ALONE

CHAPTER 5

I woke up with a gasp like I was brought back to life.

I looked around trying to recognize where I was, I kept looking till my eyes fell on a photo frame of my family and then I realized I was in my bedroom.

I tried to get up but a sharp pain shot in my neck and I fell back on the bed with a groan.

"Don't stress yourself, it will take few more days before the pain goes away", came Maria's voice from the entrance.

I looked at her with the side of my eyes because of the pain in my neck.

I tried to ask what happened to me but my throat burnt like my vocal cord was cut off.

She saw confusion on my face.

"You had a minor accident, we had to rush you to the hospital", she lied.

'Accident? Last thing I did was hug Rob, how did I possibly have an accident', I asked myself.

I was there for days, I wasn't given food or water, I wasn't looked after, it felt as though I was in another dimension. The last thing I ate was a sandwich on my birthday. 

I had lost weight, without taking my bath for days, I was smelling and the entire room too was. Whenever Maria came to check if I was dead or alive, she always had a nose mask on.

'Maybe everyone around you died because you stink', she always made that statement each time she came.

I cried everyday because I was hungry, in pains and no one cared.

One day I couldn't take it anymore.

I got out of bed, the pain in my neck was gone and I was thankful for that.

I rushed into the bathroom.

I scrubbed every part of my body severally with different shampoo till I was satisfied, I came out and wore new clothes adding a little scent to my body.

I had to tidy my bedroom, open the windows and scented the room with an air freshener, it was better than before.

I noticed that I have been itching the back of my neck, I went to the mirror to take a look, I raised my hair up and I saw a small circle, it was black with red lights around it.

I drew back with a gasp, I leaned forward again to see if I was imagining but it was still there, I used my finger to trace it and it itched the more.

"No!, no!, this can't be", I said to myself, shaking my head in disbelief.

I ran downstairs, "what did you people do to me?", I shouted at uncle Dew, who was reading a magazine.

He dropped the magazine to look at me and was about to say something but Maria beat him to it.

"And what sort of stupid question is that?", she asked and walked past me to sit beside her husband.

"There's something on my neck, what the hell did you people do to me?", I asked again.

"Oh that, it's a device, a tracking device.We want to know everything about you, where you go, who you are with for safety purpose", she said plainly, "and if you try to remove it, you will be electrocuted to death, I'm sure you aren't ready to join your parents", she added.

Tears streamed from my eyes, my heart was once again broken.

"They have been buried by the way", uncle Dew said, as if he was talking about the weather.

I shifted my gaze to his direction to see if he was joking but he wasn't.

"How did you burry them without me paying my last respect?", I asked, anger boiling inside of me.

They both laughed.

"You have been in your bedroom for two months", Maria said.

My eyes widened.

"What?" I shouted.

"You people are monsters, I'm calling the police" I shouted again.

Maria got hold of me before I could reach the telephone.

She threw me across the living room towards the wall and I braced myself for the pain.

She grabbed me by the hair and slapped, she slapped me again and choked me, "if you ever call the police about this, I'll reunite you with your parents", she said and pushed me forcefully and I stumbled, almost falling.

I was surprised.

I only saw things like this on TV but right now, I guess my life is a TV show. 

"There's noodles on the counter", Maria said while waving her hand, she was acting like everything was normal, well, why wouldn't she act normal when she wasn't the one inflicted with pain.

I was wondering why they hated me so much and what they are doing this for, we barely know ourselves.

I went into the kitchen to take my food, it was a very little amount but my parents always said, 'half bread is better than none'.

I dug into the food and finished it, though I wasn't satisfied but at least I ate a little.

I went back to my bedroom and recoiled into my position, I cried till I couldn't no more, my eyes became heavy and I couldn't hold them any longer, I gave in and fell asleep.

I was woken up by a loud noise.

I stood up and walked downstairs, reaching there, I saw Maria with a strange girl.

They looked up when they took note of my presence, "is that the kid mom?", the strange girl asked.

'Mom? Maria has a child? How come I'm just meeting her now!' I asked myself questions I couldn't get answers to.

"Yes", Maria said plainly.

The girl bursted into laughter, even with the loud noise coming from the home theater, I could still hear sarcasm in her laughter.

"She looks so unhealthy. Do you think it's because her parents couldn't feed her?" She asked Maria while laughing and Maria bursted into laughter too.

I ran upstairs, I didn't want them to see me cry.

Night came and the sky was covered with darkness like a blanket, I sat by the window and watched the stars. 

Vivien always told me stories under the full moon, now, there's a full moon, there are stars and here I am but no one to talk to, no one to tell me stories, no one to share my pain or happiness with.

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, before I could give any order, the door was swung open by the girl I saw earlier.

"Dinner!", she shouted and slammed the door.

I sighed.

I quickly went downstairs, everyone was gathered except me, I hastened my steps and went to pick a seat at the table.

"What do you think you are doing?" Maria asked with a frown.

"Sh.. She called me for dinner", I stammered.

The girl poured orange juice on my face, "next time, address me with respect, my name is Megan not 'She' you piece of shit", she shouted.

"Oh sweetie are you OK? Do not waste your energy on this garbage", Maria said while calming her down. "When I called you for dinner I didn't call you to sit with us. The leftover is on the counter", Maria said.

I nodded and went into the kitchen. I saw the food, it was just like leftovers for dogs, I picked up a spoon and with just four scoops I was done.

I came out of the kitchen and was about going upstairs when someone pulled my hair.

"You have to tidy up before going anywhere", Maria said.

I went back into the kitchen and started cleaning.

I was done with the dishes and cleaning, I went out and saw Megan still using a plate.