"Is she okay?" It’s the only thing I ask because there is nothing else for me to ask just yet.
“She is.”
My head is in pain, not because I hit it, more because I'm dizzy from being out cold. I woke up, and it felt like the room was spinning; that started to make me sick. I laid down on the floor for a while as I got myself together; and, the moment I began to feel less dizzy, I started banging on the door. I can’t say for how long, but my hands are hurting now. I have no idea why I'm here, but one thing is for sure: I'm not going to show this asshole any fear.
I tried to run when I opened the door and it wasn't Gabby. I remember punching him, which gave me time to get to my room and get the dresser in front of the door. I was surprised I had so much power. I got my medicines and threw them in my bag. Now I know that I should have left them, but I knew I wasn't going to last a day without them. By the time I got them in my bag, he was breaking down my door.
The next thing I know, I'm waking up in this dark room, with only a small light coming from beneath the door, from what I assume is the hallway.
I gave up banging on the door when my hand got numb; I mean, nobody is coming for me. My breathing is bursting in and out of me, and I wipe the sweat from my brow. I want to scream as my chest tightens. My heart races, as it tries to escape the hell, I’m in.
The last time I felt this way was when I was nineteen, during the longest stay in hospital I had. I knew then that I didn’t want to experience that again; this time it’s much worse.
I have to face the fact that there is nothing that I can do but pray that no one kills me. The thought of the possibility makes my body quake.
Why would someone want to kill me? I don't know anyone, I haven’t spoken to anyone, that would want to kill me. That I know of.
I sit on the carpeted floor, lean my back and I can feel the coolness of the wallpaper, even through my dress. I pull my knees up close to my chest and drop my head on them. I try to get my heart to beat at a steady pace again.
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.
A mantra I’ve repeated to myself many times before now; but never for a reason like this.
I close my eyes, and I break out in goosebumps; I’m not sure if it's because I'm cold, or because I feel like the blue eyes are staring at me.
I lift my head up as I hear the sound of the handle click; more light comes from the hallway as the door opens, and I keep telling myself not to show any fear to this man. I’ve got to stay strong.
As the shadow of the man walks into the room, I’m still not able to see him as he, too, is surrounded by the darkness of the room. I find the strength to stand up and lean against the wall. I know I need to be prepared. That's when I see the two men behind him, in the light of the corridor. One of them is the guy who came to my apartment. I see the cut from when I punched him, and I feel pleased I was able to do some damage. The other I don't know, but one thing I have learned from watching T.V. shows is that, if they show you their face, they're not scared of you going to the police, because they’re going to kill you.
Are they going to kill me?
I take a step forward, hoping to see the man in the darkness, but he knows where to stand so I only see what he wants me to.
"Are you that scared of showing me your face, you won't step into the light?" I ask. I mean if he's going to kill me at least show me the man that is going to kill me. "Or is this some fucked up version of Beauty and the Beast. When you step forward, you're going to be this big ugly beast, and the two behind you, are the Candle and Clock."
In the darkness, all I can see is the outline of him; he is a big man. At least a foot taller than me, making him about six foot two, give or take, and from his silhouette, he seems muscular too.
I take a quick step back when he takes one forward. I’m up against the wall, again; I’m trapped. I move my eyes to his lips which is the only part of his face that I can see in the shaft of light coming from the hallway. His full lips are parted a little, but the deep curve that they're in makes my world stop spinning for a moment. In one split second a million things flash before me; I move my hand to my neck as though I remember where those lips have met my skin before. There’s a dimple in his left cheek that makes me shiver in lust. What is happening?
“I thought we could have some food,” his voice is deep, like nothing I’ve heard before. It sounds like a drum but louder, but at the same time, smooth. His voice commands the room; I imagine it’s the same for any room he's in.
I move my eyes to the two men behind him; the Candle and Clock glance between me and the other man.
"And if I don't, are the Candle and Clock going to guard my room?" I ask, and my lips curl up into a smile. I know that this is not a funny moment, not even a little bit, but the fear running through me is making me say stupid things.
"Beth will be in, in a moment to bring you some fresh towels. I take it you would like to freshen up. The bathroom is right through that door."
I see his arm move towards the left side of the room.
I look over and see the door as the light from the hallway shines in, and I see the door to the left. Before I can reply, he leaves the room, and I'm left standing there, staring at the door.
I look around the dark room; there must be a light switch somewhere in this place. I tried earlier, and there was no switch by the door, which is where normal people would put one. It’s hard to see in the darkness.
As I make my way around the room, I quickly turn around as the door opens again. It isn't the man; this person is smaller, and as they step into the light, I see it’s a woman. I watch her walk over to the bedside table; I don't see what she picks up, but the light comes on.
I look at the woman, and she gives me a small smile. She stares at me, but she seems happy about something. She's the same height as me, but clearly older. She could be the mom of the Beast, and his friends. "You are beautiful," she says.
I stand there, just watching her. Now I get the chance to look around the room; I see a large window but can't make out where it looks out to. There’s a bed that would take up all the space in my apartment; and the walls are all painted white. There are two bedside tables. Simple.
Where the fuck am I?
"This is the controller to the lights, the A.C., the T.V.," she places it back on the bedside table. My eyes don’t leave her face as she sets something on the bed. "I've brought some towels and some clothes. Come down for some food; you must be hungry." I didn’t know I was allowed out of the room.
She tries to walk closer to me, but I take a step back, away from her. She doesn't look like someone that would hurt anyone; she has a soft voice, but that's how they trick you, how they mess with your head.
"My name is Beth if you ever need to talk-"
"Can I go home?" I cut her off. She doesn't say anything, just looks at me; I have no idea if that look is fear for me or relief of some sort. "Don't stand there and say I can talk to you when that guy kidnapped me, and God knows what that other man wants to do to me. I would like you to leave now."
How dare she say she's there for me? She doesn't care that her son has kidnapped me. He gave me no name, I suppose if I knew his name and I escape, I could call the police. I have to laugh at myself. I mean I have no idea where in America I am. If I am still in America, at all. I don’t know how long I was out for, or what the fuck is going on.