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With that, they both turn and walk out, leaving her body to taunt me.
“H-hello,” I whisper, hoping like hell she’ll answer me. She doesn’t. Nobody could survive what I just witnessed. She’s dead, and I’m alone again.
I lie down on the cold, hard ground and wait for whatever’s to come. My will to live slips away minute by minute. Tears no longer come, and even the shaking has stopped. Numbness envelops me like a security blanket.
I walk slowly down the deserted hallway, leading the gurney carrying Maggie’s body to the morgue. The grey walls close in on me as the black-and-white-checkered floors seem to vibrate under my feet. My pace remains slow and steady. I’m in no hurry to deliver my sister to the coroner. The thin white sheet that covers her body begins to slip away and I don’t even try to stop it. It’s as though I’m frozen and the only function I’m capable of is walking. My eyes lower and widen when they see Maggie’s pallid skin.
I want to reach out and stroke her cheek, like I used to when we were kids and she was scared. But I don’t. I can’t. I have to continue moving forward.
When we get to a large metal door, my feet stop. I walk around the side of the gurney to open the door, but before I get there, a cold hand grips my elbow. I stiffen, looking over my shoulder, but no one is there. My body pivots toward the gurney and when my eyes lower, they meet Maggie’s. They’re open and penetrating.
“They’re coming for you, Marina. Run.”
* * *
When I wake hours later, I’m still lying in the fetal position, shaking and cold. The disturbing dream I had left me even more frightened. My thirst is beginning to wear on me, and so are the millions of unanswered questions filtering through my head. Will I ever see the light of day again? Do I even care at this point? My mind wages a war against itself. One part wants to give up, while the other is screaming for me to survive.
The sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hall has me pulling myself to a seated position. I watch as Ramsey drags the girl’s lifeless body down the long corridor. Not a drop of blood is anywhere to be seen.He drained her.Sarcos approaches my cell. I whimper in fear as he nears. I slam my eyes shut, not wanting to see what happens next. The door opens and closes very quickly. I dare a peek, and my body sags in relief upon realizing the man brought food and water and is now gone.
I scramble toward the water and gulp greedily as it trickles down my chin. Within seconds I’ve drained the container, moaning at the need for more. It was barely enough to wet my dry mouth. My eyes catch the plate of mush, and without thinking I shovel it in. It’s not long before I am retching in the corner, having eaten too fast and too much. The smell of my own vomit causes dry heaves to wreak havoc on my body. I swipe at my mouth and cringe at the vomit coating my hands.
The creaking of my door has me looking over my shoulders. I gasp at the pale man hovering over me. His eyes seem to glow red and I freeze.
“You should eat slowly. The next time I won’t clean up your mess.” He growls, throwing a bucket of water over top of the vomit.
Another pail of water is placed in my cell, and he leaves. This time I sip slowly, hoping that my stomach can handle the contents. Hours tick by in the quiet of the dungeon. One could lose their mind in this silence. I’m forced to sit in this cell alone, replaying the horrific events of the girl’s death over and over again in my head.He bit her.
She was drained of blood, just like all of the people from my nightmares growing up. My body shivers as I recall the girl’s words from earlier.
They’re not human.
I’ve been without food and water for so long, I’m hallucinating. Maybe none of that really happened? Perhaps it’s my suppressed memories from a traumatic childhood resurfacing and playing tricks.
It happened. Keep your head down and remain quiet. You’ll be okay.
The voice in my head sounds like Maggie’s.
“Maggie?” I say quietly.
It’ll be okay, Marina.
I go to sleep that night tired, defeated, and utterly heartbroken. It’s not normal to hear your missing sister in your head. Maggie and I had a bond that transcended this world. We both saw things that others said didn’t exist. We both felt the presence of things not of this world, yet telepathy was not something we shared. If Maggie is dead, I have no doubt she’d try to contact me from the netherworld. I’m hearing Maggie’s voice in my head, which leads me to conclude they were all right.
She’s dead.
Chapter Four
I don’t know how much time has passed since I’ve seen another person. It could be days, weeks, or only hours, but a commotion at the end of the hall has me springing to my feet and pressing my head to the bars. Girls of all ages, ethnicities, and sizes are brought down in chains. Some are crying, others shouting, and a few hanging their heads in defeat. I watch as they’re herded one by one into individual cells. The doors clank shut heavily behind them. The soft cries of my new companions are abnormally comforting.
Apsstfrom the cell next to mine has my back straightening.
“Where are we?” a girl who looks to be around my age demands.
Angry, swollen welts pepper the girl’s dark skin.
“What happened to you?”
“I fought those bastards when they first grabbed me.” Her voice is hard. “When I broke free, they threw some type of whip that coiled around my arm. It hurt so bad. I couldn’t get away.” Tears pool in her eyes, but she wipes them away harshly. “What do they want with us?”
