The woman stared down at me, a coldness in her eyes that I wanted to shy away from. It was uncaring, unfeeling, guarded. I scooted away from her a little, but stiffened up again when her hand held me still. She stepped back and picked up a blood stained rag from the bedside table and dipped it into a chipped white basin. She wrung out pale red water and moved back to me, running the rag up my arm, nodding in approval at whatever she had cleaned.
"Ya in the Test Village, ma nephew Pluto brought ya up. He said you ha' a wreck up near Jebs," I nodded and she gave her own nod, moving back to the basin. She dunked the rag and wrung it again, looking up at me while she did so. "Name is Big Mama, what's your name?"
"D-Dizzy. I was heading for the gas station, Gas Haven?"
Big Mama 'tsked' to herself and turned back to me, running the rag down my leg. "Well, 'm sorry but ya can't leave."
"Why?!"
I risked shooting out of bed, and then promptly hit the floor with my face. I groaned and rolled onto my back, my legs still on the bed. Now I'd really be hurting when the drugs wore off. Big Mama helped me up and let me sit on the edge of the bed, me holding my throbbing head in my hands. Damn it hurt so bad, why did I think that was a good plan?
Finally she answered my question. "Papa Jupiter won' allow you to leave. If it weren't fer Pluto an Ruby you'd be dead. But they seem ya have taken a liken to you and Papa can see it. So you need to get comfy here. I'll let ya meet the rest of the family 'morrow, ok?"
What else could I do but nod? I did so quite numbly, and not just from the drugs, but from the confusion of this situation. I couldn't fight my way past that woman; no I'd just sit back in the rather comfy bed and pick at my fingernails. Truth be told my heart was beating painfully in my chest and I would probably do anything to get out. But that woman was scary and I knew, even if I got out of the house I was in I'd be killed by this Papa Jupiter or anyone else in this family, including the two men I saw outside the window.
I was only alive because two people in this family wanted to keep me, like some fucking puppy. Seriously? I'd rather be dead. At least then I wouldn't feel like this, like shit, like a worthless person. I couldn't stand up; even with the painkillers in my system I could feel my muscles screaming at me to sit still for good.
I sighed and knocked my head against the worn back board, humming an old song in my head.
"The hell you hummin'?"
I jumped, my eyes falling on the door. A tall lanky man leaned against the doorway, his cleft lip showing his chipped front teeth and his oddly angled jaw. His orange vest needed a serious washing and the spike strip that was wrapped across his torso was menacing to look at.
But I only looked at him with curiosity.
"Answer me girl," he growled, fingers curling around the spike strip.
"Y-You Are My Sunshine," I paused, the pain killers making my head buzz and a giggle threaten my teeth with release. "Who...who are you?"
He snorted and turned, leaving me alone. He wouldn't answer me? Fine! I'd follow him. I maneuvered myself out of the bed and willed my legs to help me run, which I did so with mild pain. God I'd hate myself tomorrow. I nearly fell down the steps, following the lanky, cleft lipped man out the door. He was a lot faster than me; when I was at the foot of the steps he was already heading out towards the desert. I took in the scene for a split second before I remembered my goal and continued after him. I tried to catch his bright orange vest, my fingers barely brushing the fluttering cloth. I settled for the spike strip thinking it couldn't be that sharp. Boy was I wrong. I howled in pain as blood poured out onto the hot sand, pooling at my feet and soaking my legs as it dripped from my elbows. I didn't know I could bleed so much, so quickly. I fell into the soaked sand, feeling the warm red liquid soak into the fabric of my shorts and tank top.
Feet shuffled around me, large hands poking and prodding before another set of hands scoop me up. I rolled into a warm chest and moaned in pain when the figure started to jog. Finally the shade of the house covered us and the figure slowed down, coming to a stop. I was lowered onto a soft surface, but doubted this was the bed I was in earlier. We hadn't gone up any steps.
"Ruby go get me that first aid kit. She hurt herself 'gain." I could hear Big Mama in front of my face.
I groaned and heard other footsteps stumble out of the room and more footsteps enter, some scraping against the hardwood floor. I kept my eyes closed tightly while I cradled my hand to my chest, until a large soft hand pulled it away from me and started to clean it.
" 'the hell happened?" Big Mama snapped, picking something from my hand with her finger. It hurt really badly.
"Sh…She follow Liz…" a struggling voice stuttered.
I opened my eyes then, to see who else was watching me. There was a behemoth in the corner, half of his face disfigured by a red splotch dragging down the right side of his face. There was a small figure behind him in a red hoodie, peering at me from around him. In the doorway was the man that I followed and beside him a tall man in a long trench coat with a scraggly beard. His wild eyes flickered between me and the man I followed, confused and angry.
