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::4th Ward::

Another room.

Another white room

Left alone. 

Once again,

Alone with my thoughts.

Someone calls the name "Shelby"

"Shelby... Shelby. Please wake up." I hear a voice call out to me.

It's a female robotic voice and it whispers out to me.

I shake my head to the side and then stand up.

I make my way to where my cot is and I pull my sheets over my head. I curl up tightly into a ball.  I need a few minutes to myself. I need to figure out why I'm being targeted and then figure out how I'm going to move from this one Ward onto the next one.

* * * *

It's the next morning when I'm aware that I'm being watched.

First, it's hearing the name, Shelby called, over and over again. Two, it's the feelings that whenever I move. I can feel their eyes catching with their attention.  When it's dark I see their shadows follow after me. 

I roll over in my bed and then stare at the ceiling to realize that there's an eye looking down at me. I throw the sheet over me and roll over. There's a buzzing that goes over me. I'm being watched and they know that I'm aware of that as well. 

I close my eyes and try to get some sleep. Knowing that it'll be hard to relax. The next thing I know is that I'm waking up from a deep sleep. I feel an ache in my chest as I roll over. I keep my eyes closed for as long as possible. Since I don't know which way is my way out. 

As I peel my eyes open I just see white. White walls, white bed, white sheets and white blouse and white pants. 

As I get up from my slumber. I stretch my arms over my head and take a deep breath. In and then out. I pull the sheets off me in a fluid motion and then I stand up. I make my way over to the only window in the room. I look out the window and see that it's barely thunder storming. 

I knock on the window pane as I watch the rain fall. I wonder how the heck am I going escape this place. If I can't find the way out. How the hell  I'm I supposed leave this room If I don't have a key for this room. I know that I'm going to have to stay sharp. So that I can find the key to get out of here. 

::::::::

"Shelby?"

I hear my name being called as I take my eyes off of the window and move closer to the door. The door is a dark wood etched with a complicated design. "Shelby? Shelby, Are you awake?"

I hear shuffling behind the door as I move backwards. 

I hear a knocking from behind the door. I push myself backwards and put my arms up as I take offense. I hear my name being called again. This time it's softer. "Shelby, are you alright?"

I nod my head in response. Unaware that they can see me. I hear the knocking sound again. This time it's clearer. I get up from my current proposition. I stand still as I wait for the person to move into the room.

"Hi, Shelby. I'm here to help you get out of here and to get you out of here in one piece." The door opens and a young girl walks into the room. She was dressed in a buttercream romper.  Her hair was tied back into a crown-like style.  She had grey converse's to finish the look. She looks around the room and then takes my hands in hers. She quietly takes me into her hands and she pulls me through the doorway. 

::::

As she pulls me through the doorway. I take a deep breath as find it hard to breath normally. Deep breath in and then another deep breath out. I finally get the courage and look at the girl who's pulling me away from this Hell that I've been accustomed to. I take a deep look into myself and I ask her.  "Excuse, me. Who are you and where are you taking me?" I look into her eyes and try to look intimidating. She looks me into the eyes and then smiles. She takes her hands in mine and looks up at me as I stare at her.

I look at her face and push her away from me. "I don't know who you are. Get away from me! Leave me alone, please." The girl continues to fret as this young girl continues to get closer to her. Though the young lady never gives up. She moves in closer to Shelby and grabs her by the shoulders and yells. "Shelby, listen, to me. I'm here to you from out next Ward. And you don't have to know the system to keep going. It's actually better for you to not know what's going on." She puts her hand over mine and then squeezes.

I close my eyes and let a muffled cry out. Her hand is still on my hand as I ask her what her name is. She looks down at me and says, " My name is Eve and my job is to help to get to the next Ward. Without any hiccups."

" How can I trust you to get me to the next Ward?" Shelby asked.

" You can trust me by keeping you in the loop. I'm not just going to dispose of you to the Known." Eve said. "Trust me, Shelby."

I look into your eyes. "Okay Eve, help me see the truth of this situation. And  help me find my way out of the 4th Ward and into the next."

Eve looks from my gaze and then into the purple doors across the room. 

Eve looks like she's about to say something. Yet, I stop her before she gets the chance. I push her small body out of the way and say, "Eve, listen. I can't let you control the facts that dictate my life. But now I can't let you control my every move. When I can fend for myself. Eve, this is goodbye for now." 

As I move away from Eve. I whisper to her and say, " This won't be the last time we will see each other. I promise."

Eve's eye's hold mine just as I'm leaving the Ward. As I break away from Eve's embrace.  I run towards the closest door. I keep running until I'm well out of the 4th Ward.