The Truth In My Lies

39

MADISON

THERE'S blood all over me. I have no idea where it's coming from, just that my shirt is covered with it. Searing pain radiates from above my right eyebrow. When I reach up, a feel a deep gash in my skin. My stomach feels queasy.

I have no idea where I am, or how I got here. It was just pitch black when I woke up, now the sunlight has started to sneak in through the windows. It looks like an abandoned warehouse. How cliche.

For a second, I assumed I was dead, but clearly I wasn't if I was feeling pain. Once I gathered up the strength to move, I checked my pockets for my phone. Of course it was gone. I attempted to stand up and look for an exit, but when I stood up, I got too dizzy and fell back down. I've lost too much blood, but fortunately, I've stopped bleeding.

So that's where I am now. Sitting on the dirty floor of an abandoned warehouse, wondering how I got here and why someone would do this to me. The answers right in front of my face; someone did this because of Kaiden. I don't even know what happened to him, but I'm praying he's alive. I'm praying he finds me. I know he'll come for me if he's okay.

I've been alone this whole time, but I have a feeling my attacker will come back soon, or maybe they left me here to die. If I could just gather some strength, I could find an exit and get out of here. I don't think I'd made it far, but maybe far enough that someone will help me.

I close my eyes and think of Kaiden, how every morning when I wake up and turn over to look at him, his hair's a mess and he's always laying in some weird position. Or how his brown eyes look when the sun catches them. Or how he purses his lips when he's focused. And how his hands feel against my skin.

I take a deep breath and open my eyes, deciding that this time I'm going to make it. I use my hands to push myself up from the ground. My knees feel wobbly and my head is spinning, but I stand up. I stumble backwards a little bit, but I lean against the wall for support. The wall is cool against my skin, but I continue to lean against it, slowly making my way towards a door I hope leads to outside. I'm moving like a snail, but that's the pace I'm forced to go.

The door is getting closer and hope is starting to rush through my veins. I can make it. I'll be okay.

"Madison?" A voice cuts through the air.

The blonde hair comes into view and I realize it's Alyssa. She looks confused, like she's surprised to see me here. Or maybe she's confused because I'm covered in blood. Probably both.

"Alyssa, you have to help me!" I cry out. I could cry of happiness. Someone's here to help me. "Do you have a phone? Can you call Kaiden?" My voice is weak and my throat is dry, but I'm fueled by adrenaline and my hope to get out of here.

She looks at my head and grimaces. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I need to go to the hospital and call the police. Whoever did this might still be around, so we need to leave, okay?"

She looks better than the last time I saw her. She doesn't look so drawn out, but her eyes still look cold.

"Okay," She nods her head and looks around frantically. "Come on, I'll help you." She takes my arm and wraps it around her shoulder, then wraps her arm around my waist.

Instead of going to the door I was headed for, she starts in the direction in which she came from.

"That door." I point, but she just shakes her head.