The screams. The sirens. Being wrenched away. None of these things Niara remembered. She was sleepy. She was confused. She was dizzy from the bumping of the car. She lay down and closed her eyes, hoping to clear the nausea.
And...
She was sitting in a room. A man was staring down at her. He was scary. Fancy suit, tie, black, neatly polished shoes. Slacks. Warm and cold ice blue eyes. Chiseled features. Black hair, close cropped beard. The wrinkles made him look god-awful old.
"Get her healthy, then bring her back."
And...
Once again in the room. Niara was fully focused now. The doctors had said she was alright, hadn't they? The man was there again. Still scary.
"What is your name little one?" Niara looked at him.
"Niara. What is yours?"
"My name is Nicholas. How are you feeling Niara?"
"Good! The doctors said that I was just scared from what had happened."
"Mhm."
"What happened?"
"What?"
"What happened?" Nicholas was at a crossroads here. He could tell her, but remembering might cause more Post-Trauma. He could lie, but lying to the innocent child seemed horrible.
"I am afraid I can't tell you, little one. It will give you nightmares." In all truth, Niara did not look like one to get nightmares. She was small for her age, ten the doctors had said, but she had a seriousness in her face that could only come from bad experiences. She had long brown hair, with dark, Latino skin. Her eyes were a very unique golden rod color, and seemed bright and full of life. She was wearing the same clothes she had been in when she had arrived: a milky white blouse with red polka dots, and a red and pink skirt. She was barefoot, however, and this frightened Nicholas. This place was unsafe for bare feet. There was very often broken glass on the ground, and though the crew was quick to clean it, there was always someone in the wrong place at the wrong time. That sparked another question. Why in the hell is this little girl here?
"I don't want nightmares.", Niara said forlornly, and looked down. "The nightmares have always scared me."
"I know, and I don't want you getting anymore."
"Okay." Nicholas began to talk again, but Niara zoned out. Her mind drifted back to the last thing she remembered.
Mommy, where are you going?
Hush, child, everything will be alright.
I don't want to go.
I'll miss you little one.
Mommy...
I will be back one day, I promise. Niara took out a little coin from a pocket in her blouse, and rubbed her thumb over it.
"What is that in your hand?"
"Daddy gave it to me. He said that if I had it with me, things would always be alright. I miss Daddy." Nicholas leaned over and took a look at the coin. It was just a run-of-the-mill quarter. If she is here, then things are not alright. Best not tell her the truth. I wouldn't want to ruin this for her. She treasures that coin, and its obvious link to her father seems to make her happy.
"Niara, what is the last thing that you remember?" The little girl looked at him, her brown hair falling over her eyes.
"Mommy said she would be back. She promised me." Nicholas was confused by the cryptic message. Was it to be taken literally, or was there an ulterior message behind it?
"Well, until she comes back, you are safe here." A pause, in which Niara looked back down at her coin, and put it away. "Do you trust me, Niara?" Niara looked directly into his eyes, even straight through the silky strands of milk chocolate hair that covered them.
"I trust you more than I trust others." Nic was again taken aback by the strange comment, but he quickly realized that, like most children her age, Niara was losing patience and was getting bored with the conversation. He sighed, being reminded of why he had never wanted children of his own. Niara yawned, and her eyes lost some of their light.
"I am going to send you off to bed. I will see you around Niara. Come to me if you need anything."
"Mhm..." Nic walked out of the room, and signaled the steward. He nodded, and went inside. Nic looked back and saw the steward carrying the petite girl. God, I hope that child is rescued from this hell hole soon. Oh dear God I really do.
Five Years Later
It was her turn in line. The other "inmate" had thought otherwise. Niara disliked him for that. She stamped her foot. She glared. The man mocked her by waving a cookie in the air. Niara threw herself at him, hell bent on teaching the idiot a lesson. He danced out of the way, and made a break for one of the tables. Niara got up and let her breathing even out. Then, her arm was grabbed.
