Drops of Crimson

Chapter Ten

I retract my hand from the cage with my mouth wide open. I stand there staring at the cell that this young boy is in and try to understand, but I don't understand; I'm not sure what I just saw. I can feel tears well up in my eyes, not knowing exactly why, but I feel unnaturally connected to this young boy in front of me. I know what I am seeing is exactly that, unnatural, but I just don't understand and cannot comprehend.

It takes me a moment before I turn around and look at Dominic, who is now standing. I quickly wipe a tear that slid down my face hoping they didn't see it. I feel numb now. Too many ideas flood my mind; human trafficking, slavery, human experimenting. The only one that seems plausible is perhaps the latter of the options, but even that seems far-fetched. But yet, not as far-fetched as what I am led to believe; that this is something supernatural.

"You're right," Cason says to Dominic.

"Right about what?" I ask instinctively.

Dominic shakes his head at me, and for some reason, I don't ask again. I'm not sure if I am ready to understand or know what is being discussed, so I listen.

I was prepared to come down here and fight for my life, to convince them to let me go and try to get back home, however far away it is, but instead, I find myself wanting to stay here to get answers. I don't feel like I am their prisoner or that they brought me here out of malicious intent, and although I should believe that, after everything they did, I don't think that is the case.

The sounds within the cells start up again and I hear the sound of bones cracking and the return of growling and screaming.

I suddenly feel like I can't breathe, and my surroundings start to weigh down on me, the mustiness of the area weighing down on me.

"Get me out of here," I say assertively. I still don't know if I have any say in what happens to me, but I try as best I can to sound as if they have no other option.

Dominic doesn't hesitate and he puts his hand on the middle of my back attempting to move me forward. I flinch, and jump forward, swatting his hand away. I glare back at him and speed walk through the door. I wait for him to come through the door and I tell him to go first, wanting to watch his every move, just in case. He heads back the way Cason and I came. The walk goes by in a blur and before I know it we are outside on a weathered deck.

I feel the warmth of the sun hit my face and I close my eyes, enjoying every second. The sun feels great soaking into my skin, the small burning sensation, welcome, after feeling engulfed by the darkness. I take a deep breath in and let the air out gradually. The freshness of the air is soothing after the musty smell of the basement, or dungeon, or whatever the hell I was just in.

"Do you understand what happened down there, Celeste?" Dominic asks me after a long while of silence.

I don't turn around to look at him, but I look at the ground that I'm standing on. There are tufts of grass scattered throughout the poor excuse for a lawn and its unkempt look matches the appearance of the house.

"What am I supposed to understand, Dominic?" I ask in a pained tone. I don't think I want to know what just happened. What occurred down there, whatever just happened, it's not real. It can't be. They must have given me drugs that are making me hallucinate. Or this is a dream. It's a dream, right?

I keep thinking back to the one word that continues to present itself prominently in my mind: paranormal.

I take a long, deep breath through my nose and let it out through my mouth.

"How can you not know?" He asks, sounding exasperated. "How the fuck can't you know anything about this at all? I don't get it." The way he talks makes it sound like it's not for me, but himself as if he's asking himself these questions.