hell is a very small place - short story

TWO

i - unmade (music from the film suspiria)

ii - suspirium finale (music from the film suspiria)

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It's been three days since I received the note. At least I think it's been three days. Although I'm good at recording how long things take, it's hard to keep track of the time in here. I've forgotten the year, if it's day or night, even my own birthday. The note has been constantly playing on my mind. I go through lists of people that it could possibly be but only his name comes to my lips. Adam. I repeat his name at least one hundred times. Adam, Adam, Adam.

I hear the cell door unlocking and I push my body into the back corner of the small room. This is strange I think to myself. It isn't shower time which is the only time I'm let out and they always serve my food through the slit in the door. My mind runs marathons as I try to come up with some kind of explanation. The guards invade my cell and pick me up by the arms and legs aggressively.

"Where am I going?" I ask slightly panicked.

I get no response so I ask again but I still get nothing. I start to try and fight against their grip around my malnourished body as I'm worried these might be my final breaths.

TWO YEARS BEFORE - the morning of

I'm jolted awake by the noise of screaming kids. It's 6:43am on a Sunday morning but all I want to do right now is sleep in.

"Can you settle them down?" I ask Adam.

I get a groan in response and I feel his body lift out of the bed to go feed the kids and put the T.V. on for them. I try to fall back asleep but nothing works so I just decide to lay there for as long as I can. Eventually I tumble out of bed but I take my time getting up as it is a Sunday and my day off work. I work at a high end business company so the hours can be tough sometimes. I'm just glad that I have this one day to spend with my husband and my kids.

I walk into our bathroom to take a shower. I've always loved showers. I don't think I can go a day without one. They wake me up in the morning and get me started for the day. After my shower I dry my body and change into some comfy day wear. The weather outside isn't hot nor cold so I think sweatpants and a jumper will suffice for today. I make my way down the staircase to the kitchen and my nose is met with the sight and smell of Adam cooking bacon on a frypan. I couldn't ask for anything more. I have an amazing husband, two wonderful children and a high end paying job. Everything is perfect.