Baggage Claim (Part Five)

The cold metal of the handcuffs bit into Genevieve’s wrists as she struggled to get free. She pulled at her restraints, but only managed to bruise herself. She kicked out her bound ankles towards her captor. He hopped out of the way.

Genevieve saw a spark of illumination off the tip of the syringe in his hand. For the first time, fear chilled her blood. Memories burned in the back of her mind. The corners of her vision began to cloud. Tears pooled in her eyes.

She was suddenly twelve again. Darkness filled the room. She lay on her bed, numb from the day’s torture. Tears flooded her eyes and she wanted nothing more to let them fall.

A shadow swiftly drifted across her room. She jolted upright. Her heart pounded. Shivers traveled up her spine. She tried to make her eyes focus, but the room was too dim.

Something rustled in the corner. Her head shot in that direction. A cold sweat broke out like hives across her skin. Her arms shook as she wrapped them around her legs. She began to rock back and forth on her bed. She forced her eyes shut in an attempt to block everything out, but she heard another faint shuffle.

A gleam of light sliced through the darkness. The shadow drifted closer. She cowered, scooting into the pile of pillows for protection. The shadow smiled with malice. A sharp needle poked her arm and she cried out.

Genevieve scrambled off of the bed. She ran for the door. Arms grabbed her from behind. She was harshly pulled back. Her feet left the ground as the shadow threw her small body to the bed. She hit the mattress with a force that knocked the breath from her lungs. She tried to get up once more, but her mind couldn’t seem to make her muscles respond.

Her head felt heavy and she didn’t have the strength to move. Tears once again came and this time she couldn’t deny their freedom. She wished she could be that free.

As her mind fixated on her unrestrained tears, the shadow slid into the bed with her. She didn’t have the power stop him.