Free In Too Deep by Ronica Black

behavior away as nothing more than a prank her friends had dared her to do.
    She walked into the bathroom and splashed water on her sweat-soaked face and neck, washing away her mother’s plastic concern. She looked at herself long and hard in the mirror and reminded herself that she was no longer fourteen and helpless. She was safe now, and in control of her own life. She leaned on the counter to balance herself as her mind once again flashed back to the dream.

    She’s sitting on the floor in the center of the room watching television. It’s nighttime and they’re running another test on her. She’s not sure what it’s for, but she’s being made to stay up all night with no sleep. There are things stuck to her head to monitor her brain activity. At least, that’s what she thinks they’re for. Suddenly, a noise comes from behind. It’s one of her counselors. His name is Rick and she thinks he’s sick. Sick Rick is what she calls him. Not sick like throwing-up sick, but sick like perverted sick. He’s smiling at her and he moves his pale, gangly body up next to her and squats down.
    “Hello, Erin.” He winks at her through his thick-framed glasses and swallows. She watches his Adam’s apple bob up and down like the fishing bobber her grandfather always lets her use. She looks away and wishes she were with her grandparents. She wishes she were anywhere but here .
    Rick’s beady brown eyes sweep around the quiet ward before focusing again on her. “How are you?” he asks, sounding concerned. The tone of his voice alerts her to what he wants. He always starts out trying to sound concerned and caring, and his voice gets higher, almost whiny, and she knows what’s next. “You doing okay?” He lightly strokes her arm.
    She freezes and stops breathing. Closes her eyes and wishes she could leave her body, that the molecules of her soul could somehow float out of the hospital to her grandparents’ home, where she feels safe, loved, secure.
    “All this testing can be rough,” Rick continues. “How ’bout a break?”
    Erin shrugs. “I’m fine, thanks.” She is always polite, even to Sick Rick.
    Rick stands from his squat. “Nah, you can’t be fine. Look at you, all these wires. You need a break.”
    Erin shakes her head in defiance. “But if I take a break it’ll ruin the test and they’ll make me do it again tomorrow night.”
    Rick smiles once again, reaching down to lift her up by the arm. “Well then, I’ll hang out with you tomorrow night too. And the night after that and the night after that.” He lets go of her arm and reaches down to unzip his pants. She tries to run, but the wires on her head have her leashed. “Here, help me.” Rick says, taking her hand and placing it on his penis.
    “No!” She pulls her hand away.
    Rick’s eyes get big and he grabs her by the arm tightly. “You do it or I’ll send you to the room.”
    She looks over at the room that stands in the corner of the ward. It’s tiny and its walls are covered completely with white pads. She decides her preference is for the padded room rather than Sick Rick and his dick. She draws away from him and opens her mouth to tell him, but she’s interrupted by a noise coming from one of the connecting rooms.
    A door slams and a loud screaming assaults her ears. An older pimply boy named Brad is running around the ward, beating his fists against his head as he screams. Counselors give chase and Rick leans in and whispers in her ear.
    “Looks like Brad will be joining you in the room.”
    The screaming gets louder and louder. It’s joined by Rick’s deep evil laughter, and Erin can’t escape. She falls to her knees and cries. She cries and cries until the real tears bring her out of the nightmare.

    Erin dried her face methodically with a soft towel.
    “It’s over,” she said to herself, running her hands through her messy hair. No more hospital, no more Sick Rick, and no more perfection-seeking parents who refused to