Property of Lisa Manoban | JenLisa [✓]

Chapter 27

I tried to sleep, I really did but my eyes just wouldn't close. I lay on my bed for hours, my mind running rampant with thoughts that probably weren't healthy. With a sigh, I rolled off my bed and walked out the door, determined to find Chitthip. I was sure she was up by now, the sun was going to set over the horizon soon.

Though I didn't voice it out loud, I was worried for Lisa. I didn't know how long her trips lasted and the image of her returning all bloody and bruised had my stomach twisting and churning in a way I didn't like at all. What was worse, my heart ached... a lot. So I had to distract myself.

Knocking on Chitthip's door, I heard a soft "Come in," before I pushed the door open.

The older woman was in her bed, a bunch of snacks and sweet wrappers surrounding her as she looked at the screen of her laptop. My eyes wondered around her large and spacious room, from the fancy grey couches to the beautiful balcony.

"Hey," she said smiling at me, capturing my attention and I smiled back.

"Hey, what are you up to?" I asked.

"Well, this isn't the first time I've been left home alone. Back when I was with Marco, he used to take Lisa out of the mansion for days on end. Of course, the staff were too scared to make friends with me, and the people Marco left to protect me were a little too stoic for my liking. So I had to find a way to entertain myself and what's a better distraction than Netflix."

"Netflix?" I asked, unfamiliar with the term. Chitthip looked up and nothing could hide the shock on her face.

"You don't know Netflix?" she asked and I shook my head as I thought back, trying to remember if I'd ever heard that word.

"Um... no," I finally said and Chitthip spluttered before turning the screen to me. I moved forward and looked at it.

"That's Netflix," she explained, mostly pointing at the red word 'NETFLIX' in the corner. I nodded with a hum as my eyes scanned the screen. I frowned before pointing at a particular picture.

"I know that cartoon," I mumbled and Chitthip turned so she could see what I pointed at.

"Ooo, that's Shrek. It's one of my favorites," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, it was mine too. I remember the green guy... he was supposed to save a princess. I know her name was Fiona because I found it weird. Then the donkey was my favorite character," I commented.

I had to admit, my memories of life before the "safe house" were fuzzy at best. I didn't dwell on them much before because while I was trying to survive, they seemed irrelevant. Chitthip's eyes seemed to brighten as I spoke, and her smile just got bigger.

"Do you want to watch it with me?" she asked, pushing the wrappings on the floor and dusting away crumbs to the best of her abilities. I smiled because Chitthip was like a friend, a sister and a mother. Three things I didn't look for in her but she still seemed to possess.

I didn't like how attached I was becoming. Attachments were weakness yet, I couldn't help myself.

"Okay, it's not going to be cleaner anyways. Come on," she said, patting the side of the bed she made room for me for.

I frowned at the space.

Both my arms and legs were handcuffed to a bed and I tagged at the restraints, trying in the best of my ability to get them loose. My heart was pounding in my chest and I was sure this was it. This was how I died.

The walls of the small cement room groaned, and my eyes went wide. I pulled against the cuffs, fear rolling me in waves. The only way out of this prison was the hatch on the roof. It would take a lot of energy to pull it open, that was for sure.

Suddenly, a section of the wall opened outwards and water started pouring into the small space. My five minute head start was over. Now, the real game began. I had about a minute before the water reached the high level of the bed. If I didn't get myself free, I was going to drown.

The only advantage everyone got was the bobby pins in our hair. I froze on the bed and thought hard. I knew there was only one way out of these cuffs. Taking a deep breath which was hard through the gag, I broke the thumb of my left hand.

A muffled scream rung through the room as tears streamed down my face but I had to do it. I had to get out. It took a little twisting but my hand finally came loose, all the while, I hadn't stopped crying. My hand hurt and it pumped with the beat of my heart.

Sucking the pain, I reached for one of the pins on my hair. I reached over with my hurt hand and put it in the lock, shifting it around for something, anything. I didn't know how to pick a lock. What I was doing was hoping and praying I made it out alive. The water had reached the bed. I felt it soaked through the mattress and sheets, then my muffled cries became harder as it had the whole bed completely submerged and slightly floated.

The bed wasn't sturdy anymore as I tried and failed to get my hand free. I was close to giving up when a click sounded in the room. To me, that was the most beautiful sound. I reached down, the water already at my chest as I worked on freeing my legs.

The bed had stopped floating, it now sunk, taking me with it. I blindly worked on the lock of my last leg. The other was free, just one more. The water had reached my chin now and I looked at the ceiling, trying to take as much air as I could. I should've torn off  the gag when I had a chance but now, I saw it was better this way. Now, I couldn't breathe through my mouth.

The water slowly rose until I couldn't stay above anymore. I took a huge gulp of air through my nose as I let the water rise but I didn't give up on the cuff which soon gave in. I swam to the top, ripping through off my gag and taking deep breath, but now I had to deal with the hatch. Giving it a few pulls with my right arm wasn't helping but my left had a broken thumb. It wouldn't be useful.

The water continued to rise and I knew my air was running out. Taking a deep breath, I used both hands to turn the hatch, screaming at the pain but the hatch turned and I let out a relieved breath. Exhausted, I pulled myself out and sprawled across the damp cement floor. My chest rose and fell as I cradled my arm to my chest.

"What a fine one you are..."

"Hellooo?"

I blinked out of the memory as a hand waved in front of my face. I looked up at Chitthip, blinking.

"Are you good?" she asked, her face creased with concern.

"Peachy," I answered in a light tone, scooting on the bed. "Now, how about that movie?"

Chitthip smiled and went to put it on, but I could sense her looking at me from the corner of her eye as she leaned back. I chose to ignore it like what I was doing with my haunting memories apparently.

"Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me. I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed..."