The Shadow

Part 8

The ceiling cracks in a billion different places, and in that instant I know I am not getting out of this room without a fatal injury. I will however try my hardest.

    The change does not come as easily this time. I have to grit my teeth as the familiar pain enters my system. Arching my back, the human figure of me flashes out of existence, and the wolf in me comes to life.

    I growl, and run, faster then I have ever run before. But I am still too late, and a big part of the ceiling falls onto my back. Pain ripples down from my spinal cord, and I howl in pain.

Literally.

    But this time instead of my lying there, writhing in pain, until Link decides to send me back, I just feel numb. Something is wrong this time. The first flash of pain, I felt was it. I am being sent back right away, and I don't know why. I want to stay here, but I can't, and no matter how hard I try, I still go back to the place I hate. My feet want to stay planted on the gritty soil, covered with the dust of dreams, and lives. All these things have been crushed for the people in this world, but this world is still better then the one I got. Who's mom leaves their child to die? Who's dad makes their son an elite assassin? Link. The place where I have been tortured, and trained, all to be someone that isn't me. My name doesn't even have meaning anymore. It was just something else that had been thrust upon me- one that I was pushed into. Who am I now? I am the girl that used to know who she was. I was Suri, that was my name. It held my whole identity, and now it holds nothing. I don't know who she is. Not something human anymore, that's for sure. It was in that moment, the moment when I was between worlds, was when I realized I needed a new name.

♣♠♦♥

The room comes back into focus. Slowly. The powerful lights overhead hurt my eyes and I shut them again. Next, smell and noise come alive, my senses waking up from their trip to another dimension. Touch comes last, like usual, the rough material of the couch scratching my arms. Something that is definitely not the couch pokes into my arm. I hold my hand up, by my face to see what it was. The bracelet is still on my arm from when I clasped it on. That's not supposed to happen! I glance around cautiously to see if anyone saw it, but thankfully all of the burly men were talking to each other, so I am able to slip the heavy bracelet into my pocket without anyone noticing. I know I will be checking this out, later tonight. I also know just how I'm going to do it.

"Get up." A burly man in a T-shirt and jeans handles my to my feet. He had a gun on his belt, I noticed. Link always likes to show off their power. Back to my room I went. I was done with my day. Finally. I slouched inside, and flopped onto my bed. I needed this, all of the time alone. The renaming of Suri Dunn had begun.  That was the first thing I had to do. After that, some examination would follow.I knew that I would be the only one that would actually be changing my name- everyone else would still know me as Suri. I just couldn't spend anymore time pretending I'm someone that I'm not. The name come to me like it was meant to be. My destiny written in the stars, a string of letters placed together in a order that meant something, only to me. Anaya, meaning a literally freedom in Sanskrit. I would always feel free with this name. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I didn't have to fit the profile of someone that they want me to be. I can still be myself, I won't have to forget that person. I just needed this until I could escape. A mask or skin that no one else can tell is there. Even though I was in capture, inside my head and my heart I was still free. It gave me hope. I am escaping. Planning will start as soon as tomorrow. However, the night is not yet over yet. I turn the lights off and pretend to go to bed, even though I am doing something completely different. My first mini rebellion of Link was about to take place.