Lock and Key

Chapter 6

"Where do you think you're going?" A light voice rasped.

A hand was on the door. The door to my freedom. The door that would let me out of this wonderful home. Out of this beautiful place.

I hate it. So much.

"Look up when you talk to me," She said again, but in a stern tone. I refused to look up. To look into the eyes of the snake in front of me. I kept my head down, eyes averted. Looking everywhere but her direction. This only ticked her off even more. Strong hands gripped my shoulders tightly, twisting and contorting me to her every will. She shook me to look up at her.

I couldn't see through the blurriness in my eyes. Tears form.

I'm back in that place, that awful awful place. Where things were done to me that should never happen. To anyone, ever.

I thought I would become stronger if I ran. If I got away. That means that I outsmarted them, right? I'm better?

No. I will never be as smart as him.

I'm sobbing and I can't stop. I thought I was stronger than this. Better than this. I was not, am not.

"You will listen to me, you stupid little girl, you will not leave this house. Do you understand? You're too priceless to lose again," She bore her teeth, her mouth set in a snarl. Her brown eyes like black death, sparking back to life with rage and anger.

Ryder's mother's hardened grip only grew tighter as she whispered in my ear with enough force that could smash a building into smithereens.

"You tell anyone, about this," She paused, instilling fear, "then you will answer to me instead of my son." She pulls back. Staring into me, seeing the fear she created.

And she smiled.

She lets go of my arms. I'm sure there will be bruises later.

Another secret to cover up.

Another lie to tell.

She leaves as if she was never there. A ghost in the form of a monster. She left me there, crying. I sunk to the floor, huddled into myself, laying on the ground.

I tried to stop, I really did. They just kept coming, and I couldn't stop them. I'm sure she can hear me bawling. I'm sure everyone in the house can hear me. But no one comes for me. No one ever does. Even if someone came to look for me, they wouldn't check the front door, for the girl laying behind the counter, crying because someone scared her.

How stupid can I be?

I count my heartbeats. Ever since I crawled into myself. So far I am at 218 heartbeats, and no one is here.

219...

220...

I need to learn how to do this myself. I have done everything else by myself. I can stop these tears and get up. Get up. Get up.

I wipe the remaining liquid streaming down my face. Once my face is dry, I let go of my knees. I grip the floor, pushing against it until my knuckles turn white. My knees are parallel to the floor, all of my body weight pressing down on them.

A big swallow.

A large breath.

A foot comes in contact with the floor. I brace myself. I put all of my weight onto that foot as the other comes down with it. Both feet are now flat on the ground.

All I have to do, is push.

Pushpushpushpushpushpushpush.

I lean forward on my hands, using the little strength in my calves to push on the balls of my feet. Very slowly, I rise. Hands letting go of the ground, color gaining. I'm up to my knees, hands resting there. Why am I so breathless? My hands snake up my thighs, then gripping the countertop for support. And before I know it, I'm up. I'm standing straight and I did it by myself. I didn't need any help from anyone. For some people, it may be easy, but for me, I've been laying down and sitting for who knows how long. Even before this. My legs are weak, buckling.