Fostering Luke

The box

EIGHT

The hours passed. I was still locked in my room. I did nothing but sit here for those hours... those dreadful, unbearable, confusing hours. This room has become dark. The sunlight may have come up by now, but this room is still, darker. With every blink I take it strangles me. Taking my breath away from my fragile lungs. Killing my systems within. Killing me. 

Luke. He's out there with those psychopaths. They could be doing anything to him. He's already hurt as it is. He's already hurt emotionally as it is. I see it. The darkness that lurks around him too. The darkness that consumes every child in this hell whole. The darkness that nobody wants; nor needs. 

I don't think I can live without him. I may have only just meet him in a short amount of time, but in that time I have bonded with him like I have nobody else. He is the air that I breathe. He is the goosebumps on my skin. He is the blood within my veins. He is my personal set of stars, He is my everything. 

I don't think he knows how much he means to me but one day, I can only hope that he will. I can only hope he knows that in my waking moments he is my only and every thought. I can only hope he knows that when a smile appears on my face it is, and will always be because of him. His presence overwhelms me. Takes me to another planet. Takes me to my own place...with him.

The door moves. It rattles, and then it opens. It is a worker. just my luck. He must be half blind too because it takes him a long series of seconds before he finally sets his eyes upon me. When he does he approaches me. Instinctively I back away. Cowering back towards the cold wall. He notices that I have personal space and backs up. Opening his mouth letting words dribble.

"Child, you must be the one I am looking for. Desiree told me to inform you of your punishment. She says that since it was not your idea to escape you will be let off with an easy one. Scrubbing the floors. Of course you are not allowed a mop though. You will be using a sponge. And that is a warning to tell you, that if you shall escape again. You will not be let off easy. Should we get started then?"he states.instead of asking.That is understandable though. It is a punishment after all.

He leads me downstairs. To the bottom floor. And to a formal looking room at the rear of the building. The marble floors are saturated with mud as if someone purposely put it there. They are ten times worse than normal footprint stains. I don't worry about it though. I just grab the sponge, fill it with the surprisingly hot water, and start cleaning. 

As I scrub the floor my thoughts return to Luke. The same thoughts running through my mind over and over again. Love, loss, death, happiness, hope, fate. I believe that fate brought us together. That we were made miserable so we could find each other and make it less miserable again. To change each others life all together.

I notice the part of the floor I am currently scrubbing is shining like it is brand new. I move to a new spot and try to focus on cleaning. The faster I get out of this punishment the faster I can get to finding Luke. 

About half of the rooms floor is clean when the worker on watching duty speaks up. Breaking the awkward silence in the overly expensive room. " I am going to report back to Desiree about your progress and to discuss other matters. You will stay here and continue cleaning. I will be about ten minutes and if I come back to find you are not here. Scrubbing the floor will be the least of your worries." He snarls at the end of his speech. As if to scare me more. He only reminded me of a fail horror film. Since when do men snarl like werewolves. He wishes he was a werewolf. Instead he's just a stupid worker for this displeasing place.

I then realize he is waiting for my reply. I smirk before nodding in assurance. Telling him I will be a good girl and sit here cleaning when there is nobody around. If only he knew that he means nothing to me compared to Luke. And his words honestly mean nothing as well. I can, and will do anything to find Luke. And this is probably going to be my only chance to find him.

I hear the door close and immediately rise to my feet. I need to think first. Where could Luke be? where would they take him if he was in trouble. A basement? no. I can't remember seeing a basement door on the first floor. That's a dead end lead then. Where else. Desiree's room? no I have absolutely no idea where that is in this huge place and she will be there with the worker anyway. He most likely wouldn't be there anyway.

I think of that time he was in trouble again. That argument always seems to have the answers. The man was talking about punishing him. I remember that part again. Then I remember something else he said...  " I told you to not leave these grounds. And what do you do, leave these grounds.If this happens again Luke, you are going to the box." The box! that's it. I run outside as fast as I can. Searching the bushes. The gardens. All for this mystery box that Luke could be in.

I lose hope every second I see no box. The man will be back soon. And if i'm not there when he gets back I will be in deep trouble. I look around even faster. Looking through a garages, even a pile of leaves. I swear I'm going crazy. Until I leave the leaf pile and turn around. Facing towards a lone tree in the hidden end of the backyard. And right next to it, I spot a medium sized, wooden, box.

I sprint with all my energy inside. Half tripping over on my way. My head pounds. Still sore from last nights events but I could care less. I carry on and then finally reach it. Placing my palm on the door and talking. Hoping to find a voice reply. His voice.

" Luke" I mumble. " Luke please tell me you're in there." I start to think that the box was the wrong place when I hear a glorious sound. It's him. "Cass? Is that you. Please tell me it's you. I need you. You have no idea. I'm all alone. And it's dark." He sniffles and I cringe. Unwanted tears forming in my eyes. He continues. "They put me in here last night. And even if I was in the light I cannot see from my left eye. It's severely bruised and I can't feel it. I just want to get out of here. I just.. want... to get... out ... of here." His voice slows down and I'm afraid of what's happening.

" I'm here Luke. I need to get back soon though. The worker will be back. And I can't bare being moved any further away from you. I want to help you Luke. You have no idea how much but I can't. I just need you to tell me all that you know about this stupid box. So I have some idea of when I will be with you again." I cry at my selfish words. I hear him sniffle again too. It hurts so much.

"This is the box where the worst children go." he begins. "No other children have ever even thought about being put in here. This is the worst place. When you are put into the box, you are put in here for a week. A whole week. No food, no water no nothing. Of course they would feed the younger children that are put in here because they can't physically survive and would die. But with us, they wait the whole time out. And then finally feed us once released." He finishes and I feel even worse. 

" A whole week. I can't wait a whole week." I cry. He stops me. " It's okay Cass. I've done it before, and I will do it again, for you. You need to leave now because I do not want anything happening to you. Please just go and I will see you again in a week. goodbye."

The last part of his words hurt, but I know he is true. I use the spare time I have to get back to the room I was cleaning. I peek in the window of the room first. Checking to see that the worker isn't there. Thankfully he Isn't. I walk through the back entrance. Making my way towards the door of the one room holding my fate for today. But before I reach the door, I stop. The worker is standing there. His back arched against the wood on the door. His arms crossed and the worst part of all. His face is not looking pleasant at all.

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So I decided that since I haven't updated in a while I would give you all a Nice, long chapter. Please vote and comment about what you think so far. And what you think is going to happen. I love you all. Please stay active

-Kaya.