Disclaimer: I do not own anything based/taken from the book Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie. I only own my portrayal of personalities of the characters and all of the new characters created.
Chapter 2
I open my eyes, and my room has been totally transformed. I have warm covers which aren't scratchy. I have my old winter pyjamas on; I have really missed pyjamas, especially these ones, my red checked winter PJs, they're so warm and cosy. My room has been re-painted. To the colours of my old room, years ago. This can't be right. I swing my legs around so I'm sitting, facing my wall, my diamond coloured wall, but it's not there. In its place is a beautiful deep red, no diamonds, just gorgeous red. Nothing to count, just my favourite colour, on every one of the walls in my new room. My window has been cleaned; it's sparkling in the rising sun's light. I stand up and feel slippers next to my feet; I slip into them and start to walk around my bedroom. Everything has changed so much; I walk over to my wardrobe, which hasn't been opened in years, but the dust that was there yesterday has gone, it looks brand-new, but there is the same markings on the wood – this must have took some cleaning. I open the doors and see heaps of fresh clothes, clothes that nowadays I can only dream of. I run my hand over this bright blue top; it has red stone detail on it, in the shape of a music note. I pull it out and examine it some more, before putting it on my bed. I then look for some trousers to match. I don't search for long before I see these perfect denim jeans, they have a red belt attached. I move them to my bed and begin to get changed. It feels wonderful to actually be wearing nice clothes. Clothes like these seem but a distant memory. I spot myself in a mirror and I am completely shocked. I haven't seen myself in a mirror in a long time. But surprisingly, I am clean! My hair has been brushed, and wearing these clothes I look … Good! I'm not vain, but I look better than I thought I would. I don't like to stare at myself too much; it reminds me of my old life. But are my nightmares finally over?
I sneak up to my door, my newly polished door. I haven't been outside of this room for so long. I wonder … surely with the new clothes and everything … maybe. I open the door a crack, and peer out. The last time I would have sent this landing would have been around 6 months ago – when they last let me go into the bathroom to wash. I am feeling daring so I move towards the stairs, past the bathroom, past the many baby pictures of a boy and a girl, twins. I sneak straight past without giving them a second glance. When I reach the stairs, I pause. Dare I do it? I haven't been this far from my room since they moved me here. Could I go further? My knees start to shake but I can't stop now. Slowly, slowly I begin to descend.
The stairs feel strange; my legs haven't moved like this for ages, they are usually in the cross-legged position. I feel sense someone watching me at the bottom of the stairs. I look up from the fading pale green carpet of the stairs and stare into a pair of eyes I never thought I would see again. Suddenly I'm falling! Falling and screaming. I search for the eyes; I have to see them again before I collide with the hard wooden ground. I wake up.
I'm covered in sweat and I'm screaming. I throw my blanket down in panic. Kicking and screaming, until I hear a thunderous crash as my door slams open. I stop screaming. Frozen with fear with what I know is coming. I'm going to be punished. I feel myself being dragged up from my bed by my hair. I am still frozen, it's easier to numb out the pain that way as I feel his fist colliding with my stomach. I'm on the floor and he's kicking me hard in the ribs. I try and block out the pain and think of the life I once had when I was little. I try to remember the face of my dream, the face I haven't seen for so long. I'm scared, but not because of him. They always do this. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. I'm scared because I don't want to forget her face, or any of the faces from my past. I haven't dreamt about them in ages, I'm scared I'll forget their faces. Maybe that would be a good thing. To forget the life I once had, I have accepted my life here. But, I... I guess I never stopped hoping they would find me. That I would get back to the life I vaguely remember. Just faces. But I do remember being happy. To be honest I would take any life other than this. This isn't a life! I feel myself being pulled to my feet. He is smashing me against the wall. I hear a crack. My head feels numb. I surrender to the darkness consuming me.
My head is throbbing. I feel groggy. I keep my eyes closed but I reach up to my head and it feels sticky. I open my eyes and all I see is red. I begin to lift myself up from the ground but I suddenly feel dizzy and collapse back down again. My eyes are heavy. All I want to do is sleep. I hear a crash coming from below me. I force my eyes open and slowly lift my head. The carpet in my room is stained with a red sticky substance. It takes me a few moments to realise that the substance is my own blood. I'm confused, I feel so groggy, and nothing seems to make sense. I gradually move into a seating position and try to make sense of what happened. I look down at my hand and see it is covered in a crimson liquid. I sink back into the darkness.
When I finally wake, I notice that I'm not where I was when I collapsed. I'm in a new room. A room where I have never been before. I sit up, leaning my back against the stone cold wall, resting my sore head against it. It's surprisingly soothing. Looking around, I can't believe it! I have been moved. I wonder how long it will be for this time. Looking around I can see concrete walls, blank, nothing to do. Nothing to count. This is horrible, it's freezing, at least in my room I have blankets (most of the time) and I have something to do. Count my 327 diamonds. I like counting my diamonds. It's something to do. To be honest my only purpose of living, the only thing that's certain in my life is that I will wake up, and I will count my diamonds. It's comforting, familiar. The only thing that's stable in my life, the only thing I cling to. How sad is that? I hope I won't be here long. I know what's coming, I've been in situations like this before. Not this room but one similar. They will leave me in here for a few days (I assume), with no food to teach me a lesson, then I'll get another beating, and then I'll be put back into my room. Where I can carry on as I have been. Counting my diamonds and living in as much peace as I will ever get.
I'm still here, waiting for this to be over. I'm starting to panic to tell the truth. I don't know why, I have never re-acted this way before, but I miss having something to do. I need to find something. I very gently pull my head away from the wall and lean forward. I crawl around, looking for something, anything to do. There is nothing, this was their plan. This isn't fair! I have done nothing to deserve this. I can't even remember why they did it! I only remember it's not my fault, but it must be. They said it was to punish them but I can only remember happiness when I think back before my life here. No. This has to be my fault, somehow. I must have been an evil child.
Sitting in the middle of the room, cross legged, I stare at the wall, at the door. I run my eyes over every inch of the door, willing it to open. Even if it's just for another beating, it would be something to do. This has never bothered me before, but it's suddenly starting to get to me. The nothing, the emptiness. I think back to my room, closing my eyes I can see my wall, my diamonds. My 327 diamonds. I smile, I can live through this. I begin to count, on the wall I have memorised so well. One, Two, Three, Four…
During my 17th count of the diamonds inside my head, I sense something different. I open my eyes. Staring back at me from the door is something I never expected to see. Not him. Her!
