Savior (Book One)

Chapter Thirty-Six

It was starting to smell like a sewer in here. I had nowhere else to relieve myself, other than a rusty vase I had found on a shelf. I probably smelled like something out of a horror film since I was so dirty. My hair was no longer soft, and instead, it had more oil in it than a frying pan. My bones ached and my lids felt heavy from lack of sleep. I was hungry again, but it didn't matter. Henry fed me last night, so I wouldn't be getting anything until two days later.

How long have I been here again?
It felt like months, though I'm sure it was only a couple of weeks. So far, the only person I have had contact with had been Henry, and he isn't much for conversation. Instead, whenever I attempted to talk to him, he would only stare at me in silence, making me shut up when I finally end up realizing that it would be no use. I've probably read all of the old books that I had found, meaning I had no other way to pass the time. So I sat here, day after day, in complete and utter silence. I was now used to the cold, and I could swear that I lost all feeling in my hands and feet. The only times I would get up is if I had to pee, or if I had to eat. Other than that, I lay right here on this dirty old mattress, wondering where I would be if I had been placed with a different family.

Would I be happier with them? Would they treat me like a piece of trash, only useful for getting them money? Would I be able to stay in the same school as Anabell? As my other friends? How many kids would they have?

Then again...anywhere would be better than here.

I shifted my weight onto my back and stare at the ceiling, tracing random patterns across it out of habit. Oh look...a unicorn. Now it's a leprechaun. Maybe a cat? Or is that supposed to be a small dog? I was pretty sure I was losing my mind. Was I going insane? I wouldn't doubt it. I was being held captive against my will, by a man who told DSS he was going to take care of me. Was this what he meant when he told them that? He must have had this planned from the very beginning. He probably waited until a kid showed up with absolutely no family. A kid with no family was expendable. No one would miss them if they someday disappeared. And when I came in, he jumped at the chance. I was never born here, so I had no family here, making me the perfect target. I was just the unlucky kid who was taken into his 'care'. If you can even call it caring.

It was torture. Sitting here for hours and hours, day after day with no one to talk to, really made a person insane. I was so deprived of social interaction that I began talking to one of the moldy pictures on the wall. It was a picture of a man. Who? I didn't know. But I gave him a name. I called him Jake. And we...I mean, I, would talk to him about Heaven, and what I used to do before I was forced into this mess of a war. It felt good to talk to someone...even if they were not even real. I really must be insane.

I tensed as I heard the creaking of the door upstairs open, and I quickly hid under the blanket, shaking in fear as I listened to the steps that steadily came down the stairs. What was he doing here so early? He usually didn't come in here unless I was being fed, and he only did that every two days. I was fed yesterday. So...why was he here? What did he want from me?

However...as I listened to the steps, I found them to be lighter than Henry's. Curious, I peeked over the blanket and was surprised when I saw Ivory looking at me with wide green eyes, clutching a worn bunny in her tiny arms. I blinked, surprised that she was even down here. Henry never allowed any of his girls to see me...so why was she here?

"What's your name?" Ivory asked, making me blink out of my thoughts to stare at her.

"Um...S...Sky." My voice croaked and it sounded like I hadn't had water in a week, scratchy and barely audible.

Ivory smiled and surprised me further when she took a seat in front of me, clutching her bunny tightly to her chest. The ruffles of her pink dress was a stark contrast to the yellowing mattress I sat on, the pink seeming to be bringing life into the room. I watched uncomfortably as
Ivory studied me with curious eyes, playing with one of the bunny's ears.

"Why are you in here? Are you in trouble? My daddy gets mad a lot. Did he get mad at you?"

I gulped, my throat burning at the action, and rubbed my arms. How was I going to answer that? Tell her that her father only wanted me for money? That he didn't care I sat down here, starved and freezing to death? I couldn't tell that to a nine year old. So, what did I tell her? I licked my chapped lips in thought, before I sighed and leaned my head on one of my knees. "Your daddy doesn't like me very much, I guess." It was true, in a sense.

He never talked to me unless it was to degrade me, and he kept me locked in here in the darkness and coldness for days on end. If that didn't spell hate, I don't know what would.

"But, why? You seem very nice, Mr. Sky."

I smiled softly at her childish innocence, looking away from her towards discarded books. "He doesn't want me around you or your sister. Plus, with me here, he gets money to spend on you both."

Ivory frowned at that and tilted her head to the side, her small blonde curls falling over her tiny shoulders. "Why the basement, though? We have a nice big room you can go in! It has fluffy blankets, and it's near the bathroom!" She wrinkled her nose and pinched it with her free hand, giving quite the adorable sight. "It stinks in here! And you look dirty! You need a long bath! With bubbles and everything!"

If only, I thought miserably, my gaze going back to the floor. I nibbled at my bottom lip, gasping quietly when my teeth cut the delicate flesh. Not wanting to alarm the young girl, I sucked the blood from my lip and turned my head away from her. "You're Ivory, right?" I asked, attempting to make conversation.

Ivory grinned widely and nodded. "You know my name? That's so cool! Did my daddy tell you?"

"Yea." I smiled sadly at her, my lids drooping heavily thanks to lack of sleep. When a sudden thought crossed my mind, I furrowed my eyebrows and turned to face the little blonde. "Ivory, where...where is your father?"

Where was Henry? If Ivory was down here...he had to either be asleep or...or not even in the house. Meaning I could escape. I could get out of here if I played my cards right.

Ivory frowned and pursed her lips, raising a hand up to play with her curly bangs. "He fell asleep on the couch. I think he's very tired. He didn't get no sleep last night."

Hope flooded in my lungs and I scooted closer to Ivory, my heart beating with excitement in my chest. I was going to get out of here. I was going to be free! Oh the things I will do when I'm free. I'll get some food and water in my stomach, bask in the sun for hours...pee in an actual bathroom. It was going to be wonderful. There was only one problem. How was I going to get out of here? Henry could wake up literally any second and ruin all of my plans. I had to figure out a way without raising suspicion. But...how?

My gaze shifted to Ivory and I got an idea. Maybe she could help me. If Henry did happen to wake up, she could distract him long enough for me to escape. I just hope that he stayed asleep long enough for me to get out of here and get help.