Broken Wings

The Burn-Chapter 5

AN: So sorry it's been so long. We've got semester exams next week and I've been frantically studying for them. I just had to get this down though, so I took a few hours off the other night to write it. Hope you all enjoy.

There was no way I would be able to fall asleep like this. Exhaustion tugged at every part of my body and my hand ached from viciously attacking the doorknob earlier, but still, I would not sleep. I would not let down my guard in a place like this, when the entire world seemed to be watching. 

And so I was awake when the woman from before came in. The woman that made my skin crawl. Every muscle in my body tensed, ready to run or fight, whichever opportunity presented itself first. 

"What do you want?" I spat the words, wanting desperately to just go home. To curl up in my too-small bed and fall asleep to the sound of Davie snoring down the hallway. 

She proceeded as if she hadn't heard me. "Put this on, please." She held up a hospital gown and I snatched it from her hands, craving the feel of fabric against my skin. Almost before I was dressed, her steel grip had latched onto my wrist, grinding to bones together and making me hiss in irritation. Still, I was so tired, and she was so strong, and I had no real fight left. I gave a few half-hearted tugs at her hand as she led me out of the door, but there was no effort behind it. I was so tired... 

No! David. David was everything, and David was waiting for me. I couldn't let him down. Not now. I yanked again, and maybe she just wasn't expecting it, but I was free. I was free and then I was running, running, running. I was sprinting down the hallway as fast as I'd ever run, not knowing where I was going and not caring, as long as it was away from here. 

And then it ended suddenly and painfully with a sharp yank on my shoulder. I was thrown down to the ground and the woman was standing over me, furious. Without a pause, her hand came down on the side of my face. My head whipped to the side as the slap resounded through the hall. Still moving methodically, she took a metal cuff out of her pocket and cinched it around my ankle. I stared at the ugly metal thing for a long while, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. 

“Let us get something straight right now.” Her voice was ice, with no infliction. “You are now my property. I own you. If you think for even one second that I will morn your death, you are wrong. I do not need you, but I want you. And so you are mine. Is that clear? You will call me Missus and I will call you whatever pleases me. You will not speak without my permission. You will not move without my permission. You will not breath until I tell you that it is allowed. Is this clear?” 

I opened my mouth to reply. “Yes-“ 

“Your response in not needed. I will simply assume that you understand what I say and you will not disappoint. Walk.” 

And she walked behind me all the way back to the room I had been in earlier. “Memorize the path we are about to take. This will be the only time you will be shown it and you are expected to know it from now on.” She set off down the hallway and I stumbled along behind her. Turn after turn after turn. I would never remember it all. 

It was a labyrinth. Surely no one could ever memorize all the different paths. It would take only seconds to get completely lost. To get her lost… 

I took off, sprinting again. My lungs burned and my feet hurt from slapping against the cool hard ground. Still, I kept going, sure that this time it would work. This time I would lose her. 

The burn slashed up my leg. My heart stopped for a length of time that surely wasn’t healthy. My teeth locked together in a death snap that could have sliced my tongue in half if it had been in the wrong place. All my muscles snapped, making me jump in the air and then fall over on to my side. Black dots encroached on my vision.