Awake

I stare up at the large stone building in front of me.
Dark clouds loom like an omen above.
My grip on the handle of my suitcase tightens.
I swallow hard and look around.

A garden of dead flowers wraps around the large structure.
A forest incircles around this place.
Only a small courtyard, with an old fountain is without foliage.

Everything is grey.

This is my recovery home?

Sitting down on a old bench, I wait for my mother to return.
She is inside, registering me.
Signing me over to this place.

It frightens me.
It's too secluded.
The trees feel like bars to a cage.

It took us an hour of driving through woods till we reached my new home.
Why would they build it so far away from civilization?
It doesn't seem right to me.

"Farrah"
I turn towards my mothers voice.

"Yes?"

"Everything is done, it's time for me to go"
I look away, nodding.
She rests a hand on my shoulder.
"It'll be okay darling, this will be good for you"

"I don't believe so"
My words are barely whispers.

"I love you"
She kisses the top of my head.

"I love you too mother"

With that she leaves, getting into her car and driving off.
My heart beats faster.
Like my chances of happiness and freedom left with her.

The bitter cold begins to creep through my clothing, stealing my warmth.

A hand on my forearm makes me jump, jerking around.
A woman with long blonde hair and a woolen coat stands there.

"I'm Mrs. Cherri, I'll show you to your room" She says with a smile, gently pulling me up.
She readjusts her hand so its press softly on my back, almost pushing me forward as we walk.
We reach two large doors, she shoves one open, stepping aside so I can enter.

Inside I feel enveloped by warmth.
We stand in a long dark hallway, a window at the other end lets in a little grey light.
There is no noise.
Just silence.

"Your room is on the third story"
Ms. Cherri sighs, her voice is like a hammer to glass in the quietness.
I follow her all the way to the other end of hall.

She takes my hand and pulls me into a stairwell and up a spiral staircase, quickly.
I'm almost dizzy as we finally get to the top.
I find myself in a hallway exactly like the one I just left.
A feeling, as if a thousand eyes are on me.
It makes me shiver.

"01c, 03c, 05c, ah ha! Room 07c"
She cries stopping in front of a white door.
07c is carved into the door frame.

She pulls out a old, rusting key and thrusts it into the lock, twisting it.
The door swings open slowly, it's hinges screaming out.

She takes the suitcase from my hand and saunters into the room.
I glance around before stepping hesitantly into the room.

It's small, with a little dresser, a twin size bed, a chair and a little table with a lamp.

So barren.

Ms. Cherri sets my suitcase on my bed and turns to me with a little grin.
"Well I'll leave you to get settled in, supper is at 5:30 sharp. Oh the others will be glad to have a new girl around"

The mention of other people here practically shocks me.
"There are others?"

She lets out a little titter.
"Why of course, there's 62 teenagers here"

"Oh"
My eyes flicker back out into the still hallway.
How strange...

"There's a schedule under you pillow, make sure to read it" She calls as she departs from the room, shutting the door behind her.

I sit down on my bed, it creaks under my weight.
I lay back, my head falling onto a thin pillow there.
I pull a card from under it, barely scanning it, I toss it to one side.

"I'll read it later"
I mumble closing my eyes.
I take a deep breath.

The room smells like dust and stale air, and something else.
Something I can't place.
It's light, but a little pungent.

I wrinkle my nose and try to think of other things.

Blake.
I think of his eyes.
I think of his soft hair.
I think of his scent.
I think of his stories.
And I think of his kisses.