#gallanaz

The first thought she had after waking up was she must be dead. Upon moving her limbs a little bit she immediately revised that thought to wishing she had expired. Instead she was sure this is was it felt like to fine out that happens to super expired food after its been thrown out. The continued story no one actually wanted to hear. Everything was sore, as if she'd been a vase glued back together, but could still feel every crack.

"That was a stupid thing you did you know. You could have died." The voice was near her on the left, and despite her discomfort she turned her head and looked at the man it must belong to. When she did she was started to see the man next to her looked like a horrible burn victim. She pushed herself up and felt a wave of nausea come over her.

"What happened where am I?"

"I don't know how exactly to answer that. As to where you are you,"He seemed to hesitate, "you aren't far from where we found you the Holy Crossroads Cathedral."

"What? I need to go to a hospital I fell I should be dead I could have internal bleeding."

"No hospital could help you now. No I'm sorry but I'll be helping you to heal and adjust to your new life I'm truely sorry but it was the only way to save you it maybe a day before your up and moving the full transition may take a week to gain your full strength."

"What the Hell are you talking about I want to go to a hospital." Even as she said it she could feel the nausea receding. She tried to push herself up but her arms felt to shaky to push herself up the rest of the way.

"Please stay in bed I'll be back to check on you in a little while. Try to get some rest. You'll feel better soon." He stood up and crossed the small room opened the door and shut it with an unreasonable amount of speed.

"What no! No! Come back. Come back!" She tried rather febily to get up and felt her whole body ache like if she had just gotten over a terrible fever. Her arms hurt from supporting her weight and lungs seared with every deep breath from the sheer effort to raise her body further. Her lungs seemed to hurt the worst. Still she drew herself up further and swung her legs over the side of the small bed she was on. she tried to stand to make her legs support her body weight, but found herself already panting. You can do this you have to get yourself to help. She crossed the room on increasingly shaking legs and with a weak hand tried to turn the handle of the door. It didn't turn at all it was locked. NO. She felt Panic well up inside her. Trapped she was trapped. She tried with greater force to open the door wrenching on the handle. It didn't budge. She began to beat on the door.

"Hey! HEY! Let me out. LET ME OUT!"

She screamed. "Hey, Hey! Come back let me out!" She raged and screamed and pounded till her hands started to lose feeling. After that it wasn't long till her legs crumpled beneath her. Still she continued to beat at the door. Her eyes grew heavy as time passed. Her voice had long since given out, it felt sore just breathing. Still she pounded, till it too was a weak knock. Her eyes closed. When she opened them again she was back on the tiny bed her hands had been wrapped, she noted they hurt far worse that the rest of her. As she accessed what hurt the back of her head, her lungs felt better but still hurt, her ankles, her hands and forearms, her stomach. Oh gods she was hungry. She looked over at the nightstand a cup of water and a small bowl of soup sat there. The soup was cold so it either came that way or it had sat for a while. It could be poisoned but she discounted that quickly. Why bandage her hands if they wanted her dead? It could be laced with drugs, that was enough to keep her from eating it. She tried to clear her throat but it was too dry. She looked at the glass but the thought of drugs kept her from trying it either. She got up and tried the door again. Not really expecting a change and she was right it remained locked. Well she thought, as she sat back on the bed, boredom will be the worse of it till she starved to death. She kicked her feet up and layed her head down till she fell back asleep.

When she woke up again she looked around the bowl was gone and a different cup and small plate with what could have been a stew were in its place. A note was there as well "Please eat" it read.

"Fat chance," she mused to the open air.

She rather quickly discovered that no boredom would not be the worse of it. She had to pee. She tried the door vainly. Beat at it again ruining her bandages and causing her blistered hands to break open. Shouted and begged to no avail cried and did everything she could think of to not pee herself, till she finally broke down went to the corner of room opposite the bed and peed on the floor. Sobbing at how awful, how uncivilized, how inhumane it made her feel to have to sleep in a room she peed in like a child. She curled up tucking her knees to her chest rocking and cried herself back to sleep.

When she woke up again her whole body hurt both from crying and from not eating. Her hands were rebandaged again and the food had been changed out again. A small bread roll sat next to broth in a bowl. The water cup was replaced with what looked like a weak tea no spoon in sight. The only other new addition to the room was a bucket in the corner she had had to pee. The smell of urine was gone so her captors must have cleaned the floor up. She angrily knocked the soup bowl on the floor and dumped the tea in the bucket.

