The Devil's pleasure

Ch.22- Childhood memories

The last thing you remembered was sobbing, throat hurting, mourning your life that will most likely never turn back to normal. Your head was throbbing and chills filled your body. You felt disgusted. It's been months, everything's dirty and your pride has been ruined.

Is there any hope at this point? Police? My mom? Friends? I think I'm going to die.

The thought made you want to burst into wails again but crying took too much energy, energy that wasn't there anymore. He could kill you now, he could torture you now. Sometimes it felt as if you never had hope to begin with. Taking some time off college to discover who you really were? Meeting new people? One can only dream.

You heard a loud knock. Thud? It sounded as if Liu was tripping over his own two feet.

"[name]? Are you alive?" He chuckled, "I got a very special treat for you."

"Did you get it? The medicine?" You called out, your body refused to go up to the door.

"Yes and something else that may or may not make you feel more relaxed," he dragged out his sentence. He didn't sound alright but as long as he gave you whatever could make you feel better, it didn't matter. He unlocked the door before greeting you with small giggles here and there and tossed a small jar of pills.

Multi-symptom relief. Headaches. Fatigue. This won't do much...

"Thank you," you groaned. You looked at Liu to see his half-lidded eyes and a dumb smile plastered on his face, "what's up with you?"

He looked like he was zoned out while smiling, staring at the floor.

"Liu?"

"Yeah?" He looked at you, smile still in place. It wasn't creepy, just weird. He didn't look like he wanted to get violent, just a man on something.

"Thank you for the pills but what else do you have?" You pointed at his other hand that held a small jar of...gummies?

"Yeah I bought it for us, take one," he opened the lid and shook the jar, two fell onto your palms, "or two."

That makes more sense. He's high.

"No I'm okay."

"Whaat? You're gonna leave me alone on this?" He laid down on your mattress, "just one?"

"I'm sick Liu, I rather take the pills- where did you even get the edibles?"

"Those old people know what they're doing, they know damn well-" he rubbed his eyes, "I haven't felt like this in a few years. I forgot how nice it was."

A small town ran by old people?

"That's nice Liu," you placed the edibles back, "but do you have water? I really need it."

"Mhm, it's in my room behind the door. Get me one too! I'm getting cottonmouth!"

You got up and looked back at him.

He's out of it. Smiling at nothing.

You sighed in frustration. If you hadn't been sick you could've made an escape attempt right now. You made your way into his room, feet practically being dragged. You reached for two bottles and noticed the chilly breeze entering from the window. You looked over at his bed, a clean piece of paper folded. Curiosity got the best of you, it may be something irrelevant but it wouldn't hurt to see, right? You sat on his bed and unfolded the paper.

A missing person flyer...my flyer.

Before you could control it, you've already started to cry.