you're mine

Chapter 12

Emelia's point of view

Our bodies both motion toward the small house. It isn't much, just a kids playhouse. But something about it brings a nostalgic emotion mixed with awe to Luca face.

It was something I didn't want to see, something I couldn't. Because when I do, it makes me feel a spark of emotion toward the brown-haired boy. That was something I couldn't risk. If I was going to get out of here alive, feeling empathy toward him wasn't an option I had. I don't know why I felt it all of a sudden, I didn't feel as though anything had changed, but my fear had grown stronger.

Luca enters the small house first, as he does I take my time memorising the outside. The door is planks of wood nailed together. To enter, he pulls the door up from the bottom, lifting it above him enough to crawl in. But once he does, he doesn't let go of it and waits patently for me to enter. The outside is half painted with what looks like poster paint.

Before my wandering eyes lead Luca to suspect me of having a plan against him, I enter the house.

My senses are overwhelmed when I first crawl in, my grey sweatpants become muddy at the knees.

"Mi casa es su casa." I hear Luca speak from beside of me. I can tell he is smiling before my eyes land on him.

To my right is a pile of books, comics and sketchpads. On my left is a skateboard, a camera and a few items of clothing all crammed together in a pile since the house is so small. The floor is covered in muddy, red blankets.

"Is this... yours?" I ask.

"Yep." His eyes are curious, trying to understand my emotions.

"And you left all these things here? Do you live close by? When was the last time you came here?"

"I like when you take an interest in me." He winks. "When I was nine, my parents sent me here to stay with my grandparents. Up until I was twelve. But my grandparents are old and no kids lived around here so one day, around three months after I arrived, my grandad helped me build this. We tried to get my grandmother involved but she insisted it wasn't a 'woman's job'. When I asked my grandad about it, he said 'she could makes this a hundred times better than us, she just doesn't want to and used that as an excuse.' The things I left here, was things they had bought me, things my parents didn't want me to have. And even if I took them home with me, my siblings would break or steal them." He shrugs at the end of his explanation.

I nod slowly to him. "Why did you bring me here?"

"We were passing, thought you'd like it. And I want you to understand me more."

"Well I don't."

"Why is that? Afraid of being in the middle of nowhere with me?" His smirk is frightening.

"Why do you do that?" I scoff.

"Do what?"

"Purposely try scare me when you know trying to make me feel safe isn't working."

"Do I succeed?" Luca whispers.

"Yes. because you're scary." I admit.

"How so?"

"You kidnapped me."

"I think you like it." Luca smirks, once again but I know he doesn't truly believe his words.

"Uh, no. I don't." I roll my eyes, bravely.

"Really? Because you seem to enjoy my company now and again."

"I am scared of you. You killed two people in front of me, I can't just go and tell the first person I see that you kidnapped me. I have no idea just how much you're capable of."

His head tilts, examining me in a spine-chilling way. "I think you enjoy it." His body moves closer to mine, filling the small gap between us. "I think it excites you. It fills in the void in your life, The hole you have always had. You crave me, need me. You might not realise it or maybe you just don't want to admit it, but it's the truth. Your body..." His eyes roam my body. "...Mind and soul all equally need me. And the sooner you realise that this is what you need, you will feel the hole you have always had inside of you fill."

I try to speak but nothing comes out. After a minute, I finally find my voice and go to speak but before I can, Luca speaks up again.

"And the reason you have that hole, is because of your parents. They have created your life for you like a simulation. That is the reality of your life."

"You know nothing about my life. And it's really dick-ish of you to talk about my parents when the second I mention yours, you threaten to cut my tongue out." I scoff and shale my head.

"You are just trying to sidetrack from the truth."

"The truth is you're hypocritical."

"Are you attracted to that?" Luca sniggers.

"No!"

"I am sure you are and that is yet another thing you are in denial about." He leans back, his palms supporting his weight behind him.

"Whatever. Can we go now?"

"Why the rush. This, travelling to random treasures of the U.S, is your life until you finally accept you belong to me."

"I do not belong to you!" I half-shout.

"Sure you don't." He stands up and leaves the small house.

Once he has left, I take a few seconds to take in the scene without his prying eyes on me.

If I had to guess what Luca's own playhouse looked like, I would imagine a place with blood all over the walls and dead bodies piled on the floor. The blankets appearing  a crimson red, not from the wool, but the blood the lifeless bodies had lost.

But this place is... peaceful. I can't help but wonder if this house reflects the inside of his mind.

My wandering eyes stop on his polaroid. I grab it and take a photo of myself. Before it develops, I leave the playhouse and follow after Luca.

..

"So, where do your grandparents live?"  The question is directed to Luca but my eyes stay focused on the passing trees. Since we left the house almost an hour ago, my mind has been full of questions; Luca not speaking only adding to the wonder.

"You could see it in the distance. We were on the opposite side to their house. If we wanted to get there, we would have walked through the fields. But we wont be paying it a visit." His voice is sharp as he replies, as though reluctant but I don't question it.

"So do you have small houses everywhere?" I think back to the tree house; if you could call it that.

Luca chuckles at my sarcastic question. "No, just the two. I made it when I got back from my grandparents' place but it never even compared to the original. Mainly because there was no roof."

"Yeah that can really put a damper on a house." I joke. Once I catch myself loosening up around him, my body tenses and my gaze drops to my lap.

"You hungry?"