I had been awake for quite a while, and yet V still hadn't come down to deliver breakfast, which was odd, since I usually didn't get up very early. The lack of windows and natural light really messed with my sense of time, but it wasn't cold enough to be early morning. In fact, when I had woken up ages ago, it still hadn't been the early morning temperature.
So where was V?
If my stomach growls one more time, I thought, I'm going to check on him.
My stomach rumbled, and I groaned and wrapped my arms around my midriff instinctively.
Okay, if my stomach growls one more time, I'll do it, I told myself, feeling anxiety bubble in my stomach. Truth be told, I was still shit-scared of V, and I didn't want to risk it, but if something was wrong, I had to. I couldn't just rot in the basement if something had happened to V.
My stomach grumbled in protest again, and I exhaled slowly. This was worse than any case of stage fright I had ever had. Somehow, the simple task of bringing myself to try to use the key under the cabinet was almost too daunting. I didn't even know if that was the key to the basement door, yet it still intimated me, and for some reason, I hoped that it wouldn't be the right key.
I was almost afraid to escape.
But if V was in danger, I had to help him, right? If he was going to starve me out again, I had to intervene as well. This time, I had the power to do something about my life, and that was a rare opportunity that I had to be willing to take.
"Alright, we're gonna die, but let's go," I muttered to myself, peeling myself off the bed and padding towards the cabinet with bare feet. Then, crouching down, I extended my right arm under the cabinet, wincing at all the dust piling onto my arm. I quickly dragged the silver key out from under the cabinet, wiped my arm on the sofa, and slowly approached the door.
I was shaking. I was seconds away from possible freedom, and I was shaking. My fingers trembled, and I had to make an obvious effort to not let the small key slip from my clammy fingers.
Since when had I become such a coward?
I sucked in air and exhaled for a good eight seconds, trying to compose myself. With shaky hands, I pressed the key into the keyhole. To my slight despair, it was a perfect hit. I rotated the key, and the door clicked unlocked. Carefully, I slowly pushed the heavy basement door open and took a cautious step outside. Artificial light drained from my wide eyes and was replaced with natural daylight.
V's house--no, mansion--was painted in an off-white, pale color. Multiple windows were embedded into the walls, and beautiful, bright sunlight streamed into the rooms, shining onto the modern-themed furniture V had. Though the walls were light and intricate, elegant crystal chandeliers hung off of the white ceilings, the furniture was dark and closely patterned and placed so that everything had a great contrast and the color scheme was nearly perfect. It really did reflect V's detailed and precise mindset.
My feet were on the brown, hardwood floor, and from the open windows around me, yellow sunlight kissed my skin gently, warming me to the bone. Outside, I saw the robin's egg blue sky, not a cloud visible, and the deep green leaves of the trees that seemed to shimmer and glitter in the wind. I could hear the faint chirping songs of the birds, the rushing of the breezes, and the sounds of people enjoying their lives outside.
With a soft whimper, I collapsed to my knees, my palms pressing against the clean floor. It had been so long since I had felt nature around me. This was the first time since forever that I had felt the sun, smelled the outside, and seen the world as it was. Though I had never appreciated nature that much, now, I couldn't get over breathing fresh air. It looked like Heaven, and the world had never seemed more beautiful. I would never take Earth for granted again. My eyes blurred with tears of happiness and disbelief as I looked around rapidly, trying to take it all in, and a small whimper built in my chest. It was like I was already home.
