Chapter Three: Aspen

Chapter Three 

~ Aspen ~

I stood there, stuck in my spot as I heard the back door slam behind her. I simply couldn’t move as I processed our heated conversation. Where the hell did she even come from? I wish she could see that there was nothing to worry about. If her friend was in our hands, he was on the right track. Soon, he would be cured and could move on with his life. He would be better for it. Still the panicked, desperate look in her eyes had me on edge. 

If she had come all this way, after so long, just to ask for my help when she knew she wasn’t going to get it, she had to be out of options. I was shocked enough from seeing her after so long, but to hear that she has such a negative impression of my family, of me, left me with a flutter of anxiety in my chest. Why was she so concerned, anyway? Didn’t everyone know that we were helping people?

I chewed on my bottom lip as I considered my options. I didn’t know where she came from or where she went, but I had a gnawing desire to ease her fears. If I could find her friend and somehow show her that he was in good hands, she would feel better. I’d always been curious to see the holding facility, anyway…

Screw it, I thought defiantly. A plan quickly developed. 

I practically ran the whole way back to dad’s office building. I needed an excuse, and a good one at that if this was going to work. After passing his secretaries and scanning myself into the private section that housed his personal office, I found him sitting at his desk sifting through case files. He glanced up at me briefly before returning his attention to work. 

“Dad,” I greeted, slightly out of breath. I glanced at the clock hanging from the wall above his desk. 11:45. Perfect. “Can I use your key card to get into the east wing? One of the other kids took my school bag to borrow some books and left it over there.” 

A sigh left his lips, but he didn’t otherwise acknowledge me. I thought for a moment that he’d ignore me entirely, but he reached down and released it from his belt before holding it out in my direction. 

“Return it shortly. I’m busy today.” He huffed, eyes never leaving the paper in front of him. 

I took it eagerly with a promise to keep it quick and hurried out the door. I gave myself a pat on the back as I stared down at the golden ticket in my hands. This little rectangle of plastic opened every single door around me. I had free reign for the first time, and it had been surprisingly easy to get. 

By the time I got to the holding facility, it was 11:54. After growing up in this place, I knew everyone’s schedule like the back of my hand. The staff would be long gone for lunch, not returning any earlier than one. I stared at the door before me, holding my breath with anticipation. I had never been allowed inside this building, despite my endless begging for even just a peak. This is where the magic happened. This is where people began their recovery. 

My plan was simple. I would go in, find E’s friend, Will, and reassure her that he was getting the help he needed. With a deep breath, I held dad’s key card up to the scanner beside the door and couldn’t help the smile that formed when it beeped and flashed green. I was in. I pushed the door open and shivered as a burst of cold air rushed toward me. My eyes squinted against the surprising darkness that greeted me. 

My attention shifted to the ground beneath my shoes and my brows furrowed in confusion. I wasn’t staring at the thick marble tiles that lined every other building on campus, but rather dirty concrete. I pushed further inside and glanced at my surroundings. It was nothing like I imagined. I had always pictured a home-like atmosphere with bedrooms, and couches, and trained professionals offering help. 

What I saw instead made my blood run cold. Lining the walls on either side of me were cells. Full on metal bars type cells. Like a prison. My breath caught and my throat constricted. It smelled awful, like year old body odor and mud. I forced my legs to keep moving, hoping that it would somehow get better the further I went. What the hell was all of this? Why would they be keeping sick people in such horrible conditions?

Thankfully, all of the cells were empty. Actually, all but one. I rounded a corner and stopped dead in my tracks at the sight before me. Inside one of the grossest boxes yet sat a boy. Or, a man. I couldn’t really tell his age from here. What I did notice, however, was the way his wrists and ankles were shackled to the ground. He sat with his knees pulled up and parted just enough for his bound hands to rest between them, his head hanging low against his chest. I questioned for a moment if he was even alive, until his attention suddenly shifted to me. 

I gasped and took a step back involuntarily as if he were in a position to hurt me. His shaggy light brown hair was matted with thick, dark liquid that I didn’t want to know the origin of, and his face was covered in filth. He stared up at me with narrowed grey-blue eyes. They held a thousand accusations and insults. 

“Are you Will?” I blurted the question, just wanting to fill the silence between us. I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes that gave me my answer. “I...uh, how long have you been in here?”

I got no response. He looked away from me, letting his head drop forward again. A shaky breath left my lips and I ran my hands through my hair forcefully. I was beginning to freak out. What the hell is happening here? Why are we keeping people in cells?

“Will.” I wanted to get his attention again, but he ignored me. “I spoke to E...Lex, er, Lexa today.”

He had an instant physical reaction to hearing her name. His head shot upright, and his eyes searched mine frantically. 

“Where is she?” HIs voice was rough as if he’d either lost it by yelling or hadn’t used it in a while.

“She’s fine, she—” I jolted back as he pulled at his chains in an attempt to break free. 

“I swear, if anyone has so much as touched a hair on her head…” His expression had gone wild. He wasn’t messing around. Maybe they were closer than E had led me to believe. 

“She’s fine, Will. Really.” It didn’t look like he believed me. “She stopped by my house today to ask for help because she thought you were in trouble.”

“Where did she go? And who the hell are you, anyway?” 

I hated myself for what I was about to do. I hadn’t allowed myself to use my...what do I even call it? Power ? Curse? Disease? Nevertheless, I hadn’t used it in about a year. Even though I was my father’s daughter, even though he apparently locked sick people up in cages, I was one of them. Probably the worst kind. 

“I was hoping you could help me with that, actually.” I crouched down until my eyes were level with his. “Where does she live?”

He pulled at his restraints again. He was angry, really angry. And I couldn’t blame him. He’d been tossed into a cage like an animal when all he was was sick. He needed help, not to be treated like an outlaw. 

“And why the hell would I tell you that?” He spat, trying relentlessly to break free. 

“Because,” I sighed, building up the courage to do this. “You don’t have a choice.”

I focused my energy on influencing him. It was difficult, with him being so agitated and me being rusty. But after a few moments he calmed down and his eyes found mine. I willed him to tell me the information I needed. 

“The woods. A few miles north. There’s a little shack we’ve been staying at.” 

He slumped forward as I released him, and I rose to my feet. My stomach twisted uncomfortably. I absolutely hated doing that to people. It wasn’t right. I was no better than the people dad was trying to cure, although he had no idea. Once he came to, Will was angry once again. 

“Hey!” He called desperately at my retreating back. I didn’t want to leave him in here, but I needed to get out. I couldn’t stand it any longer. “If you touch her, I will find a way to kill you!”

I had no doubt he would. I ran as fast as I could out the door. The sunlight was blinding. I fell to the ground, my chest heaving uncontrollably. Tears gathered in my eyes, and I clamped a hand over my lips to stifle the sounds slipping between them. I felt so many emotions all at once. Betrayal, confusion, anger. How long had this been going on under my nose? This was no way to treat anyone, even if they were sick. Especially if they were sick. My whole world had been turned upside down in a matter of minutes and I had no idea what to do next. 

I staggered to my feet and wiped my cheeks dry with the backs of my hands. Without giving it much thought, I began moving in the direction of the trees, heading north.