FLASHBACK

The sun beamed on my skin as I floated on my back in the pool. It was a hot day, much hotter than all the others. The door slides open, and I see my mother walk out. Her eyes were squinting from the sun. "Abrielle? Are you hungry, sweetie?" She asks. "No mommy. I'm not yet." I reply, as I hold my nose and dive down. I stay down as long as I possibly could and when I no longer could, I rise back up. I laugh loudly, knowing my mother hated when I did that. But I didn't hear any laughter. I just heard heavy breathing and I looked at the concrete to see my mother gasping and sweating intensely. "Mommy!" I scream, as I jump out of the pool and run towards her. "Abrielle...go get Charles. Hurry." She gasps. She was clenching her stomach tightly, and the sweat was dripping off her forehead. I ran to Charles's house and begged him to come help my mother. "She's over here! Hurry!" my little voice shrieks. He knelt down to carry her inside. "What is wrong with her?!" I exclaim. Charles ignores her. "It'll be okay. Deep slow breaths. Do you want some medicine?" He asks her. She nods, and teara stream down her face. She looked broken. She clenched her stomach as she sobs. I walk towards the stares and sit down. "What was wrong with mommy?" I asked, but nobody answered.

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My eyes focus on my surroundings. I was in my room, in my bed. I tried to sit up and I couldn't. I move my head to look down at my body. My heart was now pounding. I couldn't move at all.

   I see ropes tied aroundmy wrists and ankles and around my abdomen. I was being restrained. I let out a piercing loud scream.

I heard footsteps running towards my room, frantically. My mother comes in, her hair falling into her face as she stops abruptly. "Abrielle, you're awake." She says, her voice shaky. Her eyes were pink and puffy.

   "Why would you do this to me, mother?!" I yell. I could feel the anger rising up my throat and in my eyes and in my hands and legs. I wanted to run. I wanted to go away far from everything.

  "I'm sorry. It was Charles's idea. I had to. I'm so sorry." She says, her tears stream down her face. I glare at her. "You're treating me like some kind of animal!" I exclaim. She closes her eyes and keeps them shut for several seconds. "I have to protect you!" She whispers.

  "Just let me go." I say, surprisingly calm. The anger was so intense, I didn't even know what I was saying. "What?" She asks,  her eyes now gazing in mine. "Let me run. I'll never come back. Nobody will find me. They'll never see me again." I tell her. "Are you admitting to-" I stop her before she says anymore. "No! I didn't do anything to Nikki, Mom!" I exclaim. "This is why I need to go!" I add.

  "But where? Abrielle. I can't let you go. I would get arrested. You are a danger to society. Once they find you, they would convict you guilty and you'd be put away til the end of your life. If you stay here, It may work out. You may get to stay here." She says, crying.

   I remain quiet.  "Just leave me alone." I say, closing my eyes. "I don't deserve to be restrained." I whisper. She takes a deep breath. " It's whats best for right now." She says. "Go away! I never want to see you again. Leave me in here. Maybe I will starve to death. That's what you do to monsters. You trap them in a cage and leave them to die. Why don't you just do the same?!" I exclaim.

  She just cries louder and shuts the door behind her. I could hear her cries down the stairs for hours. I laid there and listened to it all. I thought of any possible way out of these restraints but there was no outcome. I let myself cry a few tears but that was all. If I was a monster, then monsters don't cry.

  I let sleep invade my mind but then I heard a loud boom down stairs. I heard several footsteps, minutes later and then sirens coming closer and closer. There was so much commotion downstairs.

    I remained quiet. I didn't know if they was here for me or for what. I heard Charles talking to someone and then the sirens faded away. Nobody was in the house. It was completely silent. I was alone.

  If only I could find a way to free myself from these restraints and leave. But I knew that was just as wishful thinking as me wishing I could be freed from this monster that lives inside me.