I must have slept off. It’s now 3pm, time for news on the national television station. They keep talking about me, even though they’re using coded language I still know they’re referring to me.
‘Unrest in the East’ is code for ‘Arrest Miss Peace’. They’ve been searching for me for days now but I’m safely tucked away in here.
Room 26.
I may hate the lodgings and the company here but at least I’m safe from the government that wants me silenced. For now.
It’s only a matter of time before they infiltrate the ranks here and plant a monitoring chip in my head while I’m asleep.
Sounds impossible right? But then again, they’re the government, with access to the latest technological and medical advancement available.
They’ve tried it before, but I outsmarted them and pulled it out. As painful as it was, it was totally worth it since they didn’t see that coming. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep a step ahead of them next time.
I saw the cat first and I knew they were back again. These two girls. And their cat.
I think they’re my roommates but they’ve never spoken to me directly.. only about me.
‘Oh my goodness see what she’s wearing. Pajamas at 3 in the afternoon. Such an unsophisticated girl’ opined the shrill voiced one, I call her Shrilly..in my head of course.
‘Really can you blame her? She failed CHM 102 again. And she’s been threatened with retaking of the year. Her choice of outfit right now is the least of her problems’ said Nicey. Yeah that’s my nickname for her. She’s nicer than Shrilly in the way nails on a chalk board sound nicer than nails on your bare back. Terrible but bearable.
‘She’ll never make it out of here alive, they’re coming for her, you know..she’s totally done for’, Shrilly the know-it-all said. I really wanted to slap her hard across the mouth but I cautioned myself and continued to ignore them. If only I could ignore the cat like the girls...the glass eyed feline was right in front of me, staring as if it was peering into my soul. I stared back as I’m not one to back down from a challenge. And then it smiled. That was weird, I never knew cats could smile. This was a knowing smile, like it knew something about me, like it knew who I was and why I was hiding
.
Could this be..a camera? Could the government be on to me?
Have I been fou..
‘Miss Peace!’ came the shout that jarred me out of my thoughts. It was one of the attendants. Best not to let her suspect anything. I looked at the spot where the cat was. It had vanished, together with the girls. I couldn’t hear their voices anymore. But they were definitely there a few moments ago.
‘Miss Peace I’m Mary, it’s time for your afternoon medication. Please open your hand’
I took the pills as I’ve been doing these past months, placing them under my tongue and swallowing water. As usual, it seemed to satisfy the attendant and she turned to exit the room, phone in hand.
But not before I overheard her conversation, ‘Hello, Dr James, the schizophrenic patient in Room 26 seems to still be hearing voices. She’s not taking her pills either and...’
I knew it, she tipped off the government. They’re coming for me.
Game over.