Felicia
I looked around the room that had been mine so very long ago. As I looked at the details, I could tell it had been fashioned for a young girl, not a grown woman. Like it had been frozen in time, just waiting for my return. But the whole thing didn't make sense. How and when could I have lived here?
I tentatively sat on the edge of the bed. My brain was trying to sift through the details of jumbled memories. They were vague images and feelings mostly. I got the impression that, as pretty as the room was, it had always been a cell.
I sighed heavily and walked over to the slit of a window. It faced a sheer cliff that disappeared into a deep ravine, so deep I couldn't see the bottom, just swirling snow and mist. I would not be escaping that way.
FeliciaI woke up with my heart racing. Waking from the dream had left me disturbed. The face I had seen was mine but not at the same time. Her smile had been malevolent even psychotic. It had frightened me.The light from the window had faded and was the eerie bluish-grey of twilight. It made the room look menacing rather than childish.I got up from the bed and took the water glass drinking from it quickly, then looked around for something to take my mind off of the dream. I went over to the vanity and gazed at my face, it looked frightened and...fragile. Nothing like the expression in the dream. I got up and moved around the room.I leaned ag
FeliciaAfter a night of intermittent sleep, I woke to the maid returning with a breakfast tray.“Good morning,” I said pleasantly, though my voice sounded a bit gravelly.Another quick movement of her eyes was all I got in response before she retreated out the door with quick, nervous steps, as though she was afraid any contact with me would communicate some dreaded illness. It was extremely frustrating, and I huffed out an exasperated sigh.But, my stomach soon grumbled with hunger, aggravated by the scent of nearby food, so I ate my breakfast like a good little prisoner and decided not to let the maid's behavior both
FeliciaI sat on the bed and let out a shaky breath. The king had not indicated when he planned to marry me. But, I doubted it was far in the future. So, I needed to act quickly, but I wasn’t sure what action to take. It would probably be hours before the maid returned with my dinner, and there was no way I could shift the massive and heavy door, even if I could pick the lock. But, alas, it was situated on the far side of the door, away from me.I turned to the vanity and decided to look at the journal again. Perhaps I could glean some helpful information from it. I fished it out of its hiding place and began to read. The style and grammar were that of a child.I started at the beginning:Entry one.
FeliciaI spent several hours reading the journal that afternoon. It seemed the most productive way to spend my time. The book read as follows:Entry twoThey made me sleep again. All I remember is lying down on the table and squinting my eyes at the bright lights. Doctor Smythe told me to count backward from ten, as always. Then I woke up. I was tired, and my head hurt. I think I was asleep for longer than usual this time. And whatever they had done had made mama nervous. When Doctor Smythe let me out of the lab, she ran over and hugged me with tears in her eyes. I hugged her back, but I didn't understand why she was so worried about this trip. While she held me, I listened to her talking with the doctor.“Well?” Mama a
FeliciaThe hall was cold and so I gripped my arms. The first thing I noticed was the smell. Damp, mixed with what smelled suspiciously like sick and excrement. The hall was long and dark. I began to think I had gone the wrong way, heading into an endless tunnel to oblivion. Then, I came around a corner and saw light shining from under a door up ahead. I slowed my pace and concentrated on listening. But, all I could hear was my rapid breathing and heart rate. Along with the distant drip of water on stone. I realized that this part of the facility was old, ancient even. Like they had just added on, delving deeper into the mountain as the years passed. How long had my country been experimenting on its fauna and subjects I wondered. I was only a few feet from the door and I could see a shadow moving around inside. Then I felt a ripple inside my mind, a recognition, from whoever occupied the room. Hello Faizah, it's been a long
FeliciaWhen I returned to my room, the maid was pacing frantically. “What were you thinking? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? Do you have any idea what they will do to you?” she hissed at me. Her eyes were wide, and beads of sweat were visible on her brow. “I need answers. Whatever the risks involved.” I hissed back. “Now you better run along before you're missed.” She gave me one last wide-eyed look then fled my room as fast as she could. I heaved a heavy sigh and shakily sat on the side of the bed. I was having a hard time processing what...she...had told me. I didn't even know how to refer to her. She was not my sister. She was my base code. So what was I? Who was I? No more than another experiment. A pawn. And that realization was the last straw. Whether I was their creation or not I was no one's pawn. I cast my eyes toward the vanity and the secrets it held. I thought of my mother, and my emotions oscillated
FeliciaThe next morning, when the maid returned, she was prepared for me, as I expected she would be. “Don't worry” I said, “I won't ambush you anymore. I'm hoping you will simply allow me to do what I need to do without such tactics.” “I want no responsibility in any of this,” she whispered. “If you get killed in your endeavors, be it on your head.” her eyes were hard. I didn't blame her for wanting to protect herself. No doubt the punishment for helping me would be nothing less than a death sentence if she were found out. But I had to do what needed to be done. “I won't blame you, and if we get caught, I'll do my best to convince them of your innocence.” “Innocence.” she scoffed “no one who steps foot in this place is innocent.” she stepped away from the door, leaving my way out clear. She stared at me with defeated eyes as I walked through the door. I felt a pang of guilt until I realized it wasn't me
Felicia:Lucas sat dumbfounded when I finished catching him up. “Uh...I’m not sure what to say,” he faltered huskily. He stood up and paced the room, shoving both hands through his hair. “We have to get us all out of here as soon as possible,” I said matter-of-factly. “You mean you want to bring her with us?” Lucas's eyes bugged out, and he looked at me like I was insane. “We can’t leave her here,” I argued back. “Why?!” “Because we need to know where she is and what she is doing,” I explained. “If we leave her behind, she becomes a risk. A factor we don’t have control over. And trust me, we need to be in control of her.” Lucas stood silently looking at me, a plethora of emotions crossing his face. I realized the poor guy was suddenly out of his depth. I took a step towards him and touched him on the arm gently. “Don't worry, I'll think of something,” I reassured him gently. He looked at my face and frowned slightly, then gave me a crooked smile. “Are you sure you're not the Pr