An Old Friend

Chapter 17

        Steve had an extra room in his apartment that he set up for her once they got back.  They moved things around and cleaned up in there for nearly an hour.

        Evelyn did anything unless if Steve said something to her directly.  He knew that that was going to have to be fixed.  He laid down on the bed once they were done, besides putting a few of the cleaning items away.  She stood in the middle of the room and looked around at their work.  Steve gave her a look which must have made her decide to sit down.

        "Evelyn, you know you can talk.  They aren't going to hurt you any longer," he sets his hands on his stomach and turns his head to look at her.

        She sits sideways on the foot of the bed with a leg up on the mattress.  She didn't know what to say.  For as long as she could remember-which wasn't long-she'd listen and automatically do what they had trained her to do.  She opens her mouth but nothing comes out until a few seconds later.  "I know.  It's just what I'm use to," she looked at him.

        He reached a hand out and felt the suit that she was wearing by touching her arm.  "Should probably get you some real clothes," She somewhat flinched from him touching her.  He signed and propped himself up on his elbows.  "What is the last thing you remember?"

        She tries thinking.  "Waking up in a lab an being told to find you," her long, black painted nails dig though the suit and into her arm.  Steve opened his mouth to say something until she spoke again.  "Wait," she shut her eyes digging her nails deeper.  "No, that's not it.  It's . . . it's," a bunch of images came though her head, they were in no sort of order.

        She only snapped out of it when Steve put a hand on her shoulder, and tried getting her nails out of her arm.  He seemed to be in a panic.  She took her hand off her arm and noticed she was bleeding.

        "Don't stress it, Evelyn," she finally caught up to her breath once Steve took his hand off her.  "Are you going to be okay?" she nodded her head, staring blankly into space.  "Then tell me that you will be."

        She tilted her head down.  "I'll be okay," she said softly.  She knew that she wasn't going to fall asleep, being in a bed like this was going to be strange for her, too strange to even fall asleep.  She felt Steve examine her arm, it wasn't bleeding bad, but enough for it to bleed for a while.  She was use to people looking at her wounds, so she thought nothing of it, it was the only that was normal to her right now.

        "Would you like for me to help you clean this?"

        She shook her head, and just as Steve was about to tell her to talk again she began.  "No, I can clean it myself," she moved her arm back to her arm to cover the holes in her arm.  "You . . . you should go get some sleep."

       "Good night, Evelyn," she smiled and got up from the bed they both prepared.  "See you in the morning."

        Before he closed the door as he walked out he looked back at her and noticed that she was still in the same position, back towards the door, right hand on her left arm, and one leg up on the bed with her head down.  He closed the door and went to his room.

        Evelyn wasn't sure if she wanted to be there for not, but she knew if she left, they'd just be after her again, maybe once she learned more she'd be able to leave, know more about the outside world.

        She laid down on her back with her hands on her stomach and looking up at the ceiling.  The mattress was a lot softer than what she was use to, it was a bit uncomfortable for her, though to anyone else they'd love it.  

        She eventually did fall asleep, it was a very light sleep however, she'd hear something outside and wake up thinking someone was in the room.