Trapped | The Trapped Trilogy Book 1

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Three

EENIE

Pain.

Pain is everywhere.

It blurs Peter's body, which is protecting me. From the President. The blurry president.

My breathing is shallow.

I can't let him win. Can't let the President win. He can't win. Can't let him. Can't let him change me.

Another wave of pain.

More cringing.

More hurting.

My eyes hurt.

My everything hurts.

Can't breathe.

Can't see.

Have to move. Have to be strong. Stay strong. Can't show weakness. Not any weakness. Not in front of him.

Got to move.

Have to move.

Sit up. Sit up now. Okay. My legs are off of the bed. I can feel it. Because it hurts.

The floor's too cold.

Stand. Stand up. I'm standing.

I fall.

Back on the bed.

Hands. Hands around me.

Words in my ear. Too loud.

Shove it away.

Shove the figure away.

Stand back up.

Stand.

One foot. Another.

Don't fall.

Hands. Pulling me back in.

Rough hands.

Burning my skin.

Get away from them.

Get away.

Just like that, the pain is gone. I can see. I'm standing in Peter's arms, sweat dripping down every inch of my body. I shiver, suddenly cold and I press into him more, his body warm. He wraps his arms around me tighter and squeezes.

"Eenralla Land," I hear a loud voice. "I'd like that answer now."

I turn to see Murkas standing in my room. My knees buckle, and Peter picks me back up. I didn't realize he came in.

He wants his answer. His answer to what? Right, his offer. To make it go away.

I smirk at him through the fuzziness of my pain. He's not going to win.

"First, I want my answers," I say.

My voice is hoarse and dry and strained. I'm not going down without a fight.

Murkas smiles and turns to Rebecca, who is standing in the doorway.

"What is going on?" She asks, looking confused. "Where am I?"

"Rebecca-"

"She isn't Rebecca," Peter says above me. "She's just like Nad. Always has been, I'm guessing. Am I right, President Scumbag?"

"So sassy, aren't we boy? Yes, she was loaded with another personality. Her original personality, Tari, was replaced when she was fifteen. When she touched the wall."

"What?" I croak.

"Tari changed slowly and by the time we caught her she was worse off than you are now. She said yes to Fiot's offer, and all of the pain went away. Since then, she has been living as Rebecca."

"What?" Tari shouts at Murkas. "You took away who I was and screwed me over?"

Murkas smiles. "That's a good way to put it."

"How did you get rid of it?" Peter asks suddenly. "How did you get rid of this?"

"There are two different serums. One that stops it, and one that reverses it."

"Peter-" I start.

"Which one would you give her?" Peter asks over me.

"Whichever one I want," He snarls.

Peter grimaces and looks down at me.

Suddenly, sounds erupt outside of my door. My body starts to ache again, but I tear myself from Peter's grip and stumble to the door. I see people holding guns up and people running and shouting. The people holding the guns are shooting at the Dome walls, and the panels start to break.

President Murkas pushes me aside, and takes in the sight.

He curses under his breath and grabs my arm, dragging me along behind him as he marches to the Government Building. Peter runs out and tries to break me away from him, but Lease zaps him with a taser in the back, and he falls to the ground.

The pain is returning, and I start to feel my legs go numb with it.

"Where... are you taking me?" I ask between breaths.

"To reset everyone!" He shouts over the chaos.

I'm dragged through the passageways and into the Home Dome Government Building, everything beginning to feel like it's on fire. He throws me into a big, black chair behind a neat desk, and presses a button. One of his bookshelves open up to reveal an elevator-like box with a big, red button on the back wall with the word RESET on it. The clear door shuts quickly and The President looks at me, smiling.

He presses the button.

And the pain is gone.

Everything is black.

My brain shuts down.