Awaken

Chapter 1

Sights. A thick, shadowy, charcoal cloud of pollution effortlessly seeped in through the frail window pane consuming the upper half of the room. The remains of crusted, chipped paint that had fallen from the walls dispersed across the floor in random patterns. The noticeable discolorations in nearly all of the furniture pieces prominently displayed its age. The numerous rips and tears in the distraught bed comforter added to the dingy aesthetic of the room.

Sounds. The occasional noise of tires screeching momentarily drowned out the silence pouring in from the city streets. A repetitive thumping sequence dinged around in my subconscious ears from my chest growing in volume with each elevated level of focus. The hardly audible metallic vibrations originated from the corroded air conditioner that resided in the corner.

Smells. A protruding sour, petroleum, burnt stench infiltrated my nostrils with distinctive force like a freshly lit candle. There was a light, musty undertone that just escaped the forefront of my awareness that was emerging from behind the dark baseboard.

My brief examination of the existing surroundings closely resembled that of the beginning of a virtual reality video game. Clear, concise, and informative. The narrow field of vision I once obtained broadened out to include every combined aspect of life through my brown eyes. It took me a moment to recollect my facets before I discerned the footsteps nearing my direction. Immediately, I arched upward into a slightly defensive seated position. A young, fair-skinned female entered to my left dressed explicitly like that of a high-fashioned businesswoman who dreaded the thought of sporting anything other than designer brands.

"Ms. Geneva?" Her face never faltered despite my lack of a response. My adrenaline levels heightened during the succeeding three steps taken after her inquiry. "My name is Elizabeth. I have been instructed to accompany you for the time being."

"Who do you work for?" My words hurriedly escaped my mouth and abruptly cut her heavily accented statement short. It didn't take much for my patience to lessen. This woman was dire proof of that.

"The government Miss. They have explicitly ordered for me to safely escort you to your estate."

The gears in my brain began to turn. "What estate?"

"You have recently acquired a tremendous amount of fortune, Ms. Geneva." She spoke with the drab, lackluster tone that mimicked a mishandled infomercial. "Included in said fortune is a ten-thousand square foot property that lies on 4 acres of land overlooking the city. It's really quite a sight."

A multitude of questions popped into my head, none of which I assumed she knew the answer to. The ambivalent emotions that slithered throughout my body in the few seconds that preceded my next interrogation must've been easily perceivable due to the concerned countenance Elizabeth displayed.

"Listen lady, I don't wanna be rude, but I'm completely clueless as to whatever scheme you're trying to pull off on me. I have no recollection as to where I am right now. I don't have any wealthy family members to acquire any fortune from. How do you expect me to trust that anything you're saying is factual?"

I took notice of how uncomfortable she became in this conflicting moment. She retracted her steps and her eyes enlarged like a deer caught in headlights. She was effortlessly susceptible to pressure. "Ms.-Ms. Geneva, please. I am not capable of providing you with the information that you want. I am simply just the messenger following orders. If you just please come with me, I am sure your questions will get answered."

A small piece of me wanted to continue to tease the young woman with the conflict she so desperately tried to avoid. A larger, more inquisitive portion longed for a solution to this complex problem.