By Mistake

Chapter 10 - Paranoid

Cassie Huwit

I constantly check the door, smell the food, watch for any change any time I wake up.

I don't hear anything anymore.

The wood doesn't creak.

The cloak doesn't tick.

It's all just quiet. Too quiet.

I face the door, waiting and watching for him to come in. Yet sleep overpowers me.

"Cassie!" I hear him just outside my door.

I shake in fear under my bed, clinging to my teddy. The sound of his feet hitting plush carpet gets closer, and the door swings open - inviting light into the darkness.

His feet are the only part of him I see from my view.

"You better not be hiding, girl!" His voice scares me, shakes me to my core.

I hold my palm to my lips, silencing myself from making a sound. His ears twitch like cat at any noise. He stomps around my bed, searching for me, when my mother walks in; leaning on the door frame.

"What are you doing?" He gruffs at her, throwing his hands up making me flinch. "Trying to discipline your child!" They begin to argue.

Screaming and shouting like they always do.

"She's just a brat. Lock her in her room. That'll teach her." My mother tells my father to get out and closes the door, whispering a sweet, twisted, 'goodnight dear.'

I crawl out from under the bed, still clutching my toy. I wipe the tears off my face and climb on top of my bed, under the covers. Only my nose pops out from beneath the sheets.

"It'll be okay teddy." I push my mouth to the bear and whisper.

My parents scream again. My father kicks the door open and grabs me, throwing me to the ground.

"Move!" He kicks me when I don't move fast enough.

He takes me into the spare room where we have an old wooden chest, he opens it and takes my arm. Piercing my skin while he drags me into it.

"If you want to be a little shit, you can stay in here!" He slams the top down above me, a small hole at the bottom of one of the wall is my only source of light. I cling to it.

It's cramped, my short legs can barely fit. I try to push the lid open but it's too heavy for me. I hold my mouth over the hole, panicked that I don't have any oxygen. Trapped in a wooden box with nothing but a little light.

I wake up from my nightmare, shaking, to banging on the door.

I tried to pull the duvet up to my mouth to hide but it's on the floor. Often when I have dreams like that, of my childhood, I kick and scream, cry and shout.

The banging on the door stops when I put my foot on the floor causing it to creak, he goes up the stairs - fast, closing the door behind him again.

I eat today's breakfast slowly. The clock turns continuously. It's rounded at least twelve times. Six days. I finish my food and put the tray in front of the door. I don't know what he does when he brings my tray in so I want it far away from me, I keep the flower though; pulling the petals off and laying them on the tray.

I position the petals to spell 'Monster' out, involving the stem and leaves too.

I bang on the door six times, for the six days he's kept me locked up. I hope I piss him off. Anger him enough to get him down here so I can take my chance at escape.