Slumber
Margot trembled as she raised the beaten tin cup to her lips and winced as the dark, cold liquid slipped down her throat. Her eyes darted side to side as the caffeine seeped into her bloodstream. Lowering the tasteless beverage from her mouth, she glanced at her slender fingers weakly grasping the warped edges of the vessel.
Her skin shone pale against the film of grease and grit that highlighted the creases in her knuckles and darkened her cuticles. Her fingernails were chewed away to nothing and yet still managed to trap a jagged line of filth. Appalled by the state of her hands, Margot shook her head and redirected her gaze to the end of the alley.
Low light from the neon signs in the shop window across the street cast a fuchsia glow in the haze that crept along the pavement. A sudden melodic crash of aluminum cans announced the arrival of the alley’s feline resident. Margot jolted at the unexpected cacophony, but exhaled a deep sigh of relief at the sight of the jaguar. His eyes glistened as he regarded her presence, but he made no move to harm her. He gracefully arched his back and extended his limbs, then folded in on himself to fall asleep on a bed of discarded newspapers and propaganda posters.
Margot furrowed her brow and raked her fingers through her unkempt mop of ebony hair as she listened to the large cat’s rhythmic breathing. She envied his serenity and his ability to find rest in a world such as this. Once more she raised the potent drink to her lips and this time drained it of its contents. She squeezed her eyes tight and swallowed the unappetizing brew with some difficulty, then rose to her feet. Being careful not to disturb the sleeping jaguar, Margot crept through the rubble and waste and pressed her slight body against the brick wall. Taking a deep breath, she peeked around corner of the building and surveyed the street.
As she had hoped, there was not a soul to be seen. She glanced up at the skyline and along the rooftops to be sure she had not been spotted. Satisfied that the area was clear, she kept to the shadows and set out into the empty street. Occasionally she was startled by a large rodent or a sudden light in one of the apartments along the way, but she quickly ducked out of sight and remained hidden until she was confident that it was not the men in red. The last thing she needed right now was to be back in their custody.
The men in red were the biggest threat to her sanity and freedom. If they managed to catch her again, she would be entirely at their mercy. They would restrain her and transport her to the sub-level facility that claimed to be a medical ward. She would again be strapped down to a gurney and medicated intravenously and forced to experience unspeakable hell. They would again send her to a dimension of chaos and fear and pain. Just the thought of going back to that place made her knees unsteady and she stumbled against a darkened doorframe.
Margot rested her forehead against the cool surface of the glass door and attempted to regulate her breathing. Despite the chill in the air, her skin was warm and beaded with sweat. She choked back a sob and tried to suppress her rising panic. The one thing she wanted most was the one thing she absolutely could not risk. Slumber.
Lifting her head, she noticed her reflection in the glass pane. Her face was sallow and gaunt. Dark circles beneath her eyes, a tight-lipped mouth, and jutting cheekbones gave her a skeletal appearance. Her pupils had overtaken her irises almost completely, leaving a pale grey border around a pool of black, and bright red lines fractured across the whites of her eyes. She had relied on an assortment of caffeinated supplements to keep her alert and on the run, but they had wreaked havoc on her once beautiful countenance.
As Margot stared at her new condition she heard a faint hum in the distance, but it did not register as a threat. She had grown accustomed to hearing sounds that were not real and voices that mumbled unknown vocabulary. Distracted by the voices now, Margot did not notice that the volume of the humming had increased until she found herself suddenly engulfed in the beam of a giant searchlight. She spun on her heel and raised her arm to shield her eyes from the blinding light. Her fears were realized as the great dirigible came into full view; hovering over the place where she stood.
Frozen in terror, Margot watched as ropes splayed from the airship like tentacles and the men in red descended to surround her. Crimson lamps oscillated beneath the decks of the airship and a wailing siren pierced the silence. Following some static and interference, a man’s voice was heard unintelligibly barking orders. Margot could not make out what he was telling her to do, but her own voices clearly urged her to run.
Before her feet could respond to the command, Margot felt several hands holding her back and coaxing her to kneel. As her legs collapsed beneath her, she let out a horrified scream and began to thrash and flail. The men in red were prepared and quickly pinned her limbs and immobilized her. Margot heard the wheels of a gurney being rushed across cobblestones and she was lifted onto it and belted down before the recognition was fully processed. She fought against the wide leather straps and screamed like a caged banshee. The gurney began to sway as it was hoisted up to the airship. Once their catch was securely on board, the men in red extinguished the lights and halted the siren. The order was given to return to the medical ward and the crew rushed to comply.
As the airship altered course, Margot caught the sleeve of one of the men in red. Seeing the sympathy in his eyes, she stopped screaming and pleaded to be released. The man attempted a smile and explained that they were only trying to help. That this was for her own good. That she did not belong here.
“Please,” Margot begged hoarsely. “Please just let me go. Please don’t make me go back there. It’s horrible. Far more horrible than anyone could ever express through words. Don’t send me back there. Please. Don’t wake me up.”
