The Cure

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Zeno

Today is the second day of me acting obedient, acting like I don’t want to get off this back and run off leaving this place. I talked the kind nurse off sedating me. It took a lot of convincing to make her trust me enough to let me stay awake.

This morning when I went for the shower I noticed that the wound on my head has closed, they even reduced the dressing on it. This is good for me, better because it happened right when I felt a bit stronger. I am regaining my strength.

I have made it a point to not repeat the same mistake I made when escaping Tom. That is if I did because right now, hearing them talk about their Master who is the man I have never met makes me think the man may be Tom.

This time I will escape when I am strong when I feel that I can outrun the guard of this place and that time is tomorrow.

-

I woke up to one of the nurses telling me to take my daily dose of medication.

“Can I go out for fresh air,” I asked her looking hesitant. I knew my chances of being allowed to go out are slim, very slim.

“I am sorry, but I cannot help you with that,” she answered while reading the medicines containers and gathering the pills I am supposed to take.

“I will pass your request and get back to you,” she continued to say, looking like she is spacing out. She is very weird. She gave me the pills and a glass of water and left after seeing that I have taken my medication.

Two hours later she returned and fixed my drip telling me that her master approved of me going out. We didn’t leave before telling me not to try any funny thing because they got the security guards in place in case I try to escape the hospital.

God, they know I want to escape meaning I am either with Tom or have a new master, a new version of Tom.

While out with the nurse I saw fit that I ask her to tell me a thing or two about her master. Nothing she said painted the guy as a kidnapper or slave owner.

The hours out in the open passed by quickly, before we even know it the wind started cooling. I had to go back inside. Good for me I memorised the route going out, counted the number of security guards on the post, and saw the position of every camera placed on each corridor we used on our way out.

Soon it got dark and I use that time to surprise them by escaping while they thought I was planning. This plan was a surprise even to me. I left the place suddenly in such a way that I was not so sure If I still wanted to leave the hospital.

What if their master is not really Tom? What if their plan was to let me pay the hospital bills and leave once I get healed? On top of it all, leaving meant standing a high chance of being caught by Tom again.

I had already made all the wrong choices, I packed my bags making sure I left nothing in the cabinets. Scooping all my bags in my hands, I tiptoed through the corridors and left. Very funny no post had a security guard on it as it did during the day. I walked up to the gate without the alarm running off. The security at the exit did not ask me questions while searching for my bags. Everything felt not real, but all of that did not stop me from leaving. I knew they were keeping an eye on me but I left anyways. Left with my head hanging on my shoulder looking back, unsettled.

Walking down the main Street of the foreign city, I fasten my steps. I have to get out of this place as soon as possible. Tom will send his people to look for me as soon as he finds out that I escaped the club.

I can’t help but think of Zara. A series of questions keep running through my head. Will they catch her? How will Tom react after finding out the truth that Zara helped me escape? Will he kill her? Or maybe will he take all of his anger out on Zara’s daughter?

Tom is a sick animal. The most cruel creature I have ever met. The only thing I can do now is pray that if he finds out the truth, Zara’s punishment is lighter than I could ever imagine.

I wish Tom doesn’t find out the truth. Walking while not being there really is a bad idea. I get to know that as soon as I bump into a stranger and spill all of his coffee on both our clothes.

“I…I .. I am sorry,” I tell him, stuttering while quickly trying to fish my handkerchief out of my jeans pocket to clean his clothes.

“It’s fine, why are you in such a hurry?” the stranger asked giving me a questioning look. Oh, that went well. Really well that now I have to tell him that I am in a run. Running from my owner. Yes, that would not embarrass me at all, it will just be me telling him my truth. Note the sarcasm.

“I am really sorry sir,” I tell him trying to ignore his question.

“I told you it’s fine, I will just change my clothes.” He says again pretending to not mind, but I can still see he is angry by the look on his face.

I keep my eyes down as I try to collect his things on the paved city floors. The sooner I get this done the sooner I pick up my bag and leave before it is too late.

The stranger inspects my face before he asks me another question. One question I didn’t expect from someone I have just wasted his coffee. “What’s your name? You look new in this city, or should I say I have never seen you before?”

Now, this is considered being rude, but I have no choice so I do what comes first in my mind. I hand him his bag and pick up mine and take off leaving the stranger dumbfounded.

I have to catch the first bus that leaves this city. My trip goes well as I get to the bus terminals on time. Hence, I get to mount the bus with no complications.

Before I even notice the bus is being announced to take off at any moment. I watch as people run around trying to get into the bus while avoiding the crowds that hooped off of the other bus.

“Morning, now we meet under different circumstances,” said the voice I couldn’t place where I met the owner before. I mean it’s my first time here, highly impossible that I met someone from this place before.

Right at that moment, I turned my head to find the guy I bumped into on the main street. Well, I guess I have little luck if not none at all. To hide my embarrassment I look ahead and pretend to have not seen the guy seating behind me. Along the way, I fell asleep and woke up at the halfway station.

Coming back from the restroom I keep minding my business by hopping back onto the bus, putting my headphones on, and going back to sleep. Not even three minutes passed before I was disturbed by my peaceful nap. The same stranger has now switched seats with the person who was seating next to me. He is no longer the stranger, hence he told me his name is Peter.

According to Peter, he is from X city. The city we are heading to. He came to D city four years back, to complete his college studies. Now that he has finished his studies he is going back to his home city. Truth be told, I envy the guy. He has everything I could never have. From his looks, body structure, personality, and most importantly life achievements.

The whole time he was telling me his stories, I could not do anything except stare at him, laugh or smile when he made one of his silly jokes. I had nothing interesting to say about my life. p**********n is still a crime, and being sold is still human trafficking not to mention being placed by your own father as a bet on a poker table. Being your parent’s neglected son is not really a story victims tell every day.

Time flies when you have company, the company you cannot keep even if you wish to. The bus stops all the passengers rush to hop off, they are in a hurry to meet their families, relatives, and all sorts of loved ones they have. I remain seated until I am the last person left in the empty space. I have no reason to hurry, no one is expecting me and it is just past noon, I have all the time in the world to find my way around the foreign city.

The minute I decide to hoop off the bus, boom the annoying Peter is right there standing next to the bus exit. God, can I please not meet this guy everywhere.

“Come here, fast we have to get going,” he shouts as soon as I appear in his sight. He looks very excited to see me again, his blond face is smiley. The smile goes all the way to his baby blue eyes that shine as his blood hair gets messier with every passing minute as he jumps in excitement.

This guy is my own personal demise, the way he holds my hand while leading the way is extra. “So, you’re really taking the stranger home?” I ask as I free my hand from his grip. “Oh, I forgot to ask you your name, you look too cute to be dangerous.” I can’t help but roll my eyes at this guy’s stupidity.