Marked

Chapter Thirty-Five: Scarlett

The girls stared at me as I walked down the dirty bus isle. I finally found a seat towards the back that no one else was sitting in. They all looked like they did belong in prison: tattoos, short hair, piercings, buff... And then there was me: no tattoo, long blonde streaked hair, only my ears pierced, scrawny.

I sat up straight for the whole ride, not wanting the grease of the seats to get in my hair.

I'm not going to last long here.

After the bus ride, we all got off the bus and got our uniforms and cells. There was already a different girl in my cell she didn't say anything to me and I didn't say anything to her. After the cells we got the grand tour—which was everything short of grand.

I sat down in the corner of the courtyard, on the concrete with my eyes shut. I thought about what Chase might have been doing right now. I then found my mind wandering to what Dallas was doing. Then I felt like kicking myself for thinking of Dallas. He hasn't done much for me except place me in the middle of a love triangle.

After dinner that night, I was forced into my first restless sleep of many.

This, this whole life, is hell.

But this is the life I almost asked for, right?

Wrong.

No one wants this life.

Dear Chase, if you can hear me right now, please help. Sincerely, Scarred Scar.

. . .

I talked to a lawyer today. She told me that Chase and Dallas are doing all they can to get enough money for bail. She told me that I was lucky to even get bail. And here's the funny thing: she's my lawyer, she's supposed to be on my side, but as she was leaving she gave me a look of hatred, of disgust.

Thanks.

There isn't much to do in prison. I was small and young and an easy target. They were huge and much older than me and half of them committed murders, man-slaughter.

And I'm just here for defending my rights.

I didn't talk to anyone. I didn't offer cigarettes to anyone—mostly because I didn't have any. I didn't accept cigarettes from anyone. That's how life was like. Me in constant fear of mad scientist and my fellow prisoners.

I feel like barfing for just saying that.

. . .

It was my fortieth night there when the most amazing thing happened.

I was laying in my cot in my cell when a guard came by. He stood in front of the bars and made eye contact with me. "Moore," he said—the guards never refer to us by our first name, hell, we're lucky to get a name, not a number, "today's your lucky day."

The guard took out a ring of keys and unlocked the cell. He stepped one foot inside the cell and grabbed my arm. He pulled me to my feet and told me to collect my stuff. I threw all my small belongings into my duffle and followed him.

He gave me my outfit I arrived here in and told me that I was leaving. Dallas and Chase paid bail. I was free.

And better yet, no crazy scientist.

I couldn't stop smiling.

The second I saw Chase, I ran into his arms, throwing my hands around his neck. I buried my face into his shoulder, my tears immediately soaking his t-shirt. "Chase..." I breathed his name, like just those simple letters where bringing me back to life.

"Scar,"

We left and were back home within the hour. It felt nice to get out of that unflattering orange. I pulled on shorts and a band t-shirt. I straightened my hair and did my makeup. I sat with Chase on the couch and didn't let go of him. It felt so good to be home with him. It felt so good to be free.

"What did you do while I was gone?" I asked.

"Worked. A lot. I took on three part-time jobs and crashed on the weekends. All I could do was thinks about you rotting in a jail cell. I hated the thought." He smiled. "How was jail?"

"Hell. All the chicks did there was hit on me, push me around, pull my hair, and ask if I wanted cigarettes. And I didn't. I don't smoke. Smoked once and nearly threw up coughing."

"You've smoked?"

I nodded. "I was fourteen and curious. So I smoked, failed, coughed and thought I was going to die. I didn't and I haven't thought about smoking since. My cell-mate was nice, though."

"Really?"

I laughed. "She didn't talk to me, I didn't talk to her. Fine by me."

Chase smiled and kissed my forehead. "It got really lonely around here without you. What do you want to do to celebrate your homecoming?"

"Anything."

"Would a theme park be stupid? I mean, given your nightmares..."

"Chase, nothing scares me now. And I mean it. Not water, not heights, not my mom, not prison food. Nothing. Sure. Let's go to a theme park, why the hell not?"

Chase smiled at me. "That's my Scar."

I smiled and kissed his lips. The feel like a puzzle, the two pieces fit perfectly. "I love you, Chase."

"I love you too, Scar."

. . .

A week later, Chase and I went to a local theme park. We ate over-priced food and rode over-priced rides. We had so much fun though. We got to the park around nine A. M. and by dark we were still running.

"Let's go on this one," Chase said, pointing to a tall roller coaster.

I looked at it and felt my stomach drop. It was just like the one from my dream so many months ago. The familiar feeling of fear came rushing back to me. I felt like throwing up. I grabbed on to Chase for support.

"We don't have to," he said, seeing my dizziness.

"No," I said, standing up straight. "I can't let those damned dreams run my life." I got in line for the ride. Thinking about all the shit that had happened to me in just a mere year. I met Chase, I fell in love, a ran away from my wedding, I traveled the US with crazy nightmares, those nightmares came to life, I went to jail, and now I'm here. But that's only a few events. So much more happened between those.

I met Dallas, I almost killed myself, I protested, I led a march, I broke my leg and still so much more.

But here I am, about to face one of my biggest fears.

And I feel damn proud of myself.

As the line got shorted and as I got closer to a thing that—to me—represented death, I got more scared. I didn't back down though. I would never back down again.

An employee unloaded the previous riders and loaded new riders on. We all got in our seats and safety harnessed. An announcement came on the intercom giving us rules and other boring stuff. I double checked my harness. Just as we started climbing the ride, my harness came unlocked. I couldn't lock it again.

I watched as the ground got smaller and smaller. We were at the top and my heart was beating out of my chest. I couldn't breathe.

And we dropped.

And I flew up.

I watched as Chase screamed at me, "Scarlett!" I watched as the crowd gasped. I felt my heart calm as I started dropping towards the ground. My back was down and I saw as Chase screamed, reaching for me. I closed my eyes seconds before my back hit the solid pavement.

For a second there, with my eyes closed, still in free fall, I was at peace.

It's all coming to an end, Scarlett. All this hell, it's over.

In my last dying breath, I uttered the words, "Meet you there."

And that was that.

I was dead.