One That Got Away

15

"You're cold," the voice said.

Charlie gasped as her foot hit something and it skidded across the rough floor. It sounded like a glass bottle or vase...but there's no reason for that to randomly be on the floor. Maybe it had fallen from something? Slowly, she waved her arms around her, hoping a surface was near. Her left hand finally hit something, but it was nothing like she had hoped.

"Ouch!" she cried as the tip of something sharp pierced her tender palm. She pulled back and applied pressure. "What did you do? Set traps in here?"

"Oh, yes," he said, delighted.

"So, when I'm cold I'm in danger?"

"I knew you were a smart girl," the voice hissed.

Charlie took a few careful steps forward. "I'm still cold?"

"Ice cold," he sounded like a bubble filled with excitement and ready to burst.

Charlie didn't like it and she didn't like this game. She backed up into her previous position, turned to the right.

"Getting warmer."

Her hands roamed the void before each step she took. Reach, step, feel, step, wave, step-

"Cold!" he said as she was in the middle of a step.

It was too late. Her leg went forward and an icy blade bit into her calf, right above her ankle. She could already feel blood run down to her sock. The cut stung and throbbed.

The voice in the speaker howled with excitement.

"You did that on purpose, you jerk!" she said angrily.

"I was getting bored," he teased.

Bored. She was his entertainment, she realized. His toy. How pathetic. She wondered what kind of childhood this guy must have had to grow up and treat people this way, but she said nothing. She chose to ignore him, because she was bleeding pretty bad from the cut and that took first priority. She doubted very much that there would be a first aid kit laying around anywhere, so she ripped a strip of cloth from the bottom of her shirt and wrapped it tight around her leg.

"You're wasting time," the speaker growled. A sharp scream came through.

"Stop! Stop it!" Charlie shouted. "I'm going." She took a step forward. Then a few more.

"You're getting warmer."

Charlie's heart leapt, knowing she was a little closer to getting out of this room. It started her thinking...What happened after the game? Would he let her and Shay go? Probably not. He had committed numerous crimes already. He'd have to be an idiot to let them go. She could tell his sense of fun and morality was distorted, but he didn't seem like an idiot.

She kept her arms ahead and walked straight.

I'll have to fight him, she thought. Surely that's what it would come down to. Kill or be killed. Could she really be so savage?

"You're getting cold."

Charlie stopped, took a few steps back, then turned to the left.

"Cold," the voice said just as Charlie's knee hit something.

Her knee throbbed. It would only be a bruise, however. She ignored it and turned around. She thought of Shay. That's what kept her going in this blinding room. The darkness felt hollow around her, and there may or may not be creatures in there, but there was three things she was sure of. She was sure there was a monster in another room. She was sure it was hurting Shay. And she was sure it was watching her now.

There had to be cameras. If she could find them and bust them, it would ruin his fun. He'd have to come down and face her-

"You're hot," he said.

Charlie smiled, not because she was close, but because she was glad he couldn't read her mind.

"You're on fire!"

She stopped. On fire. She must be right on top of it. She waved her arms around and even bent down to run her hands along the floor. Nothing. Her brows knitted together. Her chest heaved. The thought occurred to her that maybe he had just been leading her to this point for something terrible. An animal? Maybe something vicious like a bear or lion could be chained up here. Maybe something would fall from the ceiling and-

The ceiling! Charlie's hand shot upward into the dark and wrapped around something cold hanging from a string. She pulled and it broke away.

The lights flashed on and Charlie's eyes adjusted. She gasped. There were metal spikes of various sizes everywhere. Old blood was on the floor. Drops, stains the size of puddles, and even some drag marks. Nearby, a spike was still coated with maroon gunk. Little coats of flesh.

Her body shook.

How many people has he had in here?

"Aren't you going to admire your prize?" he asked.

Shivering with fear, she opened her hand and peered down into it. Her eyes grew wide. She couldn't believe what she was holding. It shook right out of her hand and clattered to the floor. In an all out panic, she fought for breath.

The voice was laughing gleefully. "I knew you'd get it. You're such a smart girl. Now you know how serious this is."

Charlie couldn't speak. She just kept looking at the 'prize'. She'd seen it before. Long ago. It was very distinctive. The color, the design. She would know it anywhere, because she saw it on the scariest day of her life. It had given her the scar on her cheek.