Unexpected

The Next Morning

Just because the pills knocked me out didn't mean that I slept well. That night my nightmares came back full force, carrying with them my age old enemies of the shadow men. There I was back in the kitchen when they attacked; this time their shadowy faces had two glowing turquoise eyes as they approached me, gleaming evilly like the golden scepter. I tried to run, but it was like my feet were melted to the floor and I moved in slow motion while they slunk quickly across the ground, coming at me from the shadows of all the kitchen appliances. Then they started becoming more solid, lightening and becoming distinct. I wondered if they were going to turn into something good, or at least I hoped they would. They didn't. Their faces transformed into that of Ed and I was surrounded by at least twenty of them. They each called to me, saying awful things as they approached, then they reached for me. One grabbed my arms and another kicked my legs out from under me, making me crumble to the floor. Then the lot of them started hitting and grabbing at me. I fought back, crying out for help and throwing my arms and legs out everywhere trying to fend them off, but I was overpowered.

Just as I cried out for help once more before I was sure I was done for, my eyes flew open at a huge ruckus and yells. The first thing I saw was two black figures against a rectangle of light and I shrieked at them, thinking they were the shadow men again until they stepped closer and I saw they were regular men, each with a gun in hand. This only made me yell again for help and try to back away, hurting my hands, as they shouted until I recognized their words.

"Are you alright?" one asked, looking around my small closet of a room.

"Calm down!" the other said, putting his gun away.

It turned out that they had been posted outside my room as guards and I must have cried for help in my sleep because they had come in after they heard me yell. Once they were sure that I was not actually in danger, they left the room and told me to go back to sleep before closing my door, leaving me in my room's darkness once again. My heart hammered in my chest at what felt like a hundred thumps a second and my whole body felt hot and sweaty on top of terribly sore. Checking my phone I found it was only three in the morning so I took the guards' advice and tried to sleep. My nightmare replayed through my head several times before I could push it away from my thoughts and calm down enough to sleep.

I dreamed again of Ed, though this time he entered my room where I found myself tied to the bed, unable to move as he sat on top of me, threatening me and moving his hands over me while I was unable to fight against him. Even though I shouted and screeched in my dream, I did not cry out loud in real life and only woke up again by myself sweating and panting with tears pouring from my eyes. It was nine thirty now and there was no way under heaven I was falling asleep again. I just lay there, my sheets thrown off since I was so overheated, and stared at the ceiling, wondering how I had come to this point.

How had I, in four days, gone from living an average life during an average summer to being a cook and science experiment for some secret criminal organization for world domination and almost getting raped? How had all of this happened? Why me? How had my life gotten so horribly strange and frightening? What was going on in the world outside of these underground hallways? The police must have been alerted to my absence for surely my roommate had contacted them once I had not returned that night only four days ago. And my grandparents... my grandparents! They have no clue where I am! They don't know if I'm okay or even alive! Am I okay? Well look at me, bruised, bumped, with two damaged hands, almost raped, a prisoner.

I shook my head and got out of bed, needing to use the restroom urgently now. At the door I passed the guards, neither of whom even looked at me as I crossed the hall to the restroom. Once I was done with my business there I went back to my room and pulled on the new, long gray and white chevron skirt Mrs. Burgenstein had left for me the other day along with the red tank top and the cream knit sweater. Even though I was still too warm for the sweater, I felt like I needed to cover up all the dark, ugly bruises that had formed overnight. It was a comfortable outfit of soft fabrics that coddled my sore body. I had just finished dressing when there was a sharp knock on the door.