It felt like forever since I had had a proper night’s sleep. No prodding, no talking, no bright lights and no groggy sedatives. This was a good, natural sleep. I opened my eyes and saw that wherever I was was dark, but there were various blinking lights and a beeping noise. I breathed in and felt the breathing tube in my nose and also the IV line in my arm. I wasn’t really happy about the IV line but I knew that here it was okay. They were just giving me fluids to help me live, not to do something strange to me. My throat was sore and dry and I really wanted to brush my teeth. I felt like it smelled like a bucket of anchovies or something since I wasn’t really allowed to do much of anything while I was where I was. Well… I was either in too much pain or I was drugged so much I couldn’t move to do whatever I needed.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7j9Eqgleqe
I moved my arm to find something when I felt something next to it and a head shot up quickly beside me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvfvZVfERW
“Max?” my father said, looking at me through bleary eyes of sleep.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdQJJtJJEF
I smiled a little as he reached over and put his glasses back on as well as turning on the light above me. I slightly hissed at the bright light in my face again but I turned to look at my dad. His green eyes were brimming with tears and he reached out to me. I involuntarily moved my face away from him and his face fell, crestfallen.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCmYFvh9Ao
“I won’t hurt you, Max.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GklBcSIbp
“I know…” I croaked. “I didn’t mean to do that.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdOVcciX0U
“Do you want some water?” I nodded. He poured a little from a pitcher and he handed the cup to me. “You’ve been sleeping for about a day and a half. We thought you’d never wake up.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmv9lG2wdP3
I sipped the nice, cool water and reveled in washing my mouth out. I leaned back and realized I had pillows behind me and smiled.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOY5LGhsFlD
“Why am I at the hospital?” I asked slowly.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88G5B17rur
Dad looked at me in confusion. “Do you not remember how you came back?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4klFC7ZMA
I thought for a moment and realized I didn’t remember anything about how I got back home or what happened right before it. I just remember hearing suddenly hearing my mom talking and my dad wrap his arms around me. When he put his arms around me, I immediately knew that he was my father and I was determined not to be taken away from him. I clung to him like a koala and after that, I blacked out.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHuqouQ29K
“I don’t remember much… just mom and you and someone tried to take me away…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yq50vdpx6
“That was the nurse trying to put you on the gurney to get you to a room. You were kind of out of it and you almost broke my arm from holding it so tightly.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4gH0K57LT
“Oh… I’m sorry.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxZFVrHWWa
“Don’t be sorry at all… Max, we found you walking on the side of the road, naked and shivering. It looked like you were walking home… Max, where did you go? Why did you go?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgz6usafkIM
I turned away. He’d never believe me. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen what was going on.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnHM8MoMOB
“I can’t tell you… if I do, you’ll think I’m crazy.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wXq8xaPvx
“No I won’t-“214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNhrNbaD96
“Seriously, Dad… it’s crazy and I only believe it myself because I was there but…” I suddenly realized Mom wasn’t there. “Wh-where’s Mom?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05VBZwMYKy
“They wouldn’t let her off work to come and be here. I switched my schedule around to work at nights so I could be here in the day and your mom at night. She’s so anxious to get back to you. She texts me every 30 minutes to see if you’re okay. Don’t worry, she didn’t forget about you.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW65YPjm7P0
I smiled as the door opened and a nurse walked in.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsXD2zL6kx
“Well, look who’s up and at ‘em? We were worried about you for a while, Max.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNjncCcmRW
I nodded and she pushes a small cart towards me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HAduFvW9Y
“I’m just going to take your vitals and now that you’re awake, the doctor can take a better look at you.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xelST4ERj
She does all of her preliminary things, Dad holding my other hand as I squeezed his, and she smiled.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEjWtgFlFA
“Your blood pressure is a little high but I can tell you’re still a bit stressed from whatever happened. Is it alright if I take a blood sample?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfX9gMnWXZX
I nodded and squeezed Dad’s hand even tighter as she took the blood sample. I knew she wasn’t like them but the fear of her using me was still there. She took only one vial and removed the syringe.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuCUiNn2XX
“I’ll have to come and get some more later, but I fear I may be stressing your son out a little too much.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvCfDlNKnP
Dad looked over my shoulder and frowned.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJctrz2jRZp
“You alright?” he asked.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRUAsYLo4p
“Y-yeah…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DdQ8VkGvt
“I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake so he can go over some things he found while you were unconscious as well as get a better look and explanation of some things.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYBvGC1W1x
She left and I relaxed, physically sinking into my pillow. Dad pat my hand.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYvB6NKDE5
“You did good, son.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4d7Wp3osb
The door opened again and a man walked in with a clipboard. He looked up from the clipboard and smiled at me.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufgViny8hd
“Welcome back, Max Taylor. You passed out and we thought we’d never get you up. How are you feeling?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSfA1Cfqwj
“Groggy and I really want to brush my teeth… and take a shower…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJutJw0TJx
“After we go over your chart I will be happy to oblige that to you. We had to keep you somewhat ‘dirty’ so that anything and everything would be available to us and not washed away.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnmrUKP3yV
“I get it.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUEpnFL2Gc
“That being said, and I hate to put this bluntly, but the good thing is that we saw no signs of sexual assault. That being said, though, since you have been missing for a few months, if there wasn’t an ongoing thing then we would have little evidence… Did you experience any type of sexual assault while you were away?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5kbUUBRo0
