Leather Wrist Straps

When I opened my eyes, all I could think about was how bad my head hurt, on both sides. It felt like a bull was charging my temples every 10 seconds. Then the fact that the light hurt, like loooking at the sun hurt. Blinking. I saw that the light was coming from a long florescent light, with a concrete ceiling beyond it.

    Freaking out, I remembered the wind, the papers, and the voice. Then of course the being knocked out.

    I sat up quickly, my head spinning slightly. I struggled to get off of whatever I was on, but I was stopped by the leather straps on my ankles and wrists. I was offically freaked out.

    "I wouldn't do that if I were you," warned someone in the shadowy corner of the room, "Struggle I mean. All that will cause is bruising." They stepped out of the shadows, although the shadows looked reluctant, slowly releasing themselves from... HIM!

    "YOU?!" I shouted, instantly placing the jacket. "You-Your-Your the guy who watches me!" I exclaimed in wonder.

    Out of the shadows, and in the dull light, I could actually see this features. He had short dark brown hair, a five o'clock shadow, and hard brown eyes. With the jacket and the black bowler hat in his hand, he had almost a rugged 'Don't mess with me' look. A shadow of a smile passed his face.

    "Why yes. Yes I am." He said, standing taller, "The name's Barken, Watcher Barken." In a slight Scottish accent.

    "Watcher? Well that makes sense. Is Barken your first or last name?"

    "First."

    "Am I allowed to know your last name?"

    "No." He said curtly.

    I sat back with a huff. I wiggled my shoulders. The pillow behind me was strangely comfortable. I looked around. I was in a long, rectangular concrete room with 2 rows of beds on each long side of the room. The beds had what looked like stainless steel frames and sides. A bed was occupied on the other side of the room, next to a heavy wooden door. His face was covered with gashes, so it was hard to tell how old he was. He looked like he had been whipped. Repeatedly. 

    The door opened silently, and a girl that looked no older than 11, walked over to his bed. She leaned over him, her dark black hair creating a see through curtain. She appeared to be putting something on his cuts. It must have hurt because he started to whimper in his stupor.

    After awhile she stood up and walked out the door, me watching her go. I looked back at the boy's face and gasped in a mixture of bewilderment and horror. The gashes were closing up right in front of my very eyes. 

    I turned back to Barken, my mouth opening and shutting like a fish out of water.

    "Where am I?!" I finally choked out in a strangled voice.

    His face closed off in thought. He was obviously trying to phrase whatever he was going to tell me. A few moments later he finally made up his mind.

    "You are at a very special place. For-" I interrupted him.

    "Just tell me where the hell I am." I growled.

    A flicker of amusement crossed him face.

    "You are at Limen Institution for the Light and Dark." He said in an obvious tone, like I should have known.

    "What?"

    He grimaced. "You are at a Institution for the offspring of Greek gods, goddesses, nature spiritsm and other mythical creatures."

    "WHAT?!"

    "Sorry that was the textbook answer. All the Greek Mythology you learned last semester. It's all true." 

   I don't think my eyes could go any wider or they would pop out.

    "Are you on CRACK?!"

    "I know this is a lot to take in-"

    "A lot to take in? Yea it is! You are crazy! I want the hell out of here!" I struggled even harder against my bonds.

    "Listen." He insisted, putting his hand on my right knee. A calm spread through me. "You know its true. The nightmares. And what you did back there at the school."

   I sat there. Slowly, it was kinda making sense. The voice in my head. The same one that talked to me in my dreams. God, and the wind! I remembered a dream a few weeks ago, where almost the same exact thing happened, only I was standing in the middle of nowhere.

    I looked up at Barken, "Why? Why me?" I asked, my voice breaking, " I was already a freak, why do I have to be more of a freak? And is that even possible? To be more of a freak."

    Barken looked almost sympathetic. "You didn't do anything wrong."

    "Then why am I here?"

    "To train."

    "To train for...?"

    He gave a half smile. "You'll find out soon enough. But right now I think you need to get settled here."

    The boy across the room groaned and sat up, rubbing his face and wincing.

    "Oh perfect timing." Barken walked over to him and clapped him on the shoulder. The boy looked up at him with a confused look.

    "What?" He asked in a groggy voice.

    "I was just talking to Marian over there and it would be quite helpful if you would take her to Ms. Dahlia, so she can get tested."

    He looked over at me and then at the straps. 

    "First she's gonna have to be unstrapped or she's not going anywhere." He said, cracking a smile. I found myself fighting a smile despite the circumstances.

    "Oh yes." Barken said, turning his head to look at the straps. They sprang open when he looked back at the boy. " They are expecting her there so you really don't have to do anything."

    He nodded, stood up, and walked to the end of my bed. "Do you need help?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

    I shook my head and started rubbing my wrists, where bruises were starting to form. I slowly got out of the bed.

    "Where are my shoes?"

    "They are on the bedside table."

    I grabbed them and shoved them on my feet. This room was starting to freak me out.

    "The rest of your stuff will be put in your room once we get the results from your test." Barken said.

    "Ponaucios Xander." He said sticking out his hand out. "Although most people call me Po."

    I nodded and shook his hand. "Marian Daren."

    "Well Marian Daren, we better get going if you want to be done with your test by dinner." He winked at me, then spun on his heel and walked to the door, flattening his dishwater blond hair along the way.

    I followed him, cautiously though. The whole winking thing threw me off. No boys ever showed interest in me, or even flirted with me. He opened and held the door open for me. Definitely not used to that. I walked out into the empty corridor. More concrete. Though this at least had tapestry and paintings on the walls, and was lit by candles. That floated. 

    Po walked up behind me, "Depressing isn't it?" He looked at me. "Although it's supposed to be like that. Come on this way." He pointed to a staircase right in front of us.

    "Are we going up or down?" I asked, walking over to the staircase, looking up and down just to see if I could catch a glimpse of anything. Still more concrete.

    "Down."

    We descended 5 flights of stairs before we came to a halt in front of a door that said:

                                                                  "Ms. Dahlia Lu

                                               Pupil Power Tester"

    "Well here we are. Good luck! Hey maybe if your lucky you'll be able to test out of here."

   "Really?" I asked with a glimmer of hope.

    "No." Hope= Squished. " The only way out of this hellhole is the Labyrinth. And that is a hell in and of itself. See ya!" He bounded up the stairs out of sight.

    What Labyrinth? Wait. The Labyrinth? I shook my head, took a deep breath, and opened the door that would determine my future, the future I really didn't want.

    Did I have a choice?

    No.

Reviews

[TL Boehm]

He grimaced. "You are at a Institution for the offspring of Greek gods, goddesses, nature spiritsm and other mythical creatures."

"WHAT?!"

"Sorry that was the textbook answer. All the Greek Mythology you learned last semester. It's all true."

I don't think my eyes could go any wider or they would pop out.

"Are you on CRACK?!"

The exchange above made me chuckle. You're off to a good start. Very engaging story line. Keep Going

[Liam Magrath]

Oh my! I am loving this. Funny, written good, and very interesting. I hope you continue writing this one day. I will be sure to read some more of your stuff.

[Ama May Cooper]

Please keep writing this, i am fascinated by this tale .... read request them when you write nwe ones