Bridgett
'Help me.'
I shut my eyes to the girls whimpering. Wishing it were possible to shut my ears as well. She had been crying for help for the last three hours. Unceasingly. Annoyingly.
She thought I had a choice in being here. She thought I could get her out.
'Please. You have to help me.'
I didn't have to do anything but survive. Getting her out would not assist in surviving. It would do the opposite.
'Please. Please, he listens to you, I saw, you have to help me.' I couldn't see her with my eyes closed, but I knew the tears were going, dripping off her chin. She was shaking all over and the bruise he'd given her earlier was turning green.
'I don't have to do anything.' My voice sounded cold, even to my own ears. How many times had I cried for help and gotten none? Why should she get help, so early in the start of her death when I've lasted this long and received none? 'I don't have to do anything.'
She only cried harder. Any louder and he would come in, would blame me for the state she was in. I had to shut her up.
'You need to be quiet.'
Because hysterical people always listened to harsh orders.
'Please. Shut up.'
She ignored me.
'If you don't want to die, if you don't want to kill me, I suggest you shut the fuck up.'
That did the trick. It was probably more shock than anything though that had her shutting up and staring at me wide eyed.
'I was starting to wonder if you could talk at all,' she whispered after a moment of composing herself, brushing her hand over her cheeks and collecting the tears. Stupid. She heard me talking earlier when he caught me dropping that ceramic plate. She watched him beat me for it too. She couldn't exactly do anything with her hands tied though.
'I can talk.' I just choose not to.
'What does he want with me?'
I ignored her. Silently studying the cage she was stuck in, the chain that kept her attached to the wall by her ankle. The bars were melded to the floor and ceiling, too close together to squeeze through, and even if I did manage to pick the lock, if I knew how, I would still have the chain to deal with. Even if all this were possible, it would take too long. He would come check on us before I could even open the door.
'Can you tell me your name at least?'
No. I couldn't. Ever since I'd been taken I'd spoken my name only once, and that was under threat of a knife. Since then, if asked, I would take the punishment before I let filth speak a name from my life before. The only thing I owned.
'Please?'
'No.'
'I'm Kipley, if that helps.'
'It doesn't. But you'll learn to keep your name to yourself.'
'Is that why you won't tell me?'
She was doing what I had done in my first few weeks, talking to who-ever I could. Trying to use conversation as a way to distract myself from what was happening. I couldn't fault her on it, it works for a little while.
'If you want me to go through the list of why I won't tell you, we'll be here for weeks.'
'I have all the time in the world don't I?'
'I wouldn't be so sure of that. Now shut up, if he hears you we're both dead. Then you won't have any time anywhere.'
She obliged. Thankfully, because only minutes later he was barging through the door and hauling me to my feet, demanding his clothes to be washed and his suit ironed while he showered. I could see in his eyes the contemplation of taking me into the shower with him. Against all odds he decided against it.
I went to leave the room to do as I was told,
'You can't keep me here. It's not right.'
I stopped short, shutting my eyes and wishing she had not just said that. The moment the creak of the cage door reached my ears I was gone. Ironing his clothes to the sound of screaming, cursing, banging and thumps.
I handed his perfectly ironed suit to him as he dried himself from his shower, keeping my eyes downcast and my body relaxed. He hated seeing me tense, hated seeing fear. Yet got off on submission. He grasped my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his.
'How did I get so lucky to find a prize like you?'
I didn't answer, recognizing his rhetorical question, and he soon let me go. I returned to the room and met the sight of the girl, Kipley, broken and bloody on the floor of her cage. Her ankle definitely broken as it bent awkwardly in the grip of the chain. She wasn't dead though, I could hear her breath wheezing through the blood bubbling in her mouth.
I swallowed, hating the helplessness of the situation and turned my back on the sight. Lying down on my small mattress, and attempting to fall asleep. Banishing the broken image from my mind.
--
'Bridgett, Bridgett. Calm down it's okay. It's okay you're safe. You're safe.'
