Description: Two souls with similar trust issues meet in the unlikeliest of places.

Chapter One

"So, Ana, tell me: Why are you here?"

Ana' blinked at the rudeness of the intruders in lab coats barging in, pawing her like cats checking their prey for signs of life.

Sitting up in bed, she straightened her gown and smoothed her hair.

"Do you know why you're here?" A female voice reiterated.

Ana frowned, feeling indecent.

How could she even begin to answer that question?


...

"No, go back to your room." The young man in uniform looked up from his phone and judged her with narrow eyes.

"I can't," Ana said, exhausted; it had taken a lot of energy to make it to this side of the hallway only to have to turn back the way she came.

"No, go back," he repeated, his voice full of disgust, accentuating the divide between his world and hers.

A quick glance at his screen told her he'd been playing games on his electronic device. She grumbled, wishing she could get him in trouble with his supervisor.

"I used to be like you, you know," Ana Steele said with a bitter taste in her mouth. Once upon a time, she had the same rights as him.

The young man gave her a disinterested look while blocking her entrance to the TV room with his rolling ergonomic chair.

"I had an iPhone like yours," she clarified, "three weeks ago."

It had only been three weeks, she thought, three weeks since she'd felt human. How she longed to be lulled to sleep in front of the TV.

"Why? Why can't I go in there? I promise I'll be quiet."

It just didn't make any sense to her. It wasn't as if she was thinking of having a party in the middle of the night.

Instead of answering her, he lowered his eyes and typed something on his computer.

"Hey, look at me. I'm not a dog, you know!"

At once, two nurses appeared and barked at her. The meanest of the two had been nicknamed Miss Sergeant

"Ana, go back to your room."

"I can't sleep, so I'm going to watch TV."

"No, you can't go in there."

"No!..." Ana lowered herself against the nearest wall, hugging her legs.

"Either you go back to your room, or I will call one of the guards," Miss Sergeant threatened, displaying her pearly white teeth.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Ana noticed a guard ready for action. She pretended she wasn't intimidated by his sudden appearance.

Well, it seemed she had lost the battle but not the war. And so, she headed back to her room, shuffling her feet. About halfway there, she got on her knees and crawled. The hardness of the cold floor rubbed against the fabric of her paper-thin leggings, making her knees burn. She was too tired to care. Rounding the corner, she stopped to make faces at her reflection on the security mirrors mounted at an angle just below the ceiling.

All the while, Miss Sergeant stood by with her arms crossed.

"You're really making a nuisance of yourself tonight, aren't you?"

"Is that why you became a nurse... to spread the misery around?"

Back in her room, Ana slammed the door with such force that the hinges groaned. She slid onto the floor and hugged her painful knees. It wasn't until then that she noticed the bruises peeking through the holes in her tights.


...

Four hours later

A streak of daylight peeked through the skinny wall-to-ceiling window next to her bed.

Ana sat up and stared at the plain walls, relieved. Nights were the worst. Counting sheep, switching on the lights, pacing, pacing, and fighting with her pillows. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she tried tracking how long it would take to make out the edges of the ceiling tiles.

Last night, she'd managed to fall asleep only to be rudely awakened by a door-slamming party. Unable to go back to sleep, she decided to join the party. There was something fundamentally satisfying about her contribution. The activity gave her a voice and reduced her feelings of isolation.

This morning she fixed her hair the best she could and ventured outside her room.

The crew of jailers was working in the reception area. Two of them were chatting, and the other two were focused on a screen.

Sonya (mid-sixties) approached them. All four jailers ignored her as her speech was hard to understand.

Ana watched the interaction and immediately knew what the older woman wanted.

The phone.

At once, the wheels in her head started turning. Under normal circumstances, she would have intervened and interpreted the woman's wishes. But this was the chance she'd been waiting for; she couldn't let another day go by without getting her turn. Even criminals had the right to their one phone call. There was no way Ana could possibly stand another day in this lawless place.

Sonya grew increasingly agitated when she realized that Ana had convinced the crew to put her name on the list ahead of hers.

As luck would have it, Lisa, one of the overly-enthusiastic therapists who ran the ridiculous daily group sessions, suddenly materialized to help the older woman calm down.

"Oh, I know what Sonya needs...she needs socks," Ana told Lisa thoughtfully.

Everyone stared at Sonya's bare feet disapprovingly.

The rules stated needed to wear padded socks outside their rooms; otherwise, the staff had the right to ignore them.

Ana felt Sorry for Sonya; the poor woman was a casualty of the system. Unfortunately, life was all about survival of the fittest.

"Oh," Lisa's smile matched her shiny ID badge, "yes, Ana, thanks. "Hmm...let's see, " She came around her desk to peer at Sonya's feet, " What size are you, dear?"

Sony's response sounded like gibberish.

