Stockholm Syndrome? ✔

S.S 31

The day passed with no more interesting conversations. Konstantin didn't come back that day or the next day. Stavros said he had classes. Except for occasional bathroom breaks, I didn't move from my chair. Since Konstantin didn't come, Stavros gave me some food. Even though he seemed a bit nice, he was stingy with the food. I ate what I got.

There were more smells from the room next to us. They usually lasted a few minutes before they disappeared altogether. Stavros didn't seem worried, but I was. So far there was nothing alarming about my health, but I couldn't help but expect something to creep up. I knew the chemicals in the room were dangerous. I didn't want to die a slow agonizing death or be mauled to death by fire.

By the third day I was more agitated. It wasn't just the meth lab I was worried about. The bearded guy who I had learned was Stefan had given Felix three days to accomplish his task. I was curious to know if Felix had done it. I was hoping he hadn't, but all that hope came crushing down when Stefan walked into the room.

It was late in the afternoon. Stavros was occupying his beloved seat at the table, occasionally looking at me. Konstantin wasn't in, but Stavros had said he would come in. He'd said there were going to be more people that night because they were moving the crystal meth they'd made.

Stefan was beaming. I could swear his bald head was shining. With him were two men who looked identical. Stavros immediately stood up.

"I'd like you to meet someone", he said to me.

I frowned, but didn't possess the energy to make snarky comments about him or his companions. I was worried about Felix and the boy.

"This is Igor and this is Casey, also known as the Vasiliev brothers", Stefan said.

Standing before me were two men who looked as ugly as Stefan, if not more. They were big, but looked fit. They were significantly taller than me with short prickly blond hair. They looked alike, but more like siblings than identical twins.

"Hi", I said rolling my eyes.

"Why is he not gagged?" The uglier brother asked. Igor, if I had paid enough attention.

Stefan looked at Stavros.

"He...um...he's very compliant", Stavros said under the intense gaze of the bald man. I was certain he was sweating through his waterproof jacket.

Stefan shook his head at Stavros. "Anyway, I have good news", he said and passed me a newspaper.

I merely looked at it as it fell at my feet; it was not like I could catch it even though I didn't want to.

"Stavros, page 6, death notice section I presume", he said nudging Stavros towards me.

Stavros walked to me and picked up the newspaper, paging it. He bent down and held the newspaper to my level so I could see the print. My eyes got blurry after the words '...5 year old son of Thomas Gonzalez". I'd heard that name before. Felix had told me that night we'd slept on his bed at the cottage that Thomas Gonzalez was the other drug kingpin. I couldn't read further.

Felix had done it.

My heart stopped – at least it felt like it stopped. My stomach knotted. All my hope came crushing down, leaving me desolate, barren. I couldn't keel over, but I wanted deliberately to do that. The tears wanted to come out but looking at Stefan and the brothers, I couldn't cry.

"Take it away", I said to Stavros.

He nodded and stood up, walking away from me with the newspaper.