CAGED

Chapter 24: The Test

A week has passed and I can move freely with only a slight twinge of pain. Ryan keeps watching me heavily though, as if I would shatter in any moment. He's been kinder since he got back, and I almost think he cares. Almost. A shiver crawls across my spine as I remember the last time he cared, when I got locked in the basement to hallucinate for a few days.

I shake my head slightly in order to knock those thoughts to the far recesses of my mind so that I can focus on my plan. I need to gain Ryan's trust, which should be fairly easy since he thinks I'm particularly delicate right now. I decide to test my current power since he doesn't know I've woken up yet; I'm back in my own room now too.

I run my hand through my hair roughly and force myself to think of the hallucinations I had in the basement. Tears spring to my eyes as I envision Kitty and I allow them to fall, rubbing my eyes until they're red and puffy. Taking as deep a breath as my lungs will allow I let loose a scream that I know Ryan will hear.

I pull my comforter close to my chest, clutching the puffy fabric as though my life depends on it, my freedom just might. I make myself keep crying allowing my shoulders to shake almost violently. Only a minute later Ryan darts into my room, the door flinging open and bouncing loudly off the wall.

I know what he sees, and I know I look absolutely terrible. I was counting on it, in fact. I have dark bags of sleepless nights under my eyes which sit in their sockets as red as blood and as puffy as my comforter. My hair is a mess, knotted and tangled strands fly everywhere. I'm holding onto the blanket with desperation, and he sees it.

Ryan slowly steps closer to my bed and I snap my bloodshot eyes towards him. Perfect, I think as concern is etched across his face. I look away shyly and stare at the fabric I hold highly in my hands.

"What is it?" Ryan asks in a quiet voice, his tone gentle. He sits himself on the edge of my bed and goes to put his hand on mine. I flinch away out of instinct before I realize what I did. A look of sadness creeps across his features.

"I-I'm sorry," I stutter out as if I were nervous. "I didn't mean to wake you, or flinch away from you just now." Ryan looks at me intently and I carry on quickly. "I had another nightmare...about Aaron, and Jason, and what they-what they did."

Ryan watches me for a moment while I internally snicker as he looks physically pained over my experience. Something he never has and never will have to experience for himself.

"I kicked them both out, Rissa," Ryan tried using his daughters nickname for me. He tried to place his hand onto my knee, but I flinched it away. "I won't hurt you, not again."

I stare at him a moment before deciding to move on with my test. "C-can I go outside? I feel like I really need some air." Ryan looks down at his hands, twisted together in a knot, before he answers.

"Yeah," Ryan nods his head slowly as he speaks. "Yeah, I think fresh air will do us some good. Why don't we bring Rachel and have a picnic out in the garden!" He looks up to me with a childish grin plastered across his face, and I give him a small smile in return.

Ryan jumps off of my bed and goes straight to the door, that grin never leaving his features. He looks back at me as he opens the door and tells me to get dressed. I nod my head as he shuts the door behind him.

I jump off of the bed and nearly squeal with excitement. I can't believe how exceptionally well that worked! I can feel my heart blossom in excitement as I grab a shirt and a pair of shorts from the dresser. Ryan had brought me a few outfits yesterday, saying I needed something comfortable to wear while I heal.

Thankful for real clothes I shimmy into them, my very small frame having no problem sliding into the larger clothes. Looking at the tag on the shirt I realize just how much weight I've lost since leaving home. The shirt is a small and it hangs from my frame loosely. At this rate I'm either an extra small or a childs large.

I shake the morbid thought from my mind and go to the door. Taking a deep breath to prepare myself I open the door and slip out. I take my time going to, and down, the stairs. I hear noise coming from the kitchen so I make my way there.

I see Ryan standing against the island and making a sandwhich, a small pile of bread beside him. Rachel is bouncing beside him as she scoops handfuls of chips into little sandwich bags. Their excitement is contagious as I skip into the kitchen to join them. Rachel looks up and grins as her eyebrows shoot towards her forehead.

"Rissa!" Rachel exclaims as she drops the chips on the counter and runs over to hug me tightly around my waist. "You're better!"

I laugh a little as I hug the girl back and wonder, not for the first time, how she came to Ryan. Surely she isn't really his daughter, she doesn't look like him at all. "Yeah, I'm better."

"Good, because the picnic is ready!" Ryan says in an excited voice. I clap my hands together as Rachel runs to Ryan and takes the basket from his hands.

"I got this daddy, you walk with Rissa!" Rachel nearly yells as she skips her way to the front door. Ryan looks at me before extending a hand towards the door, ready for me lead the way. With a smile and a nod, I skip after Rachel to the door. Ryan goes to the key pad and types in the code to turn off the alarm, then he swings open the large door, revealing an absolutely beautiful day.

As we all step outside I take in the suns rays, beating down harshly on the world but welcomed none the less. The warmth wraps itself around ever inch of my body and for a moment I just stand there enjoying it. Ryan stays silent as I take in the gorgeous blue sky, the few little whisps of clouds scattered around.

Sighing in content I join Rachel and Ryan in the cool green grass, the soft blades reaching up through my toes, on our way to the garden. The garden itself is just as amazing as the first time I saw it, the roses still in perfect bloom. The fountain in the center is on, pushing the water up and over its edges as it flows continuously.

Ryan reaches into the basket and pulls out a throw blanket, stretching its fabric across the grass. He sets the basket on one of the edges before telling us we can sit. Rachel and sit together, Ryan on the other side of the small girl. Ryan pulls a sandwich out of the basket and passes it to Rachel, who passes it to me. Ryan hands her another one, this one she keeps, before pulling one out for himself. He set the bags of chips out in the center so everyone can help themselves. He then pulls out juice boxes, fruit punch ones, and passes then out.

We sit in silence as we eat, enjoying the perfect day nature has made for us. Rachel finishes eating first and gets up, quickly going to the fountain. She sits herself on the edge and puts ber feet into the water, giggling when she realizes how cold it is. I dust my hands off on my shorts before joining her, gasping as the water touches my skin.

"Rachel, this is freezing!" I exclaim. Rachel giggles again before her eyes widen for a second. "Wha-?"

Before I can react Rachel has already scooped up two handfuls of frigid water and slung it my way. The water crashes against my knees and legs and I squeal in shock. I give Rachel a look before kicking water up at her, drenching her entire front end. We're both giggling and laughing as continue to splash each other, soaking each other to the bone.

Ryan watches us in amusement as we get out of the fountain. Rachel looks at me with a wicked grin before she flings her drenched little body onto Ryan, soaking his grey t-shirt and making it cling to his chest. Ryan pretended to be upset as he tackled Rachel and began to mercilessly tickle her ribcage.

I sat on the blanket again, laying onto my back, to let the sun dry me. Ryan flopped down beside me, and Rachel wiggled her way between us. We talked about nonsense as the sun warmed our frigid and wet bodies, talking about favorite colors, books, authors, games, and so on. By the time we gathered everything up, the sun was beginning to set over the garden, giving another amazing view to this wonderful day.

A/N: 1575 words for this chapter! (That doesn't include my note here)
I just want to say thank you for being patient, and sticking with the story (and me!) This story is about halfway through now, and I plan to finish it before Easter. I'm going to be going back and editing some stuff, but it won't change the storyline. I was rereading some of the other chapters and theres some dialogue and stuff I wanna fix. So if you get a bunch of notifications saying I updated an old chapter, don't mind it. You don't need to go back and read it unless you really want to.

Anyways! I hole everyone had a great Thanksgiving! 🦃 🍽