Chapter 1
I started my life, lying down on an old, rusty, black bed, surrounded by darkness, coldness and dusty air.
Screeching sounds were endless. Felt like the ears of mine would start bleeding any second. My whole body was stiff, as if someone had punched it to death. Suddenly, I sensed hunger striking through my stomach yelling at me, to give it food. I couldn’t bear the hunger; I felt like I hadn’t eaten in many days. My legs felt like I had heavy rocks on them. My arms felt like they were rubbed on matches. I could feel myself breathing in the cold air but didn’t feel cold.
“Hey.” A voice that sounded feminine and familiar. I suddenly snapped open my eyes just to see no one except walls that haven’t been painted for god knows how many years. 2 same beds on my right and on my left and a small, not in a really good condition, and a white ceiling fan. I tried standing up, but felt like I was paralyzed, tried to speak, but felt like I was mute. I struggled to see what was on my legs that was so heavy, yet I had a blanket on it. I felt so weak that I couldn't even move the blanket. I failed to see what was on my legs but I did see what was on my arm. They were filled with bruises. How did I get-before I could finish my thought, I heard the voice again.
“Hey, are you alright?” said the voice again, creeping me out of my soul. "Just lettin' you know that you can’t stand up regardless because you are tied with chains. And those bruises, don’t worry about em, I’ll take care of it”
What? What could that mean? Me and tied with chains? Why? What, was I an insane animal that they had to tie me with chains? I struggled yet said something. “Who are you?” It felt like I heard my voice for the first time. I was more astonished to hear my voice than that girl’s voice, who I can’t even see. “And why can’t I see you?” I could barely say. My gums and my teeth were about to separate if I said another word.
“Just look down.”
I could barely move my eyes and mouth and she wanted me to move my whole body. As I wrestled with discomfort, torture, and pain, trying to sit in a sitting position, I finally saw someone. An innocent face who appeared to be around 15 or 16 years old, holding a large stick in her hand and a toothpick in her mouth, moving from side to side. Wearing a blue t-shirt, which looked like it hadn't been washed for days. Blonde, curly hair with a bit of dyed black on the bottom. I wonder why but after I saw her, I was filled with joy, energy and most of all, I didn’t feel disabled. I felt like a normal person.
“Who are you, where am I and- "
“Shh. Zip your mouth and let me open the chains.” She had to climb up a ladder to reach me. What type of bed was that, I thought of? You had to climb up a ladder for that? As she came up, I went back to a lying position. She took off the blanket and while she was opening my chains, I accidentally unzipped my mouth.
“Um what-”
“I said ZIP IT!” Looking right into my eyes, giving me the death stare. Hearing her scolding me made chills go through my body. I didn’t dare say another word. Although she looked very young, I was afraid to get yelled at by a teenager. I was so scared that I could hear my own heart beat. When she finished unraveling the chains off my leg, I couldn’t hold it anymore.
“Who ARE you?” Asking that question was useless because she just simply ignored me.
“Come down then we will talk.” was all she said and went down. At first, going down felt impossible because my body was still stiff and also because of the bruises too, which I still wonder why. As I struggled to go down the ladder, I said it. “What type of bed is this?” Finally getting the question out of my throat.
“A bunk bed.” It took me a minute to comprehend what she just said. Oh yeah! Oh my god. A bunk bed. I thought. How could I forget? I must have been ignorant in front of her. After I finally reached the finished line, my whole body was about to be put into pieces. I was about to burst the poor girl with questions but she put a finger on my lips and took my arm and dragged me out of that room. I didn’t have the strength to walk. I wanted to throw up. The moment we went outside, I smelled a delicious meal being cooked, which made me even hungrier.
Right in front of that room was another room that said “ND”, with bold, black lettering on it. What did it mean? As we entered, I saw an old lady, who looked in her early 50s, holding a bottle and cotton in her hand. The room was in worse condition than the previous one. It literally looked like the room wasn’t refurbished for centuries. The room smelled like a human or a fish had died there. There was a small blue couch, which looked centuries old, 2 blue, small, ripped chairs that was used for decades. Wall that hasn't been repainted for years.
“Hola enfermera favorita.” The girl said. Hello, favorite nurse? I thought. Was that what it meant? How did I just translate Spanish to English? Was that even Spanish? Do I know Spanish? Why? How? My head was aching even more from the bed to now.
“hola Chuckín a quien tenemos hoy?” Said the old lady.
My headache was unbearable. I was on the verge of fainting because I knew what the old lady said: Hello Chucklin, who do we have today? Was Chucklin that girl’s name?And what does she mean by who we got today? I quickly held that girl for support in case I faint.
She sighed and said “Oh just a new newbie. Again bruises.” What does she mean by “Again bruises.”
“Hey kid, Come and sit here.” The old lady gestured towards the old, sky blue chair and told me to sit and to show her where my bruises were. As I lifted my sleeves up, it felt like someone lit a match and was rubbing it on my skin. It burned so bad that I was on the verge of crying. While the lady was observing my bruises, she took that bottle that I saw earlier when I entered the room and poured some of that liquid on a cotton ball and started rubbing it on my bruise. As the lady was rubbing the cotton for about a minute, I could see her and Chucklin’s expressions..
“You don’t feel anything?” said the old lady
“No.” I said, also seeming confused why I didn’t feel pain because it hurt when I was lifting the sleeve but not now. The lady and Chucklin exchanged the looks of astonishment.
