I was in a room surrounded by gunshots and crashing sounds. The room was deathly dark, like my eyes were stolen from me and I was abandoned, left standing just waiting for something evil to take a advantage of me. I turned in circles continuously searching for someone, I just didn't know who was suppose to be here. I tried to speak but I couldn't form words. The sounds outside the room became louder and louder fighting for my attention over the sounds of my beating heart. Then I saw a light, down a distant tunnel racing toward me in a inevitable head on collision. I tried to run but I moved in uncontrolled slow motion, I felt completely scared and alone until I heard a familiar voice call a familiar name. 

 

"Marilyn". Why do I feel like I know you strange voice. 

 

"Marilyn" Why do I feel like I'm suppose to be missing you right now.

 

 

"Ah! Marilyn I see you officially came down from your high." The nurse, a blonde round woman laughed at her own joke. "Now that you're up I will go grab the head doctors so they can go over the events from last night just for safety measures and possibly release you if you're deemed well enough" She started collecting my data charts and was heading.I called out to her.

 

"Xiumin?" My voice was hoarse and raspy but it was enough for her to turn her attention toward me.

 

" Huh?" One of her eyebrows jerked up in confusion. " Ah your shoe! We had to remove it so it wouldn't bother your injury and cause any discomfort to you. You will get them back soon okay sweetie, theres a glass of water right next to you for your throat" she gave me a reassuring smile "I'll go get the doctors for you hun" and she left leaving me to my thoughts.

 

My thoughts flashed back and forth between the sky blue painting on the walls around me and the dark skies of that distant night surrounded by those brown eyes filled with innocence. I shut my eyes tightly forcing any possible bad thoughts about Xiumin to the back of my head, now was not the time to worry about his safety I have more important things to deal with. I tried to push myself up to the sitting position to take drink of water but was alerted by a sharp pain, a quick glance at a bandaged wrist reminded me of more details to add to last night and a way too bold asian. 

 

My thoughts were interrupted by two white coats entering the room before me. Mr. And Mrs. Dr. Pataski, husband and wife, working side-by-side at one of the top undercover agencies in the world. They took one side each next to me and began 

 

"Okay we're gonna test your memory and cognitive awareness before we start. Give us your full name, age, level, codename and the last four digits of your social security. You have 5 seconds" 

 

"Marilyn Ariella Applegate, 21, 4, Mantis, and 8633" I answered not out of knowing but more out of habit, you see this group of information is the "How many fingers am I holding up" of the Spy World. Nothing says I'm fine better than a full background check. 

 

A quick nod from both doctors confirmed what I already knew, that I got everything correct. Mrs. Dr. Pataki leaned in toward me and asked me to slowly go over the events of the previous night. I started from arriving there with high hopes of the mission and ended with Xiumin being sprayed in the face; and despite my previous reluctance I also showed my worry of his health since he saved me.

 

"I'm sure the pepper spray wore of after 10-15 minutes, as for the gunman on the other side, they wouldn't dare hurt one of their allies especially not Xiumin." I wanted to go into detail but I decided it was best to refrain. There's nothing that raises a red flag more than being worried about the health of the enemy, especially of the opposite .

 

"Alright Ms. Applegate it seems we have all the information we need from you, everything seems A okay with you other than the two injuries we know of. That means no detectable brain damage, no internal bleeding, no signs of air-borne or any kind of poison in your system,and no trackers on you. Just let me take this up with the Head and we will release you in no time"

 

"So how long will it take for my broken bones to heal?" I gestured toward my bandaged feet and wrist.

 

"Well  it seems you actually don't have any broken bones, just a sprained ankles and a pulled muscle in your wrist. Applying heat and limiting movement on them should bring you back to yourself in two weeks top" she smiled at me and adjusted my IV. "I'll be on my way and leave you and Dr. Pataski to your duties, heal well Mantis"  and like that she was on her way. 

 

Upon the departure of Mrs. Dr.Pataski, Mr. Dr. Pataski jotting something down on a piece of paper and had an intern take it down to the front desk. After that he then began removing any piece of equipment attached to me and with the help of an assistant helped me into a wheelchair. We made our way down the sterling silver hallways, me and Mr. Dr. Pataski side by side and the assistant pushing me from behind. Our footsteps the only sound filling the air.

