The Death Box

They

Her knuckles bled. Her skin cracked. Her life was fading quickly.

The pumping noise in her head grew louder as she heard the sounds of fireworks shrieking across the sky. It must be new year again. 

She breaks off a small piece from a crumbling brick and makes a deep scratch diagonally into the metal wall over four other unevenly engraved lines. 5 years, she counted. Exactly 1825 days had she suffered continuously in this small, dark room.

"Liam," she mumbles weakly.

 Anxiety flooded her entire body as the metal door creaks open. A flicker of dim yellow light slid in through the gap where the door opened, it was blindingly bright in her view. She had lived in an eternity of darkness where no life could grow. She was a rare kind, no other had survived this long. Blocking the doorway were two dark figures, one of which was short and plump and the other was rather the opposite, the fat one was holding a large crooked stick.  

She feels a cold, thin hand rest on her shoulder. She is reassured. Her head tilts sideways until she sees his face for the first time in 3 years in the corner of her eye. His skin was dirty and his hair was too. He had dust in his mouth but he was too weak to cough, too weak to even speak. He was thinner than the last time she saw him, more mature looking, kinder eyes and relaxed shoulders. His hazel eyes still sparkled like diamonds and they spoke for him. From five years experience alone with him, she could tell what he wished to say.

"it's okay, we'll get out of here soon. There guys are here to save us."

She knows they aren't going to save her. But for his sake, she smiles in agreement and rests herself on his shoulder with a look saying-

"I know, we're going to get out of here and eat a huge pizza."

Her mind traveled back to when she first met him. She was thrown into this large metal box room. She managed a glimpse at his worried face before the door slammed shut and  the room immediately turned pitch black. Her instincts told her to reach for her phone, open her flashlight and call somebody. There was no signal and after a short while her phone battery died. Her phone was then nothing but a useless clump of cold metal. But during the time the flash was on, she saw his face again in more detail. His eyes were still filled with fear but he tried his best to be brave and welcoming. 

"What's your name?"

Those were the first words Liam spoke of to her.

"I dont know."

"You look like an Evelyn."

The door opened again as the two oddly shaped men hurled a brick into the room, it almost hit her but Liam pulled her closer to him, the brick scratched his hand then clanged into the cold metal wall behind. She remembers squinting at the disgusting walls as the door swooshed a gust of bitter wind at her drenched hair and clothes. He offered her his tattered coat. 

Although they couldn't see each other in the dark surroundings, they would have hours long conversations daily. Until eventually, she had grown to accept him as who he was, and she was the first to do this. She felt less afraid. 

The sweet ten year old boy had grown into someone really different. Someone she almost didn't recognize. But she knew nothing bad would happen to her as long as he was there.