CARTER

IV

LILLY

I don't know how long it has been. Two days? Three? I can't even tell because there's no sun where I am. My watch has stopped working, stuck at 9.

AM or PM?

But I think it's been two days, judging by the amount of food they give me. Once a day. A piece of dry bread. No water. I haven't had water in days. My lips are dry and my tongue feels like sand.
I hated my long hair so much at this moment because I couldn't tie it up properly. Had to pull out the strings of my scrub pants and use them as a way to pull all my hair up.
No visiting from the guy in the red mask or the guy named Romano. Just footsteps, and then a silver tray is sled down the corner of the cell and in front of me. I ate it the first time they gave me but I didn't eat it the second time. The dry bread made me parched.

I sit in the corner of the cell, fanning myself with my hand, falling in and out of sleep. My body went into stress that it couldn't get itself up. My other option was to drink from the little water puddles in the cement but I didn't want to take the chance of it making me sick.

"You haven't been eating, Lilly." My body perks up and my sleepy state is pushed back. I hear footsteps and then the lights outside the cell are turned on. Bright red that hurt my eyes but it didn't have any effect on him whatsoever. His skin appeared red but he wore a black or blue shirt with black or blue jeans. With a cold water bottle in his hand, he plays with it. Rolling the bottle between his hands or sometimes dropping it and catching it with his other hand. I wanted to cry then and there but I stay quiet and stayed firmly in my space. He crouched down and keeps the bottle beside him. Close enough that if I crawl to the iron bars and reach my arm out, I can take it and I can drink it. Just a sip. Or even a cold drop. Just a little bit.

He notices my gaze and trails it to the bottle "You want this, Lilly?" I swallow and ignore him. He takes the bottle, twists the cap open, puts his to the mouth of the bottle and I watch as he throws his head back and swallows. The column of the neck worked, pushing it down his esophagus.
He finishes half of the bottle and sighs with a hum. Cruel man. He stares at me, looking at my face and then down my body. I pull my feet together and wrap my arms around my knees.
He tilts his head and I watch his hand going behind him. What is he getting? A gun? A knife? A condom? Ropes? A lighter to burn me alive?
None of the above. Just another cold bottle of water. He keeps it inside the cell this time. Close enough that he could snatch it any time he wants.

"What are you waiting for? Go on." He urges. I shake my head and stay at my side. He smirks "You can have it, Lilly." I don't believe him. He nods "Okay. Do you want to earn this? Fine. Answer a question honestly and you can have it, alright?" I wait for him to ask the question and he does "What's your full name?" I answer meekly, barely having enough voice to say it "Lilly Hastings." He shakes his head "I said full name." I say again with a cracked voice "Lilly Jane Hastings." He approves and points to the bottle. I don't even walk, scared that getting to my feet will change it. I crawl on my knees to the bottle. Keeping my distance. Just close enough to reach my hand. He notices and pulls the bottle out "No. Closer." I take a step but he isn't satisfied "Closer, Lilly." I sniff and I close in.
My knees are almost pressing into the iron bars and that's what satisfies him. He gently puts the bottle onto the floor and I grab at it, twisting the cap open and throwing it back. Drinking the water down like a parched animal. My gaze on him as I finish the water. He smiles as he watches me, and says faintly "Brava ragazza (good girl)."