Infected Dreams

Her body ached from the beating, so she decided to try and get some sleep. Tomorrow was a big day and she wanted to be refreshed and ready to work hard. As Kali closed her eyes, she imagined the Anderson house, picturing every room in their home, recalling the scents and sounds there. This would be her new dream; there would be no need to have made-up fantasies anymore. This was somewhere she could escape to not only in her dreams but in real life. Yes, this was the best thing that had ever happened to her.  The bed shifted. She wasn't entirely sure that's what she felt until it happened again. Her dreams of fresh baked apple pies and soothing nights in a blue painted room ended abruptly and she was afraid to open her eyes. She could feel someone standing over her and so lay very still, in hopes that whoever or whatever it was would think she was still asleep. It didn't matter. Seconds later, her body was violently invaded, her legs forcefully divided. She squeezed her eyes tightly and held her breath. This was something she had become very familiar with. It was a regular occurrence and she no longer even looked to see which of her family members it was anymore. They all took their turns. She had learnt over the last few years that if she stayed still and didn't struggle it was over quickly. She almost gagged on the smell of the foul breath permeating the air. It was sour and smelled of stale beer. She could feel droplets of sweat landing on her face and rolling down her chin. It seemed to fall in time with the rhythmic jolt of her body. A bead of the liquid rolled onto her lips and she instinctively moved her hand to wipe it away, but before her hand reached her face it was pinned down tight. She felt her hair ripped backwards and her neck made a cracking noise with the sudden jerking of her head. Her eyes flew open just in time to see her Father's knuckles flying towards her. They struck her right in the eye and she could feel it swell instantly. The blows continued. Her face became his punching bag. She tried not to cry out. He just wouldn't stop. She could barely catch her breath between cracks. She began to choke on the steady stream of blood running down her throat. Just when she thought she would have no choice but to scream or be sick, she passed out. Chapter Four 'Kali? Kali wake up! We have to go!' Kali rolled over and opened her eyes. There was no one there. The room was dark and empty. The voice seemed to be echoing. Sitting up to try and clear her eyes to find the source of the voice, she became very aware of one thing. She was not at home. There was no wall of garbage around her. There was no odour of mold and decay. She wasn't confined by any means. She seemed to be lying on a cement floor, surrounded only by darkness. Out of the darkness she felt a hand on her shoulder. 'Kali, we have to go' this wasn't a voice she recognized. It was a man's voice but no one in her family. She turned her head to try and make out a face, her eyes slowly adjusting. She could see a thin pale face. He was wearing a ball cap but she was sure she didn't know him. Yet, somehow, he seemed vaguely familiar. His hand grasped hers and pulled her to her feet. 'This way,' he said, and guided her through the empty room to a door. He opened it slightly and looked around outside before swinging it open. Light flooded the room and she could see his small but muscular frame. He was dressed in a grey t-shirt and tight-fitting denim jeans. He looked to be about her age. He darted through the door, with her in tow. Outside the entranceway was what looked like a large parking pad. It was surrounded by a cement wall. The building they had just come from was enormous. There were bay doors lining the side of it. A sign hung over top that read 'The Warehouse'. She didn't think she had ever seen this building before. 'Where are we?' she asked the stranger, who by now was scaling the wall to peer over. He jumped back down and turned to her. 'Wow, that must have been some sleep you had,' he said, chuckling. 'I don't remember the last time I got so lost in a dream that I forgot the emptiness and hell we are living in.' 'I think we are clear to go – doesn’t seem to be any infected around,' he said, as he ran for the chain link gate separating the walls. She followed closely, confused and a bit scared. She was sure this was a dream, though not one she had ever had before. There was no picket fence, no bubbling pot of soup on the stove; there were no yellow dresses and certainly no sign of her fantasy family.