Against the clock

19.

'Derek,' I tried to say, my voice barely a whisper as my face lay against the cold ground. Confusion enveloped me as I struggled to piece together the events that led to this moment. The last fragments of my memory were shrouded in pain—sharp and intense sensations in my thigh and neck. 'Derek,' I repeated, a bit more urgently this time, my gaze searching the surroundings for any sign of him. The realization hit me, and I turned my head slightly to find Derek, who was cuffed in front of me. 'Hey,' he said, his voice carrying a mix of sadness and concern, a look of shared distress in his eyes.

I mustered the strength to ask, my words weak and faltering, 'What happened?' The air felt heavy with tension, and my mind struggled to comprehend the surreal circumstances surrounding us. The pain in my thigh and neck served as a harsh reminder of the unsettling reality I found myself in. 'They sedated you,' he said, his gaze fixed on me. The gravity of his words sank in, explaining the foggy haze clouding my thoughts and the heaviness that clung to my limbs. 'Why?' I managed to articulate, my voice feeble and distant. Derek sighed, a mixture of frustration and helplessness evident in his expression. 'You were panicking, and they injected something into you. I tried to fight back, but...' '

'Did they do something to me when I was out?' I asked, the question slipping from my lips like a delicate thread of curiosity woven with a hint of trepidation. Derek's eyes, burdened with regret, met mine as he nodded solemnly. 'Yes,' he admitted, the weight of his acknowledgment lingering in the air. 'Which one?' I managed to ask, my voice trembling with a mixture of anxiety and fear. 'The older man,' he replied, his voice carrying the heaviness of shared pain and helplessness. 'I'm sorry, Meredith,' Derek said, his voice filled with remorse. Tears welled up in my eyes, tracing a path down my cheeks, as the weight of Derek's apology settled over me. 'I tried to stop them, Meredith. I fought as hard as I could,' Derek's voice quivered with frustration, a reflection of his helplessness in the face of the older man's actions.

'It's not your fault,' I hiccuped, offering reassurance in the midst of the shared anguish. Before he could utter a word, I seized the moment. 'How long have we been here?' I questioned. He shrugged, his gaze fixed on the ground. 'My guess is about three weeks,' he replied, the weight of time evident in the lines on his face. As he looked up, his eyes met mine. 'Why? What's on your mind?' he inquired, searching for the unspoken thoughts lingering in the air between us. 'My period ended a week before we got here,' I disclosed, my gaze fixed on the floor. Derek's eyes registered a momentary pause, his mind racing to grasp the implications of my revelation. 'Do you think you're...?' he started, his voice trailing off as he delicately broached the subject we both hesitated to consider. I took a deep breath, understanding the unspoken question. 'I don't know,' I admitted, uncertainty clouding my response. Derek, ever the compassionate companion in our shared struggle, offered a gentle yet direct response. 'Meredith, regardless of what happens next, you have options,' he said, his voice carrying a mix of concern and support. 'If it comes to that, you'll figure it out.'

'Not if he keeps us here for years,' I remarked. 'We won't be here for years, Meredith,' he asserted, his voice unwavering. 'We can't let fear of the unknown paralyze us.' The uncertainty of our situation, coupled with the possibility of a protracted captivity, added an extra layer of urgency to our escape efforts. 'I think I am a few days late' I mumbled. Derek considered my words for a moment before responding, his gaze focused and determined. 'I understand your concern, Meredith. But stress, lack of proper nutrition, and dehydration can all impact menstrual cycles. It might not necessarily mean...' he trailed off, choosing his words carefully, 'what you fear.'

Suddenly, the hum of a machine to the left pierced the uneasy silence, capturing our attention. Derek and I turned our gaze towards the source of the sound. A disembodied voice echoed through a speaker, shattering the eerie quiet. 'You two have been having it too cozy,' the voice taunted. Abruptly, our chains were uncuffed, freeing us from the constraints that bound us. I rose to my feet. As I stood on my good leg, a peculiar sensation caught my attention. Something was dripping, and a knot of dread tightened in my stomach. 'Oh,' I uttered, a mixture of curiosity and anxiety gripping me. Without hesitation, I turned around, lifting the hem of my dress to inspect, bracing myself for the sight of blood. Instead of the expected sight of blood, my eyes widened in shock as I discovered a nasty, warm, white liquid trickling down my legs. The revelation sent a chill down my spine, and a profound sense of violation gripped my senses. 'You okay?' Derek asked as my back was turned from him.