Hiraeth

Chapter Two

Uncurling myself from the corner of the room, I stretched and yawned before getting out of bed. 

Three months had passed since I was abducted and brought to this place and I worked every day from dust till dawn before I would hide away in this small, cramped washroom.

Preparing myself for another day, I removed the barricade I made at the door just in case one of the men got any ideas during the night. Changing into my other set of clothing of the two they gave me, I left the room early to make breakfast before they woke up.

During the time I was here, I figured out that this mansion had four large extended floors, the first I've never been to on my own because it was where I could get outside, the second floor had most of the bedrooms and the third floor had the kitchen and living area as well as a large open balcony overlooking the property, an expansive field of green and a small forest of trees but I had no idea where this place was. The fourth floor was mostly a mystery to me and other than the fact that their boss resided there, I knew nothing else.

Another thing was that they had a very large closet on the third floor where I was now. It was at least four times bigger than the washroom I was forced to live in and it had rows and rows of clothes stored in there even though it seemed rarely used.

I yawned as I poured the porridge I made into their bowls and brought them to the table before returning to bring out the other dishes I made when my eyes caught with Nelson's.

I was so shocked I hadn't heard him come by so I froze. The long-haired blonde just took a seat at the table and yawned while nibbling a piece of toast I had put there.

"Hmm, this again?" He said turning the chair towards him and sitting forward. "Yuck, make me something else."

I wordlessly took his bowl and went to the kitchen to replace it. I tried as much as possible not to interact with them because I had no idea how dangerous they were and what their mental states could be.

Picking up an egg, I was about to throw out the bowl of porridge when I felt a presence near me. "I'll take it," little red said reaching for it. That was the name I subconsciously called Sylvester in my head because his hair was so hard not to notice.

"Like hell, you will, give it to me it's mine!" Nelson protested.

"You just said you didn't want it." Sylvester chided.

"I don't remember saying you could have it though." He said slamming his palm against the table as he got up.

They often did this, bickering all the time over small things. They seemed to have a personal vendetta against each other but it could easily be mistaken for friendship. I didn't care either way so I carried on my duty for the rest of the morning until it was about midday.

Of all the tasks I was supposed to do, cleaning was the most troublesome for me. They would go out to practice at noon and I would clean their rooms before hurrying to make dinner.

I loathed my life so much, I couldn't stand going on my knees and scrubbing floors, washing dishes, and fixing bedspreads. I wanted to escape so badly but it seemed futile if not dangerous though I couldn't help dreaming of running from here without stopping until I reached home.

How could my life be so unfair? What had I done to deserve this? How could I have been so unfortunate?

I sobbed a little as I fixed the sheets on the bed of one of the rooms I was in. Thankfully the person it belonged to had kept it clean enough today but it did little to lighten my mood. I would rather die if it was how I could escape this prison.

Day by day I slowly lost hope that someone would come and save me because I began realizing that it was just an illusion that would never materialize.

Hanging my head heavily I wrapped the bundle of dirty sheets together and was about to proceed to the next room when I saw one of the guys standing at the doorway. I forgot what his name was but my blood ran cold. He was the tattooed man who had scars and strange-looking green eyes but somehow he was trying to come off as being non-threatening which made me even more suspicious.

"What do you want?" I said sounding more scared than I wanted to be. I had told myself I wanted to die and escape this place but deep inside I was terrified of being killed.

"Hey, if you're done here, come to my room next." I shivered externally, which he caught before rephrasing his words. "I lost something in there, that's why I came back to find it and thought you might help."

I walked past him to his room two doors down, where I hadn't planned on going just yet but if I could deal with him as soon as possible he would leave. Before stepping in, next to his room I noticed there was a door on my right, the last room on the floor in fact but it was always locked. None of the men ever used it and I was never instructed to clean it.

Choosing to ignore it, for now,  I went into the room, which was a mess, and started pulling things together and taking the dirty sheets outside. "Sorry about this," he said apologetically but I hissed at him under my breath. I couldn't trust him, I wouldn't allow myself to. After clearing the floor and turning over the mattress an object fell from it and he walked over and picked it up. "Wow, this is where it was?"

Sighing, I began changing the mattress covers but he continued. "This belonged to someone special to me, you could go as far as calling them, family."

"Family?" I muttered irritated. "You dare to talk about family after you monsters took me here and forced me to work without so much as a chance to ever speak with mine again!?" I felt heat flare-up in my face and even though it felt like nothing more than ranting, something ached in my heart and brought tears to my eyes.

"I'm sorry," He apologized.

"Don't be." I glared at him while hurrying to finish his room so I could leave. His demeanor changed as he left the room and I sighed as a sob escaped me.

I hated this, I hated him and I hated them for stealing me away from my life. Growing up, my sister and I had meager beginnings but I fought my way through school to achieve my dreams so that I wouldn't end up working for someone in a meaningless job but here I was, right where I didn't want to be. It was as if I couldn't escape this destiny no matter how hard I tried. My fate was engraved and I couldn't change it at all, my life would be wasted away at this place.

Tears whelmed in my eyes again and I got up and left the room when I was finished. By evening I had managed to complete my tasks, so I was heading back to my room but on the way there I was stopped by Aaron as he appeared above the stairs holding a bundle of something.

"Here," He said. "These are clothes for you."

"What?" I asked confused.

"Boss said to give you these since you have almost nothing to wear and it might make you feel better." He said placing the bundle at my feet.

I wanted to shout at him that I didn't want it but the few items of clothing I had were in tatters and might rip off of me eventually so I took them and locked the door behind me before slumping to the floor.

This was what my life had come to, surviving day by day in suffering, longing to be free like a caged bird with clipped wings. Nothing could ever soothe this ache, nor cure the longing in my heart for the need to have my own will. Nothing could set me free. Nothing and no one.