Obscurity

Chapter 2: Rise and Shine

Sierra

She looks comfortable curled up on top of the covers, I think as I watch her still form. She's on her side and her ribs expand and contract with each deep breath she takes. That must be fucking nice. Not all of us fall back to sleep so easily when we're rudely disturbed in the middle of the night.

I've been up for hours, but I go back to doodling in my notebook and I sneak peaks over at her every now and again. The sun is finally up, and it helps me see better in the dark room but I need more light. It's time for sleeping beauty over there to get her ass up.

I stride over to the curtains and fling them wide open. The bright golden light floods the room. Smiling into the light, I stand there, close my eyes and let the warm light shine on my face. This is what freedom feels like, warm sunlight on your face in the morning.

Realizing I've been standing there for a minute, lost in thought, hands still clutching the curtains, I let them go and return to my bed. I cross my legs and scribble some more in my notebook. Glancing over at the new girl and her peaceful presence starts to rub me the wrong way. I get irritated easily I guess. Maybe I should return her two a.m. favor. Then, we'll be even.

Jumping down off my bed I walk over to hers and tap the frame of the bed with my boot. It makes a knocking sound but she doesn't budge. I kick the frame hard.

"Get the fuck up, girly." I yell.

That works. She jumps up and looks at me. I flash my signature smile and go back to my bed to sit.

"What?" She asks, positively startled.

"Time to get up."

"Says who? You?"

"Yeah. Says me." I grin at her. This is going to be a battle of the wills, I can already tell. I'm sizing her up every bit as much as she's sizing me up. This will be fun.

She sits primly on the bedspread and looks me over. "Oh, and I'm to assume you're in charge in some capacity in this place?" Sarcasm dripping from each word. She must think she's clever using her fancy words.

"Not a fucking chance. The only people in charge here are the doctors. Better get on their good sides." I stare her down. I wonder if breaking the eye contact first makes me the loser in this weird stand-off. Better not chance it.

"Thanks for the advice but I'm leaving shortly, I won't need it." She says as she smooths her hair trying to look like she didn't just roll out of the bed.

There it is. I hadn't pegged her as someone who'd reveal their weakness so soon. Am I losing my touch?

I laugh at her. "You poor thing." I chuckle inwardly, the look of pity I shoot her isn't missed. Toying with this mouse will be entertaining.

She rolls her eyes but continues to stare at me. I stop laughing and compose myself. The realization of her circumstances is so evident it's almost sad. She has no fucking idea what's going on. She's definitely a first timer.

"Is this your first stay at a place like this?" I ask, shoving my pencil into my notebook and closing it. I plaster on a sympathetic look.

Her shoulders droop a tad at my question. Bingo.

"What's your name?"

"My name's Alma..."

"Well. I'm Sierra. Nice to meet you but you need to know something..." I pause for effect."You're not leaving today, Alma." I try hard to keep the sympathetic look in my eyes.

"Yes. I am. As soon as I make a call. I'm out of here." Determination threading through her every word.

I smile sincerely, or what I think is sincerely. It's almost painful how clueless she is.

"Look, I hate to break it to you but if, and that's a big if, you were able to call your ride and leave this morning, it'd be a record for the shortest stay here in history. No one leaves within the first 24 hours. Hell, no one leaves inside the first 24 days... breathing, that is. But that's a whole different can of worms." I stop talking to measure her reaction.

Her eyes widen and mouth purses. It's sinking in. I'll give her a break for a minute.

She finally breaks the silence,"State law says they can't hold you more than three days." She says, her words turning into whimpers.

"Where have you been? I mean, on which planet? Because you obviously don't watch the news or follow anything policy-related, do you? I smirk.

"Huh?" a dumbfounded look plays across her face.

"They changed that law last year."

I didn't think it was possible, but her eyes widen even more. She pulls her hands up to her ears, "No. You're full of shit!" she screams at me.

I just sit there chuckling. Her buttons are too easy to push.

Only a few seconds pass before two of the morning shift nurses come rushing in to our room with Cindy right on their heels.

"What's going on?" She asks as she rushes over to Alma's bedside.

"Nothing, Cindy." I respond as innocently as I can.

She ignores me. "Alma? What's the matter? Why were you screaming?" Concern lacing her questions.

Alma starts rushing her sentences, saying something about needing to leave. She's talking so fast I don't catch half of what she's saying. I watch as Cindy nods to one the nurses and the nurse leaves the room.

Shit just got real. This stupid girl doesn't even realize how anything works here.

"Calm down, Alma." I try to warn her.

"Pipe down, Sierra." Cindy scolds me.

I feel like being difficult, so I keep on. "Alma, if you don't calm the fuck down right now, they're gonna stick you, dumb ass." I quickly say as I get up to leave the room.

Cindy shoots me a glare. I shrug it off and notice Alma is staring at me. She's got the look of a deer caught in the headlights. Eyes wide, mouth in an "O."

I pass the nurse Cindy sent out returning to the room as I'm leaving it, syringe in hand, just as I figured would be the case.

I shake my head and ignore Alma's screams. By the time I make it to the day room, Alma is quiet and I look back down the hall. The two nurses are carrying her farther down the hallway to Medical. That's where they take you to until you recover from the sedation.

I lean against the wall just outside the day room with my arms crossed as Cindy approaches me with her empty syringe. "You and I are going to have a talk." She points the capped syringe at me.

Grinning, I raise my hands in surrender. "What do you wanna talk about? The weather? Politics?" I chuckle.

She turns toward the nurses station, "My office in five." She calls back over her shoulder.

I throw my hands in the air, "But I'll miss breakfast delivery! That gorgeous food prep guy is the only thing I have to look forward to each morning, and you're going to take that away from me?" I feign heartbreak.

"Four!" She calls to me from behind the nurses station glass as she drops her needle in the sharps dispenser on the wall.