Lara's voice filtered through the fearful haze that clouded my mind. My dream, the dream of a memory haunted my mind and I felt myself come back into my own body. My breathing was fast, almost hyperventilating and my body shook uncontrollably. I felt a hand stroke my cheek softly as Lara tried to calm me down.
'It's okay, Hon, it's okay.' She soothed me, and I could feel my breathing slow, sweat dripped down my forehead, my hands clammy. My mouth was dry and my muscles hurt. Soft lips pressed against mine and I relaxed into the kiss. Finally opening my eyes to see Lara gazing into them, her concern for me evident. Guilt filled me for making her worry so.
She pulled away from me, smiling softly. 'You okay?'
I nodded, taking in a deep, slow breath. I gave myself a quick, full body assessment. My breathing was back to normal and I was no longer shaking. Physically I was fine. I didn't dare venture to see how I was mentally. 'I'm fine.'
We were sitting on the bed, the side lamp was on and the alarm clock shone neon green, 2:07 am.
'You sure? You started crying in your sleep. You don't normally do that.'
I had? I lifted a hand to my cheeks and sure enough, they were wet. 'Just –' I took another deep breath. 'Just a bad dream about shit.'
'Shit?' Lara tilted her head cutely, a small smile playing on the lips she had just kissed me with. 'What. Are you dreaming about the toilet now?'
'We're all gonna get flushed one day, y'know. Flushed.' I opened my eyes wide and deepened my voice, trying to sound ominous.
Lara just giggled at me. 'Sure, and I know The Muffin Man.'
I grinned, thankful that I had met the wonderful woman beside me. Thankful I hadn't run when she first invited me to her bed, and that I had admitted my feelings towards her. Even more thankful that she'd felt the same way.
'I love you.' I moved closer to her, resting one hand on her thigh and the other on her waist giving her a quick peck on the lips.
'I love you too, now go back to sleep I have to work in the morning.' She returned the affection and lay down pulling the doona up and myself closer to her and tangling our legs together.
I was happy to fall back to sleep, knowing her warm smile would be the first thing I saw in the morning when I woke and not a set of cold, grey bars.
--
'You're a nut case, Kelsie. A real nut case.'
'Why?'
I shook my head, mentally reminding myself that though she was my age physically, Kelsie had the mentality of a seven year old. 'Nothing, Sweetie. How's Darryn?' A seven year old with a sex life.
Kelsie smiled at me, her eyes glazing a little as she thought of her long-term boyfriend. 'He's great. He taught me how to make pancakes yesterday, they're really yummy have you tried them?' The blissful grin on her face was great to see, although she was my age, although she had a child's mentality most of the time, she'd been through about as much shit as I have in her short lifespan.
'Yes, Kelsie I've tried them. Have you had blueberry ones? I can make some if you like, then you can teach Darryn how to.'
'There are blueberry ones too? Can I have one?' Her face lit up at the thought of mixing a new favourite food with an old one and I was happy I brought it up.
'Of course you can. Come on, I'll show you how to make them.' I stood up, beckoning Kelsie into the kitchen with me. It had always, and probably will always, amuse me how Darryn knew more about cooking than I did. I wasn't sure if he knew blueberry pancakes, but it will definitely give Kelsie some pride in showing him how to make them, so long as he goes along with it that is. I know that it's sexist in thinking that a woman typically knows more than a guy about the kitchen and cooking, but jeez, it's true isn't it? Darryn is just about the only guy I know who can actually cook, and Kelsie the only girl who can't.
We spent hours in the kitchen together, every now and then Kelsie would ask me how certain foods tasted nice when mixed together, or why people started eating apples when her friend says God told us not to, and she even eventually asked me what a BJ was.
I answered each of her questions but the apple one. There is no way I was informing her about God myself. It wouldn't be fair on her to give my own crappy opinion on religion, rather than letting her hear all the facts and deciding for herself the believability. I told her to ask Lara instead.
'Are you going to get a job?'
