Being Anna Marie

Being Anna Marie part 3

“I’ll come get you in an hour for recreation time,” Maria spoke softly while leading me into my cell, her voice slightly worried at my continued silence.

My hand rose, running the cold silver cross along my fingers, my eyes never leaving the barred in glass. Outside a beautiful day resumed as if to scorn the actions that resulted in my being here, as if to further reiterate my forever caged soul. I could feel the warmth of the sun against my skin, and yet instead of comforting me it felt like a slap against my cheek for I knew there was no way I would ever be allowed beyond these four walls. My eyes wandered over the sterile blank emptiness of my room knowing all it lacked were the padding. No matter how friendly Maria appeared to be I had to remember I was still enclosed in this prison, I was still surrounded by those who were a danger to others, a danger to themselves. A lock still remained on my door, and I still had no way of obtaining a key.

“I know you told him.”

I felt Maria pause even though I did not turn to face her. “What do you mean Anna?”

“You told him that you heard me speaking to someone when you knew I was alone,” I said calmly as slowly I turned to look at her. My brown eyes were dead, my voice flat, emotionless. I watched in silence as sweat trickled from her brow even though the chill in the air should have made that impossible. She swallowed nervously and I realized no matter how many kind words opinions never changed. Maria was afraid of me when I had arrived and little had changed since. I could practically hear her heart pounding in her chest.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she lied.

My brow rose condescendingly, my eyes already seeing through her lies, pass the false sense of calm she wanted me to believe.

“Dr. Thompson was scared of Anna Marie for a reason. I’ve never seen that look on his face before. They found that missing nurse and I know Anna led them to her body but the things she said; the things that happened to that poor woman were just plain evil. And evil never resided in these walls until she came here. I don’t care what anyone says there’s something wrong with this little girl. Di meliora.”

“Do you think it possible to talk to the dead, Maria?”

“Do you mean in a prayer?” she whispered, her eyes never wavering from mine.

I looked down at my cross, tears coming to my eyes, “Sometimes I wonder if anyone hears the prayers spoken in silence.”

Her hand reached out to brush against my chin, her grasp making my gaze return to hers, but as her skin came into contact with mine I saw her eyes widen in surprise. Her mouth fell open in fear. I saw tears flood her sight, her skin quickly lose its color, her breath coming in small pants as if the very act of breathing was more than her body could seem to fathom.

I watched the tears puddle over her lids, falling in ragged paths down her cheeks before the very image of her disappeared all together, and as if suddenly sightless I found that in its place I saw nothing but darkness. A bright light suddenly blinded me and I raised my hand to shield my face, but as I looked down I saw my hand was not my own.

“There you are! Think you can fucking hide from me!” a man yelled, his form unexpectedly blocking the light the shone around him. His clothes were dirty, he smelled of alcohol and filth, and in his hand laid an open bottle already more than half empty.

He advanced towards me and I felt myself cower further back against the wall behind me which only seemed to piss him off more. His hand clutched a clump of my long hair pulling with such force that I cried out as he physically pulled at my small form, knocking hangers that I never realized rested above me to the floor.