Difference

Chapter 13

I'm trying really hard to not stick my tongue out at the cameras. I know that would be immature, but I can't help it.

I found where a couple cameras are located. There's one behind the TV that I found when I went to turn it on. There's another one under the bed, and it's possible I found that one because I fell off of the bed.

The other ones are in better concealed places. There's even one that's the color of the table, and it blends in so well that I wouldn't have noticed it if the batteries hadn't begun to run low. A red light started flashing, and I knew exactly what it was coming from.

Ever since I found out about the cameras, I've been very careful about my moves. I can't do anything to let them know that I found out how they were spying on me.

I end up reading the book on my nightstand all day, an old classic. There's nothing else to do in this bleak room, though, so I surround myself with another person's problems. I can't afford to think about mine right now. I know I should, and I know I should be panicking and desperately trying everything I can to get out of here, but I don't have the energy for any of that. My whole body feels sore all over, even though I'm completely healed. Mainly, I feel utterly betrayed.

There's a knock on the door. Evan walks in and smiles at me. I don't smile back because he acts like everything's okay. But maybe it's just that... an act.

"I brought you some lunch. I hope you like grilled cheese," He says.

"I can get it down. Thank you," I say as gratefully as I can. While they have me locked in this prison cell, at least they're having someone feed me. Evan is the kindest staff member I've met here, other than Betty.

Evan leaves and locks the door behind him. I'm pretty sure he's on my side, but for the past few hours I've been trying to figure out why he doesn't just leave it unlocked so I can get out. I've figured that even if he does want to help me, he doesn't want to get in trouble for giving me the opportunity to escape. I know I would be the same way, but it makes me angrier.

I ignore my problems and bite into the sandwich. It's still warm, and the cheese is gooey. Then I suddenly taste something weird. It has a papery feeling. I pull apart my sandwich, and there's a blank piece of paper on top of the cheese with a small bite taken out of it, which is now in my stomach. I silently thank Evan for not warning me about my paper sandwich.

I take the piece of paper in my hand and turn it over. It's blank on both sides. Then I realize something. The writing is in Braille. Thank goodness I took a class on Braille and sign language in middle school. It was just for extra credit, but I guess it's paying off now.

I run my fingers over the bumps. I still have most of the alphabet memorized, so I can decipher most of it. The first sentence says, "Don't do anything stupid". Well, great! Thanks, Evan! It's a good thing you told me that, because I didn't know I shouldn't do anything that could get me killed! I sigh and keep reading.

The second sentence says, "We'll get you out of here". That's good news, but I'm not sure who "we" are, and how they're going to get me out.

The last sentence says, "Wait for the next note. Betty". The "Betty" part confuses me. Are Betty and Evan working together, or is Evan just a piece in this game where someone will have to lose?

They bring Tess in after two more days. I'm so excited yet terrified to see her, I'm practically jumping up and down. I'm incredibly nervous, too. Who knows how different she is now. She doesn't have her difference anymore, and she knows what happens in The Room.

When she walks in the room and sees me, she squeals. She sounds like the same Tess, but I can't be sure. My heart is pounding out of my chest.

She jumps onto the bed and sits cross-legged across from me. She smiles radiantly, which I know she would never do if she were concerned about how I would cope with The Room. She's not the same.