Taken by fate

Chapter 12

When I looked at the bed now all I could see was the image of a sickly skeleton girl fighting to get free, blood where the ropes wrapped around her ankles and wrists.
This collar kept me down here, kept me from even reaching the steps. Was that why you chose to chain me like this?
If that girl hadn't gotten out, where would I be right now. School, probably, in class hanging with Amara, maybe it was later then I would be at home having dinner with my parents. Or it could even be the middle of the night.
Having no concept of time or day or night really was messing with me. The light from the bulb above the stairs didn't even fully reach the bucket that I used as a toilet.
What if you had found the girl? You would have brought her back for sure making sure that she couldn't escape again. Is that when you had the ideas for the collar that was now around my neck?
Then what? Keep her down here day after day doing the same thing everyday while you went out into the world leaving her down here. That wasn't a life and it definitely was not fair.
What about the other girl, you hadn't said anything about her. Was the girl with the black hair number one or two?
Even if you hadn't killed her yourself, you still held her against her will she had the right to leave. You could have taken her to a rehabilitation center, if the girl was young someone had to have been looking for her, family, friends, her parents. What did they think when they found out the girl had died in the streets, watching the news play out on the screens while the reporter played it as just another teen overdose? They would never know what actually happened, they would never know about you or what you did.
Taking time to go over the story again and again. Analyzing the details like I would do with movies. So much so that I had started to second guess myself.
Had the girl actually come willingly or was that just something you had said adjusting the truth? If you lied about that then did you lie about her escaping too? What if you had lost control and killed her then you just dumped her body out in the streets like trash pumping her full of drugs to cover your story. Killers did that sometimes, they would make up stories so real that they would end up believing the lie themselves.
Did you hit the girl when she attacked you, maybe a little too hard. Of course the first thing the police would notice would be the track marks. Easy enough, why look harder? As for the marks on her wrists and ankles that was probably just another side effect of the drugs, marking up skin, or she had been abused on the streets. Case closed.
I didn't know you well enough to know for sure. With your past you could easily have episodes of pure anger. Not putting that emotion past you, recalling when you freaked out when you thought that you had grabbed me too hard. At that time you had been caring, sympathetic, but what if that was just an act?
It has been hours since you had last been down. Hating being alone with only my thoughts.
At least when you were down here the atmosphere changed, giving me something different to focus on. Putting a break to the endless boredom of being in this room.
There was only so long that I could stare at the walls trying to find shapes within the outlines of the rocks. So far I had found a dog, a palm tree, and a rake. Did those somehow have deeper meanings to me like when a therapist would use the paint splotches?
'What do you see? Since you saw that I can tell you this about you.'
Always thinking that was crap, just saying whatever came to their minds knowing that the patient would believe what they said because they had a degree, they KNEW about this kind of stuff. Yeah right.
If that was the case then I saw the dog because I was chained like one, the palm tree was because I wanted to get away and the rake. Pausing to think for a second before deciding that reason was because I wanted to rake these thoughts from my mind. There, pay me a thousand dollars for the therapy session, heck give me a degree too.
Leaning over the bed emptying an entire bottle of water before scrunching up the plastic and screwing the lid back on making the bottle air tight before chunking the ball across the room aiming for the clean bucket. Missing the shot as the crunched plastic bounced off the wall to the left.
Running my fingers down my legs feeling all the hair that had grown. Long and oddly soft, thinking they would be coarse and itchy. They hadn't bothered me at all. Nails, already growing back out as I worked away at the pointy parts using the wall next to me as a makeshift nail file.
Hearing the lock click open.
"Hope you're hungry, I bought you a treat." Excitement in your words.
Of course I was hungry, unable to remember the last thing I had eaten, a sandwich probably.
Large flat box, pizza, but the smell wasn't right. There was no tomato sauce or garlic smell in the air, not even a hint of pepperoni.
You stood in front of me and I saw that the lid had no label, a huge smile on your face as you opened the box, showcasing the contents. Crab pizza.
"It's fresh, I promise."
I hadn't eaten a slice since that day. We weren't welcomed back but I had been itching to go just for this.
Grabbing a slice, devouring half of the triangle in one bite letting the flavors of crab meat, tomato, basil, cheese and more, rolling across my tongue dancing across my taste buds. A small moan of pleasure, tasting just as good as I remembered.
