𝙱𝚊𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚝 - 𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚛

𝟸𝟶 - 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚘𝚙 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜

I look at the door and think about going upstairs, billy told me not to but I need to see for myself.
I slowly grab the handle and pull trying to make as less noise as possible and start to walk up the creaky stairs. I listen at the top as I hear heavy breathing, fuck. I slowly head down the stairs and shut it behind me, and turn around to the tray he gave me. I didn't care if he had put anything in it, I was starving.

-Hours later-

I laid on the mattress trying to get sleep or what I could.

*RINGGG*

I wake up to the ringing of the phone and sit up slowly trying to get my eyes to adjust back to the dark, I finally stand up and pick up the phone.
I stood on silence waiting for the other person to say something, "you said my name was billy" I nod as I say "billy..billy showalter". "Don't call me that". He says somewhat aggressive, I turn to hear rattling of the pop bottle, "I don't remember it, that's not who I am now" he says as the bottle continues to rattle. "What do you want me to call you then? What do you remember?" I reply, my eyes fixated on the bottle. Finally the bottle drops, "I told you, I was the paper boy" he retorts. "Ok, paper boy" I agree with him.

"See the wall infront of you? See how the wall is separated from the floor?" Paper boy describes, "yea I see it". "I tore a long cable loose from down there, I kept it hidden" he tells me. "Ok what am I supposed to do with it?" I reply confused to his response. I watch as the bottle spins in a circle how it does in the game spin the bottle, until it stops and points up towards the window. I put the phone to my side and walk towards the glass and follow my eyes up to where it's pointing.

*click*

I walk to the mattress and think about what I'm going to do next. I think about what i need to hide from the grabber. The hole. I need to dig fast. I walk towards the hole and jump into it and start to shovel dirt out with my hands, I do it till my hands hurt. When I'm done I hide what I've done and go back to the mattress and sit fiddling with my hands, thinking.

I loose my train of thought to the lights coming on. I quickly lie down to act like I was sleeping.
"I knowwww you're not sleeping" he says in a sing-song voice. I open my eyes and slowly sit up, I give him a nasty stare as he walks over, "tell me your name" he says trying to sound kind. "Why do you care?" I reply flatly. "I usually don't" he sighs, "I find out eventually in the papers, they always print a nice pretty photo and their name in big text". "Well what's different this time?" I question. " ahh ahh it's complicated isn't it, too complicated, everything's different nothings going right". "You could let me go maybe it will go right" I sass. "I'm thinking about it" he lets out, I feel some hope just a little for myself. I sit up, "I promise I won't tell anyone...you can blindfold me and throw me on the streets, Ill find my way home". "But why won't you tell me you're name". He replies tilting his head. "Michelle...Michelle Stamford" I lie.

He throws the tray to the ground, and grabs the newspaper to show me he had in his arms, throwing it at me. I quickly grab it and unravel it to see the title "suburb rocked as another child goes missing" with my school photo with it. "I was really starting to like you...Y/N" he yells. He kicks the tray as he says "and I almost let you go" slamming the door behind him.

I sit there feeling as small as ever, I let out a sigh and throw the paper to the ground and walk towards the door.