 

"So am I gonna be informed on the whereabouts of the rest of the mission members ". I spoke loud and with authority In the desperate hope that he would tell me any piece of detail and not leave me in the dark like most superiors would. He removed his glasses from his head, cleaned them with his lab coat and placed them back on his head; he took a deep breath. 

 

"If you're wondering If they're alive  , yes they appear to be. Where they are located at, THAT is something we are not aware of but  I'm pretty sure it's for the best they're smart people, they've gone into hiding until further notice." we stopped at the entrance of an elevator. It opened upon the detection of our presence and we entered it, Mr.Dr. Pataski pressed the floor 3 button. 

 

"They appear to be alive? It's for the best?!?! How can you say something like that? This isn't a drill this is life and death and those guys mean business they're not taking time out to give a monologue they're killing at the drop of a hat. And what about the fact that they had so much personal inside information on Otega and the others? Where in the world can they hide when it seems like the bad guys are one step ahead of us at our own game??!!!" The elevator came to a halt opening it's door to the 3rd floor which was busy with Doctors, Head Agents, rookies and the list goes on. Dr. Mr. Pataski walked to the floor display pressing for the base floor, cleared his throat and began talking to me in a cool and calm voice despite my recent tirade.

 

"This is where I will see you off too, once you get down to base level our personal chauffeur will you home where you will rest and recover" I straightened my posture to speak but was shot down by a single glare from Pataski; I am in no position or authority to impose my views. I am to do what I am told. He continued. "You have officially been put on leave until healed enough to be called for assignments. There's nothing you can do or say to me that would get me to change that order so go home and carry out a normal life for a couple of weeks. I will see you eventually. Good day Ms. Applegate."

 

He exited off the elevator and was starting to head down the hall but before the elevators doors could close I used a quick burst of energy to jump between the door forcing them to stay open, much to the assistants' protests. 

 

" Dr.!!" I called out to him turning his and a few others heads toward the rebel brunette. "Dr. Pataski." The other doctors continued on to their previous actions; Pataski attention was still on me. "At the Ball, Gallister caught me detonating a bomb, if he had enough underground power to collect information on our members,  what's stopping him from finding me while I'm unsuspecting and disabled" 

 

Dr. Mr. Pataski strolled over to me with an air about him that always gave me the idea that he always had the answers , even when I knew he didn't. Upon reaching me he placed me back into my seat and leaned into my face until we were Merely inches apart.

 

"Marilyn, I know times may seem difficult right now especially with the absence of your agent members, but whatever information Gallister acquired was previous to the ball and based on previous events he had nothing on you personally. Now will he be able to gather your entire life story based off of a moments glance? The odds are highly in your favor. Highly. So go home, rest, and let me do my job okay. Until we meet again Ms. Applegate". He exited the elevator for the last time leaving me fully in the hands of the assistant. The entire ride down to base level and to my chauffeur pickup was hushed and lonely. Upon arrival on base floor I was handed a prescription bag to ease my pain and ward off any impending ankle or wrist infection. That was all the attention I received. No one stopped to tend to me, or ease my worry and guilt. Everyone was busy with their job and I couldn't blame them, we all can't stop because of one persons issues. The ride home was even worse I never knew when I'd be caught off guard; every car horn made my heart drop into my bladder. Every time I heard a laugh or seen a passing face I half hoped that it was either Otega, Ginger, Hilton on any of the other Agent Members. Laughing and enjoying life because they could and not in hiding for their life.

 

I eventually made it home without being ambushed and thus began my road to recovery. After a couple of days at home filled with limping trips to the bathrooms, heat pads,evenings filled daytime talk shows and sugary snacks my worry began to slowly erase away as I enjoyed my days relaxing and healing. By the time my first week was up I was officially a normal teenage girl chatting my days away with my school friends and taking selcas of every plate I made whether an actually meal of two nicely decorated pop-tarts. I had even managed to repress my worries over the agents to the back of my head convinced Cloud 9 would take care of everything. I  know it's dangerous but sometimes the feeling of danger moves out and the feeling of relaxing takes over. My ankle has even healed up enough that I could walk on it granted it was more like a limp but still it's progress and I could pick up items and turn my wrist slightly. 

