Held [Completed]

One.

One.

I was alone; locked in this basement for days, weeks, and maybe even months. I'm so used to loneliness now that the very thought of being around people scares the hell out of me. I guess that's why he is in one corner of the dimly lit asylum while I'm in the other.

He coughs suddenly, making me jump. With a frustrated sigh, I lean the back of my head against the wall then close my eyes to calm down.

Ever since the brown eyed man took me I haven't been able to adjust to sudden noises. No matter how minimal they are. From a small cough to the door abruptly opening, I jump at everything.

Anyway, I- we were alone but it sure felt like I was alone because he hasn't spoken yet. He hasn't said one word. Even when I tried to make conversation with him yesterday he never responded. Instead he just stared aimlessly at the wall with his back to me. Never allowing his appearance to show and never allowing his voice to bounce off the gloomy brick walls. With his shoulders hunched he starts to softly bang his head on the wall. This action makes me think he's isn't fairing well with the first week. I can't blame him though, my first day here I couldn't stop crying.

My eyes open and a wave of air infiltrates my constricted lungs, forcing a loud gasp to pierce the silence. For a second I mistake the darkness of this place for my shadowy room at home. Giving my eyes a minute to adjust I notice the wood boards where the ceiling is supposed to be.

Sitting up, all I can see are walls. Four brick walls shrouded in still darkness. The unpleasant stench of mold and mildew fills my nostrils with such vehemence that I have to cover my nose. My butt starts aching and I don't know why. Feeling around, I realize that it is because I'm sitting on an old, dirty, full sized mattress. I try to squint to see more but it's too dark so I use my other senses. Placing my hands on the cold floor I scan the room to feel my surroundings.

After a few seconds of listening to eerie quiet and gliding my hands across the cold hard floor and brick walls I can now make an accurate guess. From the musty smell, the leaky sink a few feet to my left, and the lack of light and air, I conclude that I'm in a basement. And judging by how wet the mattress is I'm going to assume that it's drenched in my sweat. Gross. I move off the mattress to sit on the cold cemented floor.

A relieved sigh parts from my lips. That feels refreshing against my hot, clammy skin. You would think that my pajama shorts and tee shirt would help keep me cool but that isn't the case.

I blink a few more times while wiping my forehead with the back of my small hand. Beads of sweat slide down my entire body like an endless stream, mostly tickling my face. It's really hot and stuffy down here. Like boiler room hot. I should be used to this because I live in Florida but I've never sweltered this much. Sweltering...come to think of it, the first day of summer break is today so wherever I am must be near home. Home.

Noticing the stairs a few feet away from me, I quickly get up to run to them but I'm stopped short by something around my right ankle. Falling to the hard cement, my entire body feels like I've been running a marathon. I'm sweaty, out of breath and my chest hurts. How can I feel like this if I just woke up? Was I sedated? And where are my parents? Last time I saw them they were...oh no. He killed them, the burglar murdered my parents in cold blood. My body trembles vigorously. I have to get out of here. I have to get free before he kills me too. I lunge toward the stairs again only to fall flat on my face. I release a low grunt before slowly getting back up.

Glancing behind me, my eyes focus on what is actually holding me back. Once again, my fears are confirmed when I see the rusted cuff link still in place, locked securely around my ankle. Shifting my eyes from the cuff around my ankle to the brick wall, I see the chain is connected to it. Squinting harder, I can see the small hole in the wall with the chain sticking out. The chain is about the size of two arms length. Each piece working against me. Trapping me here.