If Not Her, You

Part 3

Daylight creeps in the windows of the basement but Adeline didn't sleep anyway. She's been in this old musty basement for four days now. Four sunrises she hasn't seen and four sunsets she's missed. Has anyone noticed she's missing? Her roommate maybe? They aren't close but how could she not know something was wrong. Her roommate must know. Her parents? Oh god, her poor parents. They call every Tuesday and Thursday to check in. It's Friday.

Her skin has slowly burned away where the metal cuffs have made their mark into her wrists. The floor above her creaks and she startles. The door to the basement opens and Bennett walks down the stairs carrying a tray Adeline prays is food and water. It's been four days and the only thing Bennett has brought her is one bottle of water and a sleeve of crackers. Bennett smiles at her and sets the tray down in front of her. He leans forward and kisses her forehead.

            "Good morning, beautiful," he says against her skin. She clenches her jaw and forces herself to stay still. "I brought you eggs and toast and orange juice. Make it last because I won't be home tonight."

            "What? Why?" Adeline asks before she can stop herself. Bennett's eyes narrow and he shoves her against the hot radiator. It singes against her shoulder and she whimpers.

            "Not that it's any of your business, but I have a date," Bennett replies. Confusion swirls through her brain. What is he talking about? Is he going to let her go? "I know that might sound promising for you but don't get your hopes up. It's not a real date, she just thinks it is."

            "Ben? What are you going to do to her?"

            "Well, I don't know yet. That's the fun part," Bennett responds and smiles at her. She swallows and feels tears prickle in her eyes.

            "Please don't hurt her," Adeline begs. Bennett leans down in her face and grabs her around the throat. His fingers dig into her skin and she chokes. He kisses her as she's choking and shoves her backwards.

            "If I don't hurt her, I'll have to hurt you, Addie. And I don't want to do that to you," he says and rubs her hair back. His fingers brush over one of the open cuts on her head and she winces. "I'll see you later, my love." He disappears up the stairs, and she hears the bolt snap into place.

            She eats the eggs and drinks half of the orange juice, saving the rest for later. If he's telling the truth about not coming back tonight, she needs to save something to drink. She looks around the basement. It's bare and the closest thing to her are old moldy looking boxes literally labeled "Junk" and "Things". It's incredibly unhelpful. She tugs against the cuffs and yelps when they press into her open burns. She looks around for the valves but they're too far away for her to reach with her hands.

            She kicks off her shoes and wiggles around on her hips, trying to line her feet up with the valves. She stretches out her toes and squeezes the valve between her feet, sending up a silent prayer to any god out there that this works. She twists and twists and suddenly it gives. The radiator clicks off and she lets out a quick cheer of happiness. She shifts slightly on the hard ground. If this house is old, and this basement is old, couldn't the radiator be old? Couldn't she break the pipes? It's still hot to the touch so she knows she'll have to wait for it to cool.

            Her thoughts drift back to four days ago. She'd been wanting to break up with Bennett for a few months but she wasn't sure how to do it. They'd been together for a little under three years and this semester things began to feel different. The usual happy bright Bennett was distant and cold. He'd blow up at her about things out of her control, drive too fast taking her home, lock her out of their dorm building after insisting she didn't need her keys. Then the next day he was buying her flowers and telling her how much he loved her. It should've been her first warning sign.

            When Bennett struck her the first time Adeline was too shocked to do anything. He apologized immediately, even going as far as to cry in front of her and beg for forgiveness. She did forgive him. Then it happened again and a third time. Soon she was skipping trips home so she wouldn't have to lie to her parents. Bennett stopped apologizing after he hit her and she was too afraid to tell anyone. They'd think it was her fault. They'd say things like: why didn't she leave sooner? Why didn't she tell anyone? How could she still love him? Why didn't she go to the police?

            The truth was she thought of all those things. She was finally going to leave. They were having a good night. Her roommate was out for the evening. Bennett bought her dinner and they were in her dorm room. He was being nice to her and she thought if there was ever an opportunity it was then.

            "Bennett, we need to talk," Adeline said and Bennett paused the movie they were watching. He turned to her, concern in his eyes. She felt a knot form in her throat. "I think we should break up. I just – I don't think we're working out. You're sick, Ben." He knelt between her legs and looked at her with tears in his eyes.

            "I–I know. I've known. I've been taking this out on you and I'm so sorry," Bennett whispered and took her hands in his. He stood, her hands still in his and then his facial expression morphed into rage. He shoved her back into the couch and struck her across the face with a closed fist. Her eyes watered and it felt like her teeth had been knocked from her jaw. He grabbed her around the throat and lifted her off the couch.

            "You think I'm sick? I'll show you sick, you dumb bitch," Bennett spat in her face. He certainly lived up to that statement.

            The radiator is finally cool enough for Adeline to touch with her bare hands. She grabs the coils in her hands and pulls. They don't budge at all. She continues to pull but all it does is yank against the burns on her skin. She hauls herself to her feet and feels her legs wobble underneath her. She leans against the radiator and sighs. She's not getting out of these cuffs or this basement.