Spitfire

Seven finally allowed herself to slow to walk when her bleeding feet couldn’t take anymore abuse. She must’ve been running for forty-five minutes- she obviously slowed to a jog after a while. Her feet ached, her muscles burned, and her wound stung.

Looking at the woods around her, she was at a loss. Where was she headed to now? She didn’t think she’d honestly escape that dreadful place.

The blood continued to trickle down her arm and Seven let her eyes flutter shut for just a moment, but she tripped over a branch. She fell and painfully hit her head on a rock. Blinking back the spots that creeped into her vision, she pulled herself up and continued.

The edge was near. She could hear the cars.

********

Parker Morgan tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel to the music from his radio. His day at college was uneventful and boring.

Sometimes he just craved excitement, but exciting things never happened to Parker.

He ran a hand through his short brown hair and hummed along with the shitty radio station. His house wasn’t too far from the small community college and he was glad that his mother wasn’t left alone.

A blonde mess stumbled into the road and Parker slammed on his breaks, managing to give a small tap to the stumbling human. He jumped out of his SUV and raced towards the victim who had collapsed on the ground.

“Please don’t be dead,” he mumbled under his breath.

Upon closer inspection, he determined that the blonde was female and bleeding from multiple places.

“You hit me with a car,” she croaked out.

Parker ignored her words and felt panic rise in him. Why the hell was a girl running out of the woods barefoot and bleeding? The girl’s eyes closed and Parker would’ve rolled his eyes if this wasn’t so serious.

Just when he thought his life was boring.

The panic was causing his breath to come out uneven and he picked the girl up under the arms. She wasn’t heavy, but her bare heels drug the pavement as he pulled her back to his car. He put her in the back and climbed back into the driver’s seat.

“This is going to be very bad,” he whispered and sped back to his house.

Parker finally made it back to his mother’s house and pulled mystery girl out of the back seat and threw her over his shoulder. Walking up to the front door, he managed to open it and he called out to his mother.

“What is it, Parker?” she called back.

“You might wanna come into the living room. And bring the first aid kit. We’re gonna need it…”

********
Seven’s eyebrows furrowed as she slowly started to wake up. Her arm stung, her feet burned, her head ached, and her muscles felt like she bench pressed four hundred pounds. The warmth around her only calmed her aching body, though.

Wait.

Since when was The Institution warm?

Her eyes snapped open and fear creeped into her core. Where was she? She attempted to toss the blankets off of her body, but managed to get twisted in them and roll off the couch she was on.

“Whoa! Slow down.”

Seven’s head snapped towards the sound and she realized she wasn’t alone. A young man, maybe a couple years older than her, stood against the wall. His hair was dark brown and short, his eyes were a deep brown that matched his hair, and his skin was pale.

“Where am I?”

He held his hands up in surrender. “I hit you with my car. You passed out so I brought you back to my place.”

He looked like he was about to say more, but an older woman walked into the living room. She moved closer to Seven slowly.

“You were hurt pretty bad and I’m a nurse, so I just patched you up,” the woman said, “I’m Jane and that’s my son, Parker.”

Seven thought about giving her real name, but it’s special to her. It’s the only thing that is her own and she’s not giving it to these strangers. “They call me Seven.”

“Seven?” Parker questioned with a scoff and Jane narrowed her eyes at her son.

“Yes.”

“All right, Seven. Do you want us to take you to a doctor? You had quite a few cuts and bruises,” Jane spoke.

“No!” Seven exclaimed out before lowering her voice, “I’d prefer you didn’t.”

Jane nodded slowly, her dark eyes watching Seven as she untangled herself from the two quilts and stood. “How old are you, hun?”

Seven paused, counting to make sure her math was correct, “Eighteen.”

“Do you have anyone we should call?”

She shook her head, “No. I don’t have anyone.”

Jane turned to look at her son before turning back to the blonde. “I suppose you could stay here for tonight.”

Seven’s eyes widened. This woman didn’t know her or the awful things she did today, but she was inviting her into her home.

“But only if you answer a few questions,” Jane continued.

She nodded and Jane asked her first question: “Why were you running out of the woods?”

The blonde wrung her hands and sat, debating whether to answer or to leave. She had nowhere else to go and she was pretty sore. She wanted to lie, but she had a feeling that it wouldn’t sit well with Jane and Parker.

“I was kept at the building back there.”

“The hospital place?” Parker piped up from his spot against the wall.

Seven nodded and Parker asked why.

