The Boy in the Gray Hoodie

35...

35...

I heard buzzing. It sounded like fluorescent lights, clicking as they flashed on and off...on...off...on...off...

            I opened my eyes and stared up at gray concrete. The texture of it looked rough, and dirty. I slowly turned my head and took in my new surroundings. I felt confused and anxious as I sat up, unable to see a door or any windows.

All I saw were four walls, a ceiling and a floor. No furniture, and no sign of anything familiar. I had never been here before. I didn't want to be here now.

The last thing I remembered was being at Marley's house and holding Lisa in my arms. She was sleeping, and James wanted to take me from her. I told him no. I broke things. And then Chris...he hit me.

            "Lisa!" I shouted. My voice echoed around the room and it felt even more empty. "M-Marley!" I tried. When there was no answer from either of them I got up, looking again for a way out. Moving along the walls, I felt for a door. The rough concrete scratched my palms and the bottoms of my feet, but I kept looking anyway, desperate to get out.

            I had to pause as the lights went out, leaving me in complete darkness for a few seconds before they flickered back on, filling the room with a sickly pale light. The space felt like it was getting smaller, like the walls were closing in on me.

            I was panting, barely able to breathe from panic. It was choking me. I didn't know where I was, or how I got there. All I knew was that I was trapped.

            "Lisa!" I called again. I wanted her to answer back—even if she was really far away, I just wanted to hear her voice, to know she was okay. Because if she was okay, I would be too.

            "Don't waste your breath. You and I are the only ones here."

            "J-James?" I choked, looking around for the source of the voice. It hadn't sounded muffled or crackly, like the speaker system. "W-where are you?"

            "Stop spinning around. You're working yourself up," James ordered. It sounded like he was in the room with me—like he was right there.

            "Where are you?" I gasped, sinking down the wall as a sensation of dizziness swept over me. "J-James, please, I don't want to be in here," I mumbled, staring down at my hands. They had started to shake. I wrapped my arms around myself instead, rocking back and forth to try and calm down.

            "Look up Roy."

            Slowly, I raised my gaze to the ceiling again. In the corner of the room there was a square-shaped hole next to one of the fluorescents. I crawled over to it, straining my neck to try and see through to the room above.

            "There's a hatch up here, and a ladder. When you have learned to control yourself, I'll lower the ladder and let you out. Until then, you have to stay in this room." James explained. His voice was cold again, like it used to be.

            I shook my head. "Please." The panic was coming back, faster and stronger than before. "Please don't leave me down here."

            "Begging doesn't work on me. You know that. Be a good boy, do as I tell you, and I'll give you something to eat." He responded without emotion.

            "Where is Lisa?" I asked shakily.

            "No."

            "James, pl—"