“Are you sure?” Said the lady again
“si seno..rita.” I said. It took me a whole minute to comprehend what just transpired. What? How did I just speak in Spanish? I meant to say yes lady in English but I ended up saying it in Spanish. Chucklin and the lady suddenly looked at each other. Their jaws dropped when they heard me speaking Spanish. I looked at the lady then to Chucklin. Both of them had the same reaction as if a snake stung them or something.
“How did you-”
“I don’t know. I just don’t know.” I just wanted to go back to bed. What's been happening to me today? And the fact that my headache is killing me. Everything that has happened to me in the past hour was just indescribable. Like first, I woke up in a random room, with bruises. And now I am speaking Spanish with a headache. Hesitantly, the lady continued to rub the cotton on my bruises in silence. As the silence grew, the more awkward it got. Minute after a minute it went. Why isn't the time going slow? The awkwardness was eating me from the inside. I wanted to break the awkwardness and silence, but didn’t know what to say. I feared that if I would say anything, I would just make it more awkward. Plus, the clock’s tick tick tick made it more awkward. I couldn’t hold it anymore, like someone had to say something. We couldn’t just live our life in silence and awkwardness.
I took a deep breath and said ,“What does ND mean on the door? I said finally breaking the silence. It felt so awkward speaking after 5 minutes. I believe I was daydreaming because when I spoke, my voice echoed. Chucklin suddenly stood up straight after laying
on the wall with her arm crossed to answer my question.
“Nurse Department.” Said Chucklin. Why did you have to be so dry, I thought. Like even in the other room, you only said “bunk bed.” Like, be more enthusiastic.
“Cause I am.” I heard in my mind. What? As I looked toward Chucklin, her eyebrows snapped together. I was so confused because I know that Chucklin didn’t say that out loud, so… did she talk to me telepathic-? No no no, absolutely not. SHH, there is no such thing as talking telepathically. Hesitantly, I started to stare at my bruises again and Chucklin went back to laying on the wall. How? Or maybe I am just overthinking. Maybe she did say it out loud. But if I said the comment in my head, then how did she know what I was thinking about. I tried to keep my mind out of what just happened but my mind kept telling me that there was something fishy about what just arose. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
“Hey, get up. We’re done.” I heard a voice which sounded like Chucklin’s.
“What?” As I rubbed my eyes, I saw Chucklin, anxiously glancing at her watch.
“You fell asleep for 20 minutes. Come on, let’s go, we’re getting late.” said Chucklin, glancing at her watch every second. When I saw my skin, at first glance, I didn’t believe that it was my skin.. MY skin. I suddenly stood up in shock. How is my skin so flawless? Just a few minutes ago, my skin was filled with bruises and now, not a single sign of even a scratch.
“Hello? Let's go, hurry. I have to show you around here before she comes.”
“Before who comes?” I asked. What, am I going to get another headache from her? Like I am already dealing with enough nonsense. Bruises, Spanish, waking up in a random room. Like
What's going on?
“You’ll see.” said Chucklin with a smirk but a soft one. Chucklin gestured to stand up and signaled me from her eyebrows that “after you ma’am.” As I was about to take a step toward the door and away from this room and chair, I heard it.
“ughh!” I said, hearing the unbearable sound. I suddenly slammed my eyes shut so tight that
even air couldn’t go in, holding my ears also very tight.
“Are you alright?” Said Chucklin, dropping her toothpick and the stick on the floor. I lowered my hands and opened a little of my eyes to get a better view of Chucklin. Why is she so concerned and worried about me? I thought. Like, I’m not even related to her. Or maybe I am. Maybe she is my sister? Who knows? Shhh, I told myself, trying to get these weird thoughts away from me. But I couldn't. Her and my sister? No way. We don’t even look alike. If I was her sister, I would have remembered her, but I don’t. I don’t remember anything nor anyone. Not my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, or even cousins. Why? And she is not even mentioning me as her sister.
“Tell me, what happened? Said Chucklin, now raising her voice and getting me out of daydreaming.
“That… that sound is so…sharp.” I could barely say.
“What sound?” Asked Chucklin, seeming bewildered. “I don’t hear any sharp noise.” I slowly started to open my eyes, completely in disbelief that they didn’t hear a sharp sound. I started to look up at the lady and Chucklin. My head was about to burst open because of my eyes. I closed them so tightly that I could feel them turning red. I gestured to Chucklin for her arm for support. As I stood up, I could see Chucklin’s concerned face. Why?
“Are you alright? Do you need to rest or can I show you around?"
“Let’s go.” I gestured to Chucklin to give me her stick from earlier. Without hesitation, she gave it to me. I didn’t want to look like a 78 year old woman, so I tried to keep my back straight as I walked.
"Listen, can you stand outside for a moment? Said Chucklin.
"Sure, I guess." She left me outside and closed the door. The door was slightly ajar so I could listen to a bit of what they were saying. I peaked in to see what was going on.
"Chuck, listen. What was that? I think she might be the one. Like the signs I've seen. I think she might be-"
"I think so too and I've seen it in the elevator. She was unconscious. But we can always be wrong. And how can you be so sure that she… the one?" There was a moment of silence. I thought that they saw me listening to their conversation. I suddenly stepped back just before Chucklin came out and said:
"Oh sorry. Let's go."
