When I Awakened

The Travel

    The wind begins to blow in the air, and I can feel the cold droplets of rain hit my face. We've only been walking for an hour, yet it feels like I have been walking for weeks. My legs were killing me,  and I can't even feel my face. Elijah is walking a full foot ahead of me, and I can barely keep up. 

    Elijah,  slow down," I tremble. 

   He looks back at me and just smiles. He looks back forwards and starts walking a little faster. Why is he teasing me? I'm freezing and can't walk very fast. He walks until he is out of my view. I try to run, but then I trip onto my face. I push myself upwards only to see army men with guns.
 
    "Get up. You're coming with us. You can't run, or hide," He speaks.

    "Says who?" I say.

     I can hear the panic in my voice. I'm too cold to move, so I don't.

    "Says the president," he answers.

    They grip me by my arms and drag me. Next thing I know, I'm tied down into a wooden chair. Looking around, I see wood tiles and hay scattered all over the floor.

    I can feel a load of angst take over me. Where am I? Where is Elijah? That all happened so fast. I still don't understand what happened.  I roll my wrists and kick my feet in an attempt to free myself, but it's no use. I'm tied down too tight. It's dark, but I know there is someone in the room.

    "Hello? Who's there?" I holler, concerned.

    The darkness echoes in silence. I squint my eyes and try to make out a silhouette across the room. The figure is standing still, not even twitching.

    "It's rude not to answer someone!" I scold.

    There's still no answer. The silence was making me anxious, and the air was beginning to feel cold. The memory of Elijah running from me crossed my mind. I can feel myself start to tremble again, and the figure starts coughing. It looks like he has a phone in his hand.

    "The girl is awake and is being an irritation," he mutters.

    "Hey, I'm not an irritation," I complain.

    I can hear a slight growl from the other side of the room.  Before I know it, the cabin door blasts open.

    "Well, well, well..." he pauses, "what do we have here?"

    "Really? Going with the classic 'well, well, well' line?" I mock.

    He scowls at me and murmurs something under his breath.

    "We have a question for you," he informs me.

    "What are you waiting for?" I query.

    The room fills with silence.

    "How did you two wake up early?" he asks.

    "I don't know. Why did you put me to sleep?" I ponder.

    "That development has been only recent. The corrupt-"

    "Cut the crap! I know everything!"

    He sighs, walks to the door, and walks out with no further word. The other men are standing before me and are just staring me down.  I was both confused and angry.

    "What are you looking at?" I growl.

    "Oh, uh..." he pauses, "nothing."

    I growl at him.

    "Are you calling me 'nothing'?!" I scowl.

    That moment, the army man walks back into the cabin with another man by his side.

    "Hello, Skylar," the other man greets me.

    "I'm not talking," I reply, unamused by this whole "interrogation" thing.

    He lowers his eyebrows and wrinkles his nose as if he smells something odd. 

    "Okay, enough with your tone, young Skylar," he pauses. "It's time to be polite."

   "How the heck do you know my name?" I worry.

   "I know everyone's name, as the president, and I have heard yours too many times," he explains. 

    I roll my wrists and try to kick my feet again,  but nothing budges. They all just stare at me, watch me helplessly struggle.

    "What, do I  have lettuce in my teeth?" I shout at them.

    "Miss Skylar, we need to know how you woke up early," he states.

    "I don't know, I guess I just wasn't tired anymore after thirteen years," I sass. 

    "We're not letting you leave until you tell us how you woke up," he threatens.

    My stomach starts growling, and my head starts to spin. 

   "Could I have lunch?" I ask. "Even prisoners have to eat."

   The president walks out of the room with the military men following him. On his way out, he presses a button that releases me from my captivity.  Finally, the door shuts,  and I'm left in complete darkness.  My stomach keeps churning and I feel nauseous. 

   Suddenly, I hear the door open and the president walks in with what looks like a burger and fries, with water. 

   He places the tray in front of me and walks out of the room.  I sit there with no expression. 

   My feet are still cuffed.  Are they scared of me? I guess if they are, I could use that to my advantage. 

   "Finally,  I can eat,"  I think out loud.

   I grab the plate and lay on the floor with my feet still cuffed to the seat.  I take small bites and savor the flavor.

  "Don't get comfortable," the president commands through a speaker. 

  "I never was," I complain. 

   I drink my water when I suddenly notice a key on the floor.  Not a card key--a silver defined-looking key.  One of them must have dropped it.  I try to reach for it, but my fingers are too small. 

   "What do you think you're doing?" I hear from the speaker. 

   I ignore the voice.  I try my hardest to get to the key before they come through the door,  but it's too late. The president walks into the room just as I reach it. I am just able to pick it up when it is taken from my grasp. 

   "You are such a sneaky little thing, aren't you?" he questions. 

   "No, I'm not.  I'm extremely sneaky, and I'm not a thing," I argue.

   "If that were true, you'd have gotten this," he argues back, waving the key at me. 

   I clench my hands in fists frustrated.  I feel so disappointed and angry at myself.  My one chance of escape is gone. 

  "Time to be locked up again," he informs me. "Lunchtime is over."

  I let him lock me up,  and I just sit there and drift into a dream.