Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 3

~Chapter 3~

Lucy woke abruptly to the frantic sound of a door flying open. She looked up to meet Malcolm's eyes. He was grinning.

"Good morning to you too Lucy. How am I? Oh, I'm fine." he paused. "I brought you a present."

He pulled from behind the door, a girl no older than I. "This is Riley." The girl was shaking and crying hysterically. "I'll be back in a bit." he said before thrusting Riley to the ground. He let out a terrible laugh before shutting and locking the door.

Riley stayed away from me for awhile before deciding to speak. "We need to leave." she whimpered between sobs. She was right. We did have to. "How long have you been here?" she asked trying to learn.

I shook my head. "Only a day or two. He took me when I was walking home."

She looked down. "He took me while I was waiting for the bus."

We sat silently for a long time. There was so much to talk about, yet we didn't want to bring the subject up again. I knew it would have to, just not yet.

"I'm Lucy by the way." I muttered, breaking the silence. Riley nodded, but remained quiet.

Upstairs, we could hear banging and shuffling of feet. That was before we heard a scream and thud. The moving stopped, along with our breathing. Our whole world paused for a minute.

The door to the basement flew open again. This time, it revealed Malcolm covered in blood. His eyes were red and puffy. Then he pulled a body to the top of the stairs.

"I brought you another surprise." he said before shutting us in with it.

My stomach lurched and my eyesight dimmed. Blackness was overwhelming me, but I fought it off.

Outside the door, I heard Malcolm say, "Clean it up, or you'll be sorry."

Riley and I wiped away our tears. "We have to do this or we'll be next." I whispered to her as we moved the body to our small bathroom. We placed the body in the bathtub. It didn't take long for me to realize who it was.

A lady. The lady I always saw around town with her baby stroller. That baby was her life. It looked exactly like her. Now, as I watch her lifeless body bleed out into the bathtub, I realize what my life has become.

Riley was scrubbing the floor as I sat inside the washroom with the body. I knew I had to pay my respects somehow, so I pulled out my charm bracelet I made when I was six. I placed it on her body and whispered, "You deserved it more than me."

Then I got up to help Riley, but she was already finished. Tears were over flowing her cheeks. I gave her a hug.

Malcolm knocked on the door. "You girls done yet?" he called. My throat was stuck, but I managed a small "Yes." before I went back to comforting Riley.

I couldn't help but wonder if he was going to kill us too. What did he plan on doing with us if he wasn't going to kill us?

I tried to ignore those questions. Instead, I was planning a way to escape.

Assessing the basement, I realized there were no windows. Not even cellar door to break out of.

But while I was looking around, I discovered something knew, something I had never seen before.

Riley and I walked over to it. My knees buckled and I was screaming curse words. Riley was crying too, but not for herself this time. This time, her tears were for me.