Evangeline Herrlich's Diary || A Small Series

5/12/92

19:32, Saturday

5th December 1992

"Uncle.. Uncle please let me out of here, I said I wouldn't do anything bad."

I sobbed, the edges of my nails piercing and dragging down the strongly barred wooden door of his wardrobe. The shavings fell down on my trousers, and I stopped for a brief second to wipe them off. I managed to wipe them off, but the dust seemed comfortable seeping through the thin fabric of my clothes. It was itchy. It felt prickly. It was aggravating.

But, a voice called out from in front of the door.

"Edge, come to the keyhole."

It was uncle. Was he here to let me out? No, he couldn't have, he would never let me out until the third day. But, in order not to have needed to gain an extra day, I stumbled up on my feet — clutching my kitty doll in my left hand.

I peered through the keyhole, and was met with my uncle's face standing not too far back. He was, however, grinning. His grey eyes seemed darker than usual, the lights and sparks he had in his eyes dissipated.

No sign of anything good.

Uncle saw me waiting, staring up at him through the keyhole. He let out a breathy chuckle before kneeling down in front of my only 'considered-to-be window'.

"Edge, my wonderful.. amazing niece. You know I always let you leave the lab whenever, and especially on the weekends. And— considering it's saturday, you have more than twenty four more hours to stay away from there.. correct?"

Where could he have been heading with this? I nodded slowly and clearly, making sure I didn't show him any sign of me acting out of line, or alarmed.

"However. It seems our 'break' timetables have clashed. Do you realise why? Think about it hard for me."

I could feel strings around my stomach beginning to loosen, I was expecting something which would have indeed cut those strings.

"I don't know.. uncle."

The grin on his face seemed to have widened, taking the barricades off the outside of the door.

"It's spirit evening."

I knew it.

Crows cawed from the window, the rays of the sun being crammed down as the moon forces its entrance into the evening— and the wooden doors were slammed open.

I could feel his cold, grimy hands grab my shoulder and drag me out the wardrobe. My legs went limp as soon as I was able to even stretch out. Being cramped up within a small, compact wooden box meant for storing clothing and not humans, isn't exactly ideal for people who love to stretch.

"We've got a brand new group of scientists here to partake this time. Edge isn't that wonderful?"

Was anyone going to answer? I certainly wasn't going to answer him, me talking only fuels his sick head.

Then, soon we reached the downstairs door. Which of course, was a secret entrance to his lab. He slipped out a key from his coat pocket, ramming it into the keyhole— shifting it from one side to the other. It seemed like he struggled to get it open with one hand on the key, and the other gripping my shoulder.

So Uncle put the key in between his teeth, biting down tightly as not to drop it, leaving his other hand free. And without a single ounce of hesitation, he grabbed me and threw me over his shoulders harshly. I couldn't see it happen, as I was facing the other way but with his two hands firm and steady, he'd unlocked the door nice and easily.