"What are you doing?", asked the voice. It was a guard.
"He pushed me out of line. No one did anything, so I took matters into my own hands.", Niara said. She shot the man another dirty look, and he flinched away.
"Next time don't do that. Alert us, and we will help you."
"Your own damn fault that you didn't see it in the first place." Niara left the guard scowling as she stalked away, and sat alone. Just then, one of the doctors came into the cafeteria.
"Niara?", he called out. Niara looked up, and rolled her eyes.
"Ugh, what do you want Robert?", she spat. The cafeteria was silent, as everyone knew as of late, arguments between the girl and the doctor had become...entertaining.
"We need to see you."
"See yourself out the door. I am staying right here. You can see me after lunch."
"You are coming with me, whether you like it or not. It is important."
"Important my ass. All you ever do is ask me how I am doing."
"Well, this time is different." Robert remained calm, but his dark Samoan skin sweated a few beads of rage. Rumor was that he was fed up with Niara.
"What a surprise. That is what you say every time."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do. I clearly remember you saying that the last few times."
"Goddammit! Just come with me!"
"No. I know that you are just going to do a check up on me that any normal doctor could do."
"Rgh...."
"I know you Robert." Robert simply lost at this point, and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"YOU ARE AUTISTIC! THE FUCK WOULD YOU KNOW!?"
"Ow, that hurts. Have you let anyone know that you are secretly schizo? I mean, oops." All self-constraint left Robert, and he charged across the room and snatched up Niara by the hand. He pulled her out of the cafeteria and led her down the corridors to one of the operating rooms. No one came after her. He forced her down into the operating chair, and the two nurses and other doctor in the room helped restrain her as she was tied down.
"Now you can't get away you little shit."
"It seems so. So...what sadistic things have you planned for me today Cupcake?" Enraged, Robert smacked Niara across the face. She licked blood from her lips, and smiled. "Hitting like a little bitch. Oh wait, you are one." Robert raised his arm up to hit Niara again, and then sighed and let it fall. He turned to the other doctors. One of the nurses handed him a syringe, and he flicked the tip, making sure it worked.
"Oh, I have lots planned for you Niara." He moved to her side, and felt for a vein in her arm.
"What's in there?"
"Something special."
"What does it do?"
"You're about to find out." With that, Robert stabbed the syringe into Niara, and injected its contents. Niara instantly felt the effects, and she turned her head to the side, feeling ready to be sick. The room started to spin and the colors began to bleed. The lights glowed brighter and brighter, until it was painful to keep her eyes open. She closed her eyes, until she heard a voice...
She was in the middle of a grassy park area. The sun was out, but the air was nice and cool. A light breeze played through the trees, making them whisper and dance.
"Ni! Come on! It's time to eat!", called the voice. Mommy, it was Mommy! Niara began to turn her head, and saw only blackness. Then, she was being wrenched into the blackness, and the world was spinning, colors running. There was laughter, and jingling, and gifts now. She could see them. Christmas. How was it Christmas? The laughing died, the jingling stopped, the gifts drifted apart and faded. Then, just darkness.
"Niara...where are you? Come home Niara. I have been waiting so long, and I want you to come home." A male voice. Benevolent and sweet. Not Daddy, though still familiar. Who, and why? All of a sudden, Niara was being thrown back and a wailing skull came flying out of the darkness. "COME HOME NIARA!"
Niara gasped and awoke. She was in a cold sweat, and her breathing was frantic and raspy. The four doctors stood in a semi-circle around her, exchanging glances of fear and curiosity. They unstrapped her from the bed, and helped her off.
"That is all for today Niara. Don't think this is over though. We still have many more tests to conduct..." One of the doctors led Niara back to her room, where she collapsed onto her bed and blacked out.
