I wake up with a pounding headache, unable to move or open my eyes. It's fine. I just need to breath and focus on waking up completely. In.... out.... in.... out.... I hear faint cries of a child. Oh god.... he's got the twins. I thrash around, trying to get up to save them. But I'm cuffed at the wrists and ankles. He did this.
After the crying calms down I hear footsteps outside the door getting louder and I try to contain my sobs as tears fall from my swollen and bruised cheeks. I hear the door open but still can't see anything. My tears have blurred my already poor vision. A soft sob escapes my lips as I feel the bed dip next to my and a large cold hand caresses my cheek.
"Rise and shine angel... I want you to see your new look."
New look? What the hell is this nasty snake even talking about? I guess all I can do is wait.
As a I feel the rope loosen around my ankles and the warmth slowly returning to my feet, I let out a soft groan. Wow my throat is dry! As the rope loosens around my wrists I can slowly move my arms down to my sides, whimpering in pain at the tightness of every muscle in my body. But before I can get a full stretch I fee his arms slide beneath my legs and back, lifting me to his chest as he stands up.
He walks for a moment then stops, reaching down to open a door to what I thought was the bathroom, but then he keeps walking. He heads down a set of stairs, holding me tight against his chest so I'm not bumped or dropped.
A short while after we reach the bottom of the stairs he stops again. A lock clicks and a door opens and he walks through. He takes a few steps and then goes up two or three stairs before laying me on a comfortable bed or couch. I can hear his footsteps fade before another door opens to my left.
I start to doze off, feeing the soft satin on my skin, as I sink slowly into it, letting it engulf me as the darkness clouds my mind, letting me fall into a peaceful sleep for the first time in what feels like a lifetime.
But the peace didn't last long. I awaken abruptly as I feel my body being lowered into what feels like a blissful hell. But I don't have the energy to do anything but whimper softly. I hear faint whispers, telling me that everything is okay, and that it'll be over soon.
I manage to gain enough energy to open my eyes, seeing that I am in a large ivory and gold bathtub that is almost overflowing with soft lavender scented bubbles. Just like the ones I loved as a child. But before I let myself think about who I was back then my eyes flutter closed, leaving me with hardly enough energy to keep me awake anymore.
I feel Chris's chest rising and falling as he breaths deeply, his arms draped around my waist as he makes small careless circles in my stomach with his thumbs. I lay my head fall to the left side, feeing a pain in my shoulder as I do so, but unable to lift it again. I let silent tears of pain stream down my face as Chris begins to speak.
"Angel it's time to bandage you up... I've left you exposed for far too long."
Too long? How long has it been?
He lays a soft kiss on the top of my head as he lifts me out of the warm embrace of the foamy water. I shiver as he drapes a fluffy towel over my weak body as he carries me back to the bed that I was on previously. He props me up against some soft pillows, taking extra care not to touch my shoulders or the small of my back. What is going on?
I feel a pinch in the back of my neck before the dark comes again. I hear him saying something, but I can't quite make out what it is. The last thing I feel before everything is gone is his lips on mine.
............................................
I wake up, gasping for air as a sharp pain meets my chest. I feel a dull ache in my chest as I take small breaths. That's all my body can take right now. And all I can do is comply. I have a little more energy than I did before, so I sit up, slowly opening my eyes to adjust to the brightness of the room. I haven't been here before.. at least not that I can recall. