Count's Daughter

A Friend

I awoke the same as last time... with a pounding headache. Whoever said getting up after being knocked out gets easier each time lied! Trust me: it doesn't.

Admittedly, the headache might have also been caused by my new restraints. As if chain's weren't enough, they decided that I should be treated like a baby and piled about 4 blankets on me while I was out. How am I supposed to escape when I can't even move?

My chest is starting to feel really heavy, and I'm sweating up a storm. I've got to get these blankets off me, but how? The blankets are so heavy I can't twist and squirm them off, and the chains are cutting off my circulation. I can't even feel my hand, much less move it!

Right as I was about to push through the pain and attempt to move the blankets, someone new walks in.

"You must be Shiva" The woman spoke bluntly.
"My name is Dr. Harper and I'm here to treat the injuries you've given yourself." Her tone was not accusatory, to my suprise. It was as if she were simply doing her job, and treating belligerent 13 year olds was a regular task.

"I'm sorry to make you disobey whatever orders you may have, but I'm fine. Just a few cuts that can heal on their own. Really. I don't need help." I retort back, only lying slightly. The cuts hurt like crazy, but I wasn't going to tell anyone else that. Especially not one of them. Who knows what she's really here to do.

"Hitch warned me you were stubborn and wouldn't trust anyone. I thought he was exaggerating, but apparently not. How can someone who's chained down and can't even move, say they're okay and I, a medical doctor, should leave them alone? Besides, LB told me to check you out, make sure you're healthy, and take care of those cuts of yours. I'm going to do that whether you want me to or not." Dr. Harper responds.

There's no anger or disbelief in her voice, unlike most people. Instead it's something else. Sympathy maybe, like she understands me, like she really wants to help me here.

"Okay, I know you have your orders and everything..." I start, until I'm cut off by a wave of pain.

My arm immediately starts to shake uncontrollably. Apparently Dr. Harper had released my arms from their chains and placed her hand over the cut. I know I should be excited about this, no chains would mean an easier escape, but the waves of pain shooting up my arm were saying something very different.

I grit my teeth to keep from screaming out of the pain, an old habit I've learnt. A couple of minutes later, all the chains are off me, Dr. Harper repeating the same routine with each chain. The blankets are off too, which to be honest, is a relief

When Dr. Harper is done, she reaches into her bag and pulls out a bottle of aspirin. Grabbing a glass of water, she drops the pill in. I hear it 'plop' into the water, and start to fizz.

As she walks over to me she's talking "I know that this will probably taste awful to you, but you need to take it. It'll dull the pain, help with your headache, and hopefully help you get some sleep." Like I need more sleep.

I take the cup and drink it. Not necessarily because I think that I need the aspirin or want it, but I need the water. Dr. Harper was right though, the stuff is vile.

Dr. Harper moves on to get the bandages and a vial, then starts coming over. I'm still not sure about this, and by this I mean about trusting someone, but if I'm going to trust anyone I think it should be her.

That was before she poured whatever was in the vial on the cuts. I don't know what the heck it was, but it burned! Like you're-being-burnt-alive burning. Or your-skin-is-being-boilt burning.

"Stop squirming and hold still, unless you want me to pour more of this on your cuts to make sure they're disinfected." I focus hard on her tone to see if she's joking at all, but , much to my disappointment, it's dead serious. 

'Great, that's the last thing I need.Yo be in more pain' I think bitterly.

With much more screaming and hissing in pain on my part, and Dr. Harper telling me to calm down and stop moving, she's finally done.

I don't notice that I'm so drowsy until Dr. Harper leaves with a promise to be back tomorrow. As she's about to close the door I realize something. She forgot to put the chains back on.

I start to say something. Don't ask me why, because I don't know. Maybe because she was the first person who didn't try to drug me, who actually treated me like I was human. Maybe I thought that the next person would be worse if LB found out and fired Dr. Harper. For all it's worth, maybe it was the aspirin. I don't know.

Before I can even get the first word out, it's as if Dr. Harper read my mind, because she turns, looks at me, slightly smiling as she says
" I don't want my handiwork ruined and have to redo it every day. You squirmed enough today as it was. I managed to persuade LB to allow me to remove your restraints. Though she made it very clear that if you do anything it's my neck. My advice, don't do anything."

As she leaves I half smile. 'At least I now have someone on my side. Who knows how many people are here, but at least I have someone on my side. That will make this much better.'

 Before I know it, I've drifted off to sleep again.