sweet escape

Chapter one: The place

All rights reserved.

Copyright (C) 2013, Elaine Diab

I awoke to the sound of mournful wailing, echoing across the walls. Gasping, I look around desperately. Somehow wishing that this was all a terrible nightmare. Sadly enough, this tragedy was my reality.

After a quick surveillance of my surroundings, I noticed that the room was still as dark, and cold, as it had been before I went to sleep. It might have gotten even colder, due to the lack of food we were scarcely consuming. Severely malnourished, my body was slowly shutting itself down when I needed it the most.

I leaned my pounding head against the worn out wall behind me, and all but shivered at the harsh feeling it provoked at the back of my sensitive head that rested against it. The walls themselves spoke volumes about the history of this place.

Looking around, it wasn't hard to spot the scratches and holes adorning every surface. Leaving little to the imagination about what its' previous inhabitants had endured.

The pungent smell of blood and urine filled the room, suffocating my senses. I wrinkle my nose in disgust and try to block out the repulsive smell. This place was a nightmare.

Staring blankly into my lap, I tried to picture a place far from the one my body was currently slumped in. I tried to picture a haven away from the disaster, in hopes of controlling the voice that was to deem me insane. Slowly enough, this haven I was grasping on to had was the illusion of home.

A home where I would be sitting around a warm, burning fire and devouring all the delicious morsels chef was renowned for. My mouth watered just thinking of it. I swallowed my hunger back, and thought of what else I would be doing-In hopes of momentarily distracting my grumbling upset stomach.

Gazing blankly ahead, I could almost see the happy scenery that would have been my life. So much so that I could almost see it, feel it, touch it. I smiled at the scenery and squeezed my eyes shut, welcoming the distraction. Behind closed lids, I saw the memory with overwhelming clarity.

I was reading a book to my sister Felicity, while she listened carefully with wide wonder-filled eyes as the plot progressed. She loved it when I read to her. It was the only time of day that she sat still. A very rare occurrence for the little bundle of joy that was Felicity.

A feeling prickled along my spine. I was being watched. I awoke out of my reverie and following my instincts, I cautiously opened my eyes and look across the barely-lit chamber, only to realize that I caught the eye of a smirking guard.

The guard's eyes scanned my disheveled appearance maliciously, while he licked his lips at the barely clothed image I presented. With crawling skin, I shivered and shrunk back against the wall. My action had caused a smirk to slowly creep on his face, his malicious intent obvious in his eyes that were directed towards me.

My feelings of fear had abruptly evolved into feeling of anger as I clenched my fist and resisted the urge to smack that smirk off of his face, and gouge out his wandering eyes. I doubt my attack would make a difference in that grossly repulsive face that sat atop his shoulders. Instead, I controlled my anger and turned away quickly and effectively avoiding conflict.

I had to remind myself that I wasn't the only one held prisoner in this godforsaken place. Attacking the guard would hurt everyone else around me. The guards patrolling the room would make sure to carry out their twisted revenge on all of us.

With a peaking side glance back at him, I realized that he was no longer undressing me with his eyes but instead speaking to a nearby guard. The guard was hissing at him quietly, while motioning in my direction with angry eyes. Briefly nodding at the angry guard's words in a forced agreement, he then stiffly returned to the spot he previously vacated, this time around wearing a stone-faced expression.