 

One particular Thursday evening I was enjoying myself watching some cartoons when I started to hear footsteps. These footsteps seemed more cautious and secretive on my hardwood floor rather than uncaring and rushed like any steps coming from my parents or my sister. I took a moment to panic, the footsteps seemed too close for me to surprise attack without causing alarm at the sound of my limping but I couldn't just let myself be a sitting duck. I settled on using the snow globe on my night stand that I received as a high school graduation present from my grandparents as my only means on protection. The door started to slowly open.

 

"Who Is It?" I announced stunned by my own boldness in such a vulnerable state; can't seem scared even when all I have to protect me is a novelty item.

 

"Oh you're up sweetie?" It was my mom, all smiles and red hair. "I hope I didn't scare you, I just didn't want to wake you that's all. I just came to tell you that your father and I are taking your sister shopping for some more autumn clothing,you know its starting to get a little chilly and I don't want her to get sick anyways do you wanna join us?" She looked at me cheerfully. As much as I would enjoy some normal teenager would but I couldn't burden my family with my injuries anymore so I settled on staying home.

 

" Okay hun, don't worry we will be home ASAP. Is there anything you want me to bring you before we leave or anything you want me to take downstairs for you?"

 

"No mom I'm perfectly capable of being independant now" I rose out of my bed limping toward her to give her a kiss on her cheek. "See, perfectly fine just a little limp, no worries mom I'll be just fine home alone okay"

 

She worried.No one in our household could convince my mom she wasn't needed and she spent the next ten minutes going through every possible thing that she could do to make my life easier. Eventually she got the memo and actually left to go shopping leaving me all alone to myself. I made myself a bowl of ice cream before settling in my bed for some tv time. In the distant I could hear a church bell ringing alerting me that it had just turned 5 o clock. After completely devouring my ice cream I relaxed preparing myself to enjoy tv program . I must have dozed off because I found myself waking up to the sound of footsteps attempting to go unheard. Assuming I slept too late I chalked it up to my family being home and my mom coming to check up on me again. I turned my attention to my nightstand clock but to my dismay I found it was only 5 minutes past 6. That's a little over an hour and way too early for my family to be home even if they decided to shop at warp speed. I stealthily escaped from my bed, grabbing my snow globe and took a hiding spot in my 1/2 bathroom with a nice view of my bed for attacking purposes. I decided against hiding behind my room door because anyone can just peek through the hinges and check for a body, so this darkened bathroom will do just fine for the moment. I waited patiently for what felt like only a few seconds before my room door creeped open and in walked this average height guy, dressed in a stereotypical plumbers outfit except the obvious left out detail being the he was holding a gun in his hand.  I watched as he walked over to my bed , possibly fooled by the pillow disguise I placed under my covers. I didn't want to give him enough time to see through my charades putting him on full guard but I didn't want to attack to early and ruin a perfect ambush. So I waited for the perfect timing. 

 

He stared at the pillows for a few time and right when he went to snatch the covers off me I gave a quick yelp before slugging my graduation snow globe at his face.  As planned he looked up at me just in time to get a good face shot  with the snow globe knocking him backward. I ransacked him bringing my fist to his face but decided kicking him would do better in this case . After a few kicks to his face and ribs I grabbed my lamp off my nightstand crashing it on his skull. Out of nowhere I felt someone grab my hands and pull them behind me in an attempt to subdue me; not trying to be taken advantage of I jumped up forward bring my face toward the ground ignoring the screams coming from my wrist and sent my foot directly into his face. Caught of guard he let go of my right arm to grab at my foot giving me enough lead way to send a punch to his face; in response he backhanded me spinning me around. I spun back around and returned his favor with my favorite move, an elbow to a throat. Unfortunately he caught my elbow twisting it violently the pain causing my eyesight to go cross side for a second. I quickly recovered kicking down so hard his grip loosened on me a bit giving me a slight lead way so I sent a kick to his left ear. He uppercut me but I regained my balance. I charged off toward my wall with him not far behind but instead of heading for the door I ran slightly up my wall giving me the advantage of elevation. I jumped on him sinking my nails into his eyes and head butted him sending him flying backwards stalling him for the moment. In my moment of a satisfactory quick glance I noticed the first guy jump back up, I jetted out my room grabbing my door on my way out, I closed it almost completely until I could hear him come close enough then I  slammed the door into his face with all my strength. 

