The Ghost in Me - Chain my Soul

6

Boring days drag on at the thought of not being stalked or thrown up against the wall by my handsome stranger. I still feel a strong inner conflict with my voice of reason shouting out a warning to avoid him, and really have no idea what to do. The sane part of my brain is unable to ignore the fact that he's so dangerous. I wish I could talk to someone about him, but after seeing him with a gun – and that angry, threatening stare – I'm truly afraid he'll hurt anyone who finds out about him. So, I decide to keep it all inside and head to the gym for my weekly training with David.

I find him over on the punching bag. "Hi, David! How are you? I'm guessing you heard about the nuclear threat...?"

"Hey, Amara. Yeah, I'm freaking out a little, just like everyone else who doesn't have a place to go."

"You don't know where you'll go if it happens?"

His face is tense with worry. "I heard that some guy with a bunch of money is building a huge bunker that will house a lot of people. It's north of Vegas and is being built in the basements of some abandoned buildings... I guess they're making a little city out of it. I'll probably try to go there, but I did hear that he's not a good person. To be honest, I'm not sure if the rumors about him are true or not, but better survive than die in a war that none of us want to fight, right?"

"Right..." I bite my nails, stressing over what I'm about to ask him. "Listen, David, my family and I are building a small shelter for the three of us in our basement and I wondered if there's any way you could help me get some weapons without my parents finding out. You know, they're not really of the same opinion when it comes to guns, but if the world takes a turn for the worse, I'll need some way to protect myself and them. I can't imagine what it'll be like out there. People go crazy when there's a blackout for a few hours, just imagine what they'll do after a nuclear attack."

"Sure, Amara, I'll find something in the next couple of days and I'll let you know how much, ok?"

"That would be great. Thank you, David."

Wow, that was easier than I thought...good old David, procuring illegal weapons for me. I bet my mystery man would have had them for me by lunchtime, though. I smirk at the thought, but David doesn't notice. I give him a punch on the shoulder, "Ready to fight?!"

"You bet. That's what we're here for!"

A week has passed since the encounter with my stalker and I'm in the waiting room for an appointment with my gynecologist. After about fifteen minutes, Dr. Stewart leads me to her exam room. She's an attractive woman, probably around fifty but looks ten years younger. Her blond hair is pulled back into a perfect bun and under her coat, she's wearing a classy black suit with matching heels. Her clear-frame glasses complete a flawless look.

"Good afternoon, Amara, what brings you in today?"

"Hi, Dr. Stewart. I'm interested in getting on birth control and was wondering if you could explain the different types and help me choose the best fit. Preferably something I don't have to remember every day."

"Sure, we have several different forms of birth control to choose from. Personally, I would recommend going hormone-based, which is much more effective than a barrier method. Your hormone-based options include the pill – either estrogen and progestin or progestin only, as well as the skin patch, vaginal ring, and contraceptive shots or implants. As for the implants, they've made a lot of progress in the last few years, especially with these ones that go into your arm." She shows me a tiny white rod as she continues to explain. "This rod is inserted into the inner arm and prevents pregnancy for up to six years. We used to have longer, bulkier ones that only lasted three years and then had to be removed, but the new implants just dissolve into the body without leaving a trace."