Like a fucking lab rat. That’s what I am. A fucking pest that they can toy with, tease, and torture. I lie on the air mattress in silence, hoping if I’m quiet enough they’ll forget I’m here. I’m cold and start to shiver. I want to get dressed, but I have no clothes. I look up at the bed and consider climbing back in so I can pull the blanket over me, but I don’t. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m eager for what they are planning. I’m numb. It’s like there’s a switch on my heart and brain, and someone just turned them down and now they are working on low, like a car on auxiliary power. I close my eyes and think about my brother. I wish I could send him a telepathic message. I wonder if he’s awake. Is he in pain? Does he know I’m not there? Does he know I love him? My mind yanks me back into my early childhood days as a memory steals me from the moment. * It’s dark and cold. I see nothing.