 

I could still here him yelling out in pain as I raced down the stairs, hurt ankle and all. I didn't get to make it fully down the stairs before I tripped and came crashing down on the marble tile floor bruising both my knees in the process; they had y trapped the bottom of my stairs. By the time I was on my feet and in the kitchen the guy I head butted was entering right behind me. I began pelting him with anything I could get my hands on. Pots, pans, paprika, utensils anything that could hold this thug off until I figured a way out of this mess. The kitchen ware was doing nothing so I seized my fire, seeing this the thug gave a smile of achievement as he came in on me. A smile that soon faded once he got wind of my new protection. Knives. I began throwing the knives with fierce accuracy, eventually he couldn't dodge them quick enough and I got him in the shoulder adding a knife wound to his bruised eyes. 

 

Once I had him occupied I made a break out the patio doors and into the backyard. I almost made my way toward the neighborhood streets but decided otherwise once I noticed a head of golden brown hair on the other side of our wooden fence.I ran toward the woods behind my house feeling growing sense of an upper hand. I knew these woods better than anyone in this neighborhood spending countless days of my youth playing agent spy by myself and finding animals that  I purposely let loose. 

 

I ran off of the trail settling for the wild woods  which can make it harder to notice and capture me. The chilly Autumn wind was now starting to slip past my thin cotton pajamas. By now I'm pretty sure my feet were more than bruised and beaten but I didn't have time for first world issues when my life was leaning toward death. As I made my way further through the wild woods fighting through branches and thorns I noticed another thug coming toward me this one was dressed like a Gardner but had the eyes of a killer. These guys had my entire house surrounded, I wonder how long they've been here waiting for the right time to attack. I turned around ready to run back where I came from but was violently tackled down by a hard force too fast to have been seen. Under the weight of another assailant I screamed loudly for help hoping my neighbors would call the cops. The new thug punched me in the throat to shut me up, pulled me up by my hair and slammed my head into the nearest tree a few times. Before I even had a chance to react to this violent act I had hands all over my body. Some restraining me, another covering my mouth and another pair checking for hidden weapons. 

 

They began walking me toward a figure waiting by the trail. As we got closer through the blood spilling over my eyes I could see the guy had a nose that was red, badly bruised and swollen. A wild guess would pin this guy as the one who I made acquainted with my bedroom door; the deranged scowl on his face says that I'm not gonna like what he has in store for me. Once we reached him he  grabbed my pajama shirt pulling me close to him.

 

"You little !!! Look what you did to my face!!" He raged sending spit into my face. "How are you gonna repay me huh? HUH!!!??!! ....Like this you will" he grabbed my hurt wrist and with one violent twist, pulled and completely dislocated it out of its socket; this deranged nut just broke my wrist.  I screamed bloody murder but my screams were immediately silenced by oversized hands over my mouth. Hot angry tears fell from my face mixing in with the blood. The thug motioned toward the others who promptly back off of me leaving me alone in the middle of their circle sobbing silently. At the moment I would rather be in their hands than beaten, alone and unsure of what's next. The thug walked up to me and sent a quick clean punch to my gut taking the breath out of me and my breakfast and lunch with it as well. In my hysterical episode he gave out a quick laugh and sent final blow to my face, knocking me out cold.  

