Chapter 3
'Orientation' as Monger called it, was pretty uneventful. He explained when and why this prison was created, and how I wasn't going home.
"You can't do this to me!"I insisted, trying once again to futiley yank my arm away from his iron-like grip. What was with this guy? It wasn't as if I was repeatedly asking for the Nile. All I wanted was to go home!
"Yes I can," he said again, a sardonic smirk plastered on his face. "And I'm doing it right now." I glared daggers at his stupid face. I swear I just wanted to punch the jerk.
"Who freaking died and made you queen, General ?" I allowed myself the tiniest smirk when he had no response. Another point to me. But then again, points didn't really matter when he controlled my life. We entered a dark open space, that looked like an enormous elevator shaft. I peered over the edge of the platform we were on, and gulped at the hight.
"Afraid to fall?" Monger taunted, smirking in amusement.
"I'm not afraid of falling," I said truthfully. "It's the sudden stop at the bottom that kind of freaks me out."
Well, it was the truth.
I felt stupid as I barely noticed that I was glowing yet again. Seems like a stupid thing to notice after already knowing it would happen. I was really gonna have to get used to this whole 'glowing in the dark' thing. I glanced around and noticed that several soldiers standing nearby on the platform were watching me with awe. On the one hand, it felt pretty cool to be noticed, and interesting. On the other hand, they were probably thinking about how freakish I was so they could go gossip like old women to their friends and tell their families they had met a girl who glowed in the dark.
An evil grin spread across my luminescent face. I could have some fun with this.
I glanced out of the corner of my eye and noticed one particularly shaky-looking fellow, with his hand on his gun, looking ready to shoot, and yet amazed at the creature that was lighting up the dimly lighted shaft. I began to move toward him, noticing that Monger had released my arm. Oh, well duh. I obviously wasn't going anywere at the moment.
As I got closer to the dude, him and all the other soldiers aimed their guns at me. I sweetly put my hands behind my back, looking as innocent as I possibly could.
"A bit shaky today?" I said conversationally. His eyebrows cocked in confusion before his face turned a slight pinkish hue, which did not go well with the camo he was wearing.
"Get away from me!" he demanded. I frowned, moving closer.
"Why?" I fake-wondered. "Is there a problem?" I gasped, cupping my palms over my mouth in astonishment. "You don't have the german measles, do you!" I backed away from him in exaggeratedly fake horror.
"What!" said the soldier, dropping his gun. I frowned at him, running back to him and placing my glowing hands all over his face. He let out a yelp of disgust. "What are you doing!"
"Nope," I said. "Not the measles. Maybe you just need a hug." I advanced on him in the blink of an eye, and soon I was a neon glow-worm wrapped around his torso as he tried to pry me off, not even trying to mask his horror at my even touching him. I fought to keep my grip locked as several of the other soldiers began pulling at my much smaller body in attempts to remove me from the soldier I had latched onto.
And then my arms were loose, and I felt a familiar grip around my waist. I pounded his back and kicked my legs out, trying in vain to hit some part of him.
Any part! But nothing made contact.
"Would you freaking stop doing that!" I screamed. I felt like a child throwing a temper tantrum, but this was way worse. It was a major coniption fit, and a justified one at that. I scrunched my eyes shut as I screamed and flailed, and finally, I was released. I opened my eyes and brushed the hair away from my face. I was once again in that stupid cell, only now the other wall was open. Monger stood in the thresh-hold, looking cross.
"What is wrong with you!" he demanded. That popped my balloon.
"What's wrong with me?" I repeated in disbelief. "What about you! You're the one who thinks he can just waltz into my life and take away everything I knew, everything I had, everything I was! You think just because I'm different you can treat me like a piece of crap? Well if that's what you think, I promise you I will make your life a living hell in any and every possible way that I can!" I turned away and moved as far away from him as possible, dropping to my knees at the opposite wall. I felt wetness on my face and realized I was crying. I sniffled as I wiped my eyes.
"I'm just a kid," I hiccuped. "I'm only fourteen! I was just trying to rescue my dog and I ended up in prison! I'm in prison for doing nothing." I tried to calm my breathing, and began counting in spanish. I had heard that some people count when they're distressed because focusing on the numbers helps them take their minds off of their stress, but I got bored of that easily. Thus, I switched to counting in another language. It makes it more complicated, and occupies me for longer. I had made it up to 15 when I forgot the numbers, so I just started over.
It took me a few minutes to calm down, and then I realized that the door was closing, leaving me in the dark. Well, as in the dark as a glowing girl can be.
Right before it shut, Monger got a few more words in.
"See you tomorrow, Night Light." What? Night Light?
I started to fall asleep as the trauma of the news finally ebbed into my nervous system. I slumped forward and mumbled one last coherent thing before I sank into the sweet bliss of unconciousness.
"I didn't do anything."