Strive

Chapter 1 - Day 1

Day 1

SARAH’S POV

I woke up on a hard, cold surface. I could hardly see anything in the darkness except for a thin light above me. A vivid light radiated beneath what seemed to be a door only to fade away into the surrounding darkness. My hands pawed lightly at the cool surface beneath me, hovering slightly, still lost in a haze. Within a metter of minutes, which felt like hours, my eyes began to adjust to the dark, recognizing faint outlines of chairs, cots, and a looming staircase. They all dance in a different rhythm, echoing the pounding in my throbbing skull. With a soft spin, my head rose, only to fall less than a minute into my hopeless attempt. “Where am I?” I croaked, hardly audible beneath the invisible pressure forced on my lungs.

“Home.” A voice responded, causing a jarring shiver down my spine. Almost instantly, my mind shot to one thing and one thing only. Him. Fear dropped into my stomach, sending me into a reckless state of panic. My throat clenched, though my teeth chattered, matching the rest of my trembling body. Struggling for air, my torso constricted, curling me into a protective ball, leaving me more defenseless than before. “Or at least that’s what he calls it.” The voice continued, the monotone words wisped around me, though there was a faint sense of sorrow. A sorrow the man could never begin to comprehend, never mind posses. Using the ounce of strength I still had control of, I prodded myself up. Squinting thoroughly, to steady the dancing objects, I caught site of a small figure. The faint glow from the door outlined the figure, revealing a boy only a little older than me. His gaze held strong even after my eyes met his, though there was no use hiding how frail and shaken his was.

I swallowed and tried to speak, but the lump in my throat wouldn’t let me speak. “Who are you?” I managed to get out through cracks in my slurred voice.

Whoever it was looked up and began to crawl over to me. Light faded behind him, his body falling into an ocean of darkness. It wasn’t until he was nearly beside me that his face became visible again. “I’m Justin. “ He answered, stopping in front of me. His voice was steady, much calmer than mine, which refused to speak clearly. “And your name is Sarah correct?”

I nodded wide-eyed and swallowed hard. My mouth held a dry, bitter taste, which refused to go away. “What did he do to me?” I choked, my stomach clenching, threatening to convulse any second. “I don’t feel good.” I winced, curling back into a ball, my fingers clenching along the fabric of my new gown. I didn’t dare ask how I’d gotten it.

Justin raised his hand, but drew in back almost instantly. He knew better than to touch me. The empathy in his eyes was almost overwhelming to the point that I’d rather burry my head in the cement flooring that see what his eyes had to tell. “You wont feel this way for long.” He promised half-heartedly. “You’ll feel better after you rest a little more.” Rest? How could I possible rest? All I could do was shake my head slowly, feeling my hair bunch up as it rubbed against the surface. “You have to at least try.” I swallowed had and shook my head again. I heard Justin give a deep exhale and soon a soft hum filled my ear.

Hush little baby don’t say a word.

Mama’s gonna buy you a mocking bird

And if that mocking bird don’t sing

Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring…

The tune was soft, effortlessly lulling through my head and pulling the throbbing to rest. It almost worked. It almost put me to sleep, but I couldn’t. Not there. “I need to go home.” I mumbled, a tear clawing its way down the cheek, collecting in a small pool along the cement.

“You can’t.” He sighed bluntly, the loving tune evaporating before my eyes.

“Why?” I choked. Suddenly Justin’s presence wasn’t very comforting. I spun to look at his eyes, praying for some gratification, but all I saw was him. His face, his voice, everything. Justin was no better than him. How could I have been so blinde? “How do you know my name?” I quivered. I scooted away from him until I hit the hard, cold wall. A shocking chill shot up my spine, making me more aware that there was nowhere to go. “Are you working for him? Please don’t hurt me!” I panicked, feeling the tears well in my eyes. “I didn’t do anything wrong! I just wanna go home!” I cried, bringing my knees to my chest. The throbbing pulsed harder, threatening to crack through my skull. Rolling my palms into my eyes, I smudged the tears that wouldn’t stop. “I want to go home.” I plead again, the energy drained from my voice.