 

Dazed, confused, and in extreme pain I woke up in complete darkness. Over the ear piercing throb of my bruised and abused head I could hear a monotone drone accompanied by the occasional unsteady rocking. I tried to get up to asses the situation but found that I couldn't move any limb on my body courtesy of whatever was wrapped around my body. A quick guess, I was tied up and in the back of some random car. I'm surprised they didn't wrap anything around my mouth but I guess they didn't want to be too cliché. The road we drove on became uncomfortably rocky before we came to a complete stop. At the sound of voices around me I prepared myself to face my soon to be murderers. What would they do to me? It was obvious from the beating I gave some of them that they wouldn't want to do something impersonal like execution style. Would they set me on fire or beat me to death with a shovel? I choked back tears at the thought of what could possibly be in store for me. I have been in this business since the tender age of 16 and by the time I turned 18 I had gotten the message that these guys weren't anything you see on tv or read in books; they were magnitudes worse. I started to become uneasy once I figured no one was gonna open up the trunk, were they gonna leave me for dead? Eventually the car started to move forward and I assumed they had decided to move me to another destination. The car started to more faster and faster until I felt my stomach drop as I experienced a moment of what just had to be free fall before crashing through water. 

 

It didn't take an epiphany to figure out what was being done to me especially once I felt the water start to rush in. Trying my best to keep calm I used my tongue to push my flat laser between my lips. You never know when you're gonna have to laser an eye out or something. Pushing the rope up and away from me as much as possible I activated it with my teeth sending it through the rope. I could feel the intense heat but couldn't tell if it was working until I could feel the grip of the rope loosen until I completely free. After place the laser back to the roof of my mouth, I began blindly searching for a way out at the demands of the rising water. As it became obvious thar my attempts were futile and the water were now reaching my head I began to become hysterical in denial that this could be my last moments. As reality sunk in and the water reached my nose I pushed myself up toward the roof of the trunk and took the biggest breath through my nose that I could. Once the water covered me completely I sat floating for a few seconds not knowing what to do. Out of desperation I pushed up against the roof of the trunk just one last time in hope for a miracle. I pushed up against the roof with my back shoulder but nothing happened and tried once more but was given the same response. I started screaming in my head beating at the trunk with my hands and to my dismay, the trunk popped open.

 

After I recovered from my initial shock I swam away from the trunk of the car, tears of joy mixing in with the freedom of the water. Through the dim light I could spot a dock not far away and I began to swim for it. As I swam I started feeling particles whiz past me but I chalked that up to dirty water. It wasn't until I had too close of a call that I figured out that I was being shot at. I began swimming faster determined not not get hit but the farther away from the car I swam the less frequent the bullets became. I'll figure out what's going on as soon as I get to some air. I had to have been fully submerged for like 30 seconds and was beginning to run out of breath. As I swam for the dock I heard a shattering deep bass like explosion but though nothing of it until the waters around me start to become warmer. I began moving faster and out of control, I covered my head to keep from hitting it against any hard surface, something that one should definitely avoid under water. I regained control and continued swimming until I approached the foundation of the dock, grabbed on and began to swim upward until I was breathing fresh air from under the dock. Silently that is, because I wasn't  completely alone.

 

"You think that took care of that little ?" One deep voice rang out.

 

"She couldn't survive that if she wanted to, I tied her up pretty good she couldn't get out of that, and that's IF she recovered from that sick beating you gave her" So this guy is having a conversation with door face guy. I silently submerged myself for a second looking in the direction of where I came from but all I could see was a mass of black smoke. These guys just have to be on some new experimental drug, they tried to drown and burn me to death. 

 

After a few more jokes on my behalf they decided to hop into a stand by car and head back to the hell hole they came from. I peered through the slits of the dock and could only make out one more body standing near the edge. I looked closer and spotted golden brown hair, the same hair that was standing on the outside of my wooden gate. A sudden fear came rushing over me causing me to duck and hide out of site. After a few minutes the body eventually left and I waited for what felt like half an hour before I got off the dock foundation and swam to shore. 

 

Upon reaching shore I hid my presence, still afraid of the thugs, before I walked out in an effort to figure out where I was and how long it was gonna take me to get back into town. It didn't take me long to figure out the answer and when I hit me......it hit me.

 

"UN-ING-BELIEVABLE" was all I could say. Instead of taking me somewhere far and deserted where they could better hide the murder, they barely took me away from the city. The mall itself was only 15 minutes by foot, TECHNICALLY I was still in city limits. It takes some special kind of balls to try to act out a murder so close to civilization and without any worries of getting caught. I was gonna make them regret having those kind of balls. 

