Shards

chapter 12

Chapter 12:

“Help! please!”

Her voice was desperate, and I wondered why. I meant nothing to her. We'd never even really talked. Why did it matter to her what state I was in?

“What is it?” a gruff male voice asked.

“It's Jaylee! When I got in there she was just lying on the floor. Something's wrong with her. She won't stop shaking and she threw-up. Plus, I don't know how she got in there. There's no one waiting for her out here, is there?”

A deep laugh echoed down the hall. “How does Jaylee end up anywhere?”

“No! You don't understand!” Tatiyana's voice broke in frustration. “This isn't some type of escape attempt, she can barely walk. Maybe it's some new drug you put her on or something, but something's definitely wrong.”

“Alright, I'll come take a look. Is it just you two in there?”

Tatiyana must have said something for, seconds later, the door was pushed open a crack.

“Sterling... when the others arrive, keep them out.”

“What should I tell them?”

“Say it's a... situation. I don't know what's going on, but she has a lot of friends here. More than we know.”

“Yes sir.”

The door slid shut again, and I squished my eyes shut. A terrible thought had just occurred to me. To leave this place, I would have to walk through the sitting area in which the boy's and girl's washrooms met. By the time I got out it would be filled with other compound inhabitants, wondering why they weren't being allowed to take they're showers. There was no way around this. There was only one way out of the bathroom area. If there was a back door, Ian and I would have found it by now.

“Rechard! Look alive.”

I sat bolt upright and pulled the towel tighter around me. I was exposed, far too exposed. Quickly, I grabbed another towel from the rack, rapping it around my shoulders and tucking it into the other. My chest was now completely covered. Still slightly self conscious, I tugged down on the bottom of the first towel, trying desperately to cover the bruises. Getting the politics of the Compound involved, was not exactly what I needed right now. I needed to talk to Ian. Or not... My own thoughts scared me. Never before, had I been afraid to tell him anything, yet I dreaded the moment in which I would have to tell him this.

“Rechard.” The guard was snapping his fingers in front of my face.

I'd been zoned out, focused on some point on the opposite wall. Using all of my will power, I focused in on his face. Staring at his cheek bones, I was unable to look into his eyes. What if he saw the hurt there?

“What are you doing in here unaccompanied?”

He attempted to keep his harsh tone of voice, but I heard the worry seeping through.

“Jaylee,” Tatiyana pleaded.

I looked up at her and the concern in her face was so genuine. My five seconds were over, and there was no way I was giving up.

“I-I'd like some clothes.”

My words were simple, but I saw the effect they had on the faces the two people. Relief. Why did they care so much about me? Tatiyana I barely knew, and this guard, Hawthorn I think his name was, spent his days trying to make my life miserable.