She unwrapped her hands, tears streaming down her face. They hurt badly but the rest of her felt fine her head no longer hurt and her ankles felt better her stomach hurt badly but it wasn't enough to kill her yet. She decided with the hinges on the other side of the door she would try to break it down. A plan that resulted in her bruising her shoulder and arm. Temporarily defeated she stopped. Despite being hungry she refused to look at the roll. She couldn't sleep any longer. She kicked at the door, slammed the cup and bowl and eventually she tried to pick up the night stand to throw against the door with no success. When she was ready to give up that endeavor she decided she'd move the bed against the door so her captors couldn't get in and continue to go in and out while she slept. The bed felt heavy to her and she felt sore and weak by the time she moved the bed against the door. She was now shaking but felt happier. The room which she was now referring to as a cell looked like a rather large closet no windows no vents. One single light in the ceiling which never turned off. A prisoner. She still couldnt sleep so she looked around the room. The blank wall opposite the door bothered her. She looked at her hands pulled off gingerly a scab and sqeezed a little till her hand began to bleed she used her own blood to write freedom on the wall. It was something. With the room blockaded she layed down on the bed waiting to be awoken by her captors trying to get in.

When she did wake it was not surprising then that she was immediately jolted by seeing the same man as before sitting across from her bed. The bed had been moved back to were it started and the nightstand had been righted and returned as well.

"You're awake."

"What the hell!"

"I can see you wouldn't eat my food, and wrote on the wall." His voice was gentle and quiet.

As she looked at him she could see a bruise across his face that looked like a hand print.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get back here those first two nights I was locked up too." He paused and seemed to instinctively clutch his ribs as he said it.

"I'm going to get you out of here. You won't understand but you'll figure it out. When your ready come back here. I'm" He stopped drawing a sharp breath. "I'm tremendously sorry for what happened to you. I have money for you, a new phone your bag and all of it's contents here for you. Please know we were only trying to help you."

"By imprisoning me?" She snatched her bag.

She sat a few moments more letting her tears clear up. She decided to change cloths, no reason to be in a dress. She intended on going to her closet to pull out a night dress so she could just go to bed. Nope can't sleep yet your phone was your alarm clock dummy. She got up went into her room flipping on the nightlight. She instead grabbed a comfortable pair of jeans and warm fuzzy socks then tennis shoes. She doubled back to her dresser grabbing a comfortable sports bra and loose cotton shirt, she looked out her window the breeze had picked up. "Ok," She mused out loud. She pulled a warm hooded sweat shirt off a hanger. She went to her emergency stash of cash in a jar. It was full of fives tens and twenties she pulled the whole wad of cash out counting it up quickly seven fives, two tens and five crisp twenties. A hundred and fifty-five. The change jar she left alone. It might be enough for a temporary phone and service plan, and she could stop by the bank in the morning. Actually no she couldn't her car was at the art galla across town. "Well fine then!" Ok so she'd call into work for like the first time in almost a year.

"I haven't had to call in since mom was in the hospital I don't believe this."

She would call her sister explain what happened and maybe, she looked around to see the time, the lack of clocks in her house was starting, she made a mental note to buy one. Maybe eat something.

She headed to her door with her bag and cash in her wallet. She was going to lock up but as she turned saw her camera on its hook by the door it wasn't as nice as her work one but Allison had got it as a present for her. On impulse she grabbed it. Stuffing it in her hoody pocket, it made her feel more secure.

"Ok into the night."

She walk down to the elevator, hit the call button and began waiting. After a few seconds she got impatient and took the stairs right next to the elevator, she was grateful it was well lite and not super steep.

"Guess I wont need to head to the gym tomorrow."

By the time she got outside she felt like running, maybe from her problems, maybe for the exercise. There was a convenient store down a few blocks and a tiny diner coffee shop type place that would have something she could eat. She took off in a slow jog down towards the street crossing lights. The silents this time outside felt more eery oppressive and it gave her the creeps. Its fine she told herself, your just rattled. All the same she pulled her hood up and picked up her pace, till she hit the light. As she slowed bouncing while she was waiting a rolling bottle behind he startled her so bad she glanced to make sure no traffic was coming and bolted across the street with out waiting for the light to change. She kept running full pelt till she reached the next blocks end. She slowed down enough to make sure no cars where coming again and continued without fully stoping. This pattern continued till she was outside the convenience store, and completely out of breath. She dropped her hood down, her lungs hurt a little. She shambled inside slowly still breathing hard.

"Are you being chased by the undead?"Came the voice of a young man who sounded like he was trying way too hard to imitate a surfing hippy.

"No I'm just out for a night run."

"Cool."

Uh she restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "Do you have phones and prepayed phone cards?"

"A few. Right over here."

"Great Thanks."

She walked over and looked at the phones. Yup they were awful alright but it would do She asked the young man at the register

"Could you unlock it off the shelf?"

