Those 7 years: Missing One Shot Chapter

18

Year six of captivity had settled in like a heavy blanket, stifling yet familiar. It had been over six years since I was taken from my life, from the stage that once felt like home. Each day blended into the next, a cycle of monotony and survival, but there was one constant source of light that kept me going: my son, Leo.

At four years old, Leo was a whirlwind of energy and curiosity. His bright blue eyes sparkled with the same vibrancy I remembered from my childhood, and his laughter could fill the darkest corners of this bleak existence. In our small, dimly lit room, I had made it my mission to nurture his imagination, to help him see beyond the confines of our reality.

I had begun to create games to pass the time, transforming our surroundings into a world where anything was possible. I had learned that imagination was a powerful tool, a way to escape our grim reality, even if just for a moment.

"Okay, Leo!" I called one afternoon, my heart swelling with excitement. "Today, we're going on a magical adventure to the Kingdom of Imaginaria!"

Leo's eyes widened, the corners of his mouth stretching into a grin. "What's Imaginaria, Mommy?" he asked, his little hands clapping with glee.

"It's a place where animals can talk, and we can fly through the sky!" I replied, spinning a tale that brought the world outside our prison to life. "But first, we need our magical outfits!"

I rummaged through the meager items we had—an old blanket transformed into a cape, and a discarded piece of cloth fashioned into a crown. I draped the blanket around my shoulders and placed the makeshift crown on Leo's head, who stood proudly, beaming at his reflection in the cracked mirror.

"Now we're ready!" I declared, raising my arms as if conjuring the magic of the kingdom. "We need to find the magical tree that grants wishes! But beware of the grumpy trolls that guard it!"

Leo gasped, his imagination ignited. "What do the trolls look like, Mommy?"

I thought for a moment, wanting to make it as vivid as possible. "They have big, fluffy purple hair and green skin! They love to play tricks on people, but they also love riddles. If we can solve their riddle, they'll let us pass!"

"Let's go!" Leo shouted, his little feet bouncing with excitement as he pretended to leap over imaginary rocks and dodge invisible trolls.

We ran around our room, weaving between the furniture, creating a path through our enchanted land. I made up riddles for him to solve, each one more silly than the last, and he laughed as he tried to answer, his mind racing with possibilities.

"What has keys but can't open locks?" I asked, stifling a giggle at the absurdity of it all.

"A piano!" he exclaimed, jumping in joy when he got it right.

"Correct!" I cheered. "You've outsmarted the troll! Now we can move on!"

As we continued our adventure, I watched Leo with pride, feeling a sense of accomplishment with each giggle and cheer that erupted from him. In those moments, I felt like a mother again, not just a captive. I was his guide, his protector, and together we were building a world that defied the darkness surrounding us.

In the evenings, when the shadows grew long and the air turned chillier, we would snuggle together on the makeshift bed, wrapping ourselves in a blanket of warmth and stories. I would tell him tales of brave knights, daring princesses, and faraway lands filled with wonders.

"Can I be a knight when I grow up, Mommy?" Leo asked one night, his eyes sparkling with dreams.

"Of course! You can be anything you want to be," I replied, stroking his hair. "A knight, a dragon, even a king! The world is full of possibilities."