AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Looking around, most would be impressed by their opulent surroundings. The walls reek of wealth as no expense has been spared. But just as Alek’s home was, this place is merely a prison with golden bars.
The thought of being imprisoned once again makes my skin itch, but I stand tall, not showing weakness. I instead focus on where I should plant the bugs. As the loud chewing continues, I can only hope and pray that they’re still in the pack of gum.
If not, I have no idea what I’ll do.
Minutes pass and no Oscar, which is not surprising because I wasn’t expecting this to be easy. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves me waiting all night. This is a game to him, after all, and right now, he’s the frontrunner and will do anything to ensure it stays that way.
Finally, one of the men reappears, but without Oscar. “You wait in there.” He gestures with his chin to a small room off to the right.
Without debate, I nod and gather my bag from the floor. I’m surprised however when they allow me to venture alone. When I turn the door handle, I see why that is. Claustrophobia grips me tight because this parlor room is tiny, and it’s also stained a bright red.
The wallpaper is red. So is the velvet cloth which drapes over the fireplace. The fire burning brightly doesn’t provide any warmth. Instead, it sends a shiver down my spine. A circular red rug decorates the middle of the room, but that’s it. No furniture. Just a small red room.
How bizarre.
Once I take a cautious step inside, the door slams shut behind me, and the distinctive sound of a lock clicking in place cements my future as a prisoner inside these walls—these red walls. The small confines and the devious color crash into me, and I lunge for the handle, tugging on it frantically because I suddenly can’t breathe.
I need to get the fuck out. Now.
“Let me out!” I scream, banging on the door when the lock won’t budge. But my pleas are in vain. No one is coming to get me.
The direness to that thought has a fire burning up my neck, threatening to set my skin alight. The harder I try to escape, the more frantic I become. The crimson walls seem to grow smaller, threatening to swallow me whole.
Thoughts of being suffocated as Kenny defiles me rob me of air, and I wheeze. My breaths are heavy, echoing through my ears as the blood pumps rapidly throughout my body. My heart races so quickly, I’m frightened I’m moments away from having a heart attack.
“Open the door!” I cry, my banging on the woodgrain growing sluggish by the second as the fight in me soon dies.
The room is spinning a deep crimson, but I measure my breathing and focus on inhaling and exhaling. I was brought in here for this exact reason. This red room is a mindfuck trip, intent on breaking those who are trapped under the scarlet hue.
With that thought, I will myself to calm, refusing to fall victim to Oscar’s psychological torture. To survive this, I must stay strong. I cannot show any weakness. This was a test—one I failed terribly—and it mustn’t happen again.
It takes me a few moments, but once I’m composed enough to breathe without wheezing, I scope out my surroundings, wondering if there is anything of use inside. I search under the velvet cloth draped across the mantel in hopes to uncover a weapon.
I don’t.
There aren’t any fireplace pokers either. I kick the rug away, hoping for a trapdoor, but all I’m confronted with are wooden boards. I feel my way around the walls, looking for any inconsistencies to indicate a secret passage.
Again, I come up with nothing.
The light fixture is a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. All in all, this place looks like a torture chamber. The simplicity indicates it isn’t used for comfort. Well, not in the conventional sense. And the color scheme wasn’t chosen by chance. I can only imagine what atrocities it conceals.
My legs grow heavy, but without any place to sit, I’m forced to stand. Again, the unfurnished room isn’t accidental.
Have I bitten off more than I can chew?
There is only one way to find out.
With that as my mindset, I take my position in the middle of the room, standing tall, and face the door. When it opens, I will be ready because I’ve already made the mistake of being caught off guard.
But I will ensure it will never happen again.
Every muscle in my body aches.
Many hours have passed since I was locked in this cage, but each minute, each second has only strengthened my resolve. I know what this is. It’s a test. Without a doubt, Oscar is watching me because like a lab rat under a microscope, he is waiting to see what the results of his experiment will be.
However, I’ve not wavered. As each claustrophobic second threatened to choke me into submission, I pushed down the urge to scream and the urge to claw at these walls, desperate to flee. Being locked away in a room with no windows gives you the sense that you’re all alone. Just like in the movies where an apocalypse has struck, the world has succumbed to the darkness, and you’ve only got yourself to survive.
And this is what Oscar wants. This is just the start of things to come because he won’t hand over Saint without a fight. He wants to break me, hoping he can control me too, but it’s going to take a lot more than that.
