Opening my eyes, I rubbed them with a groan. It felt like there were 10 pound weights sitting on top of them. My entire body felt heavy. Why do I feel like this? What happened?
“Oh my god, she’s awake!” I turned my head toward the excited voice. “Bella? Bella!” Her face finally came into view. “Mom?” My voice sounded rough and dry. “Oh my god, Bella, how do you feel?” She gently placed her hand on my face and rubbed my cheek with her thumb. “Like I’ve been hit by a truck.” I tried to sit up and my mom rushed to fluff up my pillow and helped me lean my back against it. “What happened? I was just playing in the yard with Henry, why do I feel like this?”
There was no answer, I looked up to see the shocked expression on my mother’s face. “Mom, what’s wrong?” Tears were welling in her eyes. “Bella, you playing with Henry... that was 8 years ago.” I didn’t move, I just stared at my mother, until I heard a throat clear. I glanced at the doorway of the hospital room. A man, tall and in a charcoal suit, hair that looked like he just woke up.
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“Hello, Miss Dawn, I’m Detective Grayson-“ he showed his badge, “-this is Detective Markisle.” He gestured to a shorter man with a military haircut. “We have some questions about what you can tell us happened to you the past 8 years.” I tried to swallowed but my throat was dry, I looked at my mom and made a gesture for water. She quickly ran to her bag and cracked open a bottle of water, handing it to me. I took a few gulps, then cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember anything that happened, last thing I remember is playing in the yard with my little brother.” The Detectives looked at each other with disappointed expressions.
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“I see, not even a thing? Not even when you were first abducted?” I shook my head, “I was in the yard with my 9 year old brother, and then here in this bed, feeling like a ton of bricks.” My voice was still slightly husky but it didn’t hurt. It didn’t even sound like my voice anymore.
The Detective sighed and then waved in someone from outside the hall. An older Woman stepped in, a Doctor. “I think you should tell her before she discovers it herself.” The doctor nodded stiffly. “Mrs. Dawn, if you’ll please step out with Detective Markisle.” My mother shook her head, “No, I want to be here for what the doctor has to say.” She stood firm but I lightly touched her wrist, “Mom please, I’ll be fine.” Her eyes shifted between me and the Detective and she finally gave, following Detective Markisle out, the door closing behind them.
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“Miss Dawn.” Her voice was gentle but her eyes were fierce and full of wisdom. “About 20 percent of your body is covered in scarred tissue. Some scars I’m surprised you’re alive at this very moment from.” My eyes widened. This was starting to feel like a whole lot of information.
She showed me a chart, an outline of the human body with red, blue and green marks in various places, some dots and some lines. “These marks are all the scarred tissue, you have 2 scars due to bullets in red, these blue marks are knife wounds.” My eyes shifted to the green marks that were in the arm region and look down at my forearm. “Is- is this- are these dog bite marks?” My voice shook. “No. It’s barbed wire marks, they must’ve wrapped it around your arm, shredding some away.” I lost 8 years of my life, a 15 year old in a body of a 23 year old war vet. “I- I think I want to go home now.”
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“In due time, we just want to keep you here another day for monitoring. You are set to go home tomorrow.” I didn’t realize I was crying until a tear hit the hideous scar on my arm. “Call us if you remember anything, even the smallest detail. A sound, an image, a smell.” The Detective’s voice was gentle as he handed me his card. I nodded and accepted his card into my hand. “I’m going to write up mandatory visits to a therapist. Just 6 weeks to help you transition during this time of confusion.” The doctor said.
When the doctor stepped out, the detective followed. I subconsciously clenched his card in my hand as my mother rushed back in and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “Are you okay? What did they say to you?” I sniffed, “Nothing, I just really wanted to go home and they said I’d have to wait another day. They want me to take therapy.” She hugged my shoulders, resting her chin on my head, and petting my hair. My hair which draped over my shoulders, long and thick, not the short bob I had at 15.
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“It’s okay baby, everything will be okay now that you’re back. We’re going to find the bastard that took you from me and hurt you.” I nodded and nestled my face into her shoulder, the tears wouldn’t cease.
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