Untamed

86 (Bonus chapter)

It was pitch black but she'd learnt to adjust her eyes and also steal a few candles when Bruno wasn't watching.

She winced when she brushed her fingers over her cheek, it stung but if she left it for a few days, it got better.

Removing a candle and a box of matchsticks from a tiny crack in the wall, she counted the matchsticks making sure she had enough to last her till when Bruno returned from wherever.

Her biggest fear growing up was when Bruno had to go on length trips, sometimes he'd be gone for months. The most he'd been gone was eight months. She'd cried her eyes raw banging her hands on the door till they were bloody screaming for someone to help her.

Nobody came and she made do with nothing but water and spoilt food till he came back, he'd beat her till she passed out for staining the door with her blood but that night he tossed a plate of food past the door and she happily ate it from the floor.

She lit a matchstick watching the lovely glow illuminate her room before lighting the candle, she allowed the matchstick burn out hissing when it burnt her fingers.

The candle was only going to last a few hours so she quickly picked up a book she hasn't finished.

Bruno always received a visitor every three months, she knew when he was around because Bruno dropped off new clothes for her and several boxes of books.

She was given strange things like chocolates or strange gifts; the chocolates tasted great and she stashed them on most days but most of the gifts were complex like the rubic cube she received the last time.

The books were strictly educational, save for one or two that had big graphic images that she memorized in her spare time, they were more distracting especially the one about the animals so she always looked at them last.

Right now she was reading a book titled 'Justifying the law'. All the books were based on different branches of law, she'd read so much she could quote some sections like the back of her hand.

Bruno always told her to focus every time he drop off a new box. 'This knowledge is the only thing that can get you out of this hellhole, read as much as you can until he needs you.' Those were his words.

She assumed the 'he' was the man who always came visiting every three months. Leaving this place she'd called home all her life was her life long dream, so she read every book till they were worn from use.

Bruno told her she'd get a name when she got out so till then he'd call her bitch, she knew the meaning but Bruno had a heavy fist and wasn't afraid to use it.

She often went to sleep wondering what her name would be, nothing came to mind, none of the books contained anything relating to names. Falcon sounded nice but it'd be silly to be named after a bird.

The candle burned slowly, she'd store the wax when it burnt out for when it was cold. During winter, Bruno brought in a bit of snow for her to see and touch and no matter how many times she'd seen it, she was still fascinated. After he left, she'd huddle under her short blanket wearing all her good clothes, burn the wax and pour them on her feet or hands; that was the most effective way to help with the unbearable cold.

Two hours later she closed the book, yawning and stretching her taut muscles. Another box of books would probably arrive when Bruno got back,  that would keep her busy and if she was lucky, they'd be no more rubic cubes.

Bruno's loud footsteps distracted her, he was dragging something across the floorboard, a bag perhaps but it sounded like a big one.

He'd never needed to be gone a long time in recent times and subconsciously she hoped he came back quickly. There had been infrequent thoughts about her spending the rest of her life in a box or dying when he was off somewhere, none of those thoughts ever frightened her- they sounded like silly dreams and she didn't know any life other than the one she'd lived inside her black box.