Rise

Chapter 6

The darkness is what wakens me, I hadn't even realized I'd fallen asleep. When I wake the chili bowl I'd put at the edge of my bed was gone, and the stinging feeling from the IV in my arm had disappeared. I was free from the wires, but still in this uncomfortable portable cot. A familiar tune echoes around the room. It starts out soft with the sounds of a piano. I close my eyes as my heart pounds in my chest, and I can hear my pulse in my ears. A male voice starts singing as chills radiate up and down my spine. A knot forms in my throat and I feel like I might cry. I try my hardest not to as one song flows into the other.

I'm distracted by the sounds of a door shutting somewhere in the house. I jump up throwing the white sheets off of me and hop out of bed. The music continues as I exit the room. Out in the hallway I can hear footsteps moving around. I look up realizing I'm downstairs. Straight ahead are some stairs and I head for them. I quietly tip toe up hoping none of the boards under my feet creak. There's a door at the top step, but before I go further I have to stop when I hear footsteps pass by. Pressing my ear to the door I wait and listen. Another door closes so I press forward. I place my hand on the cold door knob and twist it open. The door squeals like it's in pain, thing could use some WD40. I peak my head around to see if anyone is there and the coast is clear.

I step out into the main room and shut the door quietly. The stairs to the basement are under the ones for upstairs. I shut the door trying not to make a sound. I hear the sound of a trunk closing outside. I race upstairs as quickly as I can. When I reach the top step I hear the front door open. I fly up the second set of stairs and into the attic room I was given.

There's a closet in the corner of the room that I hadn't noticed before. I walk over and open the dark brown louver doors. Inside are clothes that look to be my size, I'm sure this was Annmarie's doing. I notice that the clothes I left on the floor and my jacket are missing. I dig deeper and find that she left me a puffy white jacket that looks like a big marshmallow. I grab it out of the closet and grab the boots I'd left at the door. I'm curious to see who is planning on leaving, and if it's Derek maybe I can sneak out to help him, or just sneak out to get out of here.

At the end of the hallway there is a huge window I head over to it to and look outside. This is one of the only windows not painted over in black paint. The wall stretches around the whole property including the front, which is the view from this window. I notice a black truck sitting in the driveway, puffs of smoke coming out the back. I don't see anyone inside it, but it's hard to tell from up here plus the sun isn't up yet. It's at the point in the early morning when the sky turns that hint of dark blue instead of black.

I hurry down the stairs careful not to make much noise. When I reach the bottom I hear one of the doors upstairs close and quickly retreat out the door. No one steps out of the car as I race towards it. I pull on the door handles and luckily the back opens. Inside there are two rows of gray seats with enough space for me to climb into the trunk. I dive back just as someone opens the driver's side door. I only hear one person get in, peaking over the top of the seats I see a dark figure. It's Derek, he's shorter than Sam by a lot unless it's Tanya I think her name is. I pray it's not.

I duck just as he turns back to look behind him. He backs out and I hear him talk to someone at the gate. The voices are mumbled, but I do hear him say thanks to whoever is there. We seem to be heading east towards the sunrise. It's still dark in the car and I'm lying on two hard boxes. About ten minutes into the drive I hear him playing with the radio, it's all static. One station comes in and it's some kind of recorded broadcast, but cuts out only less than a minute in. Derek sighs loudly and puts on some music. Another familiar song fills the car this one a lot more upbeat than the one I'd woken up to. I'm almost one hundred percent sure it was him with the music at the house. I hear him singing along and my head starts bobbing with the music. The chorus kicks in and I hear him banging the wheel and singing even louder. I feel my mouth start to move and now I'm singing along.