Hidden Under Perfection

Chapter 23: Claire

I wake up in my bed, my hands unchained and uncuffed. Everything in my body hurts. I can't move without crying out in pain. I lay in my bed and stare at the ceiling, trying to find every last piece of comfort I can get. I glanced over at my mother one time and she was staring at me in concern. I turned away from her, not able to look at her while she has that expression on her face. I know she is worried about me but I can't look at her without crying, I haven't seen her in five years and she looks at me as if I saw her last night.

I only remember part of what happened, I remember being injected with some liquid and then I was on fire, my skin was burning and my blood was boiling, I felt as if I was going to explode. The agony was like nothing that I have ever felt before. I desperately wanted for it to be over, and it was for two blissful seconds, then the pain came rushing back. I don't know how long I was I that state but I remember Doran, chained to a chair struggling to get to me. He was bleeding but all he wanted to do was be near me. His eyes were broken.

I groan as the muscles in my right leg cramp. I lay there staring at the ceiling until someone comes in and puts a tray of food on my lap. I can't see who it is, but they help me sit up and then they leave. I slowly pick up the fork, and put the white mush on it, I slowly bring it up ti my mouth, my arm screaming in pain. I eat all of the food and by the end my mouth is dry and my arm shakes with every movement. I look to the water, I know I shouldn't because it is drugged, but my body hurts. I reach for the water and I down it in three swallows. I put the tray on the ground and lay back down slowly. My back screams in pain until it hits the matress. I feel the drugs take hold and I slip into a deep sleep

Over the next few days, I can barely move because of how sore my body is. My throat is raw and it hurts to talk. I lay in bed and I do nothing except stare at the blank wall. At some point a guard with black hair comes and takes me to the shower. I can barely sit up and my body screams at me in pain. The man makes me stand and walk to the bathroom. I stand up off the bed with shaky legs and joints that hurt. I walk at the same pace as a tortouse. On the way there I collapse four times from the pain. Once we reach the bathroom I can't stand the pain anymore. I lay down on the cold tile floor and I relish in the fact that the pain has subsided. I hear footsteps outside and I panic and pretend that I passed out. I hear feet running on the tile and I open my eyes, Lynn is hovering over me, she asks, "Claire, are you okay?"

"No," I manage to say, it sounds like I lost my voice.

"What happened? I saw Doran when I woke up, he had a ring of cuts around his wrists and a bruise around his neck." She says concerned, then asks, "What happened?"

"They injected me with something and I was in pain for so long, my body still hurts." I croak.

"Oh, god. Okay, do you need help?"

"Yes." I answer. She slips one hand under my back and then lifts me gently into a seated possition, then she helps me stand up. I groan when my arm cramps. I start walking to my locker and it swings open, my foot cramps and my knees buckle. Lynn catches me before I hit the ground. She helps me stand and I lean against the wall of lockers. She grabs the clothes from my locker and carries them into the shower stall. I slowly make my way towards the shower. I turn on the water and Lynn shuts the door behind her as she leaves. I strip and step into the shower, as soon as the water hits my hair my knees give up and I collapse. Lynn comes rushing is and gets under the water fully clothed, as she helps me stand she asks, "Claire are you okay? Do you need me to help you?"

"I can't move without being in pain, so probably." I say and she grabs the soap from the rack. I blush, I am naked. For a second I consider making her leave, but then my knees buckle. I fall and I sit and pull my knees up to my chest. Lynn comes down and starts washing my hair. I start crying, and the tears mix with the water. I feel so useless, I can barely stand and I can't even clean myself. Lynn must hear me crying because she turns me around and says, "everything will be okay. This will pass, you will heal." She wipes the tears from my face and helps me stand up, "Okay honey, I am going to leave you to finish up. Meet you outside when you are done."