Finally he settled for the man beside him. "Dammit boy, what'd you do?" he voice was gruff, masculine. He smacked the man upside his head, and if it weren't for the pain I was in, I would have laughed.
"Didn' do nothin'. Stupid bitch followed me outside." He growled, rubbing his head.
"Shut up both of ya'." Big Mama ordered and they obeyed. She leaned down to look at me, tenderness in her eyes that wasn't there before. "Honey you ok?"
I gasped out a yes, pulling my hand towards my chest again. The pills were now starting to pump their lovely numbness into the appendage so the pain was bearable enough to speak. I realized my eyes were closed again and opened them, finding the man glaring at me. What had the behemoth called him? Liz? Was that it, or was there more to his name than that?
I glared at Liz and pressed my bad hand into my chest more, flipping him off shakily with my bad hand. A joint chuckle echoed in the room, making me smirk a little and Liz glare at me. He stomped out of the room, making the chuckling more mocking from everyone, besides the small figure behind the behemoth. The tall trench coat man ambled forward while the laughter died and crouched down to my level.
"Ya know you can't leave, right?" he asked me slowly.
These…whatever they were, are rather nice considering they had kidnapped me. Maybe they were only being nice because two wanted to keep me. I nodded and pressed my injured hand even closer to me, if that was possible.
"So I've been told. But why not?" I asked.
" 'cause thanks ta Pluto over," he pointed his thumb over his shoulder and the behemoth lowered his head like a fearful dog. "Ya seen us. Can' let you tell anyone."
My palms started to sweat and my heart started to race. "B-But I have to get to Huntington Beach! I have to get to my Grandma! She-She was gonna help me get…" my words died into blubbering nonsense.
They all stared at me, uncaring about anything but their family. The figure in the hoodie looked up at me then. Her long brown hair was stringy and her eyes were unleveled, holding a silent plea for me to calm down. I tried, I really did, but holding in the sobs made my chest heave and sent pain all through my body. No, no, no. I had to get out of here. I needed the medicine, the therapy. They couldn't do this to me, not now. No, no, no.
"Please… have to get there," I begged between sobs, but the plea fell on deaf ears.
"No, 'm sorry. Ya can't leave," the man stood. " 'm Papa Jupiter, that Pluto as ya know an' the small girl is Ruby. Since they want ta keep you, they your care takers, your companions. Big Mama will help, but they be there most of the time."
Papa Jupiter turned to Big Mama and whispered something in her ear before he left, taking her with him. I could hear the sound of a door opening, the howl of wind outside and the door slam shut. Finally I turned to the two left in the room with me, tears staining my cheeks, my mouth ajar. I was in mild shock, it was festering in my chest, a dull thumping pain that I had no idea how to fix.
How could this happen? Before I wrecked I was heading for California, heading for a new future to escape my horrible past. It was going well, no cops had stopped me, despite all of the road blocks I had gone through and the other close calls. Guess none of my family members had thought to check for my remains in the house, to see if I hadn't perished as well.
I felt myself falling, not fast, but painfully slow. My head thumped against the ground and I cried out in pain, immediately feeling someone pick me up and roll me back onto the couch. I looked up at Pluto and then over at Ruby who was giving me the best smile she could. My lips were starting to chap sitting there, air pumping in and out of my open mouth. Pluto sat on the floor, his back against my stomach. Ruby sat beside him, curling her legs up to her chest so she was in the fetal position.
I hadn't taken my eyes off the floor for awhile, blinking very slowly to help the pain in my eyeballs.
"Is…Dizzy ok?"
I looked at Ruby, who was looking at me from the corner of her eye. I swallowed, wetting my throat and mouth so that I could speak. When I did speak my voice came out scratchy, hoarse.
"No, I'm not."
"Why not?"
"Because…because I was supposed to be getting some medicine and therapy for my problems. But now I'm not."
I couldn't make myself snap at her like I wanted to, so I talked slowly and bit my tongue. I don't want to be harsh to these two, one was really sweet and the other looked like he could snap me in half with his pinkie finger. But that wasn't just it, if I was being forced to stay here I would be as nice as I could to these people.
A small hand reached up and patted my cheek, causing me to jump. My eyes met with Ruby's and I smiled. Ruby was an innocent girl, it wasn't her fault I was stuck here, she was just a kindred spirit. I could probably count on her in the coming days.
Just as I thought that, Pluto's smiling face peaked over Ruby's head and caused me to laugh a belly aching laugh. Ruby slowly turned to her cousin and squeaked, blushing at her reaction to the happy man.
