The Jaguar and The Fawn

Chapter IX: Thoughts

I sat up from bed and rubbed my eyes. The birds chirped through my still cracked window. I stretched as I listened to their morning songs.
"That was the best sleep I had in a while," I thought as I reached to my cup of water. I took a few gulps,"I wonder what time it is."
I looked around the room to see if there was a clock. However the room was just as empty as it appeared.
"There really isn't a lot in here."
All that was in the room was the bed I slept on, a nightstand, and a dresser. The walls were gray and incomplete and dust floated in the rays of light that poured in from the window.
"At least it's spacious."
That was very true in comparison to my room back at home. The room was small and plain white, but it was filled with my stuff and decorated to how I liked it. It was home.
   I stood up, with my cup of water still in hand, and walked to the door. I opened it to find the lights still off in the house.
   "He must still be asleep," I thought as I made my way to the bathroom.

   After I had used the bathroom, I made my way downstairs. I peeked around the foot of the stairs to see if he was down there.
   "No one. He must still be asleep."
   I walked the the kitchen to search the cabinets for breakfast.
    "Those up there are cups and plates," I thought as I looked at the cabinets I searched last night,"so let's check over here."
   I walked to the cabinets and opened them.
   "More cups and bowls. He sure has some nice looking stuff..."
    I searched another cabinet.
   "Spices," I picked one up,"Rosemary."
   I opened it and let the scent fill my nose. My mom grew spices and herbs and rosemary was one of them. The scent began to remind me of home. I took another sniff of the scent when the lights turned on.
   I jumped and look behind me to see him standing there. His dark hair wasn't slicked back like it was yesterday, and all he had on was a pair of jogging pants.
   "You're up early."
   I blinked at him.
   "Do you know what time it is?"
   I shook my head.
   "It's six forty-five."
   "Really? I used to never get up that early. Why am I up so early? Maybe it was the light..."
   He walked up closer and I instinctively stepped back. He didn't seem to care though.
   "Are you hungry?"
   I nodded my head in response.
   He opened up what I guessed was the pantry.
   "I don't have much," he said as he pulled out a box of Raisin Bran,"Milk is in the fridge and I assume you know where the bowls are."
   I nodded my head, and walked to the fridge. I looked inside and took out the gallon of milk. As I closed the fridge door, I heard a drawer slide open. I looked to my right to see him take out a spoon. He set it on the counter and turned to walk away.
   "Is he not eating?" I watched him leave to another room,"Guess not."
   I opened a cabinet I opened previously and took out a bowl.
   "Raisin Bran," I picked up the box and opened it,"What is he? An old man?"
   I poured me a bowl of cereal and walked with it to the living room which was visible from the kitchen. I sat on the couch and started eating.
His house was plain and simple, but it was also odd. Some of his stuff looked expensive like his appliances and cups, but then some other things were older like this couch. It was green, retro looking, and just seemed out of place. The chairs beside the couch didn't match either. One was a nice leather chair while the other was red with a vintage look to it. The coffee table in front looked old with the stain rubbing off and its looks conflicted with the expensive flat screen on the wall.
"He either has strange tastes or just doesn't care how his home looks."

