Unnecessary Words

Freedom

A light in my eyes startled me. I looked up to see silhouettes of what almost looked like my friends.

"Talia! Oh my gosh what did he do to you!?" a girl ran towards me followed by two males.

I shrunk into the wall. He had said that they weren't coming. They didn't care. What kind of cruel trick was this?

"Can you stand?"

Confused at the soft tone but still scared I whispered, "Yes sir" and stood up shakely.

The girl tilted her head but didn't say anything. One of the males came towards me and tried to pick me up.

"No!" I pushed him away. If I couldn't walk on my own then surely I would be punished. "I- I can do it."

I shoved myself off the wall and walked out the door.

"Talia where are you going?" The other male asked.

I turned, looking quizzically at him. Wasn't he one of Algeron Lackeys.

"I'm going to the Fun Room."

The girl looked like she was about to cry. "That psycho! Talia we're taking you home."

I gasped. No no no no! I didn't want Algeron to hurt them. I couldn't let them take me. He had warned me any attempt at escape would mean the Electricity. I couldn't let these nice people do that.

"No. leave. You have to leave me. I don't want him to hurt you. He'll know. He'll come for you and-"

I was cut off by a sharp pain in my neck. I stared at male number one in shock. I knew he was one of them.

"It's okay," The girl soothed. "He's taken care of. He can't hurt you anymore."

"That's not possible-"

I was cut off by blackness this time.

I woke up to something strange. I was on something soft. Something warm was covering me. I peeled my eyes open. There was light, actual light, streaming through the window.

A window?

I sat up. Where was I? This didn't look like the Fun Room.

I scooted to the edge of the soft square and stood up. I was more unstable then I'd thought. I grabbed the nearest thing, a cup of water. It flung off the nightstand due to my unsteady grip and crashed into the wall, shattering into a million pieces and spilling water all over, while I fell to the floor.

I was still trying to calm down my speeding heart when the door was pushed open softly and the girl stuck her head in.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yes Ma'am"

She frowned. "You don't have to address me like that." She opened the door fully and came in.

I flinched.

"Do you want me to help you clean that up?" She didn't address my jumpiness.

"No! I can do it." I crawled over to the glass and began picking up the shards, barely noticing the cuts it gave me.

The girl sighed. "Don't pick it up with your bare hands." She grabbed a jacket from a hook on the door and held it under my hands. I dropped the glass in the divot she had created with her hands and went to pick up more but she stopped me.

"Wait here." She left the room and I sat back. It was so weird to be talked to in such soft tones. To not be shouted at. To not be hurt with every interaction.

The girl came back in with a towel and hose. She flipped a switch and a loud noise turned on. I whimpered and backed up. It sounded like the cold thing. She didn't seem to notice my fear so I tried to calm myself down while she sucked up the glass.

When the glass was all gone she flipped the switch again and set the hose down. She then set the towel on the wet carpet and soaked up the water.

She then stood up, picked up the hose and said, "Breakfast is on the table. Come on."

"Yes Ma'am. I stood up and followed her into a brightly lit room. I squinted and looked around. It looked comfy. The two males were sitting at the table already eating. They both looked up at my arrival.

"Talia! You're up!" The one on the right said excitedly. I felt like I recognised him. The sandy brown hair and blue eyes looked so familiar and so... safe.

"Eli!" I gasped. That could only mean one thing. I turned to the other male. "Blyke!" I spun around to the girl. "Olivia! Is it really...?"

I trailed off. This was too good to be true. It had to be a hoax.

My thoughts were interrupted by a crushing hug.

I stiffened.

It felt so good to be touched and not hurt. It was strange. I felt a pain I didn't know existed stop. It felt so good.

The person hugging me, Eli, laughed. "It's okay to hug me back."

Slowly and cautiously I wrapped my arms around his torso. He was warm. I didn't want to let go. He tried pulling away and I immediately let go, thinking I had done something wrong. I started to apologize when he touched my face. I emitted a small whine and leaned back a little. He frowned and withdrew his hand. I quickly wiped my face with the oversized shirt I was wearing and realized I had been crying.

"It's okay to cry." Eli's soft words made me look up at him, but not in the eyes. Never the eyes.

I was wrapped again in his strong arms and I broke down. I never thought I would be able to feel this safe again. I gripped his shirt as my legs gave out. Ugly sobs escaped my lips and hot tears soaked into his shirt.

I felt myself being lifted and carried somewhere else. I peaked up, still crying, and saw Eli had taken me into another room, away from Olivia and Blyke.

Good. I felt safer with him. Away from the worried stares.

I let myself cry until my throat stung and my eyes burned. I let the darkness come freely this time.

CHAPTER __

Blyke was bent over a map. He was stressed. I could tell.

"Why are they so good!?" He yelled and slammed his hands on the table. I jumped and stared at my hands.

He pushed away from the table and went to grab a drink. I stood up to grab one. I should get water too, right?

"My gosh would you slop following me around like a flipping dog!?" He yelled.

I was no longer in the kitchen. I was back underground in that awful place. Algeron glared at me. I knew what was coming. I stumbled back, dropping my cup, running into a wall and falling down.

"I'm sorry!" I stumbled over my words. "I'm so sorry, sir... please, I'm so sorry... please, please don't punish me... I swear I'll be good! I swear! please , just please, sir. Don't hurt me!"

Algeron looked startled and came slowly towards me. I pressed myself into the corner and covered my face. I didn't want to be hurt. I didn't want to go back!

"Talia I'm so sorry." He grabbed my wrist and I flinched.

Someone burst into the room and shouted at Algeron who was jerked away from me. I peeked through my hands to see I wasn't in the dungeon. I was in the kitchen. It was Eli shoving Blyke against a wall.

"He didn't do anything." I whimpered softly.

Eli's head whipped toward me at the sound of my voice. He let Blyke go and came carefully towards me like I was a scared puppy. I reached towards him and he picked me up. He was the only person I felt truly safe with.