Dancing With Death

Chapter 1 - "You're no fun"

One, two, three, four, five steps forward. That’s how far it took for me to go from one wall to the next and if I reached up and balanced on my toes, I could even touch the ceiling. It’s fair to say I was basically in a box.

The tally I had engraved on the wall showed I’d been here for 11 days now and to stop myself from going insane and feeling unbelievably claustrophic, I’d been doing as much exercise as one can do in a box. Star jumps, sit ups, press ups – you name it, I was doing it.

I suppose I better explain how I got here…well I’ve asked myself the same question over and over again and whatever did happen to me, it appears my brain has blocked it out. 11 days ago I woke up in this box of a room with not the slightest clue how I got here. The last thing I can remember is finishing training with my mentor, getting in my car and then nothing. Blank. Darkness.

Your average 19 year old would probably be freaking out from day 1, but thanks to growing up in a monastery, my body was built for staying calm in all situations. From a very early age, all I can remember is my mentor. Hiroshi Hamada.

Hiro taught me the ways of the world. Orphaned and alone with no recollection of how I turned up on his doorstep, he took me in and trained me. On the mountain cliffs, far above Paro Valley, Taktsang Monastery would become my home for the next 17 years.

My body really was a temple.

As soon as I turned 18, Hiro granted me his permission to move out of the Monastery and into my own quarters in the closest town. I still travelled back up the narrow, winding hill into the mountains just so we could train together. My time with him was not just so I could learn to defend and protect myself, but he had been in my life for as long as I could remember and really he was the only family I had. Seeing him was like coming home, I had never known anything else. Even now my heart longed to be back in the valley with him.

 ~

A loud clang shook me from my reveries. The cell door slid open with a rusty whine that meant its hinges could do with a good oiling. My guard appeared, a real brick wall of a man who had a tattoo of a dragon covering his bald head.

“It’s time to go Miss. Hamada.” Was all he said as he gestured to the hallway beyond my cell. Nervousness didn’t even begin to cut it as for the first 3 days of my capture; I went for every chance I could to escape. I soon became aware that they must have planted some sort of device under my skin whilst I was out cold, because every time I stepped out of my cell – agony would obliterate my skull. Pain was all I felt, down to the tips of my toes and it wouldn’t go away till I was returned safely to my box.

I shook my head at tats guy. He wasn’t fooling me this time. Shamefully he didn’t give me a choice in the matter as he grabbed me by my arms, blindfolded me and tossed me over his shoulder. The shock of the whole situation and the fact that I hadn’t even seen him coming stopped my brain from registering until we were a good few meters down the hall – that thankfully there was no pain this time. My body slumped in relief and I tried to prop my arms up but they were trapped under my weight against his shoulder.

After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, I was unceremonially flung onto the floor.

“Oof! Do you mind?!” I practically shouted as I ripped off the blindfold.

It felt like my eyes were deceiving me as I started to look around. The room was lavish and decadent to say the least, with fabric trailing from the ceiling and down the walls. Every rich and dark colour you could dream of gave the room a seductive glow. Rugs and cushions were scattered across the floor and along the walls of the room. In the centre, lay a giant four poster bed covered in silk blood red sheets, it was like a scene out of an Arabian night’s film.

Tats guy kicked my foot and grunted to regain my attention.

“This will be your new room Miss. Hamada. Do not try to escape this time because we can put you back in the cell if you really want…” And with that he walked out of the room and slammed the door on the way out, making the tassels jingle like bells.

~

I sat there for what felt like ages, completely at odds with what to do with myself. Atleast back in my box, I felt like a prisoner. Now I just felt confused.

I picked myself up and dusted myself down just as my bum was starting to go numb and began to pace along the edge of the room. Upon inspection, I could see what appeared to be rubies and emeralds dangling on chains from the ceiling and candles littered the floor in tiny silver dishes. The whole atmosphere was overwhelming for my poor tired brain that couldn’t seem to catch a break recently.

All I needed to do was hold my goal at the forefront of my mind.

To get back home, back to Hiro.

No need to panic Esme!

All of a sudden, a spicy rich aroma seemed to drift across the room from somewhere in the far corner, tendrils of smoke seeming to dance in the air. They lazily made their way towards me, caressing like a long lost lover. I was lost for a moment in the scent, my eyes drifting shut briefly and then before I could stop myself, my body no longer wanted to stay upright and it felt like I was floating towards the ground. 

###

 

I stretched out sleepily on the elegant double bed and that’s when realisation hit me with a jolt and my eyes flew open.

 Wide eyed, I shot up into a sitting position, the silk sheets a tangle around my legs.  

Breathing rapidly, my eyes scanned my surrondings and landed on a figure hiding in the shadows.

"Don't come any closer! Who are you and what do you want from me?" My voice started out strong and slowly wavered and disappeared to nothing more than a whisper. 

I mentally slapped myself for showing weakness, years of training my body to not show emotion seeming to dissert me in my time of need. 

The figure slowly sauntered out of the shadows, a mere wisp of a woman. Her fiery hair cascading in waves down her back like a mane. She slowly brought her head up to meet my questioning gaze and in that moment I felt stone- cold fear. The woman who stood before me may not have amounted to much in appearance but her gaze was like some sort of predator, a panther or a leopard.

Cold.

Calculated.

The glint of something dangerous.

And I was her prey. 

************

Hello Readers!!!

Chapter 1 is done, please vote or comment as I'd love some feedback! 

I've got a hell of a lot of time on my hands due to a broken ankle and I can't work so I thought I may as well put my time to good use! 

Hope you are enjoying my story

Much love - Abi