• The Man in The Cage •

Chapter 10

   I was about to creep down the hall to another exhibit before someone wrapped an arm around me, pulling me tight against their chest, restraining my arms, and clamping a hand over my mouth.

I fought back like my life depended on it, and it did. I smelt blood from my captor, the smell was unsettling. I could only assume it was Hannibal Lecter. But that didn't calm me down, I had only ever talked to him when he was behind those bars, where I was safely sitting on a bench with no fear of being killed. A barrier set between criminal and civilian.

This guy manipulated people for goodness sake! I was no different from any other woman he had met in his life. I would rather take my chances with Chilton then be eaten by a cannibal.

Lecter kept shushing me, he had hoped I wouldn't resist him. But he knew that would be rare, I felt safe with him caged and he knew that. Lecter let go of me, oddly, and I made myself known to the two men.

"He's over there!" I pointed in Hannibal's direction but watched as a spear was thrown at the officer, inpaling him right then and there. I gasped at the sight of the impaled man.

Chilton ran away. Coward. He left me to fend for myself. The officer was dead, nothing I could do. I was about to run until I felt something sharp wrap around my ankles, tying them together. I looked down at my ankles, in pain, it was some sort of rope with two weights on each end. I had seen these things before, in movies, but this one had spikes on it. My eyes watered from the pain. I could feel medal pricking into my skin, any swift movements would draw blood.

  The spikes made it impossible for me to move without feeling pain. Where the hell did he get a spear and this spikey rope thingy?! Well... it's a museum. I stopped moving and attempted to gently take off the rope, but that didn't work.

They were wrapped so tightly around my skin that I would need help... professional help. Hannibal did this on purpose, I realized. Of course he did. I was so focused on the pain that I didn't notice Hannibal approaching me.

"You and I both know you need my help, dear," he almost whispered to me.

"You did this," I snarled.

"So you wouldn't run away," he made his way over to the man impaled with a bloody spear... there was a puddle of blood around him, "I must say, I do enjoy a chase but I think I'll wait for another chance."

"Another chance?!" I gawked, "there will be no other chances!"

I moved a little during my shouting and grunted in pain when the spikes dug deeper into my skin. Blood was already soaking my light colored shoes.

"He's rotten now," Hannibal looked away from the dead man in disappointment, he walked back over to me, "now it's time for us to go."

Hannibal picked me up bridal style, I protested. I struggled even but that soon came to a screeching halt when pain erupted from my ankles once more. Damn him.

"I suggest you don't move any more," Hannibal suggested, "lest you want to faint from blood lose. Not that you won't of course."

He was right, I was getting way too lightheaded.