It's Called Love

Chapter 37

Rachel POV

My eyes flicker on the cold ground below my tired body. My arms and legs are numb. I try and speak but nothing comes out. I don't remember anything after being shoved into the van. I check my surrounding to the best if my abilities. I see metal bars going from the floor to the ceiling. The ceiling isn't very high, just a little taller than me. The bars are rusted, with brown spot covering them. The room is a box, long enough for me to lay comfortably. Outside my small prison cell is complete darkness, other than the small lamp just outside the cage. I finally get enough feeling in my toes to wiggle them. I feel drowsy, and weak, as if I have been drugged. I push myself up with all the power in my arms but just fall limply back down to the floor, making a loud 'umph'. I try and be as quiet as possible, I don't know what is beyond the darkness. I try again to push myself up and succeed. I pull my knees up to sit on them. I feel like my body is filled with cement. My hair is messy and my skirt is ripped, probably from my struggle. I hear a door creak open from somewhere outside the cage. My entire body tenses up and I hug my tiny knees. I hear foot steps echoing in the darkness. My breath starts to stutter and I try and keep it silent. In the gloom of the light I see him. I used to think he was my friend, I was very wrong. He used to look young, with a big smile, but now he just seems tired. He has wrinkles around his eyes and he smells awful. I crawl to the back of the cage, trying to make the distance between us as much as possible. He crouches down to my eye level. "Good morning Rachel" I start shaking, and my eyes fill with tears. He looks at me as if he wants me to reply. "Good morning... Will" I mutter his name through clenched teeth. Saying his name makes me feel sick to my stomach. "Now we can be friends and your mommy and daddy won't bother you at all" He says it like he has done something that I wanted. It makes me even more scared. "Aren't you excited?" I stare into his dull eyes and nod my head, but only out of fear of what might happen if I don't. He stands up wiping invisible dust off his pants, "I'll go get you some breakfast" He walks away from the cage, getting swallowed into the darkness. I hug my knees tighter to my chest and and start to sob. I want my mom, I want my dad, more than I have ever wanted them. He quickly returns with a tray. There is a rose in a small vase, two pieces of toast, and an egg. He opens a small window in the cage, just enough for the tray to fit through. "Bon appetite" He says, putting his fingers towards his mouth and pretending to kiss them. He stares at me but I don't move from my corner. "Come on, it's breakfast" His expression is still happy. I slowly stand up and walk over to the tray. I hesitantly grab it from his hands and sit down setting it on my lap. He watches my every move. I reach down and grab a piece of toast and take a bite, feeling the crunch between my teeth. He laughs lightly as I swallow the toast. Oh God! What if he poisoned it? I force myself to swallow another bite as he still watches me. "How is it?" He asks, playing with his hands. I gulp, "delicious" I force a smile. "Good" He stands up again and walks out of the room. When I hear the mysterious door close I set the tray down and get as far away as possible, as if it will make any difference. I prepare myself for the worst, for the poison to slowly take over my body. I sit, unmoving, for at least 10 minutes without anything happening. I wiggle my fingers and toes, and they move fine. I stand up and walk around, I'm fine, completely fine. But I'm not fine, I'm in some sort of weird cage with a weird person coming in and out as he pleases. Surly my parents are looking for me by now. At the thought of my parents, the tears start to flow again. What if I never see them again? What if the last thing I will ever say to my dad was that stupid fight about that stupid stuffed animal? I shove my head into my knees and cry uncontrollably, not caring who hears. I roll over to my side on the cold floor as I feel my eye lids getting heavy, the last thing I want to do now is sleep but the feeling is so overpowering. My eye lids close and I am consumed by darkness, like the rest of the world around me.