Perfect (Rewrite)

Chapter Thirty Eight

    The door opened up and then Chloe was pushed into the small white padded room before being chained up to the wall. She looked to the other side of the room, emptiness, Melanie had already been taken out. It was good to know her roommate hadn't been replaced. The men in black brought Chloe her food, and she picked at it cautiously, unsure of whether to eat it or not. Of course, it didn't make sense for it to be poisoned. It wouldn't have been hard for them to get rid of her, so it didn't seem practical for them to do it in such a ridiculous manner.

    Hunger won over as she finally bit into the already cold piece of chicken she had been given. Chloe sat quietly in her corner for the rest of the time. Her wrist was sore from the fresh X engraved on her arm, but she didn't cry or complain once, instead she stared at the camera with hatred. Anyone and everyone who was involved with the making and functioning of this place would pay for their vile intentions.

    Chloe waited until the door to her room opened up and the process began again. She was out of the room before the fifth word left the hologram woman's mouth, and she was down the hall within ten beats of her heart. After she entered the new room in front of her, she sat in her usual chair without even glancing to the few other girls in the room. It was obvious that a few of them were new to this place, but Chloe didn't want to act up again. She only had one mistake left and then she was out; they weren't worth the risk.

    After she was standing in line, she hurried down the hall and took an earpiece from the counter. Someone had removed hers from earlier. She hated the feel of it on her skin, but it was necessary for her to go back.    

    "Chloe," Her name was finally called. She stepped forward and then rushed down the dimly lit hallway for what seemed like the hundredth time. She stopped at the door she was ordered to and prayed that it was the same house with the same people.

    It took a moment for her to reach out and turn the knob, and once she was in the room, she was greeted with a hug from Melanie. Collin was instantaneously put into her arms; she immediately regretted the deal she had made. Jacob would leave and try to escape as long as Chloe stayed on baby duty if she returned. The door opened up not more than a half hour later, and Jacob stumbled into the room. Bruises all over his face.

    The group rushed over to help him to the couch, and once he was seated comfortably, the questions came rushing out.

    "What happened?"

    "Where did you go?"

    "How many were there?"

    "What did they do to you?"

    Jacob took a breath as if to respond, but he met Chloe's eyes and then didn't. She wasn't looking at him questioningly; she was staring at him with anger. Her eyes fell to his wrist and then his did too. Sure, there were bruises on his face, but they would heal. What got to Chloe was the fact that he hadn't received another X. Jacob still only had one.

    Chloe turned away. Jacob called out to her, "Chloe," He breathed. "Wait." But she ignored him and continued up the stairs with Collin.

    Melanie chased after her and caught the bedroom door just as it was swinging shut. She reached out to Chloe with a look of distress; Chloe looked back to her. "I don't think you should be alone with Collin," Melanie mustered before taking him out of her arms. "I'm sorry."

    Then she left the room, closing the door behind her. Chloe looked around, tears welling up in her eyes, she locked the door and sat on the edge of her bed, swinging her feet side to side as the time ticked by. It seemed to take forever, hours and hours wasting away by the second, but the seconds lasted days.

    She closed her eyes and slept when she could no longer keep them open. Her stomach grumbled at the sound of someone knocking on her door. Chloe didn't respond from her corner, instead she glanced up at the camera, it was turning back and forth, completely unaware of her sanctuary.

    "Chloe," Melanie called out. "I know you're in there. Please, at least come out and eat."

    She didn't answer; she didn't even make a sound. Chloe sat in her corner and stared at the door until loud footsteps carried her friend away. The man whispered in her ear a few times, but she didn't pay attention to anything he said. He wasn't playing fair.

    Someone else knocked on her door and then jiggled the locked knob. They walked away without saying anything; Chloe wished she would've opened it for him, for Jacob. She continued to sit in her corner until she could no longer keep her eyes open. Chloe trudged across her room and crawled onto her bed before burying herself beneath the warm soft covers.