We were sitting back on the couch again, both with a plate of blueberry pancakes. 'Hmm?'
'Darryn says you're going to need to get a job soon. It's not fair on Lara to live off your savings and her income.'
I grumbled, 'It's not really any of Darryn's business is it?'
'He cares about you.' Sometimes she can be a wise seven year old.
'He's your man Kelsie, not mine. I understand he cares about me and I care about him too, but what I do with my life is none of his concern and it isn't fair for him to send you to tell me that.'
'He didn't send me. He was talking to me last night after we had sex and he said that it isn't fair to Lara for you to be living off of her income.'
I grimaced at the imagery that sentence conjured up of my two best friends going at it. Even worse the idea that I would be in the conversation that followed.
'I'm not living off her income, Kelsie.'
'You're living off someone's income. The savings would have run out by now if you weren't.'
'So whose income are you living off?'
'Darryn's.'
I threw my hands up. 'So it's okay for you to live of Darryn's income but not for me to live off Lara's?'
'I can't get a job.'
'Poppycock.'
'What?'
I stood up, taking my empty plate to the sink. 'There are plenty of jobs you could get if you wanted Kelsie. You could get into, uh, well. I'll have to think about it, but there's heaps you could do. Just learn to read and you'll be set.'
'Then if I can get a job, why can't you?' Kelsie followed me into the kitchen, the confusion on her face familiar and entirely legit. She just didn't get it.
'You know why, Kelsie. You know what I'm like around people.'
'What about computers?'
'What?'
'There was an ad on TV last week that I keep seeing.' She stopped there. I wasn't sure how long it would take but one day I was sure she would realize that people don't get all the information they need from an unrelated sentence.
'What are you talking about?'
'The ad.'
'What ad?'
'About getting an online job. You can make heaps of money.'
I thought about it. An online job would mean having to get a computer and pay for internet. But then it would also mean making money without having to deal with people face to face.
'Do you know how to get one?'
She just shrugged. 'I don't know. Ask Darryn, he'll know. He knows everything.'
I had to smile at her ignorance. It was the kind of sentence a child might say about their favourite parent.
'Sure he does. I'll do that, Kelsie.'
She gave me a pleased grin. 'Good. What time is it?'
I checked the clock, quart past four. 'About time for you to be heading off.' She came over almost every day while Darryn was off at work, but as soon as it got around the time his shift ended, she'd be off like a rocket. Lara wouldn't be home for another couple of hours.
'Okay. Bye Bridgett.' She gave me her dirty plate and left without another word. If she were anyone else I would have scoffed at how rude they were, but this was Kelsie. She had no idea.
--
I was taking a nap when Lara got home. I don't think she had the heart to wake me up so I didn't actually see her until somewhere around seven. I woke up to the oh so yummy smell of burnt pasta.
'Lara?'
'I'm in the kitchen.'
I walked up behind her, grabbing her hips and pulling her into me and away from the failed pasta. 'Hey.'
'Hey. How'd you sleep?' She turned in my arms, putting the wooden spoon on the bench before brushing a strand of hair off my cheek.
'Fine. How was your day?'
She grinned at me, that certain grin she always wore when she had great news. 'First, how was yours? Did Kelsie come over?'
'Mm. Darryn made her pancakes for the first time. He might have cooked himself up some competition.'
Lara giggled, 'Go figure that the best cook we know would do himself over with pancakes.'
'He reckons I should get a job.'
'Darryn does? Was he here?' She turned away from me to clean up her mess. Lara was a great cook, but also a bit of a perfectionist. If she didn't think the food was good enough, she wouldn't serve it and would order take out instead.
'No. I was just their in bed discussion apparently. Kelsie was just relaying the message.'
She made a face at that. 'God, I'm glad it was you and not me.'
I chuckled, leaning closer to give her a peck before pulling her away from the now turned off stove. 'Leave it. Tell me your news.' I dragged her to the couch and sat down. Tugging her so she sat on my lap, her arms around my neck to keep her balance.
