“Come, join me,” he said, patting the spot next to him.
I reluctantly approached, sat down, and laid my back against the metal as water seeped into my shirt.
“This is unlike any dream I’ve ever had,” I said, shutting my eyes.
“Oh, this is no dream,” he replied.
“It’s a Mortal Night. I get hurt and still the wounds heal,” I said. “It must be a dream.”
“You’re under the impression that you’re faring well in this battle,” he said.
“Well, I’ve made it this far. I don’t know what could be worse than what I’ve already endured.”
“Should you live, Danielle, you will carry the wounds you receive today for the rest of your life,” he said, looking back at me.
“Why are you doing this to me?” I asked.
“I’m not doing anything. I’m merely a representation of Franklin, but I could be anyone,” he said.
“I wish you were Caleb,” I said.
“You say that, but if I were Caleb, and you did survive, you wouldn’t be able to tolerate his presence if he was the one who inflicted the things I have and will continue to inflict on you.”
“I’m going to make it out,” I said.
“Take a look,” Franklin said. I sat up. He pointed towards a puddle next to the slide, “You’re barely hanging on as it is.”
As I looked into the puddle, I saw a vision of myself. I was back at the hospital where Franklin held me captive. I surveyed myself, still chained to the chair. My body had drained of all color and invisible seams in my skin seemed to have begun to tear. Blood was coming out of my ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. I watched my body convulse in pain. I watched Caro reach for me.
‘That’s enough! We need to stop this!’ she shouted at Franklin. Franklin backhanded her and she collapsed to the ground.
‘There is no way to stop it!’ Franklin said.
‘Someone’s coming,’ said Franklin’s security guard.
“They found me. Law, and the others. They’ll get me out of this,” I said, looking at the water as the vision faded out.
“There is no way to be ‘saved’ from this, Danielle,” Franklin said. “There’s only one way in and one of two ways out. Either endure the remainder of what your mind has in store for you- or you walk through that door.”
Franklin pointed at the wooden door which had appeared once more. It stood alone in the middle of the park, suspended in air.
“I can’t do that,” I said.
“By the end, you will have wished you did,” he said. He stood from the merry-go-round and placed one of his hands on the bar. “Are you ready for the next step?”
“What’s next?”
“You’re going to find out who you really are,” he said, and gave the bar a push, causing the merry-go-round to spin. It spun continuously for several moments. When it came to a sudden halt, my body slid sideways, banging into one of the bars.
“What are you doing here?” came a voice I immediately recognized and I shot into an upright position.
I got up from the ride and found myself in an apartment. It was a basic one bedroom, nothing special, with a sufficient amount of furniture. There were clothes strewn about but it was rather well-kept.
“I need something,” came another voice. The voice of my mother. I glanced across the room to see her walking through the front door of the apartment. She was undoubtedly my mother but she wore the skin of a much younger woman. She couldn’t have been any more than twenty years old.
“Bridget, you’re drunk. Did you drive over here?” came Christian’s voice as he appeared on scene. He too looked much younger and had his unwavering good looks.
“No,” my mother said, waving him off, “I walked.”
“Is everything okay? It’s really late, I have work tomorrow,” Christian said, looking impatient with her.
“He cheated on me! That mother fucker,” she said, and began to cry, walking toward Christian for comfort.
“Alex? Alex cheated on you?” he asked, allowing her to hug him.
“Yes, Christian, Alex cheated on me!” she said and began crying more, as Christian held her in his arms.
“I’m so sorry, Bridget. Do you want to stay here tonight?” he asked.
“You want me to stay the night?” she asked with a drunken gaze, “In your bed?”
“You can sleep in my bed and I can sleep on the couch if you want,” he said, as he grabbed her by her arms, beginning to push her back slightly. “Let me just grab some blankets.”
“No,” she said, pulling him back to her, “I want you to sleep with me.”
“Okay. . .” Christian replied, still trying to back away from her.
“What? What the fuck is wrong?” she asked, waving her arms in the air. “You don’t want me? What, because I’ve been cast aside by Alex, or what, am I too old now?”
“Bridget,” Christian replied, clearly flabbergasted by her words, “No.”
“Then give me what I want,” she said and advanced towards him, kissing his neck as he attempted to pull away from her.
“This isn’t right, we can’t do this,” He said, attempting to take a step back.
“Shut up, Christian,” she said, shaking her head through tears, “You think I give a fuck what you want, what you think is right or wrong? You stole my childhood! You stole my fuckin’ childhood, Christian! You don’t like my unwarranted advances? Well, guess what? I don’t give a damn. You owe me this, you fucking owe me, and if I have to threaten to report you to the police, I will. I’m going to get what I want from you tonight and you’re going to see what it fucking feels like to be the victim. Now take off your clothes.”
Christian stood there, motionless and in shock for several moments.
“Now!” my mother screamed at him. He continued staring at her as
