Restraint

Bare

Chapter I

I stare up at the newspaper cranes that hang from the concrete ceiling by tiny strands of cotton, spinning as I blow at them while I wait in the stillness of the cell.
As I start to drift off split-second flashbacks start to appear and I break into a sweat, twisting and turning in my flat spring bed.
I wince, my head is throbbing and I'v got pins and needles all over. In my head the flashbacks come at random, "sweetie you have a gift protect it", "*scream* RUN ANNIE RUN DON'T LET THEM CATCH YOU GO TO NANA DON'T WORRY I'LL BE FI..." the flashback ends.
I sit up abruptly and scream "MUM" though the salty tears running over my lips. Suddenly there is a loud knock at the door, a rough voice yells "Annabelle we would like to question you" *sigh* here we go again endless hours of back and forth, true or false I hate it "just a second" I yell back.
I get up and compose myself *sniff* my hand reaches for the cool metal handle of the cell door it creeks open "Alex its 6:30 am questioning doesn't start for another 4 hours?", "that's officer to you miss Wellington and Zachary wanted to start early today".

I sit quietly at the questioning table in the centre" of the lifeless room and trace the cracks I know all too well. "Miss Wellington" a short, plump man in a neatly ironed police officers uniform with a shiny name tag reading 'Zachary' steps away from the window from which he was standing "you and I both are tired of coming down here everyday where I ask the same questions and you give the same answers so why not just tell us the truth, huh? I mean you've got nothing to lose" he lets out a cruel snicker, anger brews inside me and my hands start to tingle so I stuff them in my pockets hoping it will stop, "nothing to gain either" I say smirking but officer Zachary doesn't seem to find it as amusing as I do, his voice grows stern "Annabelle you've been here a long time and you will be here for a lot longer, all I'm asking is for you to give us some answers now go back to your cell and have a think about how you're going to answer the questions next time".
I storm off, security hurrying along behind me I walk in and throw myself down on the thin mattress as the cell door locks behind me. He treats me like a child and I hate it "Argh".

I'm so alone in this bare grey cell with nothing but a shabby mattress, a beaten down chest of draws, a dirty sink with a cracked mirror and a toilet but I'm used to it.
I'v been here for about a year now and the staff are basically my family because my father died before I was born and my mother was taken away when I was only seven after our home got raided by some government officials who claimed my mum was hiding something.
I was put in a cell after the officials I had been running from most of my life caught me. Apparently they suspected I had inherited the same something my mother was taken for. I'm not sure what it is yet but they are convinced I am.

I lay my head on the stained pillow and try to think about what I'm going to say to Zac but before I can stop myself I start to drift off and sure enough the flashbacks start up again.
I begin to sweat and throbbing pounds in my head but this time the flashbacks last longer my heart beats faster as the flashback goes on "sweetie you have a gift protect it, don't ever let anyone know, promise?", "Promise" "Annie you can..." My eyelids fly open as I awaken from my trance-like state my breathing is rapid and my heart is going 60 miles p/h "NO, WHAT CAN I DO?" I say sobbing but the flashbacks have stopped.
Desperate to find out what happens next I shuffle over to the sink and click open the mirror to reveal a cupboard. Frantically I search for pills or something to make me sleep but there is nothing. "*knock* *knock* *knock* "Annabelle it's questioning time" Oh well too late now.

Once again Zac is standing at the only window in the room muttering things under his breath. "Ahem" I clear my throat to grab his attention. He walks over and sits down on the chair opposite me "Annabelle, you turn sixteen tomorrow and I think you are old enough now to know the truth" I sit up from my slumped position startled after expecting the usual questions "what truth officer?"......

*copyright laugh_uncontrollably*