Metamorphosis

Chapter 10

I couldn't believe my eyes. My father was standing right in front of me. My jaw dropped and I went limp.

" Oh honey, what have they done to you?" he had asked me, unconcerned.

" Wait I have so many questions -", I started to say before he cut me off.

" I will answer all of your questions, but not here, not now, later. Landon needs you home now," he said, dragging me out of the school.

" Landon knows you're alive and didn't tell me."

We walked out of the school and towards his car. As soon as we got there, he threw me into the car and started to speed to Landon and Connor's.

" Why haven't you called?"

" I was busy doing something. I didn't want to be bothered."

" Oh, okay. So what you're saying is that you were too busy for your own daughter. You know, it would have been nice to see you on my birthday."

" I know and I am so sorry for what I did and what I am about to do."

" What do you me-" before I could finish my sentence, I was out cold.

I woke up strapped to an old rusty chair. I was in a solid cylinder brick room. There was a vent at the bottom of the room and metal blinds up towards the ceiling. The room was small but tall. I could hear every water droplet hitting the ground of the room.

"We can't use your daughter as leverage."

"They will see it as honoring our deal. The deal was a life for a life."

My father was talking to a woman. It seemed like they were talking about some deal, trading my life for another.

" DADDY! IS THAT YOU? HELP ME PLEASE DADDY!" I shouted while breaking down into tears and scared out of my mind.

I heard footsteps walking toward the room's door. The door swung open with the woman standing inside it.

" Shut up little girl."

" No, I want my dad. Please let me talk to him," I had asked in tears.

" I said shut up," she stated as she smacked me across my face, " You know what? I think I need to show you what will happen if you don't do as we say. Shall we?"

She pulled my ring off my finger.

" Hey, that's my mother's ring. Please give it back."

" This ring isn't just a keepsake. It also has one other purpose. It protects you from this."

The woman had grabbed the long metal chain and pulled. The hot rays of the sun had poured in from the top of the room. I screamed at the top of my lungs because I was in so much pain. My skin felt like fresh third-degree burns all around. All I felt was pain. She had left the blinds open for three minutes and then closed them. My skin started healing itself and soon enough the pain I had felt started to leave.

" Hurts, doesn't it? Maybe now you will stay quiet."

I sat in silence for hours, fearing that she was standing right outside the door waiting for me to slip. So far from what I could tell, we were in an old building of sorts with a metal spiral staircase at the end of the hall. There weren't many ways in and out of the structure. Hearing what I could, there was one exit and one entrance both at the end of the hallway.

" Are you hungry?" asked my so-called father.

" No. And I am definitely not taking anything from you."

" Honey,I -"

" No. You know what I thought when I first saw you in the office. I thought ' Wow my dad is finally here after dropping me off at a friend's house and never coming back and maybe he could tell me why he just straight up left.' And don't say you're sorry because we both know you're not. I just want to go home."

" You can come home with me."

" No, home with Landon and Connor. They are my home now. Those two have been with me through thick and thin. I have built a bond with those two like no other. They are my family, not you. Family doesn't abandon family."

Dad stood there, hurt. He walked back towards the long metal chain and gave it a tug. I felt that pain all over again but this time it was worse than before. This time it felt like hot lava was being poured down my back. The pain was excruciating. Dad had let go of the chain and stormed out. I sat in my chair ,waiting for the pain to stop. He walked back into the room with an item in his hand. A blood bag. He waved it in front of my face. My veins under my eyes started showing and my eyes changed from a bright blue to a deep red color.

" So you are truly one of them," he said with both astonishment and disgust.

" What are you talking about?"

" Come on don't play dumb. How long ago were you turned?" he asked with fury in his eyes.

I didn't respond.

" How long ago were you turned?" he was starting to become impatient.

" I - I - was turned. Last month. On my 18th birthday." I had stated while still in pain, panting for relief.

He crouched down in front of me and put his head in his hands. He looked up at me and before he could say a word, there was a commotion down the hall. He snapped his head towards the door, jumped up, and slammed it shut.

" NEVADA! ARE YOU DOWN HERE?" yelled Landon from down the hall.

" Landon. I'm in here," I tried to yell but I couldn't.

Landon came running down the hall looking for me. He had heard my faint breathing and rammed the door open with my dad flying. Connor caught him before he hit the wall and set him down against it.

" My ring." I slowly pointed over to the shiny metal object on the ground.

He had put the ring back onto my finger. He had ripped the armbands off of my wrists and untied the rope that was wrapped around my waist.

" Landon, look at her back," Connor paused and directed Landon to the back of the chair, " be careful when you pick her up. I can give her something when we get home."

" All right, Upsy daisy. Let's get you home," Landon said, carrying me carefully but swiftly out of the building.