Wiped | The Trapped Trilogy

Five

FIVE
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I wake to the sound of a white buzzing machine in my ear. It beeps, cold and high-pitched, with every thump my heart makes.

"She's awake," I hear a voice shout down the hall to someone.

My eyes adjust to the light and I see Justin rushing to stand over me as a woman walks in the room. It's Tari.

She leans over me and smiles.

"Any dreams?"

I shake my head slowly, a headache forming. My entire body is sore, and I can feel it as I shift my weight underneath the covers.

"You've been out for a few hours. We weren't expecting you to wake up yet," She says, standing up straight. She types something into her tablet. "We stitched up your wounds and they should be healed by the next two days."

I nod stiffly and close my eyes. My head throbs and my body cries out for rest.

The heaviness of sleep weighs on me, but I don't want to go to sleep. The pain makes my legs feel heavy, and I almost feel like I can't move them. It makes my head swim and my vision do funny things.

And, somehow, I sleep.

o0o0o

I see gauze wrapped around my arm. I pull it back to look underneath it, to see what's wrong with me.

Purple.

My father. Murkas.

He's in the room.

He closes the door and a malevolent smile spreads across his face.

"It will be quick-painless even, if you say yes."

"I don't want to die," I hear myself say.

"You're not going to die, you're just going to be a little different than before. All it takes is one yes and everything goes away."

Hands grab me, and I stand on the opposite side of my father.

My father?

"Let her go," He smiles cockily. "Go."

Go?

"So you try to run until I tell you to run? Interesting..."

I'm suddenly speeding down the halls, my yellow hospital gown slapping against my skin. I run out into the openness of the Dome and up to a house. A house I don't remember... but something about it brings me comfort, like I should know why it's so familiar...

I bang on the door, and it slides open.

There stands the girl in the white dress.

"Eenralla, wake up!" She screams, pushing my shoulders backward.

And I fall.

o0o0o

I wake with a start. My heart is pounding in my chest. I can see Justin asleep in the chair next to my hospital bed bed. He snores lightly, and his cheek is smashed between his hand and his skull, pushing outward like a balloon.

I sit up, pain shooting through my body. I touch my face and feel the scar of a bite, remembering what had happened.

I hate dogs.