Guarded

19

How had I not known something was up? How had I not ever thought that it was weird that Cost never mentioned his ‘sister’ no matter how estranged they had been in the past? How had it not clicked when I heard his mother crying over losing ‘her only baby’? How had I missed every blaring sign that had been put in my face? I thought of Harry and of how I had been so distracted with him and I realized that was why. I also remembered that he indirectly was the reason I was being held captive by a psychotic woman who was threatening my life. I knew it wasn’t his fault, but somehow couldn’t help feel some type of resentment towards him at this exact moment.

I wasn’t sure how many hours had passed. The curtains had been drawn shut when I had awoken and it appearead that no light was now shining through them so it must have been late in the evening. My stomach rumbled and my mouth was dry. I tried not to lick my lips since they were already cracked and parched.

I remembered I had to use the bathroom. “Um, Carissa?” I asked.

She had been sitting on the bed, scrolling through her phone. She had been silent for the last half an hour and it worried me. I had seen plenty of television shows about kidnappings to know not to antagonize your kidnapper even though I still hoped this was a joke, a very sick joke, but a joke nonetheless.

“Let’s get one thing straight, first. My name is not Carissa - at least not anymore. I don’t think Carissa and Harry go very well do you?”

I shook my head no, trying to engage in her sick fantasy.

“I think I like the name ‘Emily’ it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Harry and Emily? What do you want?”

“I really have to use the bathroom,” I said, trying not to sound too desperate in my request.

“I figured this would happen. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I hadn’t planned on being ignored for this long. Damn it, I need to do something to move this along.” She bent own and untied the bottom of my restraints, freeing my hands and then untied the top, freeing my hands.

My heart stopped when I heard something heavy click. I turned to see her pointing a silver gun at me. “Any funny business and I’ll use this.”

I nodded as best as I could and closed the distance between the chair and the bathroom. She followed behind me and demanded I leave the door open. I went to the bathroom as she watched me, tears silently streaming down my face as the reality of this situation got ten times heavier.

She tied be back up the chair once I was finished and I realized I should have asked for something to eat and drink. I was afraid to ask for that much, though. I contemplated how best to go about it when she came up to me and touched my cheek. “You have lovely skin,” she said. She held out a cup with a straw.

I peered into the cup.

“It’s only water, she said, “We can’t have you looking all dehydrated now can we?”

I took a sip of the liquid and it turned out to be water as she said. I finished what was in the cup and she held a bite of something up to my lips. “It’s only a ham and a cheese sandwich, but you still need your strength.”