"She probably wears an L. I wear M, Ana said, excluding Sonya from the conversation. She lifted her foot so the other woman could get a better look. "I found the L's' way too big, but these fit perfectly. See?"

"You're right," Lisa replied thoughtfully, " I would think someone with dainty feet like yours would wear an S. These socks must run a bit big."

"Dainty feet?" Ana giggled, "I'm no Cinderella."

While Lisa went behind the desk to look for the socks, Sonya glared at Ana and yelled at her. The anger and frustration in her voice bounced across the walls.

Ana didn't reply. They were supposed to stick together, after all. They were on the same team.

At once, Lisa stepped between the two women and called for backup. Five seconds later, several imposing members of the staff surrounded Sonya.

Ana looked away, not wanting to see the woman subdued.

"May I use the phone? Ana asked as soon as Sonya was out of sight. "I need to call my friend before she leaves for work this morning."

"The phone? Hmm," Lisa peered at the counter and looked inside the desk drawers. She then asked a clerk to help her look.

Ana's eyes widened in high alert while the two women looked for the phone. Her palms started sweating, half-expecting someone ( patient or staff) to interrupt the search. Much to her surprise, Lisa handed her the phone with a smile.

"Thank you, thank you!" Ana replied, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Her fingers wrapped around the phone as if holding a jackpot-winning lotto ticket.

Back in her room, with the door closed behind her, Ana felt she could breathe again.

God, please, don't let me mess up again!

Please...God, please.

749-7269. Area code first. No, no. Press the number first, then the area code. Quick!

A robotic voice greeted her: Please check the number and dial again.

God...what if she got the wrong number?

Try again, quick, quick!

This was her lucky shot.

HURRY!

Any minute now, someone could barge in, claiming their turn.

Her fingers froze after the 5th try, her mind obsessively trying to figure out what she was doing wrong and what she hadn't tried yet. This so-called cell phone had to be the strangest thing she had ever seen. It looked more like a walkie-talkie with a rubber keypad, a relic from a different Era. God, how she wished she could have her own phone back.

Try again. You can't stop now!

Focusing thoughts tightly was the only way; she couldn't allow errand thoughts free reign. As far as she knew, her phone could be at the bottom of the ocean. No amount of bemoaning was going to help her now.

"Ana," one of the nurses peeked through the door. "You're over the 15-minute limit."

"Okay, give me a minute, please."

The nurse left with a frown on her face. Ana barely noticed; she ran to the bathroom as if propelled by a motor, hoping it would be a while before the next person checked on her again. Clutching the phone, she sat on the skinny bench inside the shower stall and drew the curtains.

"Ana?"

Ana jumped up at the sound of a male voice. Peeking through the curtain, she made eye contact with Christopher, the overseer. Since the revolving door to the bathroom was open at the top, he had a good view of her from the neck up.

"Ana, someone else needs the phone, please. I don't make the rules."

"Christopher, I've been trying to reach my friend for days, please! Last time I called, someone told me the best time to reach her was in the early morning," she sobbed. "I just need to reach her...please. I haven't had any visitors since I've been here...a few more minutes, please!"

"Okay, you have 10 more minutes, that's it."

In a blink of an eye, it was over. The battery was dead. She groaned and cursed the device before returning it to the nurse's station.


…...

"I need to borrow the loaner phone, please."

"Loaner phone? What are you talking about?"

"A loaner phone is a phone people can borrow."

Newbies were the worst. They cocked their heads and furrowed their browns as if suddenly in charge of the next moon landing.

"Someone else has it right now, " A veteran intervened. "Ana, you know the rules; you gotta wait your turn."

"I've been waiting my turn all morning," Ana complained, chewing her lip furiously.

Her complaint fell on deaf ears. The veteran returned to her screen, indicating that was not her problem.

Ana stayed put, determined not to be dismissed like that. She loudly requested that her name be added to the waiting list.

Unfortunately, two of the worst prisoners chose that moment to create havoc. People started coming and going, nurses, magistrates, psychiatrists, security guards-all in a big rush, having private chats and making frantic calls or going into private rooms together.

And that was the end of that.


…...

The first thing Ana saw when she opened her eyes was a 50-plus woman in a white coat and four younger lab coat people. It dawned on her that, in this game, she was the sole mouse in a room full of mean cats.

The bunch gathered around her, their paws working on rolling computer stations, flying off the keyboard.

As soon as the questions started, she felt the oxygen in the room slowly draining.

"Hi, Ana. I'm Dr. Grey."

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"This will only take a minute."

Dr. Grey tilted her head, all serious and professional, half-blocking the door to the bathroom.

Yeah, right! Ana huffed inwardly.

"How are you feeling today, Ana?" She asked with clinical concern.

Ana glanced at the narrow floor-to-ceiling window next to her bed. She peered at the gorgeous blue sky and a few trees in the background opposite another hospital building on the lower level.

