I have no tastebuds

Chapter 15

    I layed limp with the man's corpse on top of me. I think I exploded his head. Or maybe the drugs are getting to me. Everything is silent until I hear a hail of gunfire and the man is pushed off of me. Ray stands over top of me with fear in his eyes. I catch a glimps of Oliver as he rips out my IV and Lily works on my shackled limbs. "It's no use! These are bolted to the table." I loll my head to the side to look at my arm and pull at it. Nothing happens. "What the fuck?" I mumble and pull harder at the cuff. I'm starting to regain my strength and vision. "Y/n, we're going to get you out of here soon ok? And then we'll go to the human world." I sigh and opt to say nothing. Everything is flooding back to me all at once and I still feel like I'm drowning. It's just different this time. I'm standing in a room full of people and it feels like I'm screaming at the top of my lungs yet no one hears me.

   Ray still stands over me not doing anything but staring at me. "What happened?" I blink slowly at his question "what?" His brows furrow and he pulls my hospital gown together on my stomach. "What happened? How'd you get here?" I sigh a bit "Vincent and the others were in trouble. I did what I had to to keep the mission going. Long story short it got me here." I saw Ray grit his teeth and Lily yelled in agitation. "What the hell?! Why won't these come off?!" I pulled a bit harder at the restraints and was able to pull them off after a few good tugs. I sat up and put my arms over myself. "Anyone want to get me clothes, the drugs are wearing off and I'm sure you don't want to see how I'd react without them fogging up my embarrassment."

   Ray went to pull of his jacket but Marko walked in with a shirt underwear and pants. Everyone filed out of the room to let me get dressed. I'm so confused right now. They all seem unnaturally calm. First of all, there a guy on the ground whose head exploded. I still haven't decided weather that was me or a gun. And it no one has questioned why I'm naked, I'm mean sure it looks pretty obvious but still. I pull on the clothes and groan at the lack of a bra. I feel to disgusted with myself right now to think about being unclothed in any way. I leave the room, still barefoot and see my friends standing aimlessly in the hallway. "Where are we?" I looked around to see who would answer me but no one did. Did they not hear me? "Guys, where are we?" They all seemed kind of dazed. "Hey, why isn't anyone answering me?" I got no answer but they all started walking away from me. I tried to go after them but it seemed like every step I took, I got further from them. "Guys!"
 
    I sat up in a cold sweat, gasping for air and noticed I was in a proper bed. I don't know how much of that was a memory and how much was a nightmare. I looked around at my surroundings. I'll be damned. I'm home. I was laying in one of the beds in the bedrooms and everything. I was alone at the moment but there was an empty chair next to my bed. I walked through the familiar hallway and into the bathroom. I stopped in front of the mirror and looked at myself. I see an eleven year old me standing to my right. I look so different. Much more worn and sad. Older too, almost 15. I touch the light freckles the donned my face and pulled at my eyelids that held bright sea-green eyes. They're duller than I remembered. I have a very large white shirt on over underwear. I snoop around the bathroom for a bit until I find pants and a bra.

   The house is silent and I drag my hand along the wooden wall while I walk around. When I make it downstairs I find a single plate sitting in the dining hall. It's breakfast. Fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and sausage. This confused me even more. First, the house is silent and now there's only one plate of food? I walked forward and poked the potatoes. They were still warm. I made my way outside and took in the view. It was sunrise now and I could see all of my childhood around me. The tree that I'd always climb while Emma, Norman, and Ray sat and talked beneath me. All the times I'd sneak out to the flower patch or onto the roof. The countless games of tag that I won by swinging through the trees.

   All the planning and some shed tears mixed their way into the happy memories. I never would've imagined being back here. I decided to climb the big old tree and climb onto the roof. There I sat for a while, just thinking. I had figured it all out once I made it outside. It was clear to me now and I wondered why it had taken me so long to figure it out. I was supposed to be a genius of Grace field so I should've known the second I woke up to an empty chair. I was really all alone. There was no one here and there wouldn't be for three years, at the least. I sighed and stretched out on the roof. I was there all day. Crying. I guess I'll just miss them, even though I'll get to see them again. This is just different, because I didn't even get to say goodbye. I'll miss Ray.

   Without knowing it, they'd left me behind. I assume that the others had tried to carry my unconscious body with them to the human world and in turn started the promise. Obviously, my body disappeared before they knew what hit them. Now I'm stuck her by myself for a while. Maybe it will all be worth it in the end. It should be, after all I did to get here. I think I deserve a taste of freedom.