The tests continued for many years, about twice a month, each one yielding a different experience and different results. Robert was relentless in his pursuit of whatever he wanted from Niara's mind, and soon, Niara began to hallucinate without the need of the drugs that Robert forced her to take. She would look at the walls, rocking on her heels, and see the many messages of past inmates become colourful. She could swear that they talked to her, and the D's were especially grim, while the P's were happy and optimistic. Nonetheless, they all told her the same thing. They all convinced her that she would escape, told her that she had a chance. For the first couple of years, she believed them, but ten years later, now a grown woman and still tortured like when she was a child, hope had left her entirely...
"I don't think you understand Niara. We have to give you this medicine if you want to stop the pain.", the nurse said. Her eyes and look were stern, but her voice was calm and motherly in an attempt to soothe Niara. She held a few pills in her hand.
"NO! You are working with Robert! I don't want anymore tests!", Niara cried, and retreated further into the corner.
"Sweetheart...Robert's been dead for four years. This is just medicine, I promise."
"NO!"
"Give those to me...", Nich said as he walked in the room. He snatched the pills out of the nurse's hand before she could say a word, and walked over to Niara. Her golden eyes lit up when she saw him.
"Nicholas...make the bad woman go away...she is trying to drug me...", she cried. Nich smiled wanly. He looked nearly the same as when Niara had first met him, other than the fact that he had more wrinkles and his hair was almost fully grey. Nich turned and nodded to the woman.
"But...", she stammered.
"Go." The nurse walked quickly out of the room with her head down. Nich turned back to Niara. "Niara, you are gonna have to trust me and take these."
"But they are drugs...or poison!"
"No they aren't. I checked the prescription myself. They are just general brand painkillers Niara."
"Painkillers are drugs.", Niara said, and started getting up.
"Well, yes, but you need these if you want the pain to stop."
"What pain? I feel not..." Niara would've fallen back to the ground from the drill in her head if it weren't for Nich being there and catching her. She looked weakly up at him, her head trembling, and she smiled wanly. "God-damn it." Nich chuckled, and handed her the pills, and a glass of water. Taking a deep breath, and letting out in a sigh, she took the medicine.
See Ni? Nothing bad happened.
Mommy?
Yes?
Is that you?
Yes.
When will you be back?
Soon, I promise.
Soon isn't soon enough.
Just hang in there, my dear child.
I will Mommy, for you.
...
Mommy?
I'LL GET YOU FIRST, PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL, AND WHEN I DO, NOTHING WILL BE LEFT FOR MOMMY!
Niara screamed, and the walls began to fade. Darkness enveloped her, silence drowned her, warmth left her.
WHERE IS YOUR DEAR MOMMY NOW? HOW IS SHE GOING TO SAVE YOU? SHE CAN'T, AND SHE WILL NEVER GET THE CHANCE TO TRY! YOU ARE MINE NOW, NIARA!
Not if I can help it!
TWILIGHT SPARKLE. WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE.
Let her go!
WHY?
Niara sat down, holding her knees to her chest. She knew the pony, knew her somehow, but she didn't know how exactly.
...
AH, YOU SEE? YOU HAVE NO REASON!
Niara, run. Just run until you can't anymore.
But...
Mommy told me to tell you.
You know Mommy?
Yes, now go! Please just go!
WELL...I GUESS I HAVE TO KILL YOU NOW TWILIGHT.
Niara got up and started to running. Flashes of purple and white filled the darkness, and then a scream was filling the darkness.
Come with me... *The voice of woman.***
Who are you?
Pink mane and tail, yellow skin, wings, blue eyes...
That doesn't matter child, now run with me!
Who are you!? What's going on!?
My name is Fluttershy, okay? Now please follow me!
Running faster, seeing the light blue eyes crying, staring at the everlasting darkness.
How do I know you? I knew Twilight, and I know you, but I don't know how I know. Please, just explain everything to me.
Fluttershy halted. Her body trembled.
The hospital. Remember the lights, the faces, the beeps. I was there. You just didn't realize it till now.
But...
Fluttershy pushed Niara. Then she was falling...falling...light...faces...everything...
Niara opened her eyes. She opened her eyes to the truth. She opened her eyes to the darkness.
