All By Myself

Chapter 12

About an hour later the door beeped and a guard came in with a tray. I looked at it, and almost sneered.

"What, no poison?" I asked sarcastically. The guard looked at me in bewilderment, then left, locking the door behind him. I looked at the salad and fruit, then turned my back on it. At that point I didn't care if I lived or died. I had no one anymore. I picked up my book from the floor and faced the wall again, but only a few moments later the door beeped and someone entered. I heard them pause by the table, then pick up my tray and leave, the door shutting behind them. I kept reading, knowing that in a few days time I would be too weak to even do that. The door beeped again and opened, but I didn't look to see who had come in.

"You can't do this again. Last time you had the chance to swim. No sea-water, no food, you'll make yourself very sick." Brad said. I rolled over and looked up at him.

"You don't care! None of you do. You have all the samples you need now, you don't need me anymore. Why not kill me and use my body for science? Or do you need me to become a mermaid so you can mutilate me?" I snapped. Brad's eyes narrowed, and he frowned.

"Contrary to what you believe, we don't want you to die. I personally want you to snap out of this and become an Olympic champion." Brad said. I rolled my eyes and sat up.

"We both know that Jones would never allow it. You may be my guardian now, but everything goes through my owner." I said, spitting out the last word like it was something foul inside my mouth. Brad frowned again.

"That isn't true. Director Jones isn't a bad person." He said. I stood up on weak legs, eyes wide.

"Not a bad person? You've got to be kidding! He murdered my parents, ordered me abducted, is now punishing me by denying me the thing I need most, and has told me I belong to him. I'm glad I'm the only one of my kind, because I wouldn't subject him to even my worst enemy." I gasped. Brad sighed.

"He shouldn't have killed your parents, true. But it can't be changed now. Please, just eat. We won't give you any fish. Or he will extend the punishment, and no one wants that." Brad said. I sat back down slowly, dejectedly. Brad watched me.

"I told Tabitha that you had gone away due to your parents' deaths, that it hit you pretty hard, but that once you were feeling a little better you could be moved and would be coming to live with us for a little while. I insist that you do so until you fully recover. If it's anything like how you were when you were poisoned, or how you were after three days of no water, then you will need to stay with us a while." Brad said, pushing on when I started to protest. I looked down.

"Will I get my car back?" I asked. Brad nodded.

"Of course. It will still have the tracker in it, so we will know where you are at all times." He replied. I looked at the table.

"I think I'm hungry...may I have some food now?" I asked, almost meekly. Brad smiled.

"Of course. I'll go and get it for you." He said. He moved to the door and swiped himself out. I sat down on my bed, looking down at my hands. Everything Brad had said made sense. As much as I hated admitting that, he was right. I stood up and paced, waiting. I knew that the days to come were going to be horrible, but I had always been too stubborn for my own good. The door beeped, and Brad came in, a guard following him, the guard putting a plate of food on the table. I sat down at the table and thanked the guard. The guard headed out, but Brad remained behind.

"You eat and listen to me, okay?" He said. I nodded and slowly started eating.

"When your punishment is over, we'll take you to the sea pool and let you swim, all five of us will be with you. I will then take you to my place, under the pretense of you coming back from hospital. Tabitha can look after you as much as she likes." He said. I listened to him, then nodded. I swallowed my mouthful.