Interrogation

~Adela~

Has it been hours or days? When was the last time I ate? Is Aida still missing? Am I back in my cell? “WHERE IS SHE?!” I focus on the swoosh in the air, knowing that means that my body is about to be racked with pain. No matter how prepared I am for the hit, my body shakes when it makes contact. I grit my teeth and bite the inside of my cheek to keep the sound from escaping. I won’t give them the satisfaction of hearing me scream.

“Keep at her! She will confess at some point. There’s no way her sister is gone, and she knows nothing.” I hear footsteps retreating, and a door closes. The swooshes continue, followed by a sharp pain. I just try to focus on anything and everything that isn’t tied to the pain I’m feeling right now.

How did I get to this place? How did my world blow up the way it has? I lost my pack, my dad, and my sister. Goddess, I lost my sister in more ways than one. Where is Aida? Why did she leave me? I don’t know what’s left for me or if anything will get better. I don’t know how long I can keep going like this.

I wait for another swoosh, but it doesn’t come. I can hear footsteps retreating, and I let a bit of air out. I guess this moment of torture is over. I don’t know how much longer this is going to last. I’ve told them over and over again I don’t know where my sister is or how she was able to escape.

A sharp pain appears in my outer thigh, and it travels to my knee. I scream out, not being able to help myself. I look down and see a dagger sticking out of my flesh. The blade might be silver. I hope it isn’t, but it probably is. I will heal at some point, but I will have a scar if it’s silver. My screaming stops, and I breathe heavily when the swoosh sounds again. The pain is now all over, and I don’t know if it will stop. I can’t be silent anymore, and my cries ring out. The pain eventually ceases, and darkness takes over.

*Flashback*

I followed the orderly who came to get me. As we walk out of the locker room, I can feel eyes on me. I know people are looking at me, and they are making their assumptions. I can’t believe that all of this mess is about my sister. How the hell did she get out of here? No one should ever be able to sneak out with how this place is set up. They must have no clues to go on if they are bringing me in. Maybe they think she told me about her plans, but they would be wrong. I’m as confused and lost as everyone else.

“We brought you in here to ask you a few questions.” I nod, walking into the conference room. About five people are sitting at the table, two in officer uniforms. I take a seat across from them and place my hands on my lap. I keep my head down, not wanting to make eye contact. I can feel their judgment and don’t want to face it.

“When did you last see your sister?” I clear my throat.

“Yyyyesterday.” I check in on my sister every day. One of the perks of working here is being able to see my sister every day that I’m here.

“What did you talk about?”

“Nnn…..nothing.”

“Nothing?!” I take a chance and glance up, noticing the people speaking amongst themselves. I look back down and thread my fingers together.

“No, we didn’t speak of anything. Aida hasn’t spoken to me in a while.”

“You expect us to believe that you and your twin didn’t speak?!” I swallow again but decide not to respond.

“The thing is that your sister is gone. When we did our last check for the night, she wasn’t in her room. She wasn’t anywhere in the building.” I keep my head down and my fingers threaded. I keep my mouth shut. A hand slams on the table in front of me, making me jump.

“WHERE IS SHE?! WHERE DID SHE GO?!” I flinch at each word and can feel the tears building. They can’t possibly think I was dumb enough to help my sister escape, right? I’m locked up myself, so why would I try to help her leave? Why would I help her escape and stay behind myself? “TAKE HER AWAY!” Hands grab me, and I’m yanked out of my seat. I’m dragged out of the room and down the hall. I don’t kick, scream, or fight. I won’t resist in any way. If they want me, they can have me. I did nothing wrong.

*End of Flashback*

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The ground beneath me is hard, and there’s a dampness to it. I move my body a bit, and the pain makes me want to cry out. It’s me biting my tongue that keeps the sound from escaping me. I really don’t want to give them the satisfaction. They have to know that I had nothing to do with this. I don’t feel the need to voice my obvious innocence.

I pry an eye open, but I’m met with darkness. It doesn’t make any real difference since this room was dark to begin with. I have no idea how long I’ve been here now or how long I was knocked out. I don’t know where my sister is or where she would go. I don’t know why they are so hell-bent on blaming me for her escape.

I struggle to keep my eye open, but it’s way too painful. I let my eye close and try to listen to my surroundings. I can hear dripping in the distance, but I don’t know where from. I hear some scurrying, and I’m sure there are rats and other things around. Maybe I will wake up again and be in a better place. Whether I’m back in my cell or dead, it would be a better place than where I am now. I let the darkness take over again, hoping things will change.