It was a loaded question but wracking my brain, I don’t remember anyone ever doing anything to me in my nether region.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQVpXSVyoV
“No… I don’t think so.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pNNA6F3uZ
“Are you sure?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVGb0Bc87z
“Yes.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGNwprCLlu
“Mr. Taylor, can you step out for just a moment?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv99RuPtdRF
“Why?” my dad growled.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5TscxdGzh
“It’s only for a moment.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYfpX8QFfQ
Dad made a face and I began to panic at his leaving. He shut the door and the doctor looked at me seriously.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVF5D9nO19G
“I want you to answer me honestly, Max. Your dad’s not here and you don’t have to be afraid. I’m going to ask you one last time: did you experience any type of sexual assault while you were away?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJrQBlKVKE
“No, I don’t really think so. Everything’s kind of blurry about what happened but I don’t remember any of that happening. I swear.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8w4wqEnL6
“Alright. I’ll call your dad back in.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLyUT30Db0
Dad walked back in, looking kind of pissed off, but he came back to the bed and I relaxed.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaC0hwQB4Y
“I apologize for that, Mr. Taylor, it’s standard procedure.” Dad nodded. “We looked over the rest of your body and found some scratches but there was a lot of bruising on your stomach. Did you get physically assaulted a lot?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA27JG0rYK4
“Um, I know I fought with them all the time but they never hit me or anything. They usually had a hard grip on my extremities so I often ended up with bruises on my arms and legs and such but that’s about it.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qE2a30TQF
“You say ‘them’. Who are they? Did you recognize them?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawUNCOi1ti
Did I recognize them? What a stupid ass question… but to tell them that truth would only make me look like a lunatic. I looked away.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5YJQf1dTn
“No… I didn’t know them. I don’t know who they were or why they wanted me.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPaVith2AT
“I see… Do you remember how you got back home?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTti9kihEV
“No. I just remember hearing my mom and then feeling my dad’s arms around me and that was all.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5QZm9xExa
“And one last question: do we have permission to get an ultrasound of your stomach?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ag3qisKik
“An ultrasound?” Dad and I said at the same time.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuWmSCH43c
“Yes. It’s common to do an x-ray to see if any bones have been broken or fractured and we noticed a strange mass in your stomach. We wanted to ask just in case it was something that was already there; although your records don’t indicate anything.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyDu60gJzA
“Um…” I looked at dad.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mI8Ygr6zo
“Yes. That would be fine.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnP8d3R8cUM
“Great! We’ll call the sonographer to come and take a look. You’ll have to stay in the hospital for a couple more days for monitoring but once we have the results from the sonographer and if everything is fine, you’ll be able to leave.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUUm8YtXF0
“Okay…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemNXGjGh9Z
“Now, if you want, we can have a nurse drop in to check on you if Dad wants to pick you up a few things and get you all freshened up. I’m sure you would like a bath and freshen up.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphS20jOG2w
I smiled as he left and Dad smiled at me too.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaAFUI1R2Q
“Will you be alright for a little bit while I go and get those things for you?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwqNvvbhGf
“Yeah.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7VKOlaHXt
Dad left and although I knew he’d be back and I knew I allowed him to leave, I felt fear and anxiety overtake me. I turned over in the bed and curled in on myself, hoping no one would come near me. Without my parents, it was just like it was with them, except the people were a little kinder and actually spoke English and were here to help me. Either way, the situation was the same and I was still alone.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVfmh0MlXm
I felt someone touch my shoulder and I jerked, almost pulling the line from my hand. Mom jumped and I brightened at seeing her face.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyblLL5M5h
“Mom…”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPZCmKUlZf
“Your father told me you were awake so I rushed down here during my lunch break. I’m so sorry I couldn’t be with you all this time. My work isn’t being so accommodating to the fact that my missing son has returned.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNuTpqdfDS
I didn’t really say anything, just so happy to see my mom again. I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me to hug her. I wanted to feel her arms around me, I wanted her to hold me and say everything was going to be alright. I wanted to feel loved. Mom never failed me in that regard and the little things she used to do that embarrassed me in front of my friends or made me roll my eyes at her sentimentality is exactly what I wanted and what I craved. She kissed my temples and ran her dainty fingers in my hair (that needed to be cut) and squeezed me until I felt like I was going to pass out. I was okay with that… I wanted it…214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQ6MBXRM3w
“Oh, my baby…” she said softly and I lost it.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySVwyXQ7Ev
I started crying and she held me tighter, rocking back and forth with me. I missed her so much… I missed my family…214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFteoRu2xp
“It’s alright, Max, we’re right here. You don’t need to worry about anything anymore.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4s2x3RSdF
“I thought I’d never see you guys again!”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49Ign0f2Jk
“I know, honey… we didn’t think we’d ever see you either… Sweetie, where did you go? Why did you leave?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPQeKKhtJh
“I didn’t want to! I swear… I didn’t want to go but I had no choice.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPUPqyuFkS
Mom pulled back from me and I sniffled, wiping my tears. She wiped some away as well as she got a more serious look.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡET7dXrEpE2
“Who took you?”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtN1i56aI0D
“I can’t tell you. If I tell you then you’ll just think I’m crazy.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VNOBIWA6v
“Max, you can always come to me. Even if you think it’s completely out of this world, you can always come to me.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqKyYGxbFQ
“That… that’s just it, Mom… it was out of this world.” I braced myself for the truth that I had to tell her. “Mom… I got abducted by aliens.”214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEzv3uujMK
