Chapter Four – Evelynn
CHAPTER FOUR
EVELYNN
I was being held captive in a room with a bathroom, not in darkness, as there was a light.
When he’d pointed it out, I’d never felt so stupid.
In my defence, it was so dark when I first woke up that I couldn’t see or feel anything.
Although, I probably should have at least been able to find the door to the bathroom.
So, they fix me up and give me a room with my own bathroom. I can’t say if this is normal for a kidnapping or not. It’s my first time, and I hope my last. I’m not some kidnapping connoisseur.
My stomach starts to rumble as hunger sets in.
I sigh and sit up in bed, and my side already feels so much better.
I try to look at it, but without a mirror, it’s difficult.
I peer through the now boarded-up window, hoping to see any stream of natural light.
I think it’s dark outside. I have no idea what time it is.
My growling stomach forces me to get up and knock on the door, hoping I can get their attention.
Maybe for some bread and more water. I nibble on my bottom lip anxiously, wondering if banging on the door demanding food will be one step too far and piss them off.
They could get angry and put me somewhere worse.
I could end up having to pee in a bucket.
My stomach loudly growls again. “Fuck it.”
Clenching my fist, I bang on the door three times. Pausing, I press my ear to it to see if I can hear anyone coming, but I’m greeted with nothing but silence.
“Hello?!” I yell, then bang a further three times. “Is it possible to get some food?” I call out. “Please,” I add, sounding as pathetic as I feel.
Nothing.
Exhaling a frustrated breath, I walk back over to the bed and sit down, my back propped against the cold stone wall.
“Well, now what?” I mutter to myself.
A loud click makes me jump, and when I look over to the door, I see him. He takes a step inside the room, his eyes like liquid gold.
“You called?” he asks coldly, sounding like some creepy butler from an old horror film.
I open my mouth to answer, but my stomach beats me to it, rumbling embarrassingly loud. I cover my face. “Er, can I have some food, please? Any food, please,” I plead, hiding behind my hands, embarrassed.
I feel a whoosh of air. Frowning to myself, I slowly remove my hands and look over to him, seeing him holding out a single carrot. I stare at it, blinking in confusion.
“Er, thanks,” I mutter, taking the carrot.
He looks down at the carrot and back at me. “You don’t like carrots?”
“I do, er… I’ve just never been given a carrot to eat like this,” I say.
“You don’t want to eat it.” It’s not a question; it’s a statement as he watches me.
“Well, I’m not a horse.” I smirk, but quickly erase it when my eyes connect with his.
This ain’t no time for jokes, Evelynn, I mentally chastise myself.
“But you like carrots, just not like that,” he adds.
Furrowing my brow, I look at him, wondering what’s so hard for him to understand. “Er, yeah. As a side dish. Or in a cake,” I point out.
“Fine,” he snaps and walks out, slamming the door behind him.
I flinch at the sound.
Shit.
“No, wait!” I call out, already regretting my big mouth. I should have just eaten the damn carrot. Why would I think I could choose my meal like I’m at a fucking restaurant when I’m being held captive? Now he’s gone, and I’ll have to starve.
God, I’m such a moron.
I feel my eyes begin to sting with tears. Losing my best friend, tired, hurt, and hungry, I’m hanging by a very thin thread, and just one minor inconvenience away from losing it.
The door swings open, and I rapidly blink back my tears. I look towards the door, and he walks in with a tray. A fucking tray covered with bread, butter, meats, cheeses, and grapes. I’m having to fight everything in me right now not to pounce and snatch that tray from his hands.
He places it down on the end of the bed, his gaze never straying from mine.
“Thank you,” I rasp, swallowing back the drool as I salivate.
He steps back, watching me. I look at him and then at the tray.
“You can eat,” he orders.
I pause for just a moment before I reach for the tray and grab the bread, taking a large bite, moaning at the taste. I’m frenzied. Picking up the knife, I spread some butter on it and take another bite. The rich, creamy saltiness of the butter melts in my mouth.
“Oh god,” I moan, like it’s the best meal I’ve ever had in my life.
Truth is, I didn’t have time to eat before Suzie and I went to Crawley’s party.
My nose tingles at the thought of Suzie, but I push it back, shoving it deep within me. Not now. I can’t grieve for her now. I can’t show them weakness or let them see that what they’ve done hurts me. I’m sure they would relish in the misery they’ve caused and use it to break me further.
I pause, looking over at him. His stare is intense.
“How does it taste?” he asks.
