Crimson

Chapter 8

I was shoved through the cabinets when I awoke. My face was on fire. I sucked air in through my teeth and grabbed my face once again. I didn't dare open my eyes.

"Hang in there, love." Ozz's voice was calming yet unsteady. He was worried. "Your adrenaline is wearing off. Try to stay awake for me, ok?"

As I nodded in response, I was set on a mattress. I felt the warm blood drip down the sides of my face. I groaned as I felt the gash throb, the pain only keeping me from passing out again.

"Sherri! Do we have anything to stop the bleeding?!" I heard from who I believed was Nick,

"The extra jumpsuits are about it." That was a response. I can't tell if it was Sherri or Iago. My hearing felt fuzzy. Everything felt fuzzy except the freaking pain that wouldn't leave me alone.

"RedHead? Can you lift your head for me?" That voice I knew was Ozz. I listened and felt something wrap around it. I slowly removed my hands from the cut. Ozz held my left hand and gently wiped the excess blood from my face. I listened as he let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, Love. The cut missed your eye." To hear that from him was like a breath of fresh air. I gripped his hand tighter, and he tightened the bandage across my face. I let out a small yelp as the unwanted pressure met the gash.

"Iago? Can you grab a fruit or something? We need to replenish the nutrients she lost." Ozz didn't let go of my hand. I could see out of one eye now, which was nice.

Iago nodded and started to frantically search for something with nutrients in it. 

Ozz continued to work on the gash, pain spread through my face, and I struggled against his grasp. 

"I know you're in pain, but you must let me put pressure on it. Please, it will make the bleeding stop. " Ozz's voice was stern but kind; it gave me comfort. 

Iago eventually returned with an apple I ate. I didn't let go of Ozz's hand that night. It felt like it was a part of me I needed. I never wanted him to separate from me again. The thoughts in my head didn't make any sense, I only knew Ozz for a couple of days, but I already felt closer to him than the rest of my sector. I fell asleep not long after that whole ordeal. Ozz would wake me up every hour to ensure I was alive. The bleeding had stopped, so I didn't know why he was still so worried.

The following day was chaotic. When the guards came in to take one of us into testing, they were angry about the cut that littered my face. Surprisingly they seemed to worry.

I thought it strange since they had never cared about our health. That's when it hit me. It was time for the newscast to come inside to shoot a commercial for the "Wonders place for children with malfunctions." That's why we haven't been rescued. To the public, everything inside this facility was legal and humane. It was believed to be like a mental hospital, helping us "lead normal lives" and other bull crap.

I laughed as I realized they wouldn't be able to film with my face as beat up as it was and with dried blood covering our mattress. But the public would get suspicious if they didn't film our living space. It was perfect. I decided now was the time to get the people involved. I was getting out of here. One way or another.

Shortly after The guards woke us up, we were all dragged out, so they could sweep our floors and do their best to cover the mattress. We were let back inside after about half an hour.

I then had an idea. Around four years ago, we had another cellmate named Quin.

Quin had enhanced speed. I was close with her and learned much about the outside world I had been deprived of. One thing Quin taught me was morse code. We used it to talk after lights out. Back when they filled our room with microphones. Those were long destroyed by now. A guard came inside with brand-new white jumpsuits and had us get changed. He ripped the makeshift bandage off my head and covered the still-fresh wound with some skin-toned paste. It stung, but I didn't dare argue. The camera crew came in shortly after. That's when I started tapping the floor. The guards had us sitting on top of the old blood stains and water damage spots.