I stood up with my empty bowl and took it to the kitchen sink. As I placed the bowl, I looked out the window.
"He's pretty cut off here. I don't see any neighbors."
Yet it sure was pretty. With the leaves changing color and covering the ground, it was a nice change from the city.
   That damned city... I shook my head to try to brush away those thoughts and memories.
   "I am safe here, I am safe here, I am safe here," I repeated to myself.
   It was weird though. Something about this place was calming. Even he seemed to be calm no matter what had happened. If he had planned to do anything, wouldn't he had done it by now?
   "Why did he buy me? Why me? I was the youngest who worked there. I'm definitely younger than him, so why me? What made me so special?"
   I continued to face the window as my mind wandered. I thought back to recall that night.
   "That old guy was there... Maybe. Maybe it's not because I'm special... Maybe... Or..." I felt my skin begin to tingle as fear washed over me,"What if he's keeping me here? I'm being kept here for later for that old man..."
   I thought harder to try to remember what he said that night. I remembered seeing his mouth move, so he had to have said something.
   "What the hell was it? What did he say?" I began to tremble as tears ran down my cheeks,"Dammit! I... I can't remember!"
                             ***
   I washed out the sink after brushing my teeth. I took a glance in the mirror as I wiped off my mouth. I walked out of the bathroom back into the bedroom and checked my phone on the dresser.
   "No messages. Good."
   I put my phone in my pocket along with my wallet. I stepped out and walked the small hallway back to the living room.
   "Is she crying?"
   Sure enough as I walked back into the room, I saw her beating her head with her own fists and crying at the sink.
   I gave out a sigh and walked towards her,"Hey."
   She spun around to face me. She looked scared. She squealed at the sight of me and ran away from me.
   "How exhausting..."
   She stopped at the couch and stared at me. I started to move towards her again, but she lifted up her palm in a way to say "stop" and let out a small screech to go with it.
   "Now what is it?"
   She gave me a look that seemed pissed at what I said, but her puffy eyes still told me she was scared.
   I began to walk towards her again. She snatched up a pillow and threw it at me.
   "Really?"
   She screeched at me again.
   "What is she? A howler monkey?" I stopped and rubbed my face in exasperation,"Alright, I see you are worked up," I turned around and walked to the front door. I picked off my car keys from the key rack that hung beside the door. I turned back to face her,"I have no idea why you are this way, and honestly, I don't really care," She stared at me with a confused look,"However, we need to go to town and get you some more clothes. Is that fine? Maybe a car ride will calm her down."
   She screamed louder and longer at me this time. I heard her voice crack from the strain. Tears ran down her face.
   "So she doesn't want to leave. At least I have an idea now on why she's acting like this.
   "Would you stop that? Obviously, you are not getting your point across."
   She sniffled at me with that angry pout still glued to her face.
   "Ok. So right now, a car ride is out of the question."
   She stared at me for a few moments. Then she wiped her face and gave another sniffle before nodding her head in response.
   "Ok, we need to find another way to communicate. This whole 'screaming in a thousand different ways' is giving me a headache and probably cracking a window."
   She glared at me.
   I thought for a moment,"Do you know how to write?"
   She rolled her eyes and gave me a look that yelled "duh."
   "She's definitely a teenager. Alright. I have an idea."
   I walked back into the hallway and into my office. I opened my desk and pulled out a notepad. Then I picked up a pen from my desk.
   I walked out and back into the living room. I held up the pen and notepad,"Take this. Write down what you have to say, then show it back to me."
   I held it out to her. She hesitated to step forward and take it, but eventually she did. She stepped back to her spot and opened the notepad. She glanced up at me then back at the pad and began to write.
   I waited patiently for her to finish writing. Finally, she held the notepad up for me to read.
"How can I trust you? What if you try to take me somewhere?"
"I'm not interested in doing anything to you."
She flipped to an empty page and wrote her response,"What about that fat guy from before? How do I know you aren't keeping me for him."
"My boss is only interested in whores who throw themselves at him."
"Then why did you buy me?"
"I had no choice. He 'suggested' that I buy a 'toy' and suggestions are commands in his eyes."
"But why me? I'm just a kid compared to others there."
"That was the point. Honestly, no one should have to endure such treatment, but especially not a child."
She blinked at me a few times and started to sniffle.
"Great. She's crying again..."
I sighed once again and walked towards her. I placed my hand on her head and she looked up at me.
"Look, you need more clothes, so are you better now?"
She nodded her head.
"Good. Then come on. We've wasted enough time as it is."
***
"Why did he do that? One second he does something caring, then the next he's back to blunt."
I watched him walk towards the door as I sniffled and rubbed my nose.
"Come on," he said as he waited at the door.
I gave him a nod in response and walked towards him.
"What does it matter? I'm getting new clothes and a new start. Thanks to him."