Inner Sanctum

Inner Sanctum

By: Zachary Skinner

Cold, cold as the night air in late November. Constant slow drips of water echoing through this empty dark room. Where am I? How did I get here? These thoughts running through my mind, I shift my focus to the room. This splitting headache and blurred vision make it hard to determine my situation right away. Moments later my disorientation begins to lift. I see my hand tied with rope to this wooden chair, tightly, moving them only adds pain to my current predicament. What about my legs? Impossible they will not move either, they are also tied tight enough to cut circulation. It only takes a few glances to see how terrible this is about to become. Pitch black room, besides the little bit of light that this lightbulb above my head radiates. I can't stop shivering; I don't know if it's from the straight fear or the chill seeping off of these stone floors. Its dim enough to see a door in front of me about four feet, the room is small, not any bigger than an averaged size bedroom. Could I be in a basement, shoved off in a side room attached to one? Who took me? Why can't I remember? Slowly the door opens and a figure in all black and a ski mask enters.

The person doesn't look too threatening, fragile build, short, possibly female. Doesn't make the situation any less frightening, because I have no idea what this individual has in store for me. "Don't make a sound," says the individual in a very strict and threatening voice. Even though the person tried to sound deep and frightful I can still tell it is a female. I have so many questions, I will say anything that will help get me out of here. She approaches me slowly, and strategically. Maybe since how she is female, she will understand me better or I will be able to relate to her more to try to get out of here. My senses are on edge, her walking to me seems to be slowed down, like time is standing still. The dripping, the cold on my bare feet and in the air, I am at the will of this individual and I haven't figured out anything I need to know to escape. She reaches me and leans in close to my face. All I can see is a little bit of skin, these soft looking lips and these green eyes staring into my soul. How can someone so retched have such beautiful eyes. My breathing, already frantic speeds up even more.

"Why are you doing this," I said.

"Isn't it obvious?" said the lady. "clearly you should know what caused you to be here, or maybe, did the drugs you have been using fog your memory?"

"Right the drugs, heroine to be exact I've been trying to get off of it obviously," I said hastily. "I beat myself up every day because I'm still using." "Wait," I said, "how do you even know I use? Have you been spying on me? Is this what all this is about?"

As soon as I got those questions out, she swung her hand as hard as she could right across my face. The stinging from her strike is paralyzing, she is a lot stronger than I thought, that's not good for me or my health. The lady begins to laugh.

"You didn't beat yourself up enough," says the woman, "Obviously," Mocking my voice. The nerve of this lady strapping me down, questioning my life choices. How dare she. Is this the whole reason I am here? I can't think of anything clever to say to that, but I can't look weak or I will end up getting beat even worse. I have to show some fight in me. I start vigorously moving my limbs around trying to get out as much as I could. I even gave her the look like I was going to murder her if I get the chance. She didn't even flinch.

"Drug using is only one of the reasons why you are down here Sara," she says, "you have a laundry list of reasons to be kept down here and tortured."

Sara, how does she know my name? Tortured, I cower in the chair I am in, horrified by the word. I begin to think, I am not going to be getting out of here. Reasoning with this woman sounds out of the question in my mind. All I can do is do as she tells me to and hope I can get out alive.