The New Girl Next Door

•19•

Dinah Jane

I  wake up. No, waking up involves a pillow and a comfortable bed. I come to.My head is pounding, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut. I curse in Samoan, raising my head.

Every move that I take seems like my body is buffering. As the pain diminishes in my head, I slowly open my eyes.Where am I?

My eyes dart around, hoping to acknowledge my surroundings, but I get darkness in response.

Finally, the pain is registered in my body, making me groan in pain.I try to move my hands, but I figure out that they are tied above me to a horizontal post.

That's when I realize that I'm hanging off of the ground, my toes barely skimming the concrete floor.

I struggle against the ropes, trying to get blood flow into my hands.

As I do, the ropes gets loose.I raise my head and shake my arms a couple more times, freeing myself from the bondage.

I land on the ground, but as soon as I do, my knees buckle, causing me to crash to the cold concrete floor.

I lie on the floor, panting. The whole exercise seemed to have taken a lot out of me.

"Ya up, huh?" A voice asks, somewhere in the darkness.

I slowly raise my head and watch as a tall figure approaches me.

"Wha'-" I stop, seeing a whip-like material in his hand, snapping as he approaches me.

I quickly try to crawl away, but because of how sore my body is, I can only go so fast.

"No ya don'" the man says, approaching me quickly.

I expect him to grab me, but instead I feel liquid hit my forehead.

"e mafai ona faamanuia le Atua....." The man says, "aua o oe o se agasala i tagata uma."(May God bless you, for you are a sin to all mankind).

I watch as the man raises the whip above his head like a sword, frantically praying in Samoan.

"No, stop!" I try to scream, holding my hand up and backing away across the cold concrete floor.

"Devil, get out of this child this instant!" The man cries, bringing the whip down.

"No! Stop!"

"Oh my god, are you okay?!"

Wait...My eyes fully adjust to my surroundings and I instantly become confused.

"Whea am I?" I breathe out, my voice coming out dry and raspy.

"The hospital, mamí," the same voice says.

I then my head towards the sound of her voice and see a nurse who looks to be in her early twenties.

She has dark brown eyes and a light complexion with black hair that is laid bone straight to the back of her backside.

Her figure... Its something else. To the average Joe, she would be the definition of bad. I wouldn't lie and say she's not.

"Um, are you okay?" She asks, a worried look displayed across her face.

I blink two times, noticing I was staring and nod, sinking back into my bed.

"Ok, well... I am supposed to be checking your vitals to make sure everything's going well and changing your bandages. Do you need some water?"I nod, licking my lips,"Wha's today?"

"Wednesday morning," she replies, handing me a bottle of water.

I gratefully take it and open it,"'ow long was I out?""2 days. You are finally allowed visitors, but in a couple of hours, your therapy starts."