 

Filled to the tip of my sanity with rage and fear, I quickly made my way to town toward the city mall. I took a shortcut through the woods not fearful for thugs, non-caring about my lack of shoes, the sting bite of the fall air or how I was going to look once I exited the woods I just continued on my way. Once I entered the mall I could tell by the stares of whoever I past that my appearance was way more horrid than what I imagined it to be. Everyone parted like the Red Sea as I made my way to the Victoria Secret store.I didn't care about the looks people were giving me or how I possibly looked. I was just attacked,beaten  by grown men and nearly killed more than once so right now I have a ing right to walk around pissed and filthy. Still dripping wet and without shoes I made sure I walked to get to where I needed, not to fall and give myself another injury somewhere. It seemed the new trend these days were y, I was just almost killed bruises from head to toe.

 

Once I entered the lingerie store I was welcomed with more stares of disbelief and horror. I politely made my way to the curly haired female at the front desk. It almost seemed like she was gonna run away to safety that is until I spoke her name. 

 

"Kayla " I leaned into her trying my best to not bother anyone around us as much as I knew I was. She leaned into me with no recollection but then her full lips dropped and her dark brown eyes widened in shock. 

 

"Marilyn" she questioned me unsure if what she was seeing was real, I shook my head as a confirmation. " Oh my Gawd! What happened to you? Did someone do this to you? Give me a sec while I go alert my boss about this than hopefully I can take you to the employees lounge and away from these wandering eyes" she ran toward the door behind her. Her brown corkscrew curls bouncing as she moved at a fast but controlled pace.

 

Once in the back room sure that I wasn't being followed I finally was able to relax my fears but not my senses."At least it's safe to assume no one knows that it's me." I spoke to a pacing Kayla. She looked at me in pure anger and worry.

 

"This isn't a joking matter Mary, someone attacked you and you don't even want me to call the cops?!?!" She stared at me intensely judging me for my previous statements. Out the corner of my eye I could see her boss stealing peeks at this scene. I took a deep breath and walked over to her.

 

"Look I'm alive that's all that matters" she opened to speak but I cut her off with my finger "I wasn't okay so I just want to go home, take a shower , pretend this never happened and never go jogging alone ever again okay. Now just let me use this phone so I can call my mom, and get back to work before you get fired" I gave her a reassuring smile as I could tell by her body language that she was giving up, at least for the moment.

 

"I'm gonna get early wrinkles dealing with you Applegate" I knew that would never happen no matter how many missed days of sleep, not with the deep dark chocolate complexion she has. "Dial extension 9 first before dialing out" she paused for a moment "I'm gonna go buy you a jumpsuit and some boots you really can no longer embarrass the good lord walking around like this" she gave a slight reassuring smile before exiting the room.

 

Finally alone I dialed Cloud 9. The number to Cloud 9 isn't a number that one could accidentally dial out of coincidence or hack into, the number changes every single day. Along side the first 12 Pre-chosen mandatory numbers (153960472850) plus your current date (12/20/13) and the last four digits of my social security (8633), this number wasn't something that you just happen to come across. The phone rang two times before I was greeted with a voice.

 

"Delilah, this is Mantis21 I need to speak to Mr. Dr. Pataski ASAP, it's an emergency" I could tell she heard the urgency in my tone and she quickly transferred me over to Pataski. Once I heard his old fashion deep voice I wasted no time in what I had to say. "I need you to come to my place of residence and me back to head quarters this is serious and I will not take no for an answer" I hung up immediately rejecting any argument that he might have to offer. Eventually Kayla came back to the office with some clothing items for me to change into for my trip back home. After I was completely changed into clean dry clothes I gave her a quick thank you hug and was heading on my way.

 

"I'll get rid of these clothing" she picked up my pajama suit using her index and thumb and took them over to an unused box. I thanked her once again and was on my way "Before you go Marilyn.....please pull your hoodie up and save yourself the shame. And stay on busy roads okay".

