with that one," Sunder said casually. He pushed another button and the pulley dropped me into the freezing pool of water. I looked up to see glass covering the opening making it to where there was no way I could go up for air and that there was no air in the tank. Sunder came over and stood on the glass studying me. I floated up to the glass remembering to relax so I didn't waste my air supply struggling.
This way I got to live a few extra seconds hoping that it would give me time for someone to rescue me. But already my body was coming in to totally freak out mode. My lungs were starting to cramp up. I hope I can preserve my breath till someone came. At this minute I didn't care who it was.
Now I'm really getting light headed. I need air and soon or else I'm going to pass out and my body will breathe. Then I would have a problem and a watery grave where the people I loved wouldn't know what happened to me or where to find my body. I forced my eyes closed and relaxed even farther. I could already feel my consciousness slipping away, the pain in my chest slowly went away I could tell I was on the brink of consciousness.
My body floats at the top of the tank and I can feel the cold glass against my skin. All the sounds and feelings seem dull, even the glass. I can't feel the pressure of water against my skin. But I know it's still there I'm pretty sure I would have felt myself be lifted out or if the water drained.
I can hear thumping going on somewhere above. But that's all I can tell you. I can't tell if its bodies are flying or just clumsy goons dropping things. I can now feel myself sinking so I know my oxygen is all but gone so the weight of my body is making me sink. I hit the ground of the tank and I couldn't feel the muscles in myself.
I seemed to be lost in my own body, slowly drowning. I can hear more distant thuds and crashes. Something is happening above me but I'm too weak and lost to move. It feels as if my body is paralyzed. The floor below me starts to fade as does the blue behind my eyes.
The blue turned to black and it feels like I'm falling. I can hear more glass shattering and feel the pools water stir as if someone had just jumped in. I feel a weird bending sensation and rushing water. Then it's all of a sudden cold, and then once again I pass out.
When I wake up I notice I'm breathing. My first thought is that I’m dead; the last thing I remember was being drowned. As far as I know I never left the tank. Finally my senses catch up to me and I can hear crashing of metal and glass. I can feel the floor underneath me; the cold air is actually a welcome even though it sears my lungs and throat.
Slowly I open my eyes to see I’m actually alive and laying on the floor of the lab with a blanket over me. Chest looks down at me soaking wet along with Amy who is actually dry. I sit up immediately, I wish I hadn’t, a wave of dizziness comes over me. I lay back slightly on to my elbows and waited for it to pass. When it does I nod my thanks to them and lowly stand up.
I wrap the blanket around my shoulders and look around to see Maria and Elaine with some sort of weapon absolutely taking it to the three goons they are fighting. All of the equipment was once again smashed in to pieces for I don’t know how many times. I looked over to see Sunder screaming his head off about his little experiment, how it was ruined, and how he was going to save me just in time. He makes it sound as if he wasn’t planning on killing me eventually.
Amy, Maria, Elaine, Chest, and I walked out in to the bright sunlight. It felt great. But maybe that is because I had just been dropped in to a tank of Freezing Mountain run off. When we got to the house I just stood out on the porch. I don’t think I belong here. Already I had, had the family save me twice within a single day.
“Come in sweetie no need to stay out there where you’ll catch a cold. We need to get you some dry clothes, “I hear Amy's sweet voice coming from inside the house. I still don't understand why this family that seems to be doing so good would take in a homeless girl that they don't know or have any reason to trust, and then when she disappears they go out and find her? I just don't understand it.
"Macey! Get in here!" Amy's voice is harder this time so I walk in to the house and watch as she runs around getting things together," Go get in the shower the water is already running and warm, while I get some clothes for you." I do as I’m told and try to find the shower. I can hear it down the hall and head that way. Just as I'm about to get in the shower I think' Crap! What if Chest is in there? He was wet too from saving me'. I grab my wet clothes and wrap the blanket back around my shoulders covering myself before I slink silently out of the bathroom. I knock on the door once I close it to make it seem as if I hadn't just been in there.
"No one’s in there," I hear Maria's voice behind me, “Chest decided to go run the perimeter to be sure there aren't any more secret labs near our base. So you won't stumble in to one of them again."
"It wasn't my fault. He found me and brought me there," I defended turning around to face her.
"Oh, well then I guess it’s perfectly okay that you just put the whole family in danger," She sneers.
"I didn't say that Maria. But it's not my fault that he found me. How was I supposed to know that he crouched here?"
"How about you watch where you’re going and your mouth."
"I'm not the one getting under somebodies grill for an accident."
“How about you just get out of our lives Macey Like everyone here wants. It would make things here a lot easier. Then we wouldn't have to be saving your hide every couple of minutes."
"You don't. Besides, Amy seems to want me to stay here." With that Maria got mad and started to walk off. I glare at her as she does. I go in the bathroom and drop everything. I get in the shower and let the nice warm water just run over me slowly warming me up.
After a few minutes I turned the water off and got out. Amy nicely brought in clothes earlier and I must not have noticed. There are dark blue jeans and a purple T shirt. A really nice shirt as if I was about to go to a board meeting or something. I got dressed and walked out in to the living room.
"They're a little baggie but I plan to take you in to town later on this week anyway," Amy says examining me. Everyone is sitting in the living room watching something on the television. They all turn their attention back to the screen when the commercials end. The missing persons report comes on and flashes people's faces that are missing from all over the country. The last of the photos made me gasp along with the rest of the family. The last photo was of me.
"This Seventeen year old girl was last seen last Tuesday after coming home from a party high on cocaine. Her parent’s suspect that she might have ran off when the high had finished taking over her senses in the middle of the night. If she is seen please call the news station," The Reporter said.
Amy switched off the T.V. and turned to me," I think it's time for you to tell us what exactly happened and how you came around to be here." Everyone else nods looking solemn. My guess is that they were afraid that I was putting myself and the family in danger, I personally wouldn't blame them. So I tell them everything that I remember from that night. I also tell them I don't want to go home and if I do I'll probably just run off again. I explain my family and how they reacted to the accident. Every one listen intently all look as if they really believe me. All except for Maria and Benjamin, Benjamin is asleep in Chest's lap and Maria has a smug look on her face.
"So you brought not only the enemy here Macey but drugs too," Maria smirked.
"Maria Hush be nice to her!" Amy says with severe sternness," It was an accident."
"What if when Macey went out earlier she was actually snorting crack when Sunder found her, as far as you know mom Sunder is her supplier and she couldn't pay the price for the crack she'd already used. You don't have the proof to say she's innocent," Maria rages on.
"Don't you think that I would have left by now? As soon as you guys had saved me the first time I would have left if I was an addict. But I'm not. Go get my clothes and search them. You won't find a trace. I'll even take a drug test," I argue with her.
"Sure, mom
she offered I'll even put the needle in her arm. Sorry Macey we don't have any drugs to put in the other side."
"Maria! I told you that, that was enough," Amy yelled sounding fierce,” Now apologize to Macey now and go to bed it's way past the normal lights out."
Maria just glared at me as she went past not saying a word. When Amy mentioned bed I realized how tired I really am. Today had been a long tiresome day. I sit down on the couch with the rest of the family as Chest carries Benjamin carefully and tenderly to his bed. He comes back out and sits in the rocking chair directly to my right in front of the door. We all sit there staring at each other not sure what we are supposed to tell each other.
I must have fell asleep because the next morning I found myself lying down on the couch with blankets covering me. I could smell pancakes being made as well so I know that the morning bustle has started. I jump up not sure what to do to try and help. I don't want to appear to be a free loader and I don't want to ruin these peoples trust they have in me. I walk in to the kitchen to see if I can help cook. Maria is in