Mermaids and Vampires

45: Breakout

~~~DYLAN~~~

I wake up after a strange, dreamless sleep. The room is pale. Bare. Except for a small window directly across from my bed.

I go to move but find my hands tied.

That's weird.

I'm too tired to do anything about it.

My eyes wander to the window. The sky is a dark grey and rain is drizzling down onto the parking lot outside.

I feel numb. Not literally. Internally. Maybe literally.

It's hard to get my thoughts clear.

My mind dances over images and memories from last night. Flashing lights. Speed. Ella's eyes looking down on me in the back of a... Where were we? What happened next? I can't remember. There were doctors. Lots of faces. Lots of questions. How was I feeling? How was I doing?

Of course it was obvious. The conclusion they'd come to when they found me in the water. Exacerbated by Ella's account of my acting job earlier.

Yes. It makes sense. Logical.

"I'm putting you on antidepressants." Someone said in the blur of last night's events.

And here I am now. Strapped to a bed. In isolation.

A captive.

I've got to get out of here.

My eyes dart to the zip ties secured around my wrists. I pull but it's no use. This is going to be difficult.

I look around for something, anything, that will help me get out of this mess. Naturally, there's nothing sharp in the area.

What can I do?

I shuffle into a sitting position.

The door to my left is closed and has a thin rectangular window looking into a sterile hallway.

My keys are in my pocket! I suddenly remember.

Correction, my keys should be in my pocket. Feeling around reveals they're conspicuously gone.

Fantastic.

I don't have to wait long.

A face pops in startling me.

"How're you doing?" A nurse asks.

"This is a big misunderstanding." I start.

But she isn't buying it.

Had I said that last night too? This feels like deja vu...

"Are you comfortable?" She asks flatly.

That's annoying, ignore my pleas for release, sure. 

How can I get myself out of this?

"No." I state.

She seems unimpressed. Then leaves. Then comes back with a few pillows.

I groan under my breath. But this could be a plan...

I try to grab the pen from her front pocket as she leans to position the pillows behind me.

My fingers can barely grasp the tip of it.

She notices my touching and pulls back abruptly, giving a dirty look.

I'm screwed. She's onto me.

When she leaves I drop my head in defeat.

My eyes open only to stare down at a pair of short-tipped scissors in my lap.

It's a huge win.

My hands struggle to reach the shining silver saviours. They must have fallen out of her pocket when I was fishing for the pen.

Carefully, with great effort, I cut through the tough plastic. I feel like a prisoner breaking out jail. My mind is already leaping ahead to how the hell I'm gonna walk out of this place without being noticed.

One one hand is free it's easy to release the other. I hop out of the bed and onto my unsteady legs.

Must be the drugs... Or else I'm just weak from all that swimming yesterday.

Regardless, I understand I probably don't have much time before that nurse comes back.

After a precautionary scan of the surrounding area through the window, I take to the halls. The sooner I can leave this place behind me and get back to the water the better.