Breaking Free (BXB)

Chapter 15-Darkness

I stared at the back of my cell, my fingers tapping the floor in a quick rhythm. I had spent the last few hours, or maybe days, I wasn't sure of the time, listening to the dripping of water somewhere far away and the shuffling of prisoners.  I could feel the cold cutting my skin with every bit of moisture that found its way there, making me shiver. 

Plip

Plip

Plip

The whispers and shifting of the other prisoners played games with my mind, tricking me into falling for a song that didn't exist. I shivered from the cold and moved to the back of my cell, into the dark, alone, hugging myself for warmth. My heart gave a soft shudder and I felt a whimper grow in the back of my throat. I wished I could feel Owen's arms around me, strong and soft and gentle and loving, like he had when I had been on bed-rest. Like I should be on now. My head still pounded and it seemed that my muscles only grew sorer as time went on. 

I smiled at the way Owen had held me, soft and caring as if his touches could fill me with love and make me better. But I knew that was impossible, and Owen and I had been so hot and cold I wasn't sure where we stood. Time and space and everything normal and real in my life felt like it had frozen and this new world had dragged on, and I wasn't sure what to make of it. A tremor rocked my spine, my body no longer warmed by thoughts of Owen.

Plip

Plip

Plip

The person in the cell across from me shifted and moaned. I flinched, thinking of my father, alone in his cell, alone in the dark, thinking I had left him. I had promised to come back and free him and I hadn't. A lump grew in my throat and I glared at the floor. I had been so close to saving him. I could feel the cold metal of the keys in the palm of my hand. I could see the glint of my flashlight on them and I could hear the clatter when they fell, sharp as day.

Plip 

Plip

Plip

I sighed, resting my head against the slippery wall. This all seemed hopeless. I was stuck in a dark, wet, cell with no idea when I'd get out and no proverbial light at the end of the tunnel to guide me out of here. All I was doing was beating myself up and trying my best not to become highly irritated by the constant, droning plip, plip, plips of the water slapping against the ground. Groaning, I  clutched my hair in my fists, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Hey, kid. You alright, there?" My eyes fluttered open and I turned to where I had heard the voice. 

"Who are you?" I whispered, my voice cracking. I rubbed my chest and frowned. Had it really been that long since I had spoken?

"Doesn't matter." There was a long pause and I almost crawled to the back of my cell, my head pounding and swirling in confusion. The remnants of what the man had said bounced around my mind and I almost convinced myself it was all in my head, a desperate plea born from loneliness.

"You're one of them, aren't ya'" I turned my head to where the noise was. His words blended together in something that seemed like a southern drawl, but I had never been down south so I couldn't really say what it was, having only heard southern drawls on TV.  They were comforting in an odd sort of way, soothing my soul and calming my mind. 

"One of who?" I asked though I didn't really need an answer. From what I'd heard from the men in the hall, most of the people down here were hunters, so I would be less than welcome, to say the least. He had been my only source of social interaction in what felt like forever, but it could've been anywhere from two hours to two months and I wouldn't be able to tell. The man scoffed and I heard him shuffling around a bit. I guess that was an answer in itself.