"You like it cause I could just take it back." Joking as you closed the lid turning slightly away and I reached out grabbing the box from your hands pulling the rest of the pizza into my lap.
"Alright then, can I have a slice?"
"Ah, ah." Mouth full shaking my head no, finishing off the thin crust as I went in for another slice.
"That good huh, maybe I should have had a slice before I came down here."
Greedily blocking the large box with my body. Every bite was better than the last mixing with the oil they used to coat the bread. Grabbing slice number three.
Seeing as you cocked one of your eyebrows higher. "You're really not going to leave me any are you?"
"Nope."
Finding a chunk of crab tossing the meaty bit into my mouth before going back in for another bite.
"Let me at least take the collar off of you."
Pulling my hair to the side leaning closer exposing my neck. You took a step to me but then in rapid speed your hand shot into the open box snatching a slice for yourself.
"Cheater. That wasn't fair."
Cocky grin on your face. "And keeping the whole pizza for yourself is?"
"You got it for ME didn't you?"
"I got it for us to share but yes I got it for you."
Fitting the entire slice into your mouth at once chewing deeply.
"That was pretty good. I think that I might just take another to make sure."
Hands once again reaching towards the box but this time I slide the delicious pizza behind me, using myself as a human shield.
"That's how it's going to be huh?" Playful gleam in your eyes as you leaned in closer making me regret my decision as you towered over me, so close, unsure of what was going to happen next.
Your eyes connected to mine, neither of us blinking.
My breath held itself and I was about to give in when your hands began to tickle my sides making me burst out in laughter.
"Who's protecting the box now?"
Your laughter mixing with mine. Deep, hardy, loud, as I squirmed trying to free myself.
No use, wherever I went, so did you.
"Fine," I squeaked. "I'll share, I'll share."
Stomach cramping, sitting back up as you plopped down victoriously beside me flipping the box open and holding up a slice in salute.
Face flushed. Feeling the blood rushing through, even without a mirror I could feel my cheeks beaming red. Leaning my head down letting my hair fall in front of my face for cover as I finished the last bite I had been holding.
Hair moving to the side, your fingers brushing along my face as you slide the strands behind my ear.
"You don't have to hide from me. Red face and all, you're still beautiful."
Of course you saying that only made me blush worse.
How was it possible for you to do that? One second I could almost convince myself that you were a monster and that I hated you but then you would come down say something sweet or do something so kind and I would forget for a second that I was actually being held against my will.
"Was it worth it, the pizza?" Gesturing to the almost empty greased stained cardboard box.
"Definitely." The pizza was undoubtedly delicious.
"I'm glad, I like seeing you smile, hearing you giggle."
I was happy, wasn't I? I shouldn't be, not here at least, not with you. Sliding the box over to you not caring to eat anymore.
"You don't want anymore?"
"I'm full."
"No doubt, you ate half the pizza by yourself, that's ok, more for me." Engulfing another whole slice in one mouthful.
Looking at the unlabeled box.
Thinking about home.
Then it hit me, if you had gotten this from the place that I had told you about then that meant we couldn't be too far away from my home, right?
Of course you had a car, it could have been a drive or you could have just looked the place up and found another one closer.
No, I had to believe that I was close after all you had found me when you were out for a drive so you couldn't have lived too far away.
"Oh, before I forget." Stunning me as you stood up reaching down into your pocket pulling out the speaker and MP3 player. " they're fully charged now." Setting them down next to the bed.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
As you closed the now empty container I reached under the bed for another water needing something for my dry throat.
"You're almost out. Let me go grab you some more." Taking the trash with you as you went back upstairs.
Leaning over the bed seeing that you were right, besides the one in my hand I only had one more full water left.
At first I had tried using the water to keep track of how long I was here but I gave up when the crunched bottles disappeared every now and then like the contents in the bucket.
Getting up from the bed the question of just how far away I was from home still bouncing through my mind along with the hope that the answer wasn't too far.
Pacing the room, smelling myself as I moved, not looking forward to bathing from the bucket again but something was better than nothing. What I wouldn't do for a shower with hot water.
This act that wasn't so much of an act was working. Figuring that it would have been a lot harder to actually get myself to ease up around you but that had come easily.
