Pretty in Pink

The girl tried to stand up in the pitch black room; her head feeling light and fuzzy from the heavy fumes surrounding her. She got to her knees but fell straight back down, tears streaming down her face. She had no clue where she was, but she need to get out- now. A wave of fear made her stomach tighten; the vague objects she could see around the room had gone fuzzy. The next thing she knew, she was out.

"Darling, wake up. You have been out for 5 hours!" a woman's voice filled the girls ears but she knew right away that it was one she had never heard. The girl slowly fluttered her eyes open, hoping she was in a hospital and nothing too serious had happened to her. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, trying to get and thought of her being unsafe out. Her breathing slowed and her eyes opened, only to have them filled with terror at the sight of where she was. A scream escaped her mouth, and she had tried to run away, only to hit her head. She crashed back down to the hard, metal floor and began to wish it was all a nightmare. She was in a cage; a small cold cage. The fear and horror that struck her had taken over and she felt a lump in her throat, ready to cry. She couldn't have been taken; she couldn't be stuck here being treated like an animal. She looked around her in a daze only to realise the woman had been talking to her.

"What is your name girl? You don't seem to be answering me. I'll give you a cooking if you do." The woman's voice was terrifyingly sweet which made the girl cower to the corner of the cage. She was petrified and refused to answer the question. "Come on, you can either tell me now, or you can stay in this cage for the rest of the night." The girl just looked at the woman, still crouching in the corner of the cage.

"I...I'm..." she let out a whisper. She needed to make up a fake name. She had no clue why but it seemed like a good idea. "Speak up! I don't have all day!" the woman gave a frown and began to walk towards the door. "Evelyn," was all she could say; it was the first name besides her own to pop into her head. "What was that girl?" the girl hesitated for a minute before repeating her made up name.

"Evelyn."

"Hmmm, pretty name. You deserve freedom from this cage; however I will have to lock you up in this room. Can't have you sneaking out like my daughter did." For a moment the woman had sadness dwelling in her eyes but had thought it was better not to live in the past. The girl looked around the dimly lit room, searching for any escape route. The girl flicked her head back in enough time to see the bedroom door slam and lock. She hadn't realised the woman had unlocked the cage, so when she did, the girl cautiously crawled out. She stood up and began to inspect the room. There was a small, single bed to the right of the door hinges, and a toy doll up on a shelf. The room was completely painted in pink with flowers decorated everywhere. There seemed to be a rectangle of lighter pink across from the door, possibly where a window could have been. There goes that idea of escaping through a window.

The girl thought of her family, how worried they would be to find she was missing, and the thought of being called Evelyn instead of Melani. Evelyn used to be the name she'd give herself while playing a made up game with her friends. Now, if she was freed, it will be the name that will bring back a memory which she hoped wouldn't be too painful. Melani walked over to the bed and sat down. Her stomach growled and she remembered the cookie the woman said she would give. "No," said Melani, "I can't let her persuade me with cookies. I need to get out of here."

Melani jumped up from the bed when she heard the woman unlock the door. Her heart was pounding against her chest and her breating quickened as the door flew open. "Making yourself at home yet beautiful?" The woman started walking towards Melani with open arms but she quickly ducked under and ran towards the door. "You can't escape me that easily Evelyn." Melani cringed at the sound of "her" name and was grabbed by the arm then thrown across the room. Melani's back ached with pain and she felt dizzy, seeing the room in circles, but the woman just glared at her and walked out the room. This time, Melani didn't hear the door lock. She stumbled towards the door, her head and back still a bit sore, then opened it as quietly as she could.

Melani tip toed around the corner, checking that the woman wasn't looking and crept behind the dining room table. On the bence she could see a bottle labelled chloroform and realised the woman must have used it on her, but why? Melani looked for where the keys to the front door could be without being too loud when she heard the TV in the next room bring up a story of a missing teenager. Melani, too curious for her own good, quietly crept forward and put her ear on what must have been the woman's bedroom door.

"Teenager, Melani Peige age 16, was reported missing at 5:30pm when her parents said she hadn't returned home from school or answered any of their calls." Melani thought about what was just saidand realised it must be around 8:30pm. "Although it is unclear what happened to Melani, the most obvious situation could be abduction, going by the amount of suspicious people seen around these areas. Mrs Peige says that Melani would always put up a fight, so the likeliness of that happening would be slim, unless there were witnesses. As much as we would like to agree with her on that statement, it is hard to at this point. Local police and crimestoppers are working together to try and find the culprit. Higher authorities have not yet been contacted but will have to in the future. We are not able to release  much about this incident as we are limited to the iinformation given. We hope to find Melani and bring you back to the story shortly. If you have any information about this, please don't hesitate to contact any of the numbers listed below. Photos have been placed around for those who might come across her."

"That lying brat!" Melani heard the woman say as she started to walk towards to door. Melani realised the trouble she would be in if the woman found out she was out, so she bolted for the pink room. Shutting the door as quickly and quietly as she could, Melani ran over to the shelf and picked up the doll- as if she was there admiring it the whole time. The woman burst into the room a matter of seconds afterwards and pushed her into the corner of the room. "How dare you lie to me Melani!? Your name isn't Evelyn at all!" when Melani couldn't think things could get any worse, the woman grabeed Melani's head and bashed her into the wall. "It was a mistake in taking you into my home! I thought you could replace my dead daughter and could be happy again! But no! You decide to lie to me aswell! I am not going to put up with this. I can't let you go Melani, you could easily turn me in. Right- you are to do everything I cmmand you to do... and if you disobey me, you will soon find out the consequenses!" the woman spat on Melani and walked out of the room in frustration. The door locked behind her and yet again, Melani was left in the room, alone, scared and a head that hurt like hell.