Cruel by nature

Chapter 11

I wake up early the next morning as the first rays of sunshine peeks through the window. Even though I spent most of the night trying to come up with a way to get out of here, I'm feeling fairly rested. Defeated, since my long hours of planning didn't get me anywhere, but rested. A shiver runs through my body as I untangle myself from the duvet and step onto the stone floor. It really is freezing cold. By routine, I reach for the small box in my bag and pop a white pill into my mouth before heading to the bathroom. I glance at the shower, yet again contemplating whether or not I should hop in. I decide against it - yet again. In a weak attempt to feel somewhat better about my situation, I walk up to the windows and close my eyes, imagining I'm anywhere else than here. Trapped in a tower like some forsaken princess. But I'm not a princess. I'm barely a hostage. Honestly, I don't even know what they intend to do to me and I'm not sure they have an answer to that either.

Sighing, I stare out at the scenery ahead, trying my best to think about anything else but my current situation. It only works for so long, for my feet go numb within a few minutes and force me to get back into the bed.

My boredom has nearly gotten the best of me as I hear a familiar knock on the door, followed by a loud squeaking noise which tells me someone opened it. I'm not surprised as Bree walks into the door.

"Hey", she greets me as she walks into the room, "how are you feeling?"

I shrug, not really in the mood for conversation.

"Well", she sighs, sensing my discomfort, "he wants to see you."

She doesn't have to elaborate on who wants to see me. Regardless, a shiver runs down my spine.

"Why?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. Instead of answering my question, she gives me an encouraging smile. "Are you ready to go?"

I shrug. "Do I have a choice?"

Bree sighs, and opens the door wider, the message clear. Drawing in an exasperated breath of air, I untangle myself from the bed and start walking, my arms instinctively wrapping around my upper body in a protective manner.

We walk in silence, through a corridor and up another flight of steps. After a few more twists and turns, we stop in front of a wooden door. Bree knocks on the door and waits for a clear signal before carefully twisting the handle and gesturing me inside. Hesitantly, I walk through the entrance and glance over my shoulder just as the door closes behind me. Bree did not follow me inside.

Feeling even more uncertain than before, I look around the room. I find the reason for my visit sitting by a desk filled with paperwork.

He's already looking at me, and when I don't make an effort to move out of my spot near the entrance, he nods towards the sofa by the left wall. Reluctantly, I oblige his silent order and sit down, tucking my freezing feet underneath me as I do so.

Adrian observes my every move, clearly noticing the way I'm struggling with the freezing floor. When I'm sitting comfortably, he returns back to the stack of papers on his desk.

The silence is awkward, but I have no desire to break it. It goes on for minutes on end, and is not cut off until there's a soft knock at the door again.

Adrian welcomes them inside without looking up from his desk, and a man walks in with a tray full of food. The tray is placed on a coffee table near the sofa, and the man exits again without uttering a word.

Adrian, on the other hand, spares me one word. "Eat."

I assume it's a command rather than an offer, and hesitantly reach for a piece of fruit on the tray. Seemingly satisfied, Adrian goes back to whatever he was doing before I came in. The silence that follows lasts for more than a few minutes. It's not until I push the tray away and re-positions myself on the couch that Adrian offers me another glance.