He tucked me under the covers and put a cold compress under my head before he left. As I was fading into sleep I thought about the boy.

Where was he? Who was he? Why did he help me? Was he ok?

Why did they go after me?

I stayed in the hospital room for 6 days, waking to the slightest noise. Amber came every day and cringed every time she looked at my scarring neck and beaten face. I slept on my side, it was too painful to sleep on my back or stomach.

I was alone almost the entire time I was in the hospital room. I couldn't help thinking about all the horrible things that could've happened to me, I could've died back there. I would've died if it weren't for the person who pulled that man off of me.

Where was he? Who was he? Why did he help me? Was he ok?
When the time came I didn't want to go out; what if the man was still hiding somewhere? What if the boy was dead and it was my fault because I didn't move fast enough? Did that make me a murderer?

I don't know what I was expecting when I slowly found my way back to Stephano. I wanted him to be happy with my return but it was like nothing had changed. He sat staring at papers on his desk, his face plastered with a fixated expression. He swished his hand towards a stack of cloth and mumbled for me bring it to Amber. I loved him as if he were the positive fatherly figure I didn't have in my life and I wanted more than anything for him to love me like his daughter. Or perhaps it was the time in confinement getting to my head, but I'm voting for the latter.

"Really?" I asked, frustration taking over my voice. He turned to me and when I saw his angry expression I felt the colour drain from my face. Why would I say that? I slowed my breathing slightly, trying to hide the fact that I was afraid. I held my breath and released it to try to steady to a normal pace, my cheeks went back to a normal temperature, and my eyes adjusted back onto Stephano. He was studying my face with a confused expression.

"What?" He asked angrily, I was scared of him all over again. I felt my cheeks flush and my palms go sweaty.

"It's nothing, I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that," I stuttered, turning to leave before it all happened again.

"Wait, what did I do?" Stephano asked curiously, his genuine confusion coming out in an anxious tone. I could feel his eyes on me as I took my first couple of steps.

"Go fuck yourself." I whispered, making sure he didn't hear me. It was even more infuriating that he didn't see what was wrong with his reaction.

Something about the way he had looked at me made me think he wasn't the one who saved me.

God men suck.