She sighed and decided honesty would work best here as well. Besides, what’s the worst they could do except send her back? “I’m not sure. I’ve been there since I was a kid,” she spoke quietly and assessed their faces. Panic rose inside her when she was met with silence so she pleaded with them, “Please don’t send me back. They do awful things there. Please!”

Jane took a deep breath. She could tell this girl wasn’t lying. “All right. Parker can show you the shower so you can get washed up for dinner. We’re having chicken.”

Parker’s jaw dropped at his mother’s casual tone. This girl is wanted by a freaky hospital place and they are just going to have her at their dinner table? “Mom,” he started, but Jane cut him off.

“Show her to the bathroom, Parker,” she said slowly, putting emphasis on each word.

He sighed and motioned for Seven to follow him. “I have some clothes that you can wear. They’ll be a bit big, but should make do.”

They walked up the stairs slowly and he stopped by his bedroom to grab a pair of drawstring sweatpants and a wifebeater. He handed them to her and pointed to the door across from his.

“That’s the bathroom.”

Seven nodded and walked into the bathroom. Parker watched the door close and went downstairs.

“What the hell, Mom?” He hissed as he walked into the kitchen.

“Parker James Morgan!” Jane snapped, “watch your language.”

“Sorry.”

“She’s staying here for now, and that’s my decision,” she responded.

Parker scoffed and crossed his arms. “What if she decides to kill us while we sleep?”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Fine, my ass,” he responded.

Jane shifted her brown gaze past him and smiled quickly. Parker spun around and saw Seven standing there. It was obvious she heard their little exchange, but she made no comment on it and just fiddled with her hands.

“I didn’t know how to turn on your shower.”

Jane turned to her son and told him to go show her. He sighed and walked towards the stairs.

“How much of that did you hear?” He asked as he started up the stairs.

“Enough,” Seven snipped before sighing, “I understand your hesitation.”

Parker entered the bathroom and explained to her which nozzle was hot and which was cold. Seven nodded in understanding and stepped aside so he could leave.

He paused at the doorway and turned his head. “How long were you there exactly?”

“For the past twelve years. They never even told me my name.”

“What is your name?”

She turned her head, and Parker noticed the freckles that dotted along her nose. “Maybe I’ll tell you, but not right now.”

He nodded and moved so she could shut the door.

********

Seven walked down the stairs, feeling better than she has in quite a while. She finally had time to let the hot water work the aches out of her muscles.

The Institution was always so anal about shower time.

She stood at the doorway to the kitchen, watching Parker and Jane.

Jane was laughing and pulled Parker over for a kiss on his cheek. Parker simply let her and pulled away when she was done.

“I love you,” Jane said to her son.

“I love you too,” he responded and Seven felt like she was intruding on a very private moment between mother and son.

She stepped back and made herself known with a clear of her throat.

Jane turned her head and gave Seven a kind smile. “Do you feel better, hun?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Dinner is ready,” Parker stated and motioned to the stove, “fix your plate.”

Seven glanced at the food sitting out. They had chicken breast that had little flakes on it she didn’t recognize, green beans, corn, and what could possibly be spinach. Her stomach growled and she took three green beans, a tiny spoonful of corn and spinach, and the smallest chicken breast.

Jane raised her eyebrow at Seven’s near empty plate. “Take what you want, dear.”

“This is what I want.”

“Alright, but if you’re still hungry after you finish that go back and get more,” Jane ordered.

Parker and Jane fixed their plates and sat at the table. Jane to the right of the head, Parker to the left, and Seven decided to sit next to Parker. She looked to the head of the table, and noticed it was set. Parker followed her gaze and saw she was looking at where his father used to sit.

“My dad was always obsessed with eating at the table. He needed it to be set and ready before dinner,” he explained before dropping his voice slightly, “he used to sit there.”

Jane cleared her throat, “Jackson died a year ago of lung cancer.”

Parker gave a quick laugh, “he was a terrible smoker.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Jane waved her hand and began eating so Seven began as well. The green beans and corn were first, then she moved on the the spinach. She nearly moaned as she chewed it. It was creamy and delicious. She had some chicken and that was amazing as well. Jane laughed at Seven’s facial expressions.

“That’s creamed spinach and the chicken has panko on it.”

Seven looked up with wide eyes, and Jane could imagine what she looked like as a child. Curly blonde hair, wide blue eyes, and freckles would have made her adorable.

“This is amazing,” Seven whispered and Parker laughed at her amazement.

“Did they not give you good food?” He questioned.

She shook her head. “Same thing every night. It’s very bland compared to this!”