We Are All Prisoners

Five- hundred twenty four, Five-hundred twenty five, Five-hundred twenty six. I have been in this hell hole for five-hundred and twenty six days. I have counted every tile on the stainless white walls, walked every inch of this small room. The sun never rises, or sets to anymore and the stars do not shine bright, only white, everything is white. The silence screams out to me, calling me to fill it, but I can't remember the last time my mouth opened to sing a sweet melody. The silence has become my only friend, comforting me as the days creep forward. My other companion is the camera that sits in the top corner of the room indicating the presence of my captors. That is what I call the cruel government that has locked me away from the world. The people that have chosen my fate, and decided who I am. I lean against the wall, shivering as I move my hands quickly carving in another day I have been here, five-hundred and twenty six days. At first I could distinguish the days but now they blur together, Monday into Tuesday, Tuesday into Wednesday, Wednesday into Thursday, and Thursday into Friday. I waste away the days in thought. Thinking about when I'll get out, when I'll feel whole again, or when I'll finally just die.

I rest my head against this wall waiting for the time where my food will come. I lost my appetite a long time ago, about the time my parents died, and my sister went to sleep. I push this thought away not wanting to cry knowing if I do I will look weak to my captors.

The sound of steal locks jolt me back to reality, the sound engulfs the room making beautiful music. I have only heard this sound once, the day they put me in here. I move across the room getting as far away from the noise as possible.

"I take it back" I scream in my head, "I don't want to die."

I've had this nightmare before, they handcuff and take me into a dark room, they strap me to a chair and leave, they pump poisonous gas into the room then everything goes white. The thought of impending death causes my body to tremble. I am not afraid to die. I just want to die my own way.

 Slowly a woman in her forties enters the room. She has blonde hair with hints of gray, she is of average height, and her outfit (professional) gives me a hint that she is very important. She holds a notebook in her hands and walks confidently over to me. I counter her movement, falling over myself and head to the other corner of the room right below the camera. She takes a seat on the bed and opens her notebook.

"Hello" the woman says. I remain silent. "I'm Mrs. Pilmer, and I'm here to talk to you about what happened. I want to know if you remember what happened." Of course I do, I scream out in my head.

"Ms. Franky Tessler is it?" She is just trying to be polite. I remain silent and fixate my vision on my hands. She moves off my bed and towards me again. I push myself closer to the wall feeling the coldness overtaking my body. She leans down right in front of me, too close.

"I want to help you and get you out of here, I've talked to my colleagues and we think you have been here for too long." Out, she wants to get me out. Out. Five-hundred and twenty six days.

I test my voice and try to squeak out words. It takes a couple of minutes until I find a voice, and it is not one I recognize.

"Why do you want to help me now?"

"We want to see if you are healthy enough to reenter the world." I stare at her for a moment contemplating if I can really trust her. The thought of being free entices me. I look down at my hands that stopped trembling, then back into her eyes.

"I can tell you what happened on July 15th, 2036". She holds out her hand and I take it. I take a deep breath.

"I turned the channel..."

 I turn the channel knowing that little Ann would appreciate the news more than the age-appropriate television shows that the government airs. She is thirteen with dark brown hair that matches mine and brown eyes that are covered by eyelids. I grab my sister's hand and move a strand of hair away from her face. I look at the still figure and let a single tear escapes my eye. "I have to be strong" I think, this slumber will soon be over.