Welcome to ROSEN

Chapter Two: Fight or Flight

I awoke to the sound of crackling electrical static from the fluorescent lights that hung haphazardly overhead from the medical bed. My senses struggled to adjust to my surroundings as I lazily looked around the room. My head felt like a scrambled mess as the sounds of muffled, cloudy shouting was within earshot, so much so it made me wince. It was only when I tried to sit up, that I noticed I was restrained. The light humming in my veins, accompanied by the fatigue I was feeling, I knew I was probably unconscious for some time. I could feel the evidence of dehydration taking place as I dragged my sandpaper tongue over my dry ass lips.

Bang! The door flew open. My heart was now galloping in my chest like wild horses set out on an open field, when two men entered the room with another girl violently flailing against them. I wanted to tell her it was no use, that this place was ineluctable and no matter how much fight you came in with, in the end, one had to face the inevitable bitter taste of defeat. She trashed violently back and forth before she forcefully collided the back of her head with one of the guard's faces'. He doubled back almost instantly clutching his nose. The vibrant crimson fluid spewed from his nose and onto his white overcoat. The other guard was taken off guard as her elbow landed brutally against his temple.

I had never seen someone fight so passionately in my life. Her brown skin seemed to be radiating a glow under the fluorescents, or it could have just been the drug-induced haze. I watched her stagger across to the first guard with the bloody nose, who was about to get on his feet and delivered a sickening punch to the left side of his face before swinging a right.

The second guard was on his feet, clearly disoriented and charged for her, they crashed into the nearby prepping table. He slammed her repeatedly against the white tiles, that was now decorated in droplets of blood. I could hear her grunts and repeatedly thumping before I saw her hands weakly grip the sides of the bed, leaving a blood smear onto the covers. She staggered once more to the groaning guard who was now trying to alert staff.

Her hair clung onto her bruised and bloody forehead, her fingers twitched as she approached the guard, who was now just curled onto the floor crawling away slowly towards the door. The girl then straddled him, and I swore she was smiling when I heard her say flatly, "bedtime, asshole." Before crashing his head into the floor, knocking him unconscious. All I could do was smile and groan weakly at her triumph.

I expected her to flee immediately out the doors when she approached. She stared at me for a bit. Her chocolate eyes shone with excitement, her mouth stained with blood, beads of sweat were rippling down her face.

"Can you move?" she asked in a low raspy voice.

I didn't even notice that she had released me from my bindings before she turned and squatted for me. I nodded.

"Get on quickly." She hassled.

Before I could respond she had pulled me into a piggyback and was limping towards the doors and into the empty corridors.

"What is your name?" I asked quietly.

She stumbled for a moment and let out a deep sigh.

"I...don't know..."

She sat me down and hushed me. After a moment of quiet, I heard very faint footsteps and I knew our little trip to freedom was about to be cut short.

"Jane Doe. You just keep moving okay."

We huddled together, supporting each other's weakened state as we made our way towards another set of double doors when the ear-splitting wail of sirens and flashing amber lights began to go off. We hurriedly looked left and right for any open space but was met with the only option of straight ahead.

The voices behind were growing closer and we had just about lucked out when a taller man came from those same double doors we were aching to reach in search of freedom. He wore a red uniform, undoubtedly military, with green trimming around the neck and cuffs. His expression was that of a harsh line, neither upset nor gloating. It was that of an eerie calmness that told me the usual thrashing about was not going to cut the mustard with this one.

The girl stepped forward without hesitation and a part of me wondered if she was just that brave or just that stupid. She smoothed the hair from her face before she began rubbing her writs continuously in almost a ritualistic sense. I gripped her hand before she stepped forward again.

"I don't think we stand a chance with this one..." I said softly. I didn't know what else to say to her when I saw the glimmer of the oh so familiar dual tags that hung from his neck.

"I'll take the odds any day" she grinned and there was that sparkle in her eyes again.

As soon as my grip was loosened on her hands she darted forward and I sobered myself and followed behind. She lunged at him, he moved back ever so slightly and grabbed her, slamming her against the wall. At that moment I slid past him and collided with the double doors, as my hands gripped the handle, the man had thrown the girl to the ground with such a sickening force that made me wince and his full attention was on me. I bolted through the door to find myself in an open cafeteria.

There was a hush over the eating area. I couldn't tell who was more shocked. Whether it was me bursting through the doors huffing and puffing in clear panic or the fact that these people were casually eating and going on about their way when just a couple doors away some of us was fighting to escape this place.

I heard the double doors behind me and instinctively ran looking for an exit, when a sharp stinging sensation hit me in the shoulder, then in the back and again in my arm.

"Fuck." I could feel the familiar drowsiness setting in. My body was becoming sluggish and lethargic as I fumble on my feet, that now felt like lead, my vision became blurred right before I felt my body gave way to the coldness of the lily-white tiles.