Just The Way You Like It - Under Construction

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

When the Sheriff came into Alice's room, he was followed by another man dressed almost exactly like him. The Sheriff introduced himself to Alice and took off his, hat setting it down on the small table. “Nurse Tess tells me you are doing well today, Alice.” Sheriff Luke was a huge man, with dark skin that was almost as dark as the darkness she was so used to. Alice immediately liked him for it. He spoke softly to her, and moved slowly, almost as if he was in a trance. She noticed now too that Nurse Tess had joined the group inside her room, bringing with her a few more chairs for everyone to sit in. Dr. Hansen stayed on the bed with Alice, while the two policemen and Nurse Tess took their seats.

Alice looked at Dr. Hansen before speaking. He nodded to her, and took her hand in his own. “Alice, I know this is hard for you, but you've got to try. These men are here to help you. Just answer their questions truthfully, okay?” Alice nodded and looked back to Sheriff Luke and his partner. The man who had come in with the Sheriff did not give Alice the same feeling she got from the Sheriff. She couldn't tell why, but he made her nervous. Alice tried to brush it off, remembering what Dr. Hansen had just told her. 'They are here to help Alice, its okay.'

“I feel okay, thank you.” She murmured. Dr. Hansen squeezed her hand and then it let go, returning to his place beside her on the bed.

“Alice,” The Sheriff continued, “Can you tell me anything you remember about your past? Do you remember your last name?”

“No.”

“Where you lived?”

“I had a horse when I was little.” Alice's  throat was still scratchy, and she didn't like the way her voice sounded.

“Okay, good, that's a great start!” The Sheriff actually sounded relieved. He began to write in a pad that looked almost just like the one Dr. Hansen had given to Alice earlier. She looked down at her new notepad, hoping she wouldn't have to use it tonight. She didn't want to fill it up with the darkness. This was a new start for Alice, and she wanted her first present to be filled with happy things.

“Her name was Jinny.”

“Who's name?”

“My horse.” Alice responded, noting when Sheriff Luke wrote that part down too.

“What about your parents?” She shook her head again.

“I don't know, I'm sorry. I know I had them, I mean a mom and a dad, but I don't remember anything about them.”

“It's okay, why don't you just tell me what you do remember.” All eyes turned towards Alice as she took a few deep breaths. She wasn't sure how to begin, what was important to them and what wasn't. Nor was she entirely sure she was ready to share her story with two complete strangers and two people she had just met. Alice decided it was now or never, and so with one last long breath, she closed her eyes, and began to recount her tale, beginning with the day the darkness came.

“I remember being pulled off of a sidewalk, and being put into a car, it was black and big. I didn't want to go, but he made me. We drove for a while, East I think. As he was driving, the man that took me told me about the place he was taking me to. He said that there were rules I was going to have to follow if I wanted to stay alive, and I remember being scared. He had tied my hands and feet together, so I couldn't really move, and I remember crying a lot. He said I had to learn the rules before we arrived, and then he told me what they were. One, no talking. Two, no running, Three, no crying. Four, never upset a client. Five, Total Obeyance. Six, Appreciation.” Alice opened her eyes and saw the four other people in her room still staring at her. Tess was sitting quietly in the corner wiping tears out of her eyes with a tissue. The Sheriff was trying hard to write down everything he was hearing. Dr. Hansen was just staring at Alice with a look of desperation in his eyes. And the man who had come in with the Sheriff looked angry. With no one stopping her, Alice decided to continue on.