A Home Called Cage

Independent

The day flew by, the diner's hum flowed through the building. Phil decided to reinforce the diner's front door to prevent as much airflow. Kyle found the smallest things to keep his excitement, while Sam kept his distance from Phil. Elijah and Kendra spent the rest of the day conversing with each other. After waking up early, they all fell asleep before dusk.

"Kyle you need to be able to sleep alone, you can't always be with me," Sam said as he watched Kyle snuggle against his shoulder. They both sat on Bill's bed that rank of old cologne.

"Sam I won't snore please, just one night?" Kyle's eyes attempted a persuasion. Sam sighed and moved aside.

"Kyle I want you to start becoming independent," Sam said as Kyle's face lightened.

"Independent?" Kyle muttered.

Sam quietly sighed, "Being able to do things by yourself." Kyle's mouth became ajar.

"Sam, why do I need to know how to do that when I have you," Kyle attempted to curve Sam's face into a smile.

"Kyle, you never know what might happen to me, one day you may have to be independent," Sam said looking up at the dim ceiling. Kyle's mind raced, imagining his life without Sam. He didn't want to get deeper into the conversation. "Is your cheek okay?"

Kyle snapped from his thought and turned to Sam, flipping his brown wavy hair over his forehead. "My cheek?"

Sam's face scrunched, "When Phil swatted you in the basement."

Kyle remained clueless until he remembered the quick slap, "Oh... yeah I'm okay Sam. I think Phil is mean... but he has done some nice things." Sam sighed and put his hand over his forehead. He remembered his conversation with Kendra in the dark room. Phil hitting Kendra and Kyle made him tremble.

"I'm going to let you have the bed Kyle, goodnight, I'll be right in the other room if you need me," Sam said getting up to tuck Kyle in. Kyle's fear of the the dark deepened when Sam approached the door, he quickly switched the lamp on and watched his guardian exit Bill's room.

~

Kendra stepped away from Elijah so he could get shuteye after their conversation. She approached the diner's front to see Phil twirling in a counter stool.

"You look bored," Kendra forced a smile.

Phil almost fell out of the rotating chair to face Kendra. She stood at the doorway of the counter as he got up, "Are you okay?"

Kendra smoothed her stubbed arm with her hand, "Yeah I'm fine... Are you okay?" Phil's eyes scrunched as Kendra put emphasis on the word you.

"Why wouldn't I be," Phil said starting to twiddle his thumbs. Kendra bit the inside of her cheek at the sight of Phil's red stained knuckles.

"Well... You wanted to murder someone in front of a fifteen year old boy," Kendra said struggling with the words. Phil sighed through his nostrils and looked up at the ceiling.

"He should see it happen anyway," Phil muttered.

Kendra's mouth opened with amazement, "I hope you're kidding." Phil smirked and returned his gaze back at Kendra. "What ever happened to that Cindy chick."

Phil almost forgot she was unconscious for the scene. Flashes of the gun's thunder haunted Phil's eardrums. Phil could almost still feel himself pressing Cindy in his arms as a shield. Sam mouthing the words pull the trigger flashed his memory.

'If I tell her it was Sam's fault, she'll run to him for the truth... or Kyle' Phil's mind scrambled as Kendra stared at him with her gorgeous eyes. "She must've left before the contamination flooded the area," Phil kept his eyes on Kendra's. Kendra nodded and started twirling her hair with her finger. "Lets go lay down baby," Phil held his hand out to her.

Kendra sighed and kept her hand in her hair, "Do you mind if I sleep alone tonight... I just can't stand being too close to anyone after being locked in that cage." She turned and started walking back toward the kitchen until a hand shot onto her wrist.

"I said lets go lay down Kendra."

~

Bill leaned against the dark room's corner snug tight. He peeled the eye bandage from his skin, letting out a groan. His sweatpants and wife-beater stuck to his body providing his only warmth. His mind filled with disappointment as he couldn't keep his mind off of the sabotage.

'I can't let them figure out my operation... it could be a matter of days before they realize' Bill thought. For the first time in his life, his thoughts filled with fear of death. 'I just have to pray that Phil will find it.'

The agony pulsing from his eye unfocused his thought and blurred his vision. Escape almost seemed impossible for Bill. He couldn't keep his mind off of his son Eddy and where he may be.

His mind always cycled back to the sabotage, 'Those kids should've been grateful, their hearts wouldn't be beating right now if it wasn't for me.' He imagined a few nights ago, back when they were still in the basement. The teenagers who once lived in the cage downstairs, could've called that their home, safe and sound.

~

His watch beeped twelve, Phil lifted his body away from Kendra into a standing position. Kendra's small body breathed lightly as Phil stood over her. 'I have to make it look like an accident... Or a suicide'

Ideas streamed through Phil as he grinned. He walked past the counter, away from Kendra, and toward the kitchen. He reached the kitchen, tip toeing his way around Elijah toward the silverware drawer. He gently lifted his hand and reached for a kitchen knife.

He ran the blade across his finger, 'This should've happened this morning, I'll make this quick.'

Phil shifted to the dark hallway and approached the steel door. He reached for the latch. A cling escaped the door, it wouldn't budge. 'Fuck, Sam has that key, I should've known this door didn't lock just from the inside.' Phil pressed his forehead with his palms in rage.

His breaths lightened, 'I'll get that key, I just have to make sure Sam knows I never took it.'

Phil stared closer into the darkness, he reached out to the handle and moved his hands across the latch. His fingers wrapped around the cold metal, he felt the bottom of the loop, concluding it was a padlock.

He moved his fingers and felt knobs rolling in his hand, 'This padlock has a number combination... I don't even need that key.' Phil curved his lips into a smirk.

Phil went back to Kendra and wrapped his arms around her small waist. He couldn't stop thinking about where the number combination could be hidden. Diary, journal, scrap paper, notebook, or a computer.

Phil immediately remembered the cameras in the diner, 'There has got to be a computer in this joint. If I find it, the padlock combination is bound to be in there.'

Phil kissed Kendra's resting cheek and nestled her into his chest.

'Maybe I can find out why Bill really brought Sam up from the basement that night he took Kendra.'