redemption | kai parker • au

f o u r

The air in the room was cold. Claudia's senses were returning to her as she was beginning to come around. She could hear the faint sounds of footsteps above her, shuffling from one place to the other. It felt as if she was almost coming out of a deep sleep but this was not what was happening. As she was regaining consciousness, lifting her heavy head and opening her dry eyes, a sharp pain was shooting at the back of her skull which made her wince out in pain. Her immediate reaction was to lift her hand and hold the back of her head, if only she could move her arms. It was as if this sudden realisation was a slap across the face to wake her up for she was more awake than ever before.

There was nothing she could do. Her hands were tied, literally, behind her back and her ankles were tied to the legs of a cold, wooden chair.

The room smelled of charcoal and salty perfume. Claudia looked around her but could see no exits, only the locked door in front of her and four walls. No windows. No way of escape. Nobody to help her. The light above her flickered a little and the whole building went quiet. She was underground, no doubt about it, but where?

As she was thinking of possible scenarios of how to escape, the footsteps she heard before were growing louder. One after the other, slowly getting unbearably closer.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Until it finally stopped and it was quiet again. A few seconds later, Claudia heard a key being inserted into the lock on the door facing her. She was scared, obviously, but was not going to give this person the satisfaction of knowing she was. She remained completely still and sat up straight with a blank but hard look on her damp face.

When the door opened, it took her a while to adjust to the lighting. A man stood before her in a familiar stance and began to speak.

"Oh, hello," the voice spoke, "thank God you're awake. Man, you're a real heavy sleeper."

Claudia's eyes widened at the realisation of who was leaning against the door frame in front of her. It was Kai. Kai must've have noticed her change in expression because he gave out a small chuckle and added, "Miss me?"

Claudia couldn't speak, she wanted to say so much but no words were forming.

"You know, Stutters, for someone who never shuts up, you're being awfully quiet," Kai taunted, whilst moving closer and crouching down to be eye level with her.

"Th-that's not my n-name," Claudia spoke, barely audible.

"Ah, she speaks! Finally. God I thought I was gonna have to knock you out again," Claudia's eyes widened as she remembers how all this happened, "maybe that would make you talk a little more."

"You killed her, Mrs Smithson, she's dead." She was no longer stuttering or messing up her words. Claudia was no longer scared, she was angry. Kai looked at her and just smiled.

"Oh c'mon, its not not like anyone's really gonna miss her, she was a complete bi-"

"That's not the point, Kai! You killed her!"

Kai laughed, his face just inches away from Claudia's "Look-y here, someone put on her brave pants this morning."

"You're a monster."

"No, I'm a sociopath." Claudia looked at Kai with disgust laced in her eyes,"I know, shocker."

She looked down. She couldn't look into the eyes of a cold blooded killer.

"So you killed your family," Claudia said calmly, meaning for it to be a question but it sounded more like a statement.

"Well done, Stutters, looks like I didn't damage that pretty little head as much as I thought."