Maybe You're the Reason Why

Chapter 7

I have an itch on my nose. But I can't itch it. Why can't I itch it, you may ask. Well, because my hands are tied, behind my back, with fabric, against the chair I am sitting on. I open my eyes and the top of my head stings. I feel a hard pressure behind my eyes as I look around the room that is holding me prisoner. The room is dimly lit, and it made out of stone. The walls look and smell moist, making the hot room, humid. I try to scream and only then do I realize that my mouth is duct-taped shut. What have I gotten myself into? What is happening? I knew I shouldn't have come back here. I need to get out of here. I stand up and then fall backwards, attempting to break the chair but the only thing I broke is probably my tailbone. I wince and try again. This time, one leg of the chair breaks. This isn't going to work. I run backwards and smash the chair against the wall. I fall onto my knees the chair, finally, breaking, splintering against my skin. Blood is gushing down my back. I reach back and my hand gets soaked. Tears are streaming down my face, but I can't stop and curl up in a ball this time. I rip the fabric tying my hands together with a piece of the shattered chair. As soon as my hands are free, I rip the duct-tape off of my mouth and scream,

 "HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME! Please." 

I start to cry harder and harder making my back hurt worse. 

"Please," I sob, falling to the ground again. "Please, somebody help me."

As I am sob/screaming, a door, blending in perfectly with the wall, clangs open and people in red scrubs rush in looking, but not tending, to my wounds. I feel like a whale on the beach with spectators watching and noting my pain without helping me. 5 people in suits walk in and I see...

He's here. The boy with the brown hair and the crewcut. The boy who was doing something to me that never happened before. 

"Niklas." I breathe out.

I look into his eyes, and I can see him saying Spitfire back.  

"We must talk. Nikol, take her to the M-Bay." I look to see who Nikol is but the man with the white hair and beard was looking at Niklas. He nods and everyone exits the room except 2 of the useless people in red scrubs and Niklas. I get inject with something and I fall asleep.

 When I wake up, the pain in my back is dull, like a constant, but not very intense. I turn to my side to see Niklas sleeping on one of the sofas next to my bed. I instinctively smile and then I realize what I'm doing and frown. He SNORES. LOUD. Niklas SNORES. His eyes flutter open as if he knew I was studying him and his snoring habit. 

"Hey Spitfire." His voice is deep and sleepy, and he sits up with a yawn and I flush then mentally slap myself for it. 

"What happened?" I say not any less groggy than him. 

"You did great. Don't worry."

Don't worry?  How could I not worry? My entire future is like a flashing danger sign yelling at me to GO BACK GO BACK!  Everything I have worked for, my entire future, is now in jeopardy because of my stupid test. The test, that will make my everyday a battle to survive. My grades don't matter here. My wits, and the physical strength of my body does. I don't know if I can be strong enough. Wait. What does he mean by "You did great"? I'm probably reading into this too much but, did he know this was going to happen? At this new realization my body flushes again. But this time. This time, it was not whatever it was before. This time, it was in scorching, burning, hot anger. 

"How. Could. You." I say slowly, my words dripping in indignation. 

Niklas startles, the remnants of sleep being scared awake. He stands up and says,

"What? What are you talking about? What did I do?"

I can't believe this. Even know, he is still playing the victim. How could he do this to me and still have a clear conscience? How many others has he already done this too? How many others are left? 

"How could you put me through something like that? Being kidnapped and then having to hurt myself to escape? And once I did escape, having people gawk at me like I'm the main feature at a zoo! How could you do this and still look me in the eye? How could you do this and still look at yourself in the mirror?"

Niklas takes a step back and this is the first time I have gotten a reaction out of him that isn't happy. He looks furious. There is this excitement burning deep in my stomach for landing this blow and getting a reaction out of him. I look at him waiting for his reaction, wanting to get this pent-up anger and pain out of my system and taking it out on Niklas seems like a great option.

"I can't even look at you right now." He says, almost in a whisper. 

"Well, that's fine because I can't even say your name without getting nauseous. Get out." I say loudly but not loud enough to be a scream.

"It would be my pleasure." 

And as he says these words and walks out of the room, I can hear the venom dripping off of each syllable. And as I sit by myself with the beeping of my heart monitor as my only companion, the excitement I previously has sinks like a rock and a tear rolls down my cheek. Then another. Then another, and soon, I turn into the thin pillow given to me, and I start to sob.