A Girl Named Cactus

t w o

My name isn't Opal anymore.

I wasn't the same.

Neither is that guy next to me, or that girl across reading an old Vogue magazine.

If I could compare myself to Opal, if she was even alive, there was a difference. But I'm still Opal.

The room I sit in now reminds me of a hospital waiting room. Maybe it is. The last time I was in one was when my aunt was injured in a car crash.

The boring grey walls always mock me. As if it was challenging me to a staring contest. It always beat me. I'm 14 now. I think.

My childhood is a faint fog, disappearing from my grasp on reality. I do remember things now and then, like my time in the waiting room of the hospital, but nothing important. They only erase important memories. I don't know what important means to them.

And who are they, you ask? Well it's the giants who put syringes in kids necks, you can spot a few near the doorway. After I was injected with blue fluids, I lived in a house alone, with no windows, no way out. For 2 years. It was a replica of my old house. Maybe it was my old house, and they did some kind of magic like in Harry Potter. Sadly I will never remember any other books. The "giants" came from the ceiling this time, and injected me with blue fluid. As you guessed, in my neck. This burned for a while, then cooled down, then lit on fire.

I'm now in a waiting room with other 14 year olds. I don't want to ask them why I'm here. They seem pretty calm about this though. One of them looks like he's on something so I'll skip him...

But there's that girl reading a magazine across from me, I should ask her. No, what if she totally just ignores you like everyone else?

"Lucas Clem Klohds. Number three nine two. " it was an older lady's voice, raspy and quiet, over the intercom. I was number three nine zero. He was going to sit by my right side. Maybe he'll know a few things. Maybe he has his whole memory erased.

The armored "Giants" both held up a lanky boy, with curly platinum blonde hair. It probably takes a while for him to wake up. Then you have the worst migraine you'd ever thought of. Your mind is telling you to not walk around. Hurts.

"Clarissa Giana Timber, number three eight eight, come to the red doors up front."

Clarissa, the girl across from me, lays her magazine on the chair, and stood up. She walked as if she was on some kind of catwalk, gracefully, as if she knew that she was going to be sent off to paradise. I forgot they were calling names. I tuned them all out. Except for Lucas?

Lucas Clem Klohds.. Sounds familiar. Maybe he was born in my neighborhood. Maybe I had a friend with the same name. I'll have to ask if when he wakes up.

I took a glance at him, interrupting my staring session with the wall. He was slumped over, in what looked like some pjs. And holding something in his hand. Some kind of paper/cord/fabric wad thing. It might be his personal stuff, okay Opal? Do not touch his stuff.

"Opal Hessia Otis. Number three nine zero. Come to the red door up front." The raspy voice broke my concentration. I don't think my middle name was Hessia or my last name Otis. Forgot about that part. And I probably won't be able to see Lucas to find out anyways. Tugging on the fabric wad, it finally came from under his grasp, I stored it in my pocket. I knew all the kids were staring at me, but they won't see anything different from the last person.

The red doors swung open, revealing a table and two chairs on either side. With the old lady and her intercom speaker. I was hoping for a change of color too, but more grey walls.

"Choose."

The voice was quiet, as she was sifting through other words to say, two more of the bulky giants placed 3 wooden bowls on the table. The first one, held soup. I forgot how hungry I was. I was tempted to yank it off the table. And then the second, was filled with knives, guns, just small ones, things for protection. But what if the knives were actually dull? Or the guns weren't loaded? And the third, held a bag. It was leather. This probably was the best choice.

"Take it and leave through those doors." Her annoyed tone commanded.

I carefully took the satchel by its strings, pulling on it, and placed the fabric wad from Lucas in the inside pocket.

I stepped forward to the doors behind the old woman, and it felt as if the walls were crashing down with me every step. And the giants were too.

I already felt the sting of the blue liquid. But it wasn't blue liquid this time. I saw it. It was red.

~sorry I have short chapters. But I'll have many out faster than you know it, right? Also sorry if I have any misspellings or I'm terrible at writing. Give me feedback, okay?

Okay.  ~