Charlie's Web

Charlie

*WARNING: this chapter is gross lol*

A deep, gravelly cry reverberated through the claustrophobic room. Room was admittedly a very loose term in this context. It was a dark, dank concrete space with a few rats and cockroaches that made quite unpleasant roommates. At the very least, it was a blessing that they were giving me some form of company. We were all a strange, fucked up little family down here. Although, I was pretty sure they just hung around to eat the delicious saltine crumbs I had dropped while devouring an entire box in one sitting. Or maybe they were eating my shit? I didn't care much at this point.

Speaking of shit, the smell emanating from that corner was intensifying with each second that passed. Maybe the smell wasn't just from that, though. I hadn't showered or wiped in who knows how long. There was simply no way to keep track of time down here. There was no light. No noise. No breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Just good ol' saltine crackers, and I think I had managed to save three jugs of water out of the six he had so graciously given me.

When I wasn't trying to force down water and food or using the aforementioned corner, I was lost in my thoughts.  I was haunted by memories and people that had not yet passed on. Maybe I was the one who had. For all Ben or Caroline knew, I was dead in a ditch. I'd thought a lot about Vivian. Would she even care if I was found dead in a ditch? That was a question I truly could not answer. There was also a possibility my mental state couldn't handle the obvious truth of the matter. I never thought I'd say it, but I missed my old life so fucking desperately it hurt my soul. Every breath my body took in was filled with the same air that had been stuck down here with me since the beginning.

I was a thousand percent certain that at least half of the oxygen was polluted with particles of my feces that had floated around and become one with the stale air. The souring scent of my piss wasn't much better. Was this what it was like to live as a caveman? Just constantly stuck living in your filth? Your only friends are some fucking thieving rats that are trying to steal the last of your food? I guess I took a lot for granted in my old life, like being able to bathe when I wanted to or the simple joy of smoking a cigarette at the park.

There were many times when Jake had come to the house. He'd be there at all hours of the day, even when Vivian wasn't home. And when she wasn't home, his hands seemed to wander, although he'd always snap out of it as soon as she arrived. Funny how that works, right? Well, I think rebuffing some asshole junkie's advances would feel like heaven compared to this. Whatever this even was.

I felt like I should do one of those "a day in the life" videos that rich people often filmed for their obsessive fans.

"Waking up early is essential for everyone's morning routine! That's why I wake up every few hours to scream and cry from my constant nightmares!"

"Nutrition is sooo important, you guys! Make sure you're eating all of the rations that your captor gave you when he threw you into a cellar and left you for dead! What a sweet guy he is, he barely gave me enough food to live on, so now it's super easy to watch my figure. Those pesky extra pounds are just falling right off!"

"And don't forget self-care. After squatting like a wild animal to take a piss, pamper yourself by squeezing in some quality time with your best buds. Henry the rat is such a good listener; I feel like I can talk with him for hours. Having friends you trust is the ultimate key to a happy life. Hope these tips help!"

Okay, so I might be going insane. Or, at the very least, in need of severe psychiatric treatment. Though I'm sure most people would in this scenario. Sometimes, I'd fantasize for hours that Ben would bust through those metal doors, freeing me from this prison. And Ricky would get three life sentences to be served consecutively. He would rot in prison or on death row. Maybe someone who knew what he did would shank him a few times in the shower or whatever it is they do in there.