As you came back down you found me on the other side of the room, at least a dozen waters filling your arms.
"This should last you a bit, and if you need more all you have to do is ask."
Watching as you got down on your knees lining the waters up in a row, how your butt rested on the heels of your boots.
Did you own another pair of shoes?
Shaking my head as I thought about the other girl. How you let her go upstairs to take a shower, maybe just maybe I could too.
To actually be able to walk out that door, see the rest of the place, what was directly above me.
Asking before I lost the courage, besides you did say if I needed anything just ask, right?
"I want to take a shower."
"Ok." Not missing a beat. "I'll just have to get the bucket ready and"
"No, a real shower. You do have one upstairs, don't you?" Turning my head towards the top step.
"Well yes but."
My words came fast knowing that I had to say something to convince you to let me go upstairs. "I can't clean myself properly with just a bucket and a loofa, I need running water. Please."
You looked from me to the stairs to the collar around my neck.
Gulping before I said my next words hoping they wouldn't come out too shaky from the lie.
"I won't run, I promise, I just want to take a shower."
No words, no shaking of your head, nothing to give me even the slightest of hints as to what you were thinking. Then watching you leave taking the stairs two at a time.
Great, just great, what was going to happen now.
You had left the door open so you were going to come back most likely with a bucket filled with water.
At least I tried.
Thundering steps as you came back down, stopping when you hit the ground. Seeing what was in your hands, my heart stopped.
Not a bucket.
Looking over at the bed then back at you.
No this can't be happening.
Holding the rope in your hands.
Feeling the weight of the collar bearing down, the only reason you would need rope would be too.
NO!
"Hang on, ok." You knew what I was feeling the terror was written all over my face.
"I'll bring you upstairs so you can take a shower but only if you let me tie your ankles together."
"I already told you I wasn't going to run, why would you need to tie me up. You'll be right there I wouldn't get very far."
"That's the deal, it's up to you."
Trading the collar to have my feet bound. There would be no way I could run, not even walk. You didn't want me getting away and you didn't trust that I wouldn't at least try. If this is what I had to do to get upstairs then fine, I hadn't been planning on running this time anyways. All I really wanted was to see the floor plan, to know the exits for when I actually would escape.
Head low, a little bit of the unease gone from knowing that you weren't going to bind me to the bed. Stalking past you over to the bed dragging the chain behind me as it scratched against the concrete. Crawling to the middle of the mattress lifting both my feet up onto the edge, putting them together.
"Ok."
Walking towards me, a thought screaming through my mind.
If I did this right now I would be stuck completely.
"Wait." Scrambling back, one leg underneath me while the other hung off the bed. "Before you do, please take the collar off."
Reaching into the left pocket off your jeans revealing something that looked like it belonged in a kitchen drawer. A skewer was the best way that I could describe the bent metal. A prong connected to a thicker handle for a grip, long skinny, a ninety degree angle at the tip.
Moving my hair to the side so that you could have a better view of the collar, hearing the pop as the pin pushed out. Opening the collar to remove the metal from my neck placing it on the bed beside me before you bent down waiting for me.
Picking my feet back up, ankles together right in front of you. That was the deal after all, fighting the urge to pull back as soon as you began to wrap the rope around.
Circling the thick nylon rope around four times before you pulled the ends through my legs wrapping around the rope that was around my two ankles.
Watching you as you concentrated on your work.
Pressure getting slightly tighter as the center wrap tugged on the outer ropes, knotting the ends inside.
"That's not too tight is it?"
Flexing one foot at a time, then both together. The corded rope twisting around my legs but not digging into my skin.
"No."
Was this the same type of rope you used on the girl?
Losing my breaths as you picked me up with ease holding me close to your chest. Weightless in your arms. Of course you had to carry me, I couldn't exactly walk.
"Are you ok?"
Nodding my head, not trusting that my voice would comply with the answer. Eyes dodging yours, trying and failing to ignore your strong arms under me, the way my body was pressed to your chest. If I wanted to I could lean my head perfectly onto your shoulder, instead I chose to hold it away as my hands fidgeted with the ends of my shirt. Your shirt, the one I was wearing.
Carrying me past were the chain stops, for the first time I was looking at the stairs straight on. Smile on my face as you began to walk up, the open door getting closer.