I woke up with a deep, throbbing pain in my chest and arms. I felt dizzy as a sharp light from the only window in the room slashed my eye. I felt groggy as I opened my eyes. I felt like I was in a jungle expedition or the room where Tarzan's parents had been killed. I glanced around me silently. This place didn't look very familiar.

I tried to recall what had happened. Everything was fuzzy. The last thing I remember is Joseph showing up at my house. Everything after that is fuzzy; whatever memory was there must've been blocked out by my brain.

My brain, it ached so badly. I tried to move to wipe my eyes, then realized that my arms and legs were tied down to a wooden table with zip ties. I glanced around the room.

There was another table at the end of it with a bunch of tools. It was quiet, dusty, and old. There were images of fairies, or things that looked like fairies, placed in picture frames and surrounding the room. They looked like bugs. I couldn't really see.

I tried to turn the table, but my body refused to move. I groaned as I tried to sit up with no success.

"Violet darling. I'm glad you're awake. Welcome to my home. Would you like some water?" My father opened the door that was in the corner. I eyed him carefully as he approached me.

It all hit me in that moment and I bit my lip to prevent the tears from falling. Joseph was a monster. A devil in the form of an ugly human being. He was horrendous and traumatizing. And my father, Dr. Robert Dooley, was no better. He had said nothing and acted as though nothing was wrong when he had gone to my house. I was beyond afraid to the point where I felt numb.

"Violet. Answer the question." He growled as he walked over to me with a glass of water in his hand.

"N... no." I said, my voice sounded foreign to my own ears.

"Lovely. Very well then." He drank the cup and tossed the plastic cup onto the floor.

I wondered how he had snuck me out of the building without anybody noticing a young, 5'7" girl being unconsciously dragged by an old man. I shut my eyes again. He must've done this before.

"So I took some blood samples." He began as my eyes shot to my bruised arm. It looked like he had pricked it until it was blue, literally. "Relax, it was only a liter. Anyway, I tried to analyze your DNA, but it seems like everything is normal. So tell me Violet." He said, approaching me, "if you were able to read minds, you would've known my plan and not gone with me. This shows that you cannot hear my thoughts and this you lied to me. Do you know what happens to liars?" He grimaced, anger written all over his features.

I didn't move. I knew he was going to hurt me.

Instead he began laughing, "are you afraid of me? Why are you flinching?" He asked as I stared at the wall instead. He stood in front of me, covering my vision.

"Very well then. Maybe we can try something else." He said, and like a switch, I was out.

I kept falling in and out of consciousness for God knows how long. Everything was always foggy and hazy when I woke up, but the fear was the only consistent thing.

I would open my eyes and it would be a different time of the day. Inconsistent. I was tired all the time and drowsy.

I woke up today and was seated in a chair with my hands zip tied together. The pile of tools on Dooley's desk seemed to increase every time I woke up. And I was afraid of what he was doing to me while I was knocked out.

I wondered how long I had been there. The same room, the same smell, the same environment. I needed a shower. I was so afraid.

"Listen here! Tell your incessant boyfriend to stop calling or I will personally get a restraining order against him!" I woke up to Dooley angrily holding my phone in his hand as Aaron's name popped up on the screen.

Aaron. I missed him. His kind eyes, the secure feeling I always got when he was around. I was so afraid.

"Look Violet. I am going to answer the phone call. You're going to tell him you're fine and busy. Then hang up. If you say anything out of line, I will inject you with a certain serum that you're not going to like." He said. I couldn't trust anybody but Aaron.

I needed help. I needed someone to rescue me. Please I have no control over what happens to me.

I nodded as Dooley hit the green button on my phone screen.

"Violet! Thank God, I've been trying to reach you for three days! I checked your house and asked your mom and nothing! Where are you? Are you okay?" He asked, he sounded worried and relieved all at once, but I could barely speak. My mouth was so dry.

Dooley glared at me, as I shut my eyes, "yeah, I'm fine. No worries." I said, my voice weak as I fought against myself; I couldn't cry. Dooley would hurt me if I started to cry in front of Aaron.

"Woah there? Are you sure? Why does your voice sound like that?" He asked as my heart leapt in my chest. He truly was he only person who new me this well to notice a voice change, "can I stop by your house later? Everyone has been worried sick about you." I could hear the urgency in his voice.

"No, I'm okay. Thanks for checking up on me." My voice was shaky as I spoke and I knew he could tell something was going on.

"You sound so tired... have you been sleeping lately?" He asked as Dooley hung up.

"Why'd you do that for!?" I asked, trying to muster up as much strength as I could to yell, it probably sounded like a low whisper to him.

"He was asking too many questions. How annoying. Anyway, darling, off you go to sleep. I have much to analyze and work with. Goodnight." Dooley said and once again I was out like a light.

In case you're interested in getting the totally edited/revised/changed paperback version of this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Read-Minds-ebook/dp/B08RYV11F2/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=veronica+Soliman&qid=1609863783&sr=8-3

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)