“You want some, too?” I ask, gesturing to the plate, my mouth full of bread as I pick up the cheese and take a bite out of it.
He shakes his head. “I… I do not.”
“Okay,” I mumble as I continue to eat.
Pausing when something occurs to me, I drop the bread on the plate like it’s scalded me.
“You’ve poisoned this,” I whisper, my hand clutching my throat.
“What?” He frowns.
I lick my lips. “You’ve poisoned it,” I repeat. Reaching for the bottle of water, I rip the cap off and glug it down like I’ve been stuck in a desert for a month.
“Oh god,” I panic.
“It’s not poisoned,” he seethes.
I grab a piece of bread and hold it out to him. “Then you eat it,” I demand.
“No,” he refuses.
“If it’s not poisoned, then you eat it,” I challenge.
“No. Eat it, don’t eat it. I don’t give a shit,” he seethes.
I eye him suspiciously. “Whatever kind of psychology trick you’re trying to play on me by making me eat this poisoned food, it won’t work,” I argue.
His eyes flare, and his top lip curls. “You want to starve yourself, then fine, fucking starve yourself. It will save me the hassle of killing you myself,” he growls.
Frozen to the core with fear as I stare into his inhuman eyes, I forget how to breathe. Moving like liquid, he turns and leaves, slamming the door so hard behind him that the stone wall cracks.
My entire body is shaking, and my appetite has suddenly vanished. This is a hard and terrifying reminder that this isn’t a game, and that my life is in the hands of these monsters.
Staring at the tray of food with longing, I wait and wonder if, in fact, I’ve been poisoned and am about to die.
“Surely I’m okay,” I mutter to myself. I don’t feel ill. It’s been a long while. In the movies, they always choke and die pretty quickly after being poisoned.
I sigh and shrug before reaching for the tray and starting to eat again. If they have poisoned me, then I guess I can die happy, eating cheese.
Once I’m full, I butter the last remaining bits of bread, wrap them in a sheet, and hide them under the bed. If they plan to starve me, I’ll have backup rations.
Sitting on the bed, I feel uneasy in this silence. The plain stone walls of this room will eventually make me go insane. Lying back, I stare at the ceiling.
“I hope you’re partying up there, Suzie.
Laughing, dancing, and meeting the man of your dreams,” I whisper, my nose tingling as I fight back the tears.
“Who will get me into trouble now?” I smile sadly.
“If I make it out of here, that is.” I sigh.
“I promise, if I get out of here, I will go to the police and make sure they get what they deserve.”
Tears trickle from the corners of my eyes as the pain of losing her surfaces. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing the pain—the grief—down.
“Not now. Not. Fucking. Now,” I grit out.
The door swings open, taking me by surprise. I didn’t even hear them unlock it. The one who stood guard last night enters. I quickly sit up, wiping the tears from my eyes. I clear my throat and school my features.
“Your presence has been requested,” he says. Moving to the side, he gestures for me to walk ahead of him.
I get to my feet and slowly walk past him, eyeing him suspiciously. Once I’m out of the room, my eyes scan the hall, looking for another door, window, anything.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” he states.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say casually, looking at him.
He smirks, rolling his hauntingly dark eyes. “You were looking for exits, and I’m telling you that wouldn’t be a good idea. You try to run, you will be hunted,” he warns.
His warning makes my breathing tremble.
Hunted. Not stopped or caught. Hunted. Like I’m their prey.
“I… I… I won’t. I don’t know where I am,” I say with a shrug.
“Still doesn’t mean that your fight-or-flight response won’t take over. I’m just warning you now that the best thing you can do is take my advice and fight any urges your body tells you. Listen to what we tell you, do as we tell you, and there won’t be any problems,” he threatens.
I blink and look at him as my heart starts racing. “Why do I need to fight my body’s urges?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper.
“Because you’re in a world where you don’t belong or understand. One wrong move is all it takes,” he adds.
We come to a stop at a set of large double doors. He pushes one open for me and gestures for me to enter. My body freezes, warning me that I don’t want to go in there, that whatever is past this entrance is something I may not survive.
“Fight your instincts and go in there,” he growls in warning.
I swallow, my mouth becoming drier than the desert. I take a slow step forward, fighting everything in me telling me to run.
Ignore my instinct. Do as they say, I remind myself over and over again.
I dare to look around the room and stumble at the sight before me. A single wooden chair sits in the middle of the room, surrounded by the rest of this gang, whoever they are.
“Sit,” the one with golden eyes orders.