 

I exited the Victoria Secret making my way out of the mall when I spotted a familiar face hanging in front of a game store across from me, I mean who could forget such an exotic face like his. A part of me wanted to go over to him and thank him for saving me at the Ball the other night, but now wasn't the time and I was in no position with my current looks. He seemed to be looking for someone  but just happened to catch me staring at him. He didn't seemed put off by my appearance and gave me such a blissful smile. I started to return the favor but decided in the future would be better and so I took off. It took me about an hour to make it to my neighborhood, a walk that wouldn't have been so normal had I completed it in my previous  attire. My mood was beginning to slowly fade away from traumatic to content that is until I had the worst thought. My family coming home from a normal day to find their house ransacked and their relative missing, or worse, they come home to thugs ready to finish off what they started. I started to speed walk toward my driveway my breathing becoming shallow and weak. I didn't know what I would do if anything happened to my family, they didn't deserve this because they didn't ask for and wasn't aware of any of this secret business. My speed walking became running as I made my way up to the my door bursting through once I made it there........to a completely clean and organized house.

 

"Honey!? What happened to you!?? Do you want me to call the authorities?" My mom began racing from me toward the phone, my day entered the doorway where we were.

 

" No!!! It's okay ma. I went jogging and slipped down a hidden slope hitting my head against a tree." I could that my parents were relieved to here that but they weren't letting me completely off the hook.

 

"You went jogging in snow boots?" My dad questioned me suspiciously staring at the fur Uggs on my feet. 

 

"Yeah" I closed the door behind me and began walking to the kitchen slowly examining everything for any trace of earlier today. "There was a slight wind today and I thought that it would get colder later on so I wore boots for comfort" I decided to head up to my room to inspect that as well, before I reached the stairs I stopped and began moving my right foot back and forth over a patch of air checking for the y trap that not hours ago was hidden here.

 

"Honey? Is everything okay is your  knee hurting you or something?" Now that she mentioned it my knees was starting to bother me a little.

 

"No mom, just a sleep foot. I'm heading upstairs to clean myself up before I head over to Kaylas' job to pick her up and hang out with her for a while" I made my way upstairs expecting to see a room slightly out of order or a door that showed signs of a previous face collision. Once I reached my room I found that while my bed was messy as normal everything else was as it should have been, I can't believe this. What? Did they come and clean my room after they murdered me? I checked the door to find no sign of trauma or a paint cover up. Even my graduation snow globe was back on my night stand not bothered and as cute as before.I called down to my mom asking her was the house okay when she got home. She replied by thanking me for tidying up a little. I sat down on my bed bewildered and confused as to what to tell myself and Mr. Dr. Pataski once he arrived here expecting big news. In the middle of my rambling thoughts there was a knock at the door, my fiery red head of a sister Persephone. 

 

"Hey mom wanted you to drink this before you left" she handed me a glass of warm lemon water. "She said its good for detoxying your knee or whatever" she placed it down on an empty space on my night stand. She stared at the glass a little before heading out. She stopped before she closed the door.

 

"You know mom is gonna freak once she finds out you threw away that hideous lamp she gave you" she announced with a smirk on her face. I looked confusingly at the nightstand only to find, that the lamp that was previously on the nightstand, the one my mom bought from a yard sale, was missing. The same lamp that I broke over the thugs head earlier today. At the discovery of what my sister just said, I quickly grabbed my drink and downed the glass worth in a matter of seconds. My sister laughed making a comment about dumpster diving before closing the door behind her not knowing that she had just cured my near insanity. I quickly showered and put my hair into a ponytail neglecting to remove the twigs and debris that was entrapped in my loose curls. I stayed posted at my window staring down at the street below patiently waiting, until I noticed the Nixan Altima drive up in front of my house. I carefully walked down the stairs conscious of the pain now radiating from my knees, head, stomach, ankle ,throat and my newly broken and hidden wrist. I gave my goodbyes to my family ignoring their concerned looks (directed mostly toward my hair) and made my way to the car. Once I entered the car I turned to face Pataki giving him a good look at my face, letting it all sink in before I spoke the only words I needed to.

 

"Is it safe to say you were a little bit off about those odds"