Surveillance (ManxBoy)

1

It was the mark of a month today. The only reason I knew this was because I knew I turned 21 today and Laura was supposed to turn 23 tomorrow. One month I had been trapped inside this room. Now I know you're probably thinking it's a dark room only filled with chains and torturing devices but actually it was the opposite. Sure there were definitely some chains but the room was accommodated with a personal bathroom and mini fridge - which was magically stocked up every week with various foods and drinks - and a king sized bed with an armoire filled with clothes just the right size for me. Seems like heaven right? Wrong.

     The cameras were also there. Everywhere except for the bathroom, which I was thankful for. At first when I woke up here I was terrified, I thought I'd be dead by now or at least tortured or raped. No, nothing exciting happened at all. I hadn't even spoken a single word since I arrived and not a word had been spoken to me. If it wasn't for the constant refilling of food and occasional hot meals slid under the door I would have believed I was brought here and then abandoned. The only sense of life I could truly feel was the cameras.

     They were like a million eyes staring, watching me all day and night. They'd never moved, not at all, but you could tell there was definitely someone behind them. Watching everything all times of the day. Until today that is.

     I could sense it. The emptiness that absorbed the atmosphere of the room. Nobody was watching today, no, maybe today they were busy? Why did I care though? It should be a relief to know I'm finally having the private time I honestly deserve. Honestly, anyone else would have probably have cracked under pressure by now but I had nothing to worry about. No family or friends to go back to, I was actually being fed and given clothes and a bed to sleep in. I was thankful for everything even if I was to die later.

     It was still early in the morning as well, I knew this because the chains were still wrapped around my wrists while I laid in bed. Usually I would wake up later and they'd be off but I hadn't slept at all last night. The one instruction I had been given was a note saying that I was to be in bed when the lights were cut off and I was to put my wrists in the restraints which chained me to the bed all night till morning. I don't exactly know why. Maybe the door wasn't locked at night? I never attempted to try and open it. Like those horror movies you see on TV, they usually always try prying the door open but I had better sense than that.

Passing out for at least seemed like two hours I regained consciousness and rubbed my slightly sore wrists. My legs swung around the side of the bed and something caught my attention. Evidently they had waited all along - whoever 'they' were - just to open the door to the room and put a surprise on the small counter next to the fridge. I sniffed the air as a delightfully sweet aroma filled my nose. Something wet fell onto my exposed leg and I realized I was crying. I didn't even know the person who stood behind the cameras all day but I was touched by the fact they knew today was my birthday. Nobody had celebrated my birthday before.

Hesitantly I walked over to the meal and wiped my cheeks. It was my favorite... French toast with maple syrup and powdered sugar alongside with eggs Benedict and asparagus. No I wasn't French in the slightest but it was my favorite foods I had ever eaten. Then I did something I didn't think I would ever do. I turned and look dead at a camera in the corner next to the bed and spoke softly with more tears going down my cheeks.

"T-thank you... whoever 'you' are, thank you.."

I trailed off and sniffled, after not using my voice for so long it was almost deafening to hear. My hands happily grasped the plate of food and I walked over to the bed to sit down and eat with it on my lap. Syrup alongside salted egg filled my mouth and made me want to drool. It was best meal yet and I had no shame in eating every last bit. Only when I washed the plate and flopped back down onto the bed with a smile on my face did I stop breathing.

The camera had moved and was now directly pointed at me. It expanded sort of like it was zooming in and I sat up quickly. Being terrified of a camera was silly indeed but after a month of no signs of movement it was freaky to see. Ah, they must have heard me thank them if this was a sign. However what moved next was not the camera, no, it was the knob of the door that had never been touched.

And it crept open with a creak before a figure came in.