Laying my head on the cool, hard table, I sobbed as I cried harder than I’ve ever cried in my life.
Alien?! That’s what he called me…an alien.
It’s funny how the things that we think are basic rights in life like going to school, money and especially freedom can be taken away so quickly.
In one breath, I’d been stripped of my former identity, my life…my humanity.
With all deaths, there is at least that recognition of something fading away from existence. Like a candle in the wind, someone’s life can be snuffed out, but there is always that tiny ember of light left behind, a warmth or acknowledgement.
Something.
My life, my former existence…was gone, leaving no trace, no warmth inside me. Just the knowledge that I’d once lived amongst the human race, as one of them, naïve to my true identity.
As I lay in a puddle of my own tears, wondering what I was, something inside of me…died.
My bloodshot amber eyes stared back at me in the mirror, dark circles pooled beneath them like ashen sediment. I was certain I looked at least five years older than I did only a few days before. Several strands of my black hair were matted with dried blood and hung like dreadlocks around my face.
I desperately needed a shower and fresh clothes. For a split second I compared this facility to a concentration camp, but then decided that I shouldn’t allow myself that much pity.
Knocking lightly on my cell door, I hoped to get the attention of the guards. After twenty minutes, however, I realized that either no one was out there or they were ignoring me.
Huddling in the center of my bloodstained white cot, I hugged my knees and tried to imagine myself somewhere else.
Anywhere but here.
Exhausted, even my imagination was too tired to cooperate.
Lying down on the pillow with the hum of the fluorescent lights above me, I succumbed to sleep.
The dream began instantly, only this time…I was being hunted.
The blistering sun was settling behind a sharp cliff to the west. With each step I took, hot sand pressed into the base of my bare feet and forced its way between my toes.
Licking my lips, I felt the grooves where the skin had split apart. Tiny grains of sand had nestled themselves behind my eyelids, every blink initiated a scraping sensation against my sensitive eyeballs.
The hot dry air filled my lungs with parched oxygen as I moved forward into the unfriendly desert. Ahead of me was a vast, bronze landscape sparsely littered with indestructible cacti and orphaned boulders.
With darkness settling over the land, the shadows began to own the night.
Mournful howls wailed in the distance as though announcing the end of the day and trumpeting the arrival of the evening. A light wind snaked over the contours of the land, quickly cooling the air around me. In a short time, I went from sweating profusely to shivering as the night air clung to my damp clothing.
Paranoid, my eyes scanned for movement behind every rock and brush. I knew they were out there, somewhere, lurking in shadows, searching for me. Like vampires lusting for my blood, the men in black stalked me, craved me…hated me.
The cave.
I had to find the cave.
This time, it was for refuge as much as it was for unveiling its secrets. Wrapping my arms around myself, I forced my tired legs forward. Shuffling through the cooling sand, I winced as I wondered if this was the step that would settle on a wayward scorpion. The laughter of coyotes assaulted my ears as I sensed them closing in on me.
A soft, warm light in the distance sent a rush of relief throughout my body. I picked up the pace as I recognized the mouth of the cave.
The glow within the cave soothed my aching soul. Flickers of light danced upon the walls like a midnight waltz, tenderly coaxing me in to rest my weary head. Holding myself up with the jagged surface of the cavern wall, I walked carefully over the rocky floor.
The wind whistled a haunting tune that echoed throughout the labyrinth of the cave. A large fire had been made by unknown hands; I seated myself in front of it and warmed my chilled body. Searching the walls with weary eyes, I noted the familiar number painted upon the walls.
II.
Always the Roman numeral two.
As I sat before the blaze, a sensation of being watched suddenly pervaded me. Glancing slowly around, I saw nothing, but still, the paranoia persisted.
Shivering and hugging myself, I waited for the unknown. I somehow knew it was only a matter of time before they found me.
It was then that I saw the figure.
Large and distinctly male, it made its way from the shadows towards me. Nearing the illumination of the fire, I strained to see his face. My heart pounded as I wondered if he were the enemy, one of the dark men who wanted me caged.
His hands outstretched, he reached as though to grab me!
Leaning from his grasp, it was then that the attack came from behind! Hard and forceful arms embraced me in a death grip and pulled me away from the man.
Looking back at the dark figure and his gentle arms outstretched for me, I realized—he cared for me.
Who was he?
Struggling within my dream, my consciousness flooded back to reality. Confused, I continued to fend off strong arms holding me down. Prying my tired eyes open, I realized that the dream—the nightmare—wasn’t over.
Holding my wrists with a crushing force and sitting atop my torso was a new enemy.
Agent Meyers.
The Velcro straps made a loud ripping noise as he adjusted the band on my left wrist. He’d already managed to secure my feet to the bed while I was sleeping. Sitting on my chest, he had my right hand pinned under his knee.
“Hello freak.” His voice was hushed and drenched in malicious intent.
Anger ripped through me with the word ‘freak’ and I began bucking my hips wildly in attempts to throw him off. Growling and snarling, I opened my mouth wide to scream. I needed to get the attention of anyone outside the door. My greatest hope was that Keanu was nearby and would save me.
Slamming his hand over my mouth, Meyers leaned over and whispered in my ear, his voice low and the heat from his breath brushing past my skin. “Shhhh…you wouldn’t want to ruin the party, would you?”
Pulling a roll of duct tape from inside his suit jacket, he held my mouth with one hand and with the other he pulled a piece of tape free and ripped it with his teeth.
Realizing the danger I was in and what his intentions were, I struggled with every ounce of energy I had. I cursed his strength as he placed the tape over my mouth and then proceeded to lock my right hand into the Velcro tieback.
“There, that’s better.” Climbing off of me, his dark blue eyes scanned my body, pausing on my chest. Fear overwhelmed me as my anxiety peaked. My breath came in short, uncontrolled spurts as tears flooded out of my eyes.
“Pity they didn’t clean you up first. Oh well, I’m not picky.” A Cheshire smile crept across his face as his fingers walked up the top of my thigh and slid across my stomach.
His baby face made him the perfect unsuspecting predator.
Adrenaline fired and I felt my eyes get very wide. He seemed to read my thoughts utilizing my expression of terror. “That’s right freak, I’m going show you the way humans do it, won’t that be nice.”
Oh god! He’s going to rape me!
Shaking my head vehemently from side to side and thrashing my body back and forth, I protested with every ounce of energy I had left.
Reaching down to his ankle, he produced a knife from under his black pant leg.
“You be a good little freak and you just might live through this.” He stated as he glided the blade along the inside of my thigh, past my stomach and up to my neck.