Excruciating

Part 3

Stripped, poked, prodded and everything in between. Emerson ultimately felt humiliated. She was a christian girl and felt that her body was to be saved for her husband, and in this house of god she had been ruined, tainted by the men in white who left bruises on her body, who laid their eyes on her body.

Roughly they had hosed her body in a concrete room lined with baths. The water was freezing on her body and the pressure pushed her body against the metal bars surrounding the back wall.

After feeling violated, a young woman scurried into the room and quickly dressed Emerson in a loose grey dress that itched her skin. She was given white underwear that took up half her body and an off white cardigan.

Emerson stayed quiet, muttering thank you every few minutes. She followed the woman out of the room and was directed to a common room type hall.

A balding man sat in the corner, with his back towards his peers. He seemed to be muttering but it was out of hearing range Emerson.

A young woman danced around in a sexual manner. She twirled, lifting her dress up to to her thighs and swung her head back. It was transfixing, even if slightly off beat with the old timely song that was playing through the radios.

Emerson pulled her eyes away to look at the woman again, only to find herself alone.

She walked towards an armchair, minding her steps to not bump into anyone. Just as she sat down a voice beckoned her to look up.

"You dont want to sit there." The voice belonged to a young man. He had a strong jaw and messy blonde hair. He looked starved. His eyes looked hollowed out in its sockets but his eyes still lite up, like a Christmas tree.

"Why not?" Emerson croaked, looking down at the oversized singlet.

"That's the love seat. " He took a drag from his cigarette. "Well, its old man Sticks seat but that seat has seem more action that a motel bedroom."

Emerson stook up quickly in disgust. She stood awkwardly until the young man patted the couch beside him. Uncertainly she sat down, leaving as much room between them as she could.
He offered his cigarette to her and then withdrew when she shook her head. "Well, my names Theodore Winson, Teddy for short." He drew the last breathe from his cigarette, then stumped it out in the plant beside him. "You gonna speak honey?"

"Emerson." Her face burned.

"Emerson." He repeated after her. "Em. Well Em, what you in here for?"

There was a silence between them, she wondered what to tell him. She wasnt listening to her 'diagnoses' that morning.

"Murder? Lesbianism? Thats what Caras in here for." He nodded towards the girl dancing in the room. "Shes on of those dykes that likes the men and the women. Its crazy, but I guess the more the merrier."

Emerson took in his demeanor. He continued "well I'm in here for sleeping with the farm boy, a negro. Pop didn't like that. I got out easy. Denny was shot, poor nigger. I loved that boy, I still do."

Teddy continued on, telling her all about his life. He was interesting, and a little overwhelming but it was nice.