1. Dahlia #2
The first thing I’d do if I ever got this fucking collar off would be to scream as loud as I possibly could.
My throat ached at the thought, and I drew in a slow breath, steadying myself as I sat in the arm chair, my eyes unfocusing as I began to recede into the safety of my own head.
Sometimes I wished I knew how long I’d been in here, but other times I was happier not knowing; I might snap completely if I knew just how much time I’d wasted away in here.
I wonder who had noticed I’d gone missing first. I didn’t have any family left, at least none who would notice I disappeared.
My dad had never been around, and my mom had died when I was freshly twenty, leaving me an orphan.
Maybe Josh would’ve noticed, he normally talked to me daily and had a spare key to my place.
I bet he had checked on me when I stopped answering my phone.
Or maybe it had been Amanda, I think I had plans for dinner with her the week I was taken, she would’ve been texting to check on me when I bailed on her.
The head of my department would’ve noticed when I didn’t appear in class the next morning, I had never even called in sick before.
Who knew, even if they did report me as missing, how would the police track me here?
I didn’t even know where here was. Was I still in the same city?
I thought I heard somewhere that the first forty eight hours were the most crucial.
I didn’t know how long I’d been down here, but I knew for sure that it was longer than forty eight hours.
I hated to think that they probably assumed I was dead already. Would I even get a funeral?
A tear rolled down my cheek, and I clenched my fist until my nails bit into my skin, drawing me back.
When the tears dried up, I pulled myself to stand, wincing at the burning on my back as I shuffled to the bed.
I knelt down against the thin comforter and lowered myself onto my stomach, giving my aching back a small reprieve.
There was a creak as I sank my weight against the mattress, and I closed my eyes to keep them from betraying me with anymore tears.
I let out a steady sigh, feeling my heartbeat pound between my temples, and I wished I had more water.
Another floorboard creaked, and it almost seemed like it came from above me.
I held myself still, listening so hard I began to hear imaginary noises.
It happened sometimes, my mind tried to comfort me by producing noises to mask the ambient silence.
I exhaled softly, and I swore I could hear someone yelling from far away.
It was truly amazing how the mind could break down in the absence of stimulus.
A thump had me opening my eyes. That one sounded almost real.
Another bang, and this one made the locks rattle against the wooden door.
I stayed as still as possible, trying to think if I had done something to upset the person keeping me here.
Oh god, what if I had bled on the dress?
I couldn’t check, but that didn’t matter, if I’d ruined it, I didn’t want to think about the pain I’d be in tomorrow.
I struggled to sit up, but only managed to slide myself off the bed, landing on my knees as I held onto the covers to keep myself upright.
I felt small vibrations in the concrete, and I wondered for one unhinged moment if I was somehow moving, if this room was actually just an elaborate trailer attached to a truck being hauled from town to town.
The door shuddered violently, and dust rained from the ceiling.
I clutched the comforter until my knuckles were white, staring frozen as the door shuddered once more before slamming open, bits of wood and drywall showering across the room.
I flinched, closing my eyes as lights filled the room, momentarily blinding me.
I heard voices— real voices!- shouting all at once, and I squinted to try and see who was there.
“-holy fuck, this one’s still alive. Radio for EMS immediately, we’ve got one female, responsive, requiring medical assistance!
” The noise was almost overwhelming after living so long in silence.
I raised my hands to cover my ears, catching the flash of metal as the lights spread out to surround me.
Metal, like a badge. It was a badge, attached to someone in a vest that read FBI.
Oh god! I lunged forward, trying to stand, but my legs were jello, and I fell instead.
Strong arms caught me, and I clutched onto them, refusing to let go, scared that if I did I’d wake up and be alone again.
“Can you hear me? Can you tell me your name?” someone asked, and I nearly answered, the words rose to my lips before I clamped my mouth shut, biting my tongue until it bled.
My vision was tunneling, the noise around me fading out like I was losing the signal.
I looked up and caught a pair of blue eyes before my eyes shuttered closed.
My name is Dahlia Porter.