It's so quiet in here, so cold, I think, curled on my side. The mattress is worn, and I can feel the hard ground beneath me. The darkness should frighten me, should make me cold, but instead, I welcome it. I welcome the shadows and the disappearance of sight.
I don't want to be here. I don't want to be afraid.
'I do not want to die inside just to breathe in. . .'
I push away the song. It is one I sung for Lizzie when she was depressed over Ciel. She tried to cut herself, but my song often helped her through it.
The door is opened. I raise my eyes to see who it is. Only the servants.
The girl places a plate of food on the table, while the boy comes over to me and crouches by my side.
"Katherine," he whispers, "please eat something."
I do not answer, closing my eyes before I can start crying again. Jack and Anne have tried so many times to get me to eat, but I don't want to. It's been a week since I last had food, and I am growing weaker by the day, but still, I refuse to eat or drink.
"Katherine, please," Anne pleads, casting a glance at the dark corridor behind her. "You need to eat something. The Master is getting angry."
Fear, the only true emotion I can remember, lights a spark in my heart. If I don't eat, what will happen to Jack and Anne for trying and failing? According to them, and my past experiences at his hands, they will be punished severely. He gave them one week to feed me, and then. . .
Maybe I'll eat when they're gone. Maybe.
Numbly, I nod. I haven't spoken for the last six months. I don't intend to speak now.
With a tear slipping down her face, Anne nods. Jack stares sadly at me, then he and Anne walk out and close the door. I can hear Anne crying softly as Jack tries to comfort her.
I close my eyes and try to block out the sound.
Within a few moments, sleep claims me and I drift into it's welcoming embrace.
-------
The sound of a raised voice draws me out of my slumber. I open my eyes, and struggle to sit up. The other prisoners' voices and questions make me wonder who it is.
The sound of one voice above all others makes my heart flutter, like it use to.
"I had only come for the paperwork. Now I see that you are mistreating patients." Ciel says quietly, his voice snapping like a whip at whoever he is talking to.
"Ciel," I whisper. My first word in months, and I say the name of the only person who I have ever loved. But now I have a reason to.
I stand up, pressing my hand against the wall for balance. I make my way over to the door, and desperately try to call out. My voice comes out small at first.
"Ciel! I'm here," I manage. "Ciel!"
His words falter slightly as he questions, "Who was that?"
"No one," the man replies quickly.
No one! In anger, I call out again, the rage of all my abuse here coming into my voice. "Ciel!"
"That wasn't no one," Ciel snaps. "That was Katherine Ravensdale. Release her, right now."
"I don't take orders from a thirteen year old brat," the man replies.
I wince. Ciel never did take smart remarks from anyone. Even as a little boy, he would get those type of people into trouble.
