(Sara)
It was after her second session with Dr. Fredrickson, that Sara was ushered to the day room.
The day room was Fox Glen's idea of socializing. Sara glanced around at the many patients; some were gathered in front of a large screen television, while others were painting.
Sara was just thinking that most if not all of the patients looked fairly normal when a redhead approached her. She held what looked like a pen in her hand, but on closer inspection it turned out to be a candy dispenser shaped like a large ink pen.
The woman was mumbling something and despite how she strained to make out the jumbled words, the most Sara could come up with was moan pills.
Sara backed away a little as the proffered pen came close to her face.
"Moan pills," the woman mumbled again with an eerie smile twisting her features.
"We all need them."
This last was spoken clearly, and Sara was about to decline the offer when one of the nurses came forward and ushered the still mumbling woman away.
Sara shivered despite herself. She had been around many unbalanced people in her time at Fox River, but for some reason this on top of an upsetting visit with Dr. Fredrickson was just too much for her.
She felt a tear slide from her eye and brushed it away quickly. She told herself it could also be the meds she was forced to swallow.
Sara had noticed the effects of her medication, that at times she felt numb, while at other times her emotions were on high. In fact, she had awakened that morning with tears in her eyes.
She had been dreaming of her father and upon awakening those few errant tears had given over to complete sobs of despair.
She now quietly made her way to an empty chair and sat; pulling her knees to her chest as the tears continued to flow.
As she sat, her latest visit with Dr. Fredrickson began to replay in her tired mind. He had sat patiently, as she had once again explained who she was, and more importantly who she wasn't.
She had begged him to call Michael; to call her husband Brian…But the doctor had only adjusted her meds and told her to try to think positively.
His last words as she was ushered out now filled her head; wouldn't she like to meet some of the other occupants of their fine facility?
Sara had agreed to visit the day room if only to delay her return to the four walls that mocked her day in and day out. But now that she was here, what was the point really? She was still a prisoner, just behind different walls.
She heard a pleasant laugh and turned to look at the petite blond woman. She looked completely normal in her artist's smock.
Sara sat up straighter as she realized the woman was teaching an art class. Until just then she had been too preoccupied with her own depressing thoughts to notice.
Sara slid her feet down to the floor and padded a little closer.
The woman glanced at her with a small smile.
"Would you like to join us, Miss?"
Sara stared at her and then shook her head. She stood stock still and then walked towards her quickly. She needed to get this woman to help her somehow, and she knew it had to be done fast, before a nurse came at her.
She reached out and grasped the woman's arms.
"Please, you have to help me, I don't belong here," she whispered frantically…"I'm not crazy…My sister put me here…I need to make a phone call…just one phone call…please do you have a cell phone? Please," Sara begged.
The woman looked terrified and it took Sara only a moment to realize why. But then it was too late. Sara felt the male nurse's fingers close over her arms as he tried to lead her away.
"Please!" She shouted over her shoulder, her socks sliding easily on the tile floors of the day room as she was dragged away.
"Please, you have to help me!"
Sara was led back to her room. She fought briefly with the nurse, but he was too strong. He subdued her easily and then she felt the needle slide home… all went black.
(Amber)
(One day later)
Amber rolled over to an empty bed, her mind still foggy from sleep. She glanced at the bright red numerals of the clock on the nightstand and wondered where Brian was. It was after 3:00am and the two of them had called it a night around 11:00 after an extremely intense romp.
She ran her fingers through her hair and sat up as a lowered voice filtered in from the other room. She slid out of bed and padded quietly to the door and eased it the rest of the way open without a sound.
His voice was becoming more and more clear as she made her way into the hall, where she stopped and listened.
"I thought she was getting the 50k soon?"
Amber listened to the silence that followed, her eyes narrowing as the implications of what she was overhearing hit her.
She strained as his lowered voice became more insistent.
"Jack, I want this over. I need to get out of here…You said she would be easy to manipulate, so why is this taking so long?"
Silence followed as Amber listened from her spot just outside the living room where Brian paced.
She listened for a few more minutes as Brian whined on and then figuring she had heard more than enough she backed up and quietly made her way back to the bedroom, where she slipped inside and eased the door back to its partially open position.
She then padded back to the bed, where she slid beneath the blankets and closed her eyes.
But she just lay there, her mind far to awake to let sleep take her as it all became clear. The two men were using her, just like every other man she had ever had the misfortune of getting involved with.
But this time would be different, she told herself. This time she would be the one to walk away unscathed. And she would take all of Sara's money with her.
(The next day)
Amber made it through Sunday, her Sara act top notch. She had spent the day pretending all was well and gone about her domestic duties, all the while plotting her escape.
She hadn't wanted to let on that she was aware of Brian's involvement with Jack, so she had waited patiently for Monday morning. And then when Brian left for work she had phoned the airport.
Now she was about to step out the door. Before leaving the country she had one very important stop to make. A little visit to the bank and she would be all set.
Once there she would sign the papers that would transfer all of Sara's money to an offshore bank account in Panama. By the time Brian came home from work she would be long gone.
She smiled as she pictured Jack's furious expression when he realized he had been duped.
She was pulling on her jacket when the doorbell rang. She froze for a moment wondering if she should maybe slip out the back way, but when she heard the key slide into the door lock she knew it was too late. Trying to act natural she began buttoning her jacket.
When the door closed loudly she looked up, her expression one of surprise at the eyes staring back at her.
"Surprise sunshine," Jack said smiling.
"Going somewhere?" His eyes flat and cold took in her jacket and handbag
"Just to the bank to get your money, Jack," she smiled.
"To get my money, the 50k, Amber? Not to the airport?" He questioned as he closed the distance between them.
Amber's smile faltered a little. "Of course not, Jacky…I wouldn't skip town on you."
Jack shook his head. "You're lying, Amber."
"The bug I placed in your cell phone says you're a lying bitch…Now I always knew you were a worthless tramp, but I didn't think you were stupid."
His eyes had that look in them again. The look that told Amber she was in deep trouble.
"I don't know what your talking about, Jack I swear," Amber said backing up.
Her backward movements stopped only when she bumped into the small table in the hall knocking a vase of flowers to the floor with a crash. She flinched and then turned and ran.
She only made it as far as the living room before she was pulled to a painful halt by the grip of his fingers twisting into her long hair.
She screamed once and then his hands went around her neck cutting off the air her lungs would need to summon another.
Her hands flew to his and began clawing at them as she fought for freedom, his grunt of pain as her nails gouged into him, barely heard over the blood rushing in her ears and the frantic pounding of her struggling heart.
She clawed harder, but his grip never loosened. Her eyes flew to his pleadingly, but as she stared into his eyes, she saw the complete loss of control in them hot with a temper she had only witnessed twice. She knew then that this was it; he was going to kill her.
She felt tears spring to her reddening eyes and roll down her cheeks as precious air was denied her by his clutching hands. And then he was squeezing tighter, her struggling growing weaker with each passing moment, until finally it ceased as her body went limp.
And as all went black her hands fell lifelessly away from his…