'What news?' She played dumb, acting like she knew nothing. Even going as far as to scratch the top of her head like a confused imbecile.
'You know what news. You still haven't told me how your day was.'
She shrugged all nonchalant like. 'Oh, you know, same ol' same ol'. Dealing with co-workers, struggling with customers, arguing with idiots. The usual.'
I could see her trying to hide that smile. 'What happened?' I slipped a hand between her thighs, she was wearing shorts so there was nothing between my fingers and the silky skin of her inner thigh. She shivered.
'Uh, uh. You're not getting it out of me that way.' She pushed my hand away, glaring at me in a mock scolding.
I didn't say anything. Just stroked her leg, enjoying the smoothness of her skin and wishing mine could be the same.
'Bridgett stop it.'
One of my hands moved to her ribs, pressing lightly on that special spot.
'Ah. Bridgett, get off me.' She squealed and laughed, squirming to get out of my hold and away from the hand tickling her side.
'Tell me what happened.' I threatened her with more tickling and she giggled before sighing dramatically.
'Fine. I'll tell you.'
She looked at me, and I looked right on back waiting ever so patiently for her to say it.
'But first you have to catch me.' She was out of my arms before she even finished her sentence and all of a sudden, I was chasing her through the apartment.
'Lara you bitch, get back here.' I was choking on my own laughter and could barely walk straight let alone run.
'Nu uh, you gotta catch me first.' Her voice came from behind me so I spun around to see her duck behind the island bench in the kitchen.
'Oh it's on bitch.'
She popped up like a meerkat, 'It's on, like Donkey Kong.' Before popping back down again. I had to stop, I was laughing too hard.
It took me ten minutes to catch her. Every time I would get close, she would slip out of my arms like a bloody fish.
'Alright girl, tell me what the fuck happened today.' I had both hands on her ribs, holding her down beneath me on the floor and serving as easy reach tickle stations. I was breathing heavily, the short bout of exercise having taken up most of my energy.
'No. Guess.' I could see the laughter dancing in her eyes, and her grin was spread so wide I could see her gums. Her cheeks were flushed and she was breathing almost as heavy as I was. She was looking more than just kissable, I almost wanted to abandon the game and lock her in the room with me.
'You found a hundred bucks?'
She shook her head.
'You found a thousand bucks?'
She sighed wistfully and shook her head.
'You found a thousand dollars?'
She looked confused for a moment before it clicked and she burst out laughing. 'No. I did not find a thousand bucks you moron.'
I grinned and kissed her, unable to resist. 'You found me?'
She smiled softly and touched my cheek. 'Yeah, I found you.'
'I vacuumed.'
'I saw.'
'What are you thinking about?' She had a way off look in her eye, the smile still played on those delicious lips of hers, but I could see she wasn't with me anymore.
'My promotion.' She looked at me and giggled.
I was stunned for a moment before I grinned. 'That's great. Oh wow, Lara I'm so proud of you.' I gave her another kiss, almost like a reward kiss.
She grinned, her eyes twinkling. 'I was thinking, as a bit of a celebration we go out tomorrow. Order dinner, have a few drinks. Let loose.'
I climbed off her, letting her sit up properly while I tried to find the words to say that wouldn't hurt her. 'Lara, I... That sounds great but...'
She sighed and looked away from me. 'It's okay Bridge, you don't have to. We can stay here, order take out. We could invite Kelsie and that over and just have fun. Play our music.'
I grimaced, hating that I was holding her back from having fun. 'No. No, we'll go out. Well go out for dinner at some fancy pansy restaurant. We'll have some drinks and go to a club or bar or whatever. We're going to have fun.' I said it with a finality I wasn't sure she'd ever heard me speak with before. Lara glanced at me, almost shocked.
'Serious?' The grin was returning, that happy, excited grin that I loved.
'Seriously.'
She squealed and pounced, wrapping her arms around my neck and crashing her lips onto mine in a chaste kiss.
'I love you.'
'Love you too Lar.'