I used to get headaches so bad, I’d see things that didn’t exist. Images of people and places I’d never seen or been to. This one wasn’t that bad. It was more annoying than anything else. Much like what I assumed a hangover would feel like.
Thankfully, the spring in my old bed wasn’t poking me in the back. It was soft. There wasn’t a single hard spot in my lumpy mattress. I was actually kind of comfortable, wrapped up in my warm blanket. Oddly comfortable?
Sighing, I let my hand slip from my temples and fall back on the bed. Snuggling into the silky fabric under my head caused my brows to furrow.
My pillow wasn’t this thick. The only thing it supported was neck strain. And where was the stink of Ralph’s cigarettes? Every morning that foul stench permeated my nostrils. My room shouldn’t smell this…clean?
I kept my space tidy and tried to chase away the stink, but all the air fresheners in the world couldn’t get rid of Ralph’s scent. Hatred, combined with tobacco and beer. Not rich spices and earthy tones. I shifted and froze. Every muscle in my body seized as my legs brushed against the blanket.
My bare legs!
With Ralph in the house, it was safer to wear big flannel PJ’s, or a comfortable pair of jeans to bed. So, where were my pants?
The events in the alley came flooding back all at once. Headlights blinding me. Chester’s soft fur trickling along my fingers. The leaking tap dripping in the background... and eyes. An intense ice-blue glare and large hand held tightly over my mouth.
‘Come, Pet, your cage awaits.’
Oh, my God!
I could barely breathe past the loud pounding in my chest. All I could think about were those true crime shows. Women beaten, mutilated, and worse. Each grisly image wore my face. Taunting me with the words I’d thought so many times.Nothing like that will ever happen to me.
My first instinct was to tuck myself away from the dread seeping into my bones and hide in a hole of darkness. I felt exposed. As if eyes were all over me. Crawling across my body, watching the movements I made. Fingers twitching in nervousness, along with my shuddering chest.
It took every ounce of strength I had to calm the shivers shaking my form and remain still. As long as no one saw me move, they’d think I was asleep and maybe leave me alone.
Right, cause that worked so well with Ralph.
The bareness of my legs caused bile to burn in my throat. Did he touch me? I felt intact. Then again, I didn’t have much experience to go on. None, actually. I imagined something would feel different. Sore, with a sense of violation.
Angie said a girl’s first time hurt. Plus, I did still have clothes on. Not much, but I could still feel the comforting touch of my underwear and t-shirt. At least, I hoped they were mine.
I could worry about that later, after I took a look around. Before I could think of escape, I had to know where I was. Except, I couldn’t open my eyes. I was too scared. Like if I saw the monster, he’d be real. Was he out there watching me? I didn’t want to find out.
Come on Kya, you can do this.
Slowly, I blinked my eyes open, allowing fear to etch its icy tendrils through my veins. The first thing I saw was the rich red fabric of a canopy hanging overhead. It shimmered in the dim light like a sea of blood, making me want to sink back into my‘everything will be okay’illusion.
In there, I could pretend the man who took me had one nice suit that he hung in his hole of an apartment. Knowing he had money significantly dropped my odds of survival. No one cared about the poor girl when the rich guy was paying them off.
I stared up at the canopy, wondering if my mother had finally gotten rid of me? I took up about as much room on this bed as an ant would on the sidewalk. He could afford to buy a person. What was I worth? Did he get a discount because of how much of a screw up I was?
Mom wouldn’t sell me. I had to believe that. Otherwise, why bother fighting? Sucking my tears back, I forced myself to sit up and take a look around.
Panels of the same red cloth flowed down from the top of the bed, surrounding me with their tattered edges. Watching them sway around was stealing my air. They weren’t enough to obstruct my view, but enough that I could feel the world collapsing in around me.
Each breath I took pulled that claustrophobic feeling in, making my chest tight, until I couldn’t stand it anymore and slowly slid closer to the edge of the mattress. I didn’t know what was waiting for me out there. I just knew I had to get off this bed.
Once my feet landed on the plush cream carpet, my lungs kicked back into action. Greedily I sucked in a loud breath, before I realized the noise I was making.
I quickly clamped my lips shut and slapped my hand over my mouth. My body trembled between two panels of red cloth, as my wide eyes scanned the area.
Did anyone hear me? Was he out there? I couldn’t be sure. The vast space was lit up by one lonely lamp beside the bed. My heart jumped every time a shadow shifted, but I didn’t hear anything.
No ominous breathing, or quickened footsteps. Mind you, I couldn’t really hear much over my own pulse. Which only pounded harder the longer I stood there, waiting for something to jump out and grab me.
Somethingwas exactly what I pictured. A hideous black creature with red eyes, and sharp fangs, waiting in the dark. Not the handsome man with chiselled features I knew had taken me.
His charming smile fooled Flo. She talked about the elegant stranger for days. But that black beast was exactly what I saw when I looked in his eyes. Once again I scanned the area, searching for danger.
