Chapter 59 : Imprisoned for her own good

The girl didn’t show her face as she rocked back and forth, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She had no resemblance to my sister apart from her first name but that was enough to hold me in a trance looking at the camera staring at the little body that seemed so out of place in such a cold empty room. This was the dark side of apple gate house, the things that weren’t mentioned in the glossy intake brochure. There hadn’t been mentions of the ECA complete with CCTV, or wrist alarms, or at the very worse the lost girl that worked all alone in the corners being watched like an animal in a cage with someone waiting for her to do a part trick.  

“Who’s that?” I asked my voice braking with tears as I watched the broken girl on the film. Emmet glanced at me sceptically and considered dragging me out of the room but I could not budge from the spot I was stood in.  It felt like someone had to ask these questions, to at least acknowledge that she was there at all. Surly she belonged to someone. Where was her mum or dad, her siblings? Why weren’t they fighting for her?  “I haven’t seen her at lunch or anything.” I said again desperately trying to make my voice sound more casual and less appalled, there was nothing else I could do, any attempt would land me back as a feature on one of those screens.

“Arabella doesn’t leave the ECA honey; it is the best way we can look after her.” Harry said looking at me a grimace on his face.

“How the hell have you worked that out?” I said snapping a little. Her prison cell had literally driven her insane all ready, how long had she been in there in the dark in pyjamas being watched like some kind of science experiment. Like her life was somehow worthy of no more. She was something. I thought they said we all had hope left. The brochure said we all had hope left.

“Arabella is very sick, honey.” Emmet said softly resting his hand on my shoulder. He sighed gently. “We needed to make sure she is kept safe and this is the only way we know how. Known of us like it Mi.” It wasn’t good enough

“She look’s terrified.” I said more to myself then the rest of the people around me and as if in answer to my concern the motions of her rocking picked up a little bit while some squeaks sometimes come from the speaker on the TV. She sounded in pain.

“Come on Mi, you should go now.” Emmet said trying to lead me towards the door. I stole one last glance at the television before dragging my eyes away towards the door. My legs began to walk though I wanted to stay.

“Really Mi,” Harry said again his attention on me instead of the camera for a second, “this really is for her own good. We wouldn’t do it if there was any other way.” I sighed and walked out the room. Was it really possible to imprison someone for their own good? Plus if that was them trying to make her better what had she been like before?