"Yup just need ta see your ID."

"ID why?"

"It's store policy."

"My ID was stolen."

"I thought you said you were out for a run?"

"I was." She said indignantly "It was stolen earlier tonight."

"Can't help you man."

"Look I have the cash for it."

"Doesn't change the fact that I need ID."

"To purchase a phone."

"Yup."

"That's outrageous."

"You could try a Tech store in the morning."

"Your an unsympathetic jerk. I can't call anyone not my job not my sister."

"We have a phone here you can use."

"Oh that would be good," she started sarcasticly "and what if she calls back?"

"What do you want me to do give her a message? I'm not a voice mail service."

"No I want a phone of my own and I have the money to pay for it. Why you won't sell me a phone seems ridiculous it's not cigarettes or alcohol."

"You know what lady take your business elsewhere I'm not servicing you."

"I hope you have a lowsy night." and with that she walked out. She looked at the diner across the street. Well I can still eat she thought. She walked across the street and pulled the door open to the diner. The smell of warm pastries and coffee greeted her.

"Can I help you?" came a friendly waitress voice.

"Umm well yes do you have a phone I could use? umm and maybe I could get some of what ever that wonderful smell is."

"You want some honey cake? Would you like some coffee too?" She had a big smile on her face.

She couldn't manage to smile back.

"Sorry I've had a bad night my phone was stolen and the jerk next door to you guys wouldn't sell me a phone to replace it. It's super late now and all I want to do is call my sister and work to let them know I won't make it in tomorrow."

"Sounds like you've had a rough night. The shop doesn't have anything but a payphone, but I have a phone you could use. Just take a seat and I'll go get you a cake and coffee then I'll go in the back and let you use my cell."

She felt a small measure of relief.

"Oh that would be wonderful."

The waitress returned shortly with a warm cake and coffee. She slid the sugar down to her and asked if she needed anything else before she grabbed her phone.

"No." She took a bite of the warm cake. It was wonderful and had a light honey glaze on the top.

She shouted after her. "This is amazing."

When she returned with her phone she said, "Glad you like it, it's my mother's recipe."

"I like your mother already."

"Let me unlock my phone real quick then just type the number in and after hit send."

"Thank you." She took the phone and typed in her sisters number. It rang a few times before it rolled over to voice-mail. She heard "Hi you've reached Allison, please leave your name a return number and a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If your calling about a breaking story please call the networks news line at." Petra rolled her eyes of couse Allison would use her cellphone for work. She heard the beep.

"Hey Allison it's Petra I'm borrowing someone's phone because mine was stolen. Can you please let the network know I won't be in tomorrow. When I get a phone tomorrow I'll let you know what happened. I hope Tom got you home safe, love you. bye."

"Thank you for letting me use your phone."

She finished the cake and coffee and got her total all of 5 dollars. She set down 15 dollars for her kindness, and left so she could walk home. She was walking towards the light. The wind had really picked up and it was a little chilly. She looked down the street and could barely make out the trees edging Faith park. The cathedral from her dream earlier. It was still close maybe she would just walk by it real quick before she went home.

When she got down to the park she looked at the old cathedral building. Only to find there was a light on in the top. It was faint and dim but definitely there. She pulled out her camera and clicked a picture it was a beautiful night minimal clouds and the wind was starting to die down. She figured a few more pictures would look great. She clicked off a few more when she noticed a shadow figure move to the doors of the cathedral and appeared to walk right through. She double checked the last picture she snapped off to be sure someone was there. Yup there was a figure in the frame hard to make out. Alright she was going to get a better look. She got right up to the cathedral and tried the door, it was locked but there were vines covering the side of the building that looked like they lead right up to the light. She slung her camera over her shoulder and walked around to the side of the building with the vines. There was a lattice holding the vines up the side of the building.

"That looks doable."

She shifted the camera strap on her shoulder and began to scale the lattice holding the vines to the building. When she ran out of lattice she gingerly tested the vines growing all the way to the roof. They seemed secure and we're able to bare her weight. She continued to ascend till she could she the window she saw from the ground. It appeared to be the 3rd floor window where light was coming out of. she tried to peer through the dirty window, but wasn't able through the sludge. She shifted her grip till she could use her sleeve to clean a spot so she could see. What she saw on the other side looked like three men in masks that looks like beaks of a bird. They stood over a candle lite table. She shuffled her hand towards her camera strap lifting the camera so she could take a picture. The camera caught on a vine and she tugged so it would come loose. That's when she felt the vine come loose from the building, and then another and another and then her whole body came loose from the wall. She let loose a blood curttling scream as she fell three stories to the ground below, failing to catch hold of anything to slow her decent.