The Marked People

(7) The glass cube

Indigo

When my mind first comes back into consciousness I remark that I didn't have any nightmares. This kick starts my thoughts as to why I didn't have any and soon the recent events come to mind.I remember the collar and then falling asleep as faces watched me. 

I bolt up in bed my eyes taking in everything by instinct. I'm in a large bed with soft white blankets over the top of me. About ten meters away, in another bed a marked person is asleep. Something between us catches my eye and I slowly make it out to be glass.

I quietly get up and walk to the glass. Following it with my eyes I see that it makes up a large glass cube, complete with a glass ceiling. I notice that at one of the walls, the glass curves back to the wall making a tunnel. I walk through the tunnel and find a wooden door. Opening it, I step through to a bathroom.

Each wall is glass again but on the outside large curtains are hung across the glass to give me privacy. I'm now confused as to why they would make a bathroom out if glass only to cover it. I smirk, if normal building material can't hold me why would glass? The idea of cutting myself is appealing  so I go back to the bed to grab something to wrap around my fist.

As I walk back into the bedroom I notice the other furniture. A large black leather couch with a modern looking coffee table that sits in front of it is in one corner. There are a few indoor plants that are dotted around the space, adding a a tinge of colour to the otherwise quite sleek and neutral room. In the corner is a large wardrobe that is again very modern that sits next to a bookshelf crammed full of books. As I look at the furnishings I notice that the whole time I've been fingering the metal collar around my neck.

I head back into the bathroom where a floor length mirror hangs and inspect the collar. It's made out of a shiny metal that seems to have no end or start. There is no catch or lock that can undo and I can only fit about three fingers between it and my neck. The metal itself is thinner than my finger but strong. I try to snap it off but the metal doesn't budge.

I give up and instead focus on smashing the glass. I quickly wrap the sheet around my fist and before I can think about the pain I punch the glass. My hand crumples as the force I use flattens it and I scream in pain, splinters of fire racing up my hand. The glass seems unaffected by my punch but the boy jolts awake by my scream. Obviously this glass isn't sound proof.

I scream again as my shattered bones wriggle around each other trying to find their correct place, the process almost as painful as the initial punch. The boy is rubbing his eyes and I see his tail flick reminding me he's the enemy. He looks at me and his mouth opens in shock as he takes in my crushed hand. He jumps out of bed in nothing but a pair of boxers and approaches the glass which parts like liquid as he slips through.

Even through my pain I notice how the glass moves, a once solid shape seeming to bow down before him. "Here let me help you, I know first aid," he says taking a step towards me.

I back up until my knees hit the bed behind me, "Get away!" I hiss as he moves forwards.

He stops and calmly says, " I want to help you that's all," as he says it I feel the bones settle and begin to mend, joining together.

The muscle around the bones starts to heal. " If you want to help, get me out of here," I demand as I hide my injured hand behind my back.

I've already decided that he must know a combination or have a key that makes the glass move. He shakes his head " lets look at your hand first." I pretend to think about this before reluctantly moving forward as if to show him my hand.

When I'm in touching distance I hold my hand out for him to see. His eyes widen as they take in the mostly healed hand and as quick as a snake I grab his arm and wrap it around and behind his back, wincing as my hand shrieks at being used again so soon. " now tell me how to get out of here." I say into his ear, my tone that of a viper.