"I'm doing better."

"Really?" Dr. Grey cocked her head, the silver in her hair giving her a distinctive glow. An aristocat pawing its prey, "what changed from yesterday?"

Here we go again! No matter what I say, I never win this game.

"It's a beautiful day today. The sun is shining, and I'm looking forward to breakfast," Ana said, smiling.

Her goal was to convince them that she was okay, not the least bit anxious or depressed.

"I'm feeling better physically too. My lips were horribly chapped and stinging, but they brought me an ointment that's like ten times better than chapstick." She went on.

"Ana, you're not answering my question," Dr. Grey interrupted, "Last time I saw you, you were completely out of control. You were screaming down the hallway and cussing at the staff. What changed?"

Ana shook her head and fixed her eyes on the wall. Being reminded of the things she'd done since her arrival filled her with shame. She had erupted because she felt deeply, and nothing enraged her more than unfairness.

These people considered themselves masters of the truth. And they hunted weakness like a dog smelling blood.

She was sick and tired of answering questions, especially questions about her family, the family that betrayed her. The worst part was they were not interested in her answers. All they cared about was finding inconsistencies and writing their stupid notes.

"Ana, look at me. I know you want out of this place. The question is, are you ready to go home with your family?

Home?

She had no home.

Family?

How could she go back with any of them?

Dr. Grey looked down at her notes, "how about your husband?"

"Ex-husband."

"Hmm, yes, ex-husband," Dr. Grey replied, typing something in her notes.

Ana shook her head. Only a few days ago, she'd been desperate enough to try calling her cheating ex. The bimbo he'd married answered the phone. Talk about bad timing!

Under ordinary circumstances, she would have never even allowed herself the possibility of contacting him.

Never, ever in a million years.

But they say true desperation has no pride.

"What about your family in Montesano? Are you ready to go home with them?'

Ana slowly shook her head no.

"How about your brother in New York?"

Ana shook her head vigorously. No way Jose.

"I need to go to the bathroom," She said with a lump in her throat, wiping the tears from her eyes, knowing she would never be released. Unless she provided them with a name and address.

"Ana," Dr. Grey spoke firmly. She waited until Ana met her gaze before continuing, "Yesterday, there was a hearing you refused to attend. The judge approved another 12-day hold."

"Whaat?" She squeaked.

It occurred to her that cats are exceptionally clever with their paws; something moving and squeaking is far more interesting than a lifeless body. So they throw their prey around to amuse themselves AND possibly generate signs of life.

"That means we have been granted the right for you to remain here."

Ana didn't reply for a long time. She needed to formulate the next question right.

It was a matter of life or death, Truly.

"When can I be discharged?"

"You must attend ALL of the Wellness classes, participate in group discussions and take your medications for three days straight."

Ana blinked in disbelief.

It all sounded so simple, yet it was anything but simple.

She ran to the bathroom, her heart thumping in her chest. In the past, she would have yelled at the psychiatrist and demanded answers. But she knew better now; things could get completely out of control. And then, how in heaven's name was she going to convince THEM ALL she wasn't crazy?


…...

The next morning

Ana gathered her gown tightly around her before leaving her room. Last night, people had kept her up with their madness and door slamming. Her nerves were shot. The sounds and the sheer terror of having no place to hide reminded her of those war movies she used to watch with her dad.

The hallway was pin-drop quiet.

The wall clock behind the reception desk told her it was 7:20 am.

Good. It was still early.

"Good morning," Ana said, forcing herself to smile at the staff. They looked vaguely familiar. However, since their rotating shift schedule was quite random, she wasn't exactly sure of their rating on the rudeness scale.

The pair in scrubs barely glanced up to look at her, their eyes glued to their desktops.

"May I use the phone... please?"

"Phone calls are not allowed until 8:00 am."

Ana felt every muscle in her body tense.

This was bullshit.

"Since when?"

"It's the rule."

"Look... I need to call my friend before she goes to work. Please! I haven't been able to get in touch with her, please!"

"Ana. You will need to wait; it's a rule."

Ana clenched her jaw and ground her teeth. She hated the woman's pitiful impersonation of a human.

"Can you put my name on the list, please?"

"There's no need to keep a list. We know you're next."

Determined not to take any chances, Ana decided to stay. She lowered herself to the floor, rested her back against the cool walls, and watched.

A few minutes later, a big man named Bernie approached her. When Ana first arrived, she'd avoided him like the plague. He was loud and obnoxious and nearly impossible to understand. In time, she learned to understand a few sentences here and there.

This morning, he wasn't his usual self. He looked tired and not very talkative. However, he stopped to ask Ana a question.

"Sorry," Ana narrowed her gaze, her body language clearly conveying her lack of understanding even after he repeated his question several times.

"Ana, Bernie, no gathering in the hallway," One of the drill Sargent nurses hollered. One look at her made Ana picture her with a thick mustache, shouting orders to her recruits just for fun.

