Trapped

Part 1: Trapped

My ears were the first to wake, the song of the joyful winged creatures slowly coming into focus. My eyes opened next, committing each imperfection of the pale white ceiling to memory. I breathed in deeply through my nose, rejoicing in the fact that I might finally be free, and let the air in my lungs flow out through my lips.

Today was the day I had to escape.

A loud clatter resonated from the kitchen and I found myself creeping towards the door, slowly cracking open the only barrier between the murderer and myself. I heard his heavy footsteps shift direction towards my bedroom and shut the door abruptly, running to the conjoining bathroom on the other side of my bed for shelter.

For five years I had been trapped, no, confined to the very place that had once held all of my happy memories.

"No! No! My baby! My baby!"

I cringed as the flashback hit me at full force, wrenching me apart inside.

The bathroom door rattled violently as the man who stole my happiness tried to enter.

"Clarissa, open up. I'm worried about you." The man's soft voice wafted through the crack at the bottom of the door.

I stared at the door in response, not daring to go near the block of wood that stood between us.

"Clarissa, don't be this way. You need to eat your breakfast and take your medication." The door handle trembled forcefully.

I shook my head violently, clenching my eyes shut in defiance.

"Clarissa," The man hissed, "Open the door this instant or I'll be forced to remind you of the time you burned your precious little ladybug."

I looked at the door in fear.

"No, please." I whimpered.

I heard the man bark out a laugh knowing he had won.

"I want you at the table for breakfast in five minutes, butterfly." The man said sweetly.

I stood up shakily when I heard him leave and faced the mirror to study myself. I hadn't done that in a while, looked in the mirror.

I wasn't surprised at the image of the person who stood before me. My once light brown eyes had grown dark and cloudy, resembling the storm within my heart. My blonde hair was limp and pulled back into a straight ponytail that hung lifelessly down my back.

It was only five years ago that my life had changed forever.

"We can finally be the way we were when we first met, together and in love, just you and me."

I bit my lip hard, trying not to cry at the memories that seemed to tug my heart in every direction. I took a deep breath and exited the bathroom, heading towards the dining area where I would serve breakfast. I looked to my lap and I sat down and felt the man's stare carving a hole into my head.

"Butterfly, why won't you look at me?" The killer's soft voice echoed throughout the empty house.

I shifted my head upward, but did not meet his gaze.

He had stolen my happiness, my family, my life.

The man grabbed my chin, forcing me to face him. I shut my eyes in attempt to block him out, but his presence still dominated mine.

"You will look at me!" He screamed, "You will look at the man who gave you everything! Look at me!"

I faced him reluctantly and found myself staring into his hollow, electric blue eyes. They were caverns of ice and deceit, the very depths that had once held warmth and love. My eyes traveled down the length of his face, taking in the sharp edges of his jaw and the twisted emotions that cut through once beautiful features, distorting them. What had he become, a man who had once held my world in the palm of his hands?