I woke up with a gasp, my whole body was shaking and I was drenched in sweat. Sitting up, I pushed the duvet away visibly irritated. It was the seventh time that I had that nightmare and for some reason it wouldn't go away. Those eyes... I shuddered at the thought, I climbed out of my small bed with my white cotton dress clinging to my skin.
My room was empty except for the table at one corner where I had my meals. Through the slit between the curtains I saw the orange colour of the sky signaling that dawn was approaching and soon the torture would begin, I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair as I sat back down.
"Psst...Belle? Belle are you awake?" A small voice asked from under the bed. I smiled slightly before crawling and lying next to the vent.
" Hey Lucy." I replied to the voice.
" Finally you're awake." Lucy's voice came from the vent, she sounded really exasperated.
" Do you ever sleep?" I laughed at her obvious frustration.
Lucy was a girl that resided in the room below me. We had never met but she was my best friend, actually the only friend I had.
" Don't ask." She laughed off the question. " And you? Did you have that nightmare again?"
" Unfortunately. This is the seventh time and it doesn't make sense. What's it trying to mean? It's driving me insane more than I already am."
Lucy was silent probably thinking over what I just said. "Maybe it's a sign that you're leaving soon."
I almost laughed out loud.
" And go where? My parent's house? You know they hate me. I think it's highly unlikely that I'm leaving this place anytime soon."
We sighed simultaneously. The hope of ever leaving had died years back and as each day passed I was coming to believe that my fate was to rot and die in that place without ever seeing the outside world again. I sniffed back the tears.
" Oh Belle, don't cry."
" I'm not crying, I'm fine." I said wiping the tears off with the back of my hand, hearing murmurs in the corridors it was time to end our conversation.
"Lucy, we'll talk later. They're coming."
" Okay."
I quickly slipped from under the bed and entered the sheets, pretending that I was asleep. The door was unlocked and someone entered, the strong scent of vinegar filled the room and I mentally prepared myself for a beating.
"Ackerman, get up!" Piggy yelled before grabbing my hair and pulling me out of bed. I screamed in pain as I was thrown to the floor. She grabbed me violently, pulling me towards the table where she had put my breakfast and forced me to sit down. Porridge was what I was having like always, I didn't know what it was made of but it was nauseating as if I wasn't nauseated enough by Piggy's vinegar scent. I gagged loud enough for her to hear.
" Shut up and eat." She spat in my face. Piggy was a "nurse" and I didn't really know her real name, her uncanny resemblance to a pig is where her nickname originated from, with her beady eyes and flat pushed up nose. She was a big lady and would be mistaken for a man if it wasn't for the white skirt of her uniform.
" Come on Ackerman. I don't have time to waste on your sorry ass."
" Right, you have to go roll in your own shit." I muttered under my breath. The slap hit my face before I saw it coming.
" Don't you ever say that to me you little bitch." She hissed, I fought back tears as she grabbed my chin so I could face her. Even her breathe smelt like vinegar, I spit in her face and she pushed me off the chair.
" You're just a mentally ill little brat. I think you need to be reminded who's the boss around here."
She brought out a taser and my eyes widened in fear as she switched it on and off. Her hand dove for my neck and l felt like a million bees were crawling through my skin. I fell back on the floor twitching, I desperately grabbed the bowl from the table and threw it at her but of course it didn't make much of a difference. The first rays of sunlight hit me as she tazed me again, I stared at the sun. Was this really my fate? Was I really going to die in here?