And she lied.
There was an eerie silence when I awoke. Although my surroundings were familiar I had no recollection of how I'd arrived. Attempting to sit up I pushed backwards and my arm felt like a dead weight by my side. Looking down I understood why, they had encased me in some sort of metal brace. At the end where my fingers should have been was a chain running from the bracelet and connecting me to the floor.
"Great!" I thought aloud.
My voice echoed through the emptiness and once again I was struck by the resounding silence. A shiver ran down my spine. I tugged at the chain and it crashed against the floor clanging loudly in the small space I inhabited. The chain was thick and heavy, no way could I cut through it, even if I could find something to saw with! No, there was only one other option, I'd have to pull free of the bracelet.
Setting my jaw I twisted my arm and pulled with all my might. Pain seared through my bone and my skin burned against the rusting cast. A whimper escaped my mouth and I lay back scrunching up my face in an attempt not to cry. I had to be strong, to face whatever lay beyond the door in the quiet world outside. Biting down hard I pulled again and felt the slip of skin against metal, it was working!
After a few more moments of intense pain and teeth grinding I was free, though my arm didn't look or feel any better for it. Pushing my hurt from my mind I approached the door. In their absolute faith in my being bound by the chains my captors had failed to lock the main door. I was out in the corridor in the blink of an eye. Whipping my head around there was no one in sight. Slowly, I made my way towards an opening where a faint light glowed.
Stairs. I descended as quietly as I could but the slap of naked feet on cold stone was difficult to muffle. As I reached the bottom a noise broke the steady stream of nothingness and I froze.
The light was originating from a room directly in front of me, as was the sound. Interrupted breathing. I listened intently, then came another. Someone was crying. Stifling sobs on the other side of the door. Creeping over I pushed hoping this door too would be unlocked. The hinges gave beneath my soft touch and created a gap, just wide enough for me to see through.
'Mum!' I thought, fighting myself to go through and aid her. Her back was to me but I knew it was her, probably tied to the chair while they tortured her for information. I waited for the culprits to show their faces but no-one appeared.
'It could be a trap.' My mind suggested. Even so, I couldn't leave her there. I plucked up the courage to enter, sticking to the shadows and surveying the room. She sobbed again, hard. I swallowed.
"Mum!" I whispered.
In a flash she whipped her head round and wiped her eyes.
"How long have you been there?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" I replied.
"You should be in bed. Oh Allison what the hell have you done to your cast?" she raged seeing my naked arm.
"Oh, about that," I started.
"No. No more stories about being held prisoner! I've had enough of your games. Get your coat, we'll have to go back to the hospital and get you a new cast straight away!"
"What's that?" I asked noticing the slip of paper on the table.
"Nothing." She said too quickly, "Now, get your coat."
"Great!" I thought aloud.
My voice echoed through the emptiness and once again I was struck by the resounding silence. A shiver ran down my spine. I tugged at the chain and it crashed against the floor clanging loudly in the small space I inhabited. The chain was thick and heavy, no way could I cut through it, even if I could find something to saw with! No, there was only one other option, I'd have to pull free of the bracelet.
Setting my jaw I twisted my arm and pulled with all my might. Pain seared through my bone and my skin burned against the rusting cast. A whimper escaped my mouth and I lay back scrunching up my face in an attempt not to cry. I had to be strong, to face whatever lay beyond the door in the quiet world outside. Biting down hard I pulled again and felt the slip of skin against metal, it was working!
After a few more moments of intense pain and teeth grinding I was free, though my arm didn't look or feel any better for it. Pushing my hurt from my mind I approached the door. In their absolute faith in my being bound by the chains my captors had failed to lock the main door. I was out in the corridor in the blink of an eye. Whipping my head around there was no one in sight. Slowly, I made my way towards an opening where a faint light glowed.
Stairs. I descended as quietly as I could but the slap of naked feet on cold stone was difficult to muffle. As I reached the bottom a noise broke the steady stream of nothingness and I froze.
The light was originating from a room directly in front of me, as was the sound. Interrupted breathing. I listened intently, then came another. Someone was crying. Stifling sobs on the other side of the door. Creeping over I pushed hoping this door too would be unlocked. The hinges gave beneath my soft touch and created a gap, just wide enough for me to see through.
'Mum!' I thought, fighting myself to go through and aid her. Her back was to me but I knew it was her, probably tied to the chair while they tortured her for information. I waited for the culprits to show their faces but no-one appeared.
'It could be a trap.' My mind suggested. Even so, I couldn't leave her there. I plucked up the courage to enter, sticking to the shadows and surveying the room. She sobbed again, hard. I swallowed.
"Mum!" I whispered.
In a flash she whipped her head round and wiped her eyes.
"How long have you been there?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" I replied.
"You should be in bed. Oh Allison what the hell have you done to your cast?" she raged seeing my naked arm.
"Oh, about that," I started.
"No. No more stories about being held prisoner! I've had enough of your games. Get your coat, we'll have to go back to the hospital and get you a new cast straight away!"
"What's that?" I asked noticing the slip of paper on the table.
"Nothing." She said too quickly, "Now, get your coat."
Allison Crane (And she lied-issue five), copyright of Lucy Holland. 08.04.2014
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