Chapter 7
Temperance struggled up from unconsciousness. She felt leaden, weak and very groggy. With effort, her heavy lids lifted. Her mouth was dry and parched, and she felt extremely hungry. Trying to create some saliva, she swallowed, and licked her dry lips.
Her eyes opened, and for a moment, she had no recollection where she was or how she had gotten there. She stared up at the cracked ceiling. Frowning, she searched her memory for some fragment, some detail that would tell her what happened. She vaguely recalled Adam, the maintenance guy; giving her a ride, the tires on her car flat…wait…wait…he pushed a piece of material into her face….but after that…she just couldn't recall anything.
She managed to pull herself up to a sitting position, and looked around the small room; flashes of memories coming back to her, Adam in front of her, giving her a glass of water…he must have drugged the water…perhaps Rohiphnal? That would explain her lack of memory, and other physical symptoms she was exhibiting.
On the table beside the bed, was a sandwich and glass of soda. Eagerly, she gripped the glass, and swallowed the entire contents and greedily ate the peanut butter sandwich in record time. Only after she'd finished eating did she worry Adam had put more of the drug in the soda….cursing herself, she swallowed hard.
Temperance stood and steadied herself as the room spun around her, and moved to the bathroom, where she quickly drank several glasses of water. She briefly considered inducing vomiting, but knew that if there were drugs in her system, it would have already been absorbed. Her only hope was to find a way to contact Booth before the drugs took effect.
She glanced into the mirror over the sink, and was startled at how pale, weak, and almost even gaunt she looked, her hair hung in thick greasy strands, and she had dark circles beneath her bagged eyes.
Temperance quickly washed her face and finger combed her hair, and hurried out to the room she'd awoken to and slipped on her shoes and jacket.
She climbed the stairs, fully intending on knocking and shouting for Adam, however when she gripped the door knob to shake the door, the knob turned easily in her hand and swung open into a small kitchen.
The sun was streaming through the window above the kitchen sink, an ivy plant winding its way around the top of the curtain rod that cheery yellow curtains hung from. The clock on the wall told her it was 10:20am, but she had no idea what day it was, or how long she'd been here.
Hesitating, she tiptoed quietly through the house. It was quiet, and upon further inspection, deserted. Adam wasn't here at all. Letting out her breath she was holding, she picked up the phone in the kitchen, only to be greeted with silence. Frustrated, she threw the phone down, and located the front door.
She threw open the front door, and stumbled down the steps. There was no car here for her to take, and she was surrounded by woods on 3 sides. A gravel driveway led up to the main road, also gravel. Dizziness engulfed her, as the drugs began to take effect. She shook her head, and tried to mentally steady herself. She had to get help, had to get to Booth.
She walked to the end of the driveway, and glanced to the right and left, down the gravel road. No sign of any traffic for miles. The only sound to be heard was the rustle of wind in the tall grass, trees and leaves of the trees. Birds were twittering and chirping merrily on the braches of the tall oaks. She was totally isolated.
Taking a deep breath, she looked down at the gravel beneath her. She could barley make out where tire tracks had taken off to the left. She licked her lips and swallowed, and tried to remain focused on consciousness and walking down the deserted road.
End this chapter!
A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this out, let me know your thoughts, you know I appreciate them! –R-