Captured and Caged

Chapter 9

"Anyways how are you? I've been really worried about you since the escape?" I said motioning for Anna to sit on my bed.

She great fully takes the offer and begins talking. "Well no different from any other day, I've been doing my chores which keeps my mind off things, and I pout around in my room while talking to Macey constantly about my life. I'm sure by now my poor bird hates me. She just seems like she listens, that's why I always keep talking." Anna finishes frowning.

"Girl, I know exactly how you feel! I'm the same way with Tayler. She tweets back like she's responding and everything, she even gets all excited when I talk about taking her with me when I escape and letting her have more space to be free." I say smiling. Anna stares blankly for a second and then says something that definitely takes me by surprise.

"Can I have a hug ?" Anna says. "I don't know the last time I had any physical contact with someone that wasn't hitting me."

I stare at her in disbelief for a few seconds spacing off.

"Okay, never mind forget I asked."

"No, it's okay Anna. You can have a hug, I was just surprised, you don't have to ask. We are probably going to be living together for awhile, who knows when we're going to get out of here. You can have all the free hugs you'd like." I finish embracing her in a hug. It takes her a second but she did hug back, really tight! I practically can't breathe but I'm not going to complain. I feel like she is looking up to me like a mom. I feel all the responsibility in the world for her and I am going to be her protection if its the last thing I do in this hell house.

"Okay, Anna lets go in the bathroom. I have to finish cleaning up my mess, we only have about an hour until we have to go down for breakfast."

Anna follows me into the bathroom and I begin rinsing the bath tub and wiping the floor clean of the water I dripped onto it. I begin picking up the counter and wiping down the mirror and then I hear a noise.

My door is opening.

"Who do you think it is?" Anna whispered to me.

"I don't know? I doubt its Scar."

"Hopefully it's not Crow, he will flip if he finds out I'm in here!"

"Anna calm down, maybe it is just Scarlett!" I say in a very hushed voice.

The person walks more into the room, and judging by the foot steps they are going towards my bed.

"Lori? Where are you?" Crow says in a very worried voice. My eyes widen, and instantly my protective side flips on.

"Anna get in the shower and close the curtain and DO NOT make a noise or get out until I come and get you. No madder what happens. Okay?" I begin pushing her into the shower as she nods her head.

"Lori, where are you?" Crow says again, he's starting to sound mad.

"Um, I'm in here!" I shout trying to even out my voice.

"Well come out here Lori! I have to give you something!"

"Uh, I'm coming!" I turn off the bathroom lights and shut the door, walking out to face crow with my poker face on. "What do you have for me?"

"Here. It's your morning letter, I misplaced it last night and didn't have the chance to bring it in like I did for the other girls." He handed me the letter and smiled. "See you in a few downstairs."

I let out a sigh of relief as he left and make my way too the bathroom to get Anna.

"The coast is clear!" I say turning on the lights and opening the curtain.

"Thank god!" Anna says breathing heavily and making her way out of the shower. " I better get going to finish getting dressed. I'll meet you at the top of the stairs so we can walk down to breakfast together okay?" She says giving me a hug and leaving.

That was a close call. If Crow finds out I hid her he will probably ban me from eating for a week. I let go of the thought and walk over to my shoe area and slipped on a pair of house shoes and begin making my way to the stairs. We have about 8 minutes before we have to be present at the table.

"Hey ladies!" I say to the girls. "Ready to go dine with the devil?"

"Yeah." Anna said plainly.

I look at her suspiciously and she looks back.

"About as ready as I was the day he took me." She finishes after that long pause.

Me, her, and silent Scarlett walk down the stairs and into the dining room. We all sit at our chairs and a few seconds later Crow joins us.

"Hi Birdies! A lovely morning isn't it?" Crow says smiling excitedly.

"Yes." We reply in unison.

"So birdies I have to tell you, you guys won't receive any food today due to your on going punishment. Also I want to tell you new rules, and I have a surprise for you all."

How could he keep punishing us like this we're all starving! We are all exaughsted and have no energy to do the chores he expects us to do, this is torture and it's ridiculous!!

"Birdies , from now on I want you guys to make regular conversations with me just like any normal family would do. Ask how my night was, what I am going to do for the day. Simple stuff okay?"

Me and Scarlett nod and Anna says okay. Honestly though none of us wants to make conversation with him. We hate him.

"Your surprise is that there will be a new addition to this family. I found a female gardener who is quite young and her and I have began dating. I won't be around the house while I visit her so you guys will be locked in your rooms. I am going to try to get her to move in here and make us a huge beautiful garden in the back yard. That way you guys have something to do durning the days and you birdies can be around what you love, flowers." Crow finishes smiling, clearly proud of his idea. It honestly doesn't sound that bad. Maybe we can get this young girl to help us escape. Then we can go back to our homes. Plus, being able to walk around in a garden and actually enjoy something here would be nice.

"Well that would be very nice Crow." I say putting on a fake smile.

"You think so?"

"Yes I do, I would love to be able to go outside and be in a garden."

"Good, I will get right on that. You guys are dismissed." Crow says waving his hand motioning us away.

Hopefully with this new girl coming here we will be able to have more of a chance of escaping. I guess we will find out in time.

***