I Would Want To See You One Last Time.

Piece 10

              It's like I blinked and I was there. A dark room with only one light above us. Maria's face was close to mine, but not in the way I wanted it to be. The light that was hitting her face was on her nose, her teeth and eyes looked like they were slightly glowing. I saw her smiling with intimidatingly needle-sharp canines. As my eyes adjusted more to the darkness, I could see her dark eyes contrasting with the grey in the whites of her eyes. I could see small details of her, like the tiny scar on her right cheekbone, and the smell of her shampoo, it all too felt real. It looks like a dream but it feels too real. The light starts to blink, making her eyes flicker with them.

              I stare at them as she stares through mine, looking at me like I wasn't human. A piece of meat to her. Predator and prey, and I was the prey. The light hung on for a moment longer and I watched her break out into a laugh, starting at a giggle, to chuckling, to laughing as if I was the most hilarious thing. I looked away out of being uncomfortable and unable to move. I realized that not long after I realized I was in this situation. I feel her grab my upper elbow and that's when I watch her again. She moved so quickly that all I could feel was the pain before I could even turn my head to look at her. The pain was sharp, deep, and felt like multiple stabs in my shoulder. I quickly turn my head away from her, the last attempt to move. The pain wouldn't stop, wouldn't get better. I feel her cold angry breaths through her nose on my shoulder blade, with the tight grips around my forearms. I shut my eyes hard, hoping it would all just be over.

              My vision takes a moment to clear when I open my eyes. When I could finally see, I realized that I wasn't in my own room, I was in Maria's. I lay on my back and stared at her ceiling like I had just woken up from a coma. While slowly blinking, I turn my head to the side where her door is. I watch it, expecting someone to walk in. I hear footsteps outside the door, one sounds like heels and one sounds like lighter footsteps following while talking. Then, the footsteps come back and the door starts opening. Panic strikes me for a second then Maria enters the room.

             She looks surprised then says, "You're awake!" in a happy tone."I wasn't sure if you would wake up today." She sat next to me, smiling. Looking happy to see me.

             "Good morning," I say while sliding myself up against the headboard in a sitting position. Maria scoots closer to me, making her face closer to mine. I break eye contact because she's so close.

              "Are you hungry? Do you want breakfast? You probably need to eat." She says.

              "Uh, yeah," I say with a yawn and Maria stands up. "What happened yesterday?"

              "What do you want? There's pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, what are you feeling?" She says, completely skipping over my question.

              "I'll take some of all. Maria," She cuts me off.

              "Okay, I'll get it. You stay here." She bends and kisses my cheek before leaving. I'm sitting there flabbergasted. I reach a hand up to my shoulder and feel nothing. Not even the slightest bit of pain. It doesn't feel like there was ever any wound at all. After a minute of staring at the wall, and zoning out, I pull the covers up and slide back into bed, burying myself in the heavy blanket.

              The door swings open and I jump up in shock. In my half-asleep haze, I see Maria with a plate full of food and a glass of water.

              "I didn't know how much you wanted so I just got you a fair amount of it all. If you want more of something, just let me know. Okay?" She says with a happy smile. Seeing her smile makes me smile.