That Thing Between You and Me

16. Crushes and Curiosity

Dedicated to WingXin. Go check out her wonderful competition called 'Fame Campaign'. You might be next month's winner. ;)

Please read A/N at the end. ________________________________

Chapter 16 Crushes and Curiosity

"A single candle can both defy and define the darkness."

• • •

She was sprawled on the old bed which creaked beneath her frame. Her hands were tied to the bedpost. The ropes burnt her wrist with every movement. She shivered violently as the cold seeped in through her wet clothes.

She had tried to escape, to run away from her miseries, but the lady luck wasn't by her side. And they captured her. And it was her punishment, something to teach her a lesson.

She was doomed to endure the biting cold without any refuge. No blanket. No heat. Nothing. They even splashed her with icy cold water.

'Oh, god. What I wouldn't give for some heat. A blanket.'

Never did she ever thought that she would pray for something as simple as a blanket. But desperate times called for desperate measures and she had taken a lot of things for granted. So, she prayed anyway. And like always, her wishes were not answered. Did god even exist? She started wondering when the door of the room, she was held captive in, opened.

The room was flooded with an eerie yellow light from the hallway. As her pupils constricted, adjusting them to the sudden burst of light, she took in her guest. He had his back towards her as if peeking in the corridor.

She saw his silhouette, and noticed that he was wearing a black hooded T-shirt, like all the other gang members. His hair were securely tied in a tiny ponytail, revealing a majestic tattoo of an eagle with wings spread apart, at the back of his neck.

Suddenly, he turned around and closed the door, putting the latch on.
Once again, the room was engulfed in absolute darkness. She struggled against her binds, desperately, as her eyes once again adjusted themselves.

Something wasn't right. And Mallory knew it.

In the pitch dark she could faintly make out his body moving towards her as the unpleasant smell of alcohol mixed with smoke, filled her nostrils.
He stumbled a lot followed by curses. Suddenly, she felt a heavy body drop beside her.

"Are ye alri...alright?" A voice slurred heavily, not too far away from her face. His putrid breath washing her face.

"S-stay a-way." She said, her teeth chattering from the cold.

"Y...you are co...cold?" He said putting a huge arm around her waist.

"N-no." She struggled feebly, with her hands tied behind. "P-please, don't."
She could feel hot tears running down her cold skin as his hands touched her face blindly.

"Shhh..." He said. "It w...won't hu...hurt."

His voice was almost reassuring. Only his intentions weren't.

"P-please..." She begged.

The hands disappeared momentarily as she was trapped in absolute silence. She strained her ears to listen to any movement. The fear of not knowing, the fear of unknown, seeped through her bones as she started squirming but to no avail.