Ana rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly.

"I'm waiting for the phone."

"You can do that in your room..." Drill nurse replied crossly.

"I'd rather wait here."

The woman gave her a nasty long look, and people stopped to stare.

So what? I don't give a damn anymore.

Someone else carefully approached her. He bent over and spoke in a soothing tone.

"Ana, please, can you go to your room.. or wait for your breakfast in the big room (translation Wellness room) ?"

"I'm waiting for the phone right here," Ana replied, enunciating each word and more determined than ever to stay put. She wasn't bothering anybody.

Tyranny.

You would think by now she'd be used to it.

But they always... always found a way to take things to a whole new level.

The guy who rolled the meal carts brought her breakfast and set it on her bed. Usually, he told her to take her tray to the Wellness room. Today the rules didn't apply as the staff had their hands full with another resident.

Ana was delighted to get a new stack of magazines and her favorite chocolate pudding.

Hmm...

She was about to take her first bite of the pudding when her eyes widened, spoon halted mid-air.

The commotion in the hallway indicated something out of the ordinary was happening.

Tiptoeing, she opened the door and peeked through a tiny opening.

Three policemen—no, three hospital guards in dark blue uniforms rolling in someone strapped to a gurney.

Mystery doors that usually remained locked opened and closed, hinting at a better life.

She wanted that life.

The moment she was caught staring, she swiftly closed the door behind her and climbed back into bed to eat her pudding first. Then, licking her lips, she devoured her pancakes and scrambled eggs.

She peered at the magazines. One of the articles caught her attention, but she had trouble concentrating. It all changed when she came across an article on how texting style defines intimate relationships and laughed.

Her laughter quickly faded when she remembered the phone.

By now, it was probably in the hands of either Sonya or Bernie!

Indeed, the first thing she heard was Bernie talking a mile an hour. At once, she made a beeline for the phone, barefooted. The ties on the back of her gown had become loose, exposing her back.

FUCK!

Bernie was ruining everything!

If she didn't get the phone and get to talk to someone from the real world this instant, she was going to die.

Period.

Without hesitation, she surprised the staff by lunging for the phone.

"It's my turn, my turn!" She yelled.

The phone spun out of Bernie's hands and clattered to the ground.


…..

Later

It wasn't until late afternoon that the mercenaries returned. Ana had just awoken from a drug-induced nap. The minute she opened her eyes, she was struck by how the colors around her seemed rather dull.

"Hello, Ana," A young nurse poked her head through the door wheeling in a cart. "I'm Adeline, your nurse for tonight."

"What are those?"

"Your usual meds."

"I don't want to take that med," She said, referring to a small white pill. "It gets me too wired up; it keeps me up all night."

"Ana, you will have to discuss that with your doctor when he does his rounds in the morning," Adeline held out two cups, one with water and one with the medication.

Ana clenched her jaw. She was tired of this merry-go-round. So far, all her requests for a change in medications had been denied.

Instead of anger, her primary emotion was raw desperation.

"Adeline...wait, please! I need to call my friend. I've been waiting all day. Can you help me... please?"

Adeline hesitated. "I don't see why not. Ask nicely though; we don't want a repeat of the other day."

Ana swallowed her tears. By now, she supposed everyone was labeling her as the aggressor.

"Tell you what... why don't you take your medications right now, and then I'll go and tell Lisa you want to use the phone."

"Can I take the other med one later?" Ana asked, treading carefully. Judging by the woman's voice and body language, the threat of force was underneath the surface.

"No, you must take both meds first."

You would think that by now, she would be used to having lost all rights to her own body.

Ana took a deep breath, calming the rage in her heart and weighing her options. Another dreadful sleepless night versus a shot at escaping. Swallowing her rage versus becoming another Sonya.

So she took both pills as instructed. At once, Lisa appeared with the phone.

"Wait, Lisa, don't go. Please help me!"

"It's easy, " she said, "first, you dial 1, then the area code, and then the number."

"Yes, I've done it exactly like that...and I get a recording or someone else."

Lisa shrugged one shoulder, "Just keep trying," she mumbled before exiting the room.

Ana exhaled loudly, "thank God!"

God, please help me!

Hands shaking, she dialed the number she had rehearsed in her head hundreds of times in the last few days.

Ten minutes later, she was still trying; something was wrong with the damn phone.

She was on the verge of giving up hope when she heard a feminine voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello?"

It's her! YES!

"Mia?"

"Who is this?"

GOD...what if she doesn't remember me?

Ana held a hand to her heart and breathed.

"It's me. Ana...Ana Steele."

"Oh...my...Ana?" Silence. "Is that really you?"

A/N: Readers: I have another account under the name of Kz4. My first completed FSOG fanfic For a Thousand Years is posted there.