I woke up screaming. Blankets and clothes stuck to my skin, drenched with sweat. I ripped the covers off, knees bashing the concrete floor. Air. I needed air. I couldn't breathe. I was dying. Where was I?

Doors slammed shut in the distance, footsteps pounding. I didn't care. I couldn't breathe. My stomach twisted in on itself, and I hurled. Hands tried to lift me off the floor, but I fought, lashing out, scratching, biting, kicking. I did anything I could to get them off me.

Sharp, distinct pain pierced the back of my neck. I blacked out.

……..

When I woke, I wasn't screaming. It was still dark, and I was in a bed. I went to get up, to see where I was, but I couldn't move, strapped down to the frame.

I started to hyperventilate. My memories were shattered, only shards standing out to me, broken  into pieces. I couldn't remember, mind blank. I couldn't remember what they did to me after they stabbed me with the needle. 

Awake. I was awake briefly afterwards. They did something. Something to my body that I didn't want. My head was pounding, fighting against the strain of whatever they gave me. 

The door to the room opened, allowing a sliver of light to seep in. I held my breath. A man stepped inside, and the light disappeared.

My breathing became shallow, panic beginning to set in again, gripping my lungs. I could hear him walking towards me, coming closer. His hand covered my mouth.

"Don't move, speak, or make any noise. I'm going to get you out of here," he said. His hand left my face and pulled out a pocket knife.

I laid there in shock as he sliced the straps. 

"Who are you?" I asked, a whisper. My chest hurt. He'd said no talking. I was still partially strapped down. He'd have the advantage if he wanted to hurt me. 

"Someone you used to know," he said. What in the hell did that mean?

"Where am I? Why are you helping me?"

"Shh," he said, equally as quiet. "No more questions now. We need to be fast."

He'd finished up with the straps, and helped me stand up. My legs were numb, weak and wobbly beneath me. I started to fall back.

The stranger caught me by the arms, holding me up.

"Just hang on to me, we're getting you out of here."

I gripped his arm tightly, walking to the door. He opened it, looking both ways before stepping out and dragging me with him.

My heart was pounding. I didn't know this man, or where he was taking me. There was no reason I should trust him. But something in my brain was nagging at me. He was right. Somehow, I recognized him.

White walls surrounded us, leading down a long hallway illuminated by fluorescent lighting, hurting my eyes. As we walked quickly, I noticed through blurry vision the doors we passed. Each showed a different symbol, and I wondered fleetingly what had been on mine.

My mind was fuzzy, memories blurred together and didn't make any sense. Time was only a suggestion, and my brain refused to follow it. 

The hallway split into three ways. The man paused, glancing at his palm. There was writing there, in a language I couldn't recognize.

"Left", he said.

The more we walked, the more our surroundings changed. The smooth white walls turned to stone, the light becoming scarce. It reminded me vaguely of a castle. 

Abruptly, he jerked my arm back, stopping. He tilted his head, listening for something. I held my breath, trying to hear what he did. Suddenly I was shoved into the wall, the uneven stone digging into my back and shoulders.

I strained my ears, but was still unable to hear whatever had scared him. My breath came hard, heart fluttering. Every inch of him pressed into me, each breath pressing us closer. I was so confused. Why was my body acting this way? I didn't know him.

Footsteps. That's what he'd heard. They were right on us, eight feet away.

"Soldier!"

The man turned his head towards them, dropping his hand from my arm to his hip. I looked down.

There, a belt rested lightly, three daggers ranging in different sizes only on that one side.

He glanced down at me. "Breathe, love," he whispered.

"Where are you posted?" A deep, rough voice asked from the group coming towards us.