The Numbered

Chapter Fifty-four

Hannah sat on the barely-there mattress upon the rusting wire-framed bed. Her knees were tucked up under her chin as she hugged herself tight. An itchy, grey blanket lay draped over her shoulders doing little to keep out the cold. The windowless room was a small cell of bare concrete walls and flooring. Her bed was positioned directly in front of the door; a thick metal one, with hidden hinges and no visible way of opening from the inside. The air smelt heavy with oil and metal, leading her to believe they were being kept in a disused factory. She had no idea where she actually was owing to the blindfolds they'd made her and Tucker wear, when they were dragged to a van and subjected to a short but uncomfortable journey.

Tucker now lay asleep on the other bed, the only other piece of furniture in the room, well except for a small pot in the corner. Tucker had made use of that within the first few minutes of their imprisonment and his words, "when you've gotta go, you've gotta go", seemed to taunt her and her full bladder. She looked over the pot again, for what felt like the hundredth time and couldn't deny the burning urge any longer. Gingerly, she crept off the bed and tiptoed over to it. With one last check that Tucker was still asleep and with her face burning with shame, she relieved herself.

Deed over and clothing quickly replaced, she returned to the bed, picking up the blanket and sat back down.

"Thank goodness for that!" Tucker said, rather too enthusiastically.

"What?" Hannah jumped up and looked over to see Tucker turning over and smirking at her.

"Have you any idea how long I've laid here waiting for you to do that. Bloody ages! "

Hannah launched herself at Tucker, giving him a big shove and shouting, "You pig!"

"Shh, Hannah, they said not to make a sound." Hannah clasped her hand to her mouth. "And stop being all angry pants with me; I didn't lock you away in this room. I just knew you wouldn't be able to go if you thought I was awake, so I pretended. How the hell did you hang on so long? Tucker asked, trying not to laugh.

A small smile cracked on her face, the first one that day.

"I'm due a number two anytime soon, so if you could just return the courtesy and pretend to be asleep, that would be just lovely."

"Don't even think about it!" She warned.

Tucker grinned and shrugged his shoulders, tipping his head to one side.

"Doesn't anything ever bother you?" She asked, as she sat back down, drawing the blanket up around her legs.

"Of course it does, but what good does it do either of us if we just sit here and moan. It sure as hell not gonna ..."

Tucker fell quiet. The moment of levity has passed and as they sat in a tense silence, Hannah shivered and rubbed her hands together to warm them up.

"Come here," Tucker instructed, patting at the mattress.

Hannah sighed heavily and got up and joined him on the bed. Now under two blankets, they cuddled up together. Grateful for the warmth and companionship, Hannah rested her head on Tucker's shoulder and thought about the events of the past day. The memory of seeing Shane's father for the first time and the hatred he had in his eyes for her, shocked her to the core. She wished he'd spoken to her, shouted at her even, but he just stared and said nothing. He continued to say nothing as they dragged her and Tucker through the row of houses and shoved them into the van. Not even as he dragged her kicking and screaming up two flights of steps into this room, did he actually say anything. Melody however was vocal enough for the both of them. Amelia didn't come with them in the van, but apparently followed behind in another vehicle. Hannah rubbed at her wrists, where she had been bound; the skin was chafed quite badly on her left wrist. She was grateful the bindings had been removed when they were brought to the room.