The Lost Princess

XXXVI

Ashlyn

I wake up and I think it's a different day but I'm not sure. There isn't really a way to tell time. I hear curses and a bottle breaking. It has to be the same day; she's still drunk. But knowing Deliah that is not really saying much. She stumbles up with a bottle of vodka and a long dirty brown cigar in her mouth.

I hold my gag. The fumes make me nauseous, more so than usual. "You want a smoke?" She says before puffing put some air.

I remember what happened last time I did not answer her, "No thank you."

"Ah, at least you can answer now," she walks close to me with the cigar, "Take a puff."

I shake my head, "No thank you."

Deliah rolls her eyes, grabs my foot, and starts to stroke it carefully, "You either take the puff or your foot does. Pick your poison." She grabs a lighter from her breasts and lights the cigar again and moves it towards my foot. I can feel the flames dancing around.

"Last chance, princess!" She spits it out.

I shake my head, "No!" Deliah shrugs and slams the cigar to my foot. I scream, the loud shriek damaging my own ears. She runs the cigar down my foot; the smell of burning flesh and blood fills the room. My foot burns and I feel the scalding hot blood ooze down. She probably burned half of my nerves down there.

"Should've taken my smoke," she takes a puff of the cigar and smacks her lips, "Hmm fleshy. Maybe I'll just eat you after all of this is done." She downs some more vodka then leaves the bottle on the floor and walks away, leaving me with my own pain.

I trace my fingers over my badly burned and blistering foot. I feel the blood and the skin peeling. Tears run down my cheeks. It'll probably get infected if I don't treat it somehow. I touch the bottle of vodka and it's cold. I rip a portion of my thin underdress off and grab the vodka bottle. I remove the cap and pour some vodka inside it. I take a deep breath and pour the vodka on my cut.

I bite my lip to muffle my screams, which leads me with a bloody lip. I pour about a fourth of the vodka on the cut then wrap my foot with the part of my underdress. I used to do the same thing whenever I burned myself or Deliah burned me and wouldn't allow me to see a medic. I scan the place where I'm being kept and notice that a floorboard next to me is propped up.

I shuffle towards the board and use all my strength to pull it up. Along with it, came jagged three nails. I place my hand to the floor underneath where the board was kept and dig my fingernails through the material. I bring my nails to my eyes and realize it's dirt, which means that I'm at the bottom floor. I kick the board with the nails to myself so it's within reach of my arms. Then I realize I'm attached to a wobbly piece of wood.

I get on my knees and place my back against the wood. I slam my back against the wood in an effort to knock it over. The wood falls down and I'm able to fully turn my body around. I notice a lock around the chains I'm in, so I use my foot to drag the piece of floorboard to me.

I pick the floorboard up with my feet and prop it in my mouth. Bending over in a very uncomfortable way, I use the nail to try and pick the lock with the chains. Fortunately, I am successful and I wiggle out of the chains. I stand up straight enough and on my burnt foot; I stand on my heel. I grab the floorboard and start to walk around the area.

The place smells of mildew and alcohol, which I'm not surprised of. I feel a cold breeze and turn around and glance through a large hole. It seems like this place is in the middle of the woods; probably a cabin. But whose?

I continue to walk through and notice a door is ajar. I silently open the door and walk inside. The floor is linoleum as if it was a kitchen. I hear a whispered voice, as if someone was talking to themselves.

"I don't even know why I agreed to this. I hate her!"

"She's ruining my life; that's what. Crazy son of a-! How did I have children with that cow!"

I recognize the whispered voice as Tom. I notice him sitting on a chair, mumbling. He seems to be drunk as well. Why am I not surprised. I turn the floorboard around to the side without nails because I don't want to kill him. I walk slowly and quietly, even though every step burns like a thousand suns because of my foot. I get close enough to him and take a silent deep breath and..

WHACK

Tom falls flat to the floor, unconscious. I turn his body over and dig through his pockets. There's a gun, some cigarettes, three matches, and a map. I take the matches and put the gun on the chair. The map has a large red circle, which I'm assuming is where we are. Luckily, I notice the layout of the town square and realize we're in Amster. I take the map and shove it in my breast area. I pick up the gun, my hands shaking. I've never shot one or even held one. I take deep breaths, "I'll only use it when I have to."

I notice Tom is wearing socks so I take them, placing them on my feet. I notice a small hole that I can crawl through, and start to make my escape. I crawl through the hole making sure not to fire the gun. It's chilly outside but that's the least of my concerns. I look around to make sure there is no Deliah and run through the trees.

I had made my escape and I was not going to stop running until I got home.