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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dCLmubpot
I moved my arm to find something when I felt something next to it and a head shot up quickly beside me.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTexI6Yn6Xx
“Max?” my father said, looking at me through bleary eyes of sleep.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSUwlMgn3A
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJNEn4MeM4
“I won’t hurt you, Max.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuR4iYCzxk
“I know…” I croaked. “I didn’t mean to do that.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FQUkZncXn
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmB5DMXHn7
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEBJEhm0qT
“Why am I at the hospital?” I asked slowly.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlojcWCUVKK
Dad looked at me in confusion. “Do you not remember how you came back?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDs9KgSCE8L
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunlzc7lzAR
“I don’t remember much… just mom and you and someone tried to take me away…”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh89y0xM4QJ
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eDrStdkjQ
“Oh… I’m sorry.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3tkCqnPGz
“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?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84B1ANpFkE
I turned away. He’d never believe me. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen what was going on.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHH3jkMgcZx
“I can’t tell you… if I do, you’ll think I’m crazy.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHWHZjo6mK
“No I won’t-“245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmyXQkm5UH
“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?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCufPDAGaY
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLVINp6UOa
I smiled as the door opened and a nurse walked in.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjV5VTBee8
“Well, look who’s up and at ‘em? We were worried about you for a while, Max.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNXm6TFB6d
I nodded and she pushes a small cart towards me.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJnv8VbJGd
“I’m just going to take your vitals and now that you’re awake, the doctor can take a better look at you.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3zW4WB94v
She does all of her preliminary things, Dad holding my other hand as I squeezed his, and she smiled.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mkw5gBaA8
“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?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpYAFmMgkw
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDVRB8XJTE
“I’ll have to come and get some more later, but I fear I may be stressing your son out a little too much.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oZOaoef9f
Dad looked over my shoulder and frowned.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG8Bjb3ElP
“You alright?” he asked.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5SwQ6t3Ux
“Y-yeah…”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAmQWzzIHk
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ltKdYcvgU
She left and I relaxed, physically sinking into my pillow. Dad pat my hand.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33w1AKoaIE
“You did good, son.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAfW469gpw
The door opened again and a man walked in with a clipboard. He looked up from the clipboard and smiled at me.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7HvS1IwWs
“Welcome back, Max Taylor. You passed out and we thought we’d never get you up. How are you feeling?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8YYWykDPH
“Groggy and I really want to brush my teeth… and take a shower…”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKJrgBX8Ky
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8TlpoWKt4
“I get it.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3RjAYAuuu
“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?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMnLyaPprt
It was a loaded question but wracking my brain, I don’t remember anyone ever doing anything to me in my nether region.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB13V36Qh3w
“No… I don’t think so.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFtS7gOpIF
“Are you sure?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZJZtVkQxq
“Yes.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ae7vlL4Wp
“Mr. Taylor, can you step out for just a moment?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5NZ4dDzyb
“Why?” my dad growled.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzn1TA2wRgU
“It’s only for a moment.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hi535we0r
Dad made a face and I began to panic at his leaving. He shut the door and the doctor looked at me seriously.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWM53pBeMc
“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?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQzeV1v1eT
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4PpK9UEhH
“Alright. I’ll call your dad back in.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPcJPD2q82
Dad walked back in, looking kind of pissed off, but he came back to the bed and I relaxed.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7q5IouPvh6
“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?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVmu4EfTUR
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNHSE3iWZa
“You say ‘them’. Who are they? Did you recognize them?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaikTYoNhrW
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO60oD54w1U
“No… I didn’t know them. I don’t know who they were or why they wanted me.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8W8a5T1Ut
“I see… Do you remember how you got back home?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvIN1PXl78
“No. I just remember hearing my mom and then feeling my dad’s arms around me and that was all.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmftH7Ryp7I
“And one last question: do we have permission to get an ultrasound of your stomach?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFxpx9kd4L
“An ultrasound?” Dad and I said at the same time.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACq1xSZB9y
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zlpZiz37k
“Um…” I looked at dad.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXon7uxiVBk
“Yes. That would be fine.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rCBUpxlwF
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYhryU0aHe
“Okay…”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIAEs99UHh
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo00JG1YQJe
I smiled as he left and Dad smiled at me too.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZttuQLYyE
“Will you be alright for a little bit while I go and get those things for you?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfv8hJln0m
“Yeah.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wNpFSQHda
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCedNCiDdtn
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.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGYaPVXSwl
“Mom…”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQPAkrZCB3
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WqIu3MzI4
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…245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIdMAp8WBq
“Oh, my baby…” she said softly and I lost it.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomlx1QybJS
I started crying and she held me tighter, rocking back and forth with me. I missed her so much… I missed my family…245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEAOzh4EpS
“It’s alright, Max, we’re right here. You don’t need to worry about anything anymore.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2C2Ep1hWg
“I thought I’d never see you guys again!”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3taxtKd23y
“I know, honey… we didn’t think we’d ever see you either… Sweetie, where did you go? Why did you leave?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFx7OzILgO3
“I didn’t want to! I swear… I didn’t want to go but I had no choice.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fEHSeX1bg
Mom pulled back from me and I sniffled, wiping my tears. She wiped some away as well as she got a more serious look.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVCyKRNWVY
“Who took you?”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAHmPDv9WW
“I can’t tell you. If I tell you then you’ll just think I’m crazy.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86RxGDuh7C
“Max, you can always come to me. Even if you think it’s completely out of this world, you can always come to me.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTruwzu85j
“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.”245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dcWgETsE1
