Yes, I realise I look like a psychopath.
No, I don't care.
All I really want, more than anything, is to escape from this crazy idiot, who happens to be chained to my wrist. Actually it's debatable who the crazy person here is; I think most people would presume that the crazy person is me. The knife has made a slight indentation on the metal of the handcuff. However it is clear the knife is too blunt to do much more damage.
Mike scrambles off the floor and flops into a chair, dragging me with him. He looks embarrassed. I look up from my frantic bid for freedom to see someone new had entered the room while I had been... Doing other things. Let's keep it vague. Attacking the handcuffs with a knife isn't one of my more sensible ideas.
I wave shyly. He looks dumbfounded and I laugh inwardly. Well this wasn't awkward at all. "Hi, I'm Emma!" I enthuse. Best to come over as enthusiastic rather than crazy. I also think it's too late for the 'cute innocent girl' approach. Since they already witnessed my desperate bid for freedom.
He appeared to weigh his options. He glances at the door. He clearly wants to bolt and get far away from here. Very, very far away from here. Then he peeks at his wife's face. She knows as clearly as I do what he's thinking. She gives him a harsh glare saying, don't even THINK about it. Speaking the man finally said, "Erm, h-hi, I'm John." He told me. I nod in response.
After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence I speak, "Can you get these off?" I ask indicating the handcuffs. John looks at me curiously. Then he considers my question.
Mike interrupts, "Please get the handcuffs off." He begs.
John smirks. "You realise you just said please? I don't think you've ever said please in your whole life!"
I stare at Mike appalled. He's never said please? I'm beginning to like this guy less and less. Scratch that. I never liked him to begin with. "Back to the point here people!" I interrupt, trying to steer the conversation back towards the problem.
Everyone's silent. I wait for someone to say something. I look around expectantly. Then I realise why no one's saying anything. No one has any ideas. I sigh, "How about picking the lock?" I ask.
Lauren is the first one to answer, "Let's try that, I'll go get some stuff." She disappears out the room.
Next John flees the room and I'm left with Mike. Again. He starts asking me questions, "Will your family wonder where you are?"
My mother won't have noticed but my sister will have. I'm an hour or two late, I can't say for sure because I don't know the time. I answer, "My sister will be worried."
He nods. "How old is she?"
What's with all the questions? None the less I tell him, "Four."
"What about your mom?" He wonders.
I really wish he would mind his own business. I scowl. Great. If I didn't answer it would be suspicious. I couldn't lie, but I couldn't exactly tell the truth. I settle for a shrug.
"What about your dad?" He questions.
That's it. I've had enough with this interrogation. "Stop asking me these questions! It's none of your business!"
He shrugs, "Okay, You can ask me some now, if you want."
I smile. He really shouldn't have asked that. I'm exceptional at prying out peoples secrets. I think of the limited things I know about him. "Why were you going to see a therapist? I ask.
He frowns and pauses. "I wasn't!" He protests fidgeting.
He's a useless liar. I roll my eyes at him. "Where were you going then?"
He thinks for a moment. "The gym." He announces.
I roll my eyes again. He's lying, of course. "There isn't a gym in the building." I inform.
He frowns in fake confusion. "What?" He looks at me. When he realises I'm not buying it he mutters under his breath to himself, "Too smart for her own good." Then louder he addresses me, "Okay you caught me but I'm not telling you why I was there." He says stubbornly.
It's too late anyway though because Lauren walks in carrying an armful of equipment. She sets it onto the table with a clatter. "Now let's get to work!" She cheers. I have a bad feeling about this. It's the look in her eye. My mother gets that look before something goes wrong. Which is nearly all the time. I know from experience that that look never means anything good.
Lauren picks up two paperclips and slips them in the lock. She wiggles them around. The lock doesn't open so she swaps a paperclip for a bobby pin and wiggles it around. After ten minutes of this John walked in. In his hand a saw. He shoves Lauren out of the way and saws through the metal chain in two places, and some of the table.
Finally! I'm free at last! "Yay!" I celebrate.
However Lauren is not so pleased. "Just look what you did!" She shrieks loudly. She points drastically the table. I look at what she's pointing at. A straight indent from the saw is etched into her wooden kitchen table. I don't see the big deal but I pretend to look horrified. "It's ruined!" She exclaims. She looks upset so I hide my frown. It's just a table! What's with the overeating?
I interject her in mid-rant. "We've got to return the car." I tell them. "Come on, let's go."
Lauren looks angry. However by the time she's caught her breath ready for another fit we have already left the kitchen, leaving her talking to thin air. I jump in the front seat of the car. I laugh as Mike groans, he climbs into the back. John sits in the driver's seat.
The engine roars to life. The trees and shrubs visible from the window turn into a green smudge. The car whips down the lane. I absentmindedly twirl the handcuff, it looks like a pretty, silver bracelet. There's an angry red line where the handcuffs are. It feels immensely strange. I'll work out later how to remove the worthless handcuff.
Mike sits in the back seat, mimicking my pose. I study his face which is twisted into a scowl, like he's thinking of unpleasant memories. This makes me wonder again, what is he hiding?
Everyone has a secret. One there not willing to share with anyone. Not a relative, not a friend. Some secrets are worse than others. It could be sad, bad, mad or crazy insane. Everyone has a secret, even me. I have a secret, Mike has a secret. A secret I'm itching to know.
YOU ARE READING
All I Ever Wanted
General FictionEmma's life was never perfect. She never had the nice house, white picket fence and a beautiful labrador puppy. She never wanted any of that anyway. All she ever wanted was loving parents for her and her sister. She's come to terms with the fact tha...
