Chained - Jenlisa

My World

 

Bright lights shine through the slits my eyelids make and I gurgle in pain. There's something stuck in my mouth. My fingers twitch and I feel a knitted blanket rub over the back of my hands. It smells like antiseptic all around and there are beeps and whines of machines everywhere. Nothing feels right, everything feels wrong.
 

Heavy footsteps came near and my instincts kick in, but I end up only wriggling like a worm rather than lashing out as intended. Then, a woman says from beside me, "Whoa, hey. You're fine." She sounds so familiar. "Remember me? Warrior woman? I'm here to help. Relax... Relax... That's better. You're fine..."
 
 
Strange sounds come from me as I try to communicate and my head starts to hurt. Then a gentle hand touches my chest and I accept it, shutting my eyes to drift off into darkness.

 

This time the lights aren't so bright and I can open my eyes a little wider. I drop my jaw and shift it, feeling sore, but not finding anything in my mouth. I could have sworn there was something there before.
 
 
"Hey, hey," someone whispers. "She's awake."

 
I roll my head to the side and find Jisoo and a sleeping Rosé sitting in uncomfortable looking chairs. Jisoo stops prodding Rosé then looks at me, a wide smile on her face. I smile back, mine lazy, and she laughs.
 
 
"We thought you'd never wake up," she says, moving closer to me. "Well, they thought you'd never wake up. Maybe I did, a little, but you're a strong lass. I knew you'd eventually pop back up."
 
 
My mouth is dry when I try to talk so I wet my mouth the best I can, but it's hard. Jisoo notices and turns, then comes back to me with a cup of water. She gently pokes the bendy straw at my lips and lets me take slow, shaky sips.
 
 
"Feel better?"
 
 
I nod and swallow. "Wha- what happened?"
 
Jisoo takes the water cup away from me then grins. "It was nuts. First of all, I came back to the apartment and everything was blown up. Sandara went into panic mode and had to make a hundred calls to cover it up. The people in the other apartments think you screwed up dinner, by the way, but moving on. You were missing and you can imagine how that went down with the big fish at the Facility."
 
 
I shift up a little and continue to listen. I wondered what happened back at home, and now I know. I'm sure Boonluang will never let me live it down.
 
 
"-and I said to put a chip in you, but no, that wasn't 'right.'" Jisoo snorts and waves her hand. "We would have found you a whole lot faster if you had that chip, I'm telling you. But I digress. You were missing for, like, three days. What happened to you with those people, anyway?"
 
My eyes flick to Rosé as she stirs in her sleep, then her eyes flutter open thanks to Jisoo's enthusiasm.
 
 
She jerks in her chair and Jisoo turns to look at her.
 
 
"You're awake!" Rosé exclaims excitedly at me. She wipes the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she grumbles at Jisoo.
 
 
"I tried," Jisoo murmurs. "But you can be mad later. Lisa was about to tell me what happened to her with those crazy people."
 
 
Rosé moves to Jisoo's side and gazes down at me. "You don't have to say anything if it's too painful for you."
 

"It's okay," I say softly. I move to sit up but my whole body feels stiff and unused. With a quick full body shimmy I stretch out everything and make Rosé giggle. It feels good to be moving again but I'm curious as to how long I've been stuck in bed.
 

"So what happened?" Jisoo asks, pulling her chair close so she can sit but still be in my face. The act earns her a glare from Rosé, who sits down, too, anyway.
 
 
I roll my shoulders and push a pillow under my lower back. "They kept me locked up in a cage the whole time. There isn't a lot to tell."
 
 
Jisoo makes a funny face. "Why didn't you break out of it?"
 
 
"It was laced with defensive magic. It burned me every time I touched it, and it couldn't be opened without a blessed key."
 
 
"That's so cool," Jisoo whispers. Then she shuts her mouth when Rosé discretely swipes at her without actually making contact.
 
 
I smile softly, understanding Jisoo's wonder with magic. "It wasn't all bad. I met a very charming vampire."
 
 
"You didn't," Jisoo gasps.
 
 
"I did." But then reality kicks in. He was one of the many to survive only a short time in captivity. "He, well..."