Captive{ated}

Seven: Canary

The sunlight was just barely coming through the windows when I woke the next morning, and with it it brought me a new resolve.

In that restless night, I had a lot of time to think about just exactly how I was going to escape. Idea after idea came to mind, but they were all stunted by one glaring problem: I was trapped in this room. My first step to escaping this cursed, psychotic village would be to get out this bedroom, but as I discovered yesterday, there was no easy way out.

That left only one option: you.

I had to manipulate you into taking me outside. After our encounter yesterday, though, I knew that that would be easier said than done. You would be suspicious of any ploy I tried, so I knew I had to play my part carefully. I had to balance the despair I felt the day before with a reluctant acceptance of this life. I had to control my emotions and not let my anxiety debilitate me as it did yesterday. I had to be strong. If not for me, for my family.

I thought about them greatly last night, too. I found it ironic that when I was free to see them, I hardly ever did, but now that that liberty was stolen from me, all I wanted to do was see my parents and brother. It was a hard truth to swallow that I neglected to see my family more often. I promised to amend that mistake when I got out of here.

I rose from the bed with my aching muscles and went to the wardrobe. Its hinges creaked at I opened it, and I was met with an unwelcome sight by its contents. The clothes were all cotton dresses, long skirts, and blouses. They were all very modest and would be constricting. Part of me was hoping that the clothes I packed would be in there, but that was too much to ask for. With a sigh, I grabbed the nearest dress to me and went to wash up.

My lukewarm shower was quick so that I wouldn't be caught off guard. The soaps were made naturally, no strong perfume scent like I was used to. Even something as simple as that made my heart ache with homesickness. I then put the yellow dress on that fell just beneath my knees, the collar of it feeling awkward as I had to straighten it out. I still refused to look in the mirror as I brushed my shoulder length hair. I especially didn't want to see myself dressed in your village's strange clothing. It felt as though I was betraying my home even though it was only a piece of fabric.

It's only a dress, I reminded myself. I used to love having a reason to get all dressed up, but this wasn't the same. This felt more like an orange jumpsuit than a pretty dress.

When I opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom, I was startled when I looked up and was nearly face to face with you. I let out a gasp and took a step back, a hand over my chest. I wasn't expecting you already, and I definitely wasn't expecting to be that close to you.

"Good morning, Evelyn," you said happily, your mood completely changed from the day before. Your eyes traveled over the dress I was wearing, seeing every crevice and curve it allowed. It's not that it was revealing, but I felt naked with you staring at me like this. You complimented sincerely, "You look beautiful."

You always thought I looked beautiful, even on my worst days.

I leaned against the doorway, closing in on myself uncomfortably. "Th-thank you," I stammered quietly. Talking to you was once so easy and natural. Now, for the first time in our history, it felt like we were strangers. I couldn't even bring myself to look you in the eyes. Instead, I looked at the tray with oatmeal you held in your hands. I did all I could to not gag at the sight of it.

"Did you sleep well?" you asked sweetly. "Didn't hear any weird noises, I hope?"

"No, I slept fine," I lied through my teeth. The sound of the screams echoed through my mind and dreams all night long, so loud and continuous it was as if it was in the Grand Canyon. I didn't want to think about where it was coming from, about what else was happening is this horrid place. A deafening silence fell between us then.