Toilet

Change of Heart

Hello Readers,

Sorry it's been awhile since I've updated.  I know this chapter is short but I’m leading up to something spectacular.  Life is puzzling, amusing, interesting, it’s what you make it.  The universal truth is, unless you’re an extraterrestrial or a robot, you might mess up sometimes.  And that’s okay.  I hope you enjoy this chapter.  :)

AMBER’S POV

When I was little, I once tripped over thin air, falling flat on my face.  It hurt like hell.  Presently, it felt like I fell and was run into by a truck, repeatedly.  I cringed as a balmy, cool, damp cloth came into contact with my face. 

“Sssshhhhh, be still. Everything’s okay,” a gentle voice said.

Looking upward at my savior, I almost rejoiced, it was Tim. 

“Tim? How did you -,” I choke on my own saliva, stuttering, at a complete loss for words. 

“Just relax Amber.  I promise I’ll take good care of you,” Michael said. 

Revolted, confused, and leery of his never ending deceit, I did the only sensible thing I could, I spit in his face.  Now I am regretting my lack of judgment when his face distorted.  As if shaking off the evil, his creepy smile resurfaced. 

Nonchalantly, he wiped the saliva off his face.  His eyes bore into mine, as if he was attempting to consume my soul with his gaze. 

“I think I deserve that,” he laughed softly.  His laughter made my blood feel like ice.  Shivers went down my back and I foolishly wondered if he could sense my fear.  If I wanted to survive, I had to be impertinent. 

Imagining myself castrating Michael, I smiled sweetly.  My whole body hurts.  Forgetting my pain, I remembered the loss, the heartache, and then without further ado, the tears fell.  Blinded by passion, I choked on heartfelt sobs.

Michael was immediately at my side, like a friend of some variety, and he had me in his arms, letting me weep on his bony shoulder.

“Don’t cry.  Don’t cry.  I’m sorry I hurt you.”

I didn’t receive adequate time to register I was in my captor’s arms.  My arms were still bound behind my back; with the grace of an orca, I pressed my bosom against him in the most unflattering way imaginable. 

For the first time in a long time, I wept.  I never cry.  I hate crying, the before, during and afterwards.  It feels like I’ve dry swallowed a hundred horse pills and am choking on cotton.  Snot is bubbling from my nose, and my brain is beginning to throb, pulsing with pain. 

“If I untie you, do you promise not to run?” Michael cooed like I was some pet. 

Without speaking or looking up, embarrassed at my display of wild emotions, I nodded, accepting defeat.  Where would I go? I couldn’t go home.  Too many memories would haunt me.  No, I couldn’t go back.  The only person that would miss me is Nicole and we have telepathy. 

Suddenly aware that I haven’t heard from her, Michael freed my hands. 

“Why are you being nice to me?”

As if pondering what to say, deep in thought, he simply shrugged.  I massaged my wrists with my aching fingers.  I was covered in bruises, bite-marks, and dirt. 

“You must be hungry?” He asked, smoothly, avoiding my question.  My stomach sounded alien as it grumbled.  Suddenly I felt starving and light-headed.  When was the last time I had eaten? Courteously, Michael pulled a chair from another world, and I plopped down, smacking my tail-bone into the wood.

He held a cup to my lips, pressing me to drink, poison, maybe, but it felt cool and fresh as it hit my throat.  This is what it must feel like when it rains in a desert.  I have never felt such painful thirst.   Never have I appreciated water, until today, I vowed to never take it for granted again. 

“Slow down Amber or you’ll make yourself sick,” he warned. 

I didn’t care if I made myself ill.  I drank deeply, savoring every last drop.  I didn’t even care if I just drank 16 ounces of rat poison. 

Michael looked upon me with disgust as I slurped greedily.  It was his fault I was in such a detrimental state. 

“I want more,” I belched rudely. 

“You’ll be sick,” he mocked.

“I hate you!”

“You probably mean that,” he stated unhappily.

With supersonic speed, he brought me another cup of water.  Sure enough, he was right.  I projectile vomited across the room.  It was even worse than it sounds. 

“I tried to tell you,” he reasoned.

“What do you expect? You kidnap me, torture me for days, I thought you were going to kill me!”

“What convinces you that I won’t?” He threatened. 

“If you’re going to kill me, just do it.  Listening to you talk can’t be worse than dying,” I spat out. 

Within seconds, his hands were wrapped around my neck. 

“I could kill you right now, but I won’t.  I have something else in store for you,” he said hotly. 

“What happened to not hurting me?” I challenged. 

“Come now, Tim has done such a fantastic job already.  He and Victoria was always such a lovely couple,” he teased. 

Not putting two and two together, Michael slowly spelled it out for me.  “Tim chose Victoria over you.”

“What a pity.  Victoria chose my boyfriend over you,” I said between clenched teeth. 

Releasing me from his death-grip, Michael laughed. 

Like a damn about to burst, I could feel the tears pooling.  I tried to blink them away, snorting the air like a boar, I simply could not cry two times in one day.  “Am I free to go?” I demanded, whilst clutching the sides of my clothes for moral support. 

“Not yet.  You’re still healing.”

“Can I see Nicole?”

“No,” he clipped. 

“So I’m trapped in here with you?”

“I’m not so bad once you come to know me,” he excused.

“I don’t want to ‘to get to know you’. I despise you!”

“I don’t require you to forgive me. What’s done is done.  I promise I won’t hurt you.  Once you’re in good health, you’re free to go.”

“Just like that?” I didn’t want to bring my hopes up.

“Just like that.  There’s no need to kill you.  The Illuminati will take care of that.”

“You promised you wouldn’t hurt me!”

“You’re right, I did.  But there are others.  You are human.  You know our secret.  There’s only one way this will end.”