The caught..
RYAN
"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, seething with anger.
Violet stood before me, her hands clasped together. She bit her lower lip, and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears.
I watched her freeze like a deer caught in a headlights,her eyes wide and mouth slightly open. She bit her lower lips and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears.
Her gaze darted between me and the slightly open doorway behind her- the one that led to my secret room. The one no one was supposed to know about.
"What the hell are you doing?" I repeated,each word clipped and dangerous
She blinked a few times, finally closing her mouth. "I..I was just.." Her eyes landed on the book she just dropped. "I was looking for my notebook and then saw this book and I thought 'oh I've been looking for this book. I can just borrow and tell you about it later and.."
"And?" I deadpanned,my arms crossed.
"In my defense,you had whole..hidden door thing going on. You can't just have a mysteriously button out in the open and expect people not to press it"
She gestured to the shelf as if it was my fault.
"You're blaming this on the button?" I asked incredulously
"Yes!" She said with a nod. "It's very suspicious"
Her nervous grin faltered under my gaze. She was invading my privacy. She almost found about --no,no one could find out. My expression darkened again
"Okay, okay. I didn't actually go inside, okay? I just peeked, more like a glancing peek"
"A glancing peek?" I repeated,my irritation simmering beneath the surface.
"Yes. I didn't go in there and I don't know what's even there"
"Because I caught you" I pointed out.
“Right” she muttered, her eyes now glued to the floor.
“What’s in there?” she asked suddenly, her voice tiny and curious.
“That’s none of your business.”
“Look,” she said, taking a deep breath, “I’ll just... go. I didn’t see anything, and I don’t want to know what’s in there.”
“No, you don’t” I said darkly. “And you never will.”
She nodded quickly. “Okay,Right. Got it.”I stepped back, giving her just enough space to slip out from the corner she had wedged herself into.
When she finally reached the doorway, she bolted for it.
“Wait,” I called out.She stopped mid-step, turning around slowly looking like a kid caught stealing a cookie
“Yes?”I pointed to the book still clutched in her hands. “Put it back.”
Her eyes flickered down to the book, her expression hinted at longing. She hesitated for a moment, then sighed, walking over to the bookshelf to place it back where she’d found it. She shot one last glance at the hidden doorway before retreating from the room, not sparing me another glance.
I ran a hand through my hand trying to release the tension pent up in my muscle. She almost found out. My eyes flickered to the room,the door slightly ajar. That was too close. I had to figure out a way to secure that door better. Maybe an alarm, or a lock only I could open. Something, anything to keep it safe. No one's supposed to know what's in there. Not now,not ever.
The tension in my muscles refused to leave as memories began clawing their way to the surface, memories I had buried deep. I could hear her voice—sharp, cold, cutting through my mind.
"Shhh, I'm going to call your parents now, and you need to act accordingly, else your mom dies..."
I was eleven, maybe twelve. My small body shivered against the cold cement floor of the basement where they’d kept me. Her nails dug into my arm, leaving red marks. A combination that made me feel nauseous
My throat tightened as the light bulb flickered overhead, casting twisted shadows on the walls.
I could still feel the burn of the rope against my wrists, my heart pounding in sync with the ticking clock on the far wall. Every tick felt like a countdown to something terrible. She'd crouched down in front of me, her eyes gleaming with a deranged calmness.
"If you say anything stupid” she whispered, her voice icy. “Your mother dies. And then I'll make you watch."
I nodded, my body trembling.
I heard them call my parents, making demands. My father's voice cracked through the phone,I've never heard him sound like that before. My mom's sobs echoed in the background and I sat there, playing my part.
"Say hi to your parents, Ryan” Margaret ordered, her fingers coiling around the phone cord.
I opened my mouth, my voice trembling as I tried to sound compose
“ Mom. Dad. I'll be okay... just do what they say."
I snapped my mind back to the present. I can't breathe,I can't see straight. Blood started to pound in my head.
I couldn't get enough air. My ears started ringing,the sound growing louder with each passing seconds.
"Focus.." I mouthed to myself. I stumbled backwards,my back hitting the wall. "In and out" I whispered,my voice barely audible. "Breathe damn it”
I'm not dying,I know.
I'm having a panic attack. This has happened twice before. Once when I was still young and the other when I was eighteen.
And now this…
I forced myself to count,to focus on the numbers. One..two...three but they slipped through my grasp.
I dropped to my knees,my hands pressed against the floor.
Violet..
I tried to reach my phone, slowly and slowly. I reached it.
I can feel it devouring me,I can feel the pain eating me.
I dialed her number, it rang,kept ringing and eventually she picked. She said something,words I couldn't catch but I heard her calling me, asking if everything was okay. I didn't know,I couldn't respond.
I feel my heart restart.
I lift my head half and inch and wait. Hoping against hope
And the door finally flung open.
“What the hell Is going on? What are you doing on the floor.. Wait, were you crying?”
I felt her crouch next to me. “I can't breathe.” I managed to whisper.
“What do you mean? I just left you a few minutes ago,what happened?” she asked,concern evident in her voice.
“Panic” I mouthed. “Panic attack. There's medicine” I whispered again. “In my locker”
She stood up immediately and she returned with a bottle in her hand. Relief washed through me. I collected it from her. I've never taken medicine for it before but I had kept it in case of an emergency.
“Should I get you water?” She asked standing to leave but I held her back.
I shook my head and popped four pills in my mouth. I didn't know the exact dosage but took it anyway. I bit down as the bitter taste evolved in my mouth.
And I felt suddenly limp…exhausted.
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