The Cellar (snippet)

The cellar

"I'm going to help you Jane. Don't you want me to help you?" His eyes bore into my petrified ones the horrible memories of my last bath rushing back to me. "I won't hurt you Jane. Don't you trust me Jane?" He whispered. That's what got me into this mess, Trust.

My lower body was already submerged in the water without me fully realizing it. I slumped forward biting my lip to hold in the cries of agony that would escape, the searing pain in my back made me wince. I had just re-opened the wounds that were now tainting the clean water a familiar red colour. His hand rested on my shoulder pushing me down slightly sending me into a state of panic. I gripped onto the side of the bath not wanting to be plunged under the waters surface again, having to thrash around and struggle in search of air like before. I relaxed when a cup of water soaked my hair gently his hands began massaging my head removing the grease and dirt that had built up over the past two weeks.

"I'm sorry for hurting you earlier on Jane," I was use to his meaningless apologies. He always muttered words of his sorries after hurting me, they were always followed up with an excuse.

"I was so angry, they're still looking for you, still talking about taking you away from me-" his hand tightened forming a fist around my wet tendrils of raven coloured hair. "Your mother lit a candle for you today" he told me rinsing out the suds.

He lifted me out of the now murky water wrapping me up in a clean towel. He took me into the bedroom before gently resting me on the bed. Drying my back softly he dressed it with bandages before helping me into cotton pajamas that would surely keep me warm in the stone cellar.

"You know I'm protecting you by keeping you safe down here Jane, but if you want stay in here and not the other room you've to obey me." He warned. I stared into his crazed eyes and felt pity? After all this man done to me I pitted him! He truly believed he was protecting me from the outside world. You could hear it in his voice. He always rambled on like this after his apologies. I think he was trying to convince not only me but himself that he done the right thing by taking me.

"Your going back just until I'm done for the day, okay?" He spoke condescendingly as if I was a child, slowly I nodded. He lifted me up once again I was too weak to walk the few meters to the room I was kept in.

The light glowed behind him radiating off his golden curls forming a halo around his head. A bitter taste formed in my mouth . He was far from an angel, a devil preaching god's love to oblivious town folk. How the authorities hadn't suspected him I don't know. He was the last person to have seen me and my mother knew that. In the first week of my disappearance he had received a broken nose and a severely swollen eye. It wouldn't have gone unnoticed since when a tragedy no matter how big or small happens everyone visited him at work seeking answers.

Slowly he set me down on the cold damp floor not cuffing me this time. "I'll be back as quick as possible. I promise and we can spend time together." He promised. I had to refrain from letting the disgust seep through as he left a chaste kiss on my forehead rushing out of the room. The deafening sound of the lock ringing in my ears.

I sighed hating who I was, who I have become. I was a mere shell of myself. I had lost all of my fighting spirit. For the first nine months I had fought! I kicked, punched, bit, had even stabbed him. But in the end he broke my spirit.

Kindness that's what got me into this mess. He fell in love with my kind soul. But I feel as if I had no soul anymore, I was just empty. This was my grave, I'm certain I'll die here. Maybe by a natural cause but deep down I know he'll take my last breath away.

So many dead bodies came through this place. A gathering for loved one's to say their thank you's and good bye's. But the difference between the dead and I is that they leave to be put to rest. While I sat here waiting for him to snap, to push my body past it's limits, until it finally shuts down and its game over.

The bells began to chime a sound I once thought to be soothing but now it taunted me. They rang so people would gather inside the old building to hear a passage from the bible, while I was a few feet under them. I prayed to God often, I was in the house of god after all but not once had he answered my prayers.

The bells stopped and the silence was interrupted by the familiar sound of the creaky stairs. The footsteps that I could hear weren't as heavy as they normally were. The whine from the metal door had me pushing myself further in the hard wall.

The door opened and I gasped. The light downcasted onto the small dainty figure standing in front of me. The light shined brightly off her golden ringlets, maybe god has finally answered my prayers and sent me an angel. Taking a few step closer I could clearly see the little girl dressed in a white frilly dress. Her big blue eyes that were identical to mine swelled with tears.

"Janie?" She sobbed rushing towards me. She cried into my shoulder clinging to me afraid I'd vanish.

"Lucy, go get ma!" I croaked as tears streamed down my face. She looked hesitant but finally she ran up the stairs. I wouldn't have been able to walk up the stairs by myself and an eight year old wouldn't be much help.

Thoughts began to rattle around my head making me pull my hair.

She wasn't real, your stuck here!

"She wasn't fake! She'll get help." I kept repeating to myself. Maybe I was imagining it? Did I just imagine my little sister was here? The tears freely fell, I really was going crazy.

Heavy footsteps could be heard after what felt like hours. Fear spiked my veins afraid of seeing his tall broad figure standing in the doorway. The door opened quickly my eyes bulging out of their sockets seeing police officers and paramedics rush into the room. "We found her!" A man hollered making me jump. They escorted me up the stairs just in time to see Pastor Chris being arrested. A crowd of people stood around with horror embedded on their faces. They finally knew what he was guilty of. His dark gaze settled upon my shaking frame, the look on his face that was unmarred by time told me that this wasn't over.

Comment and let me know what you guys think, should I adapt this or leave it? I have some pretty good ideas for this.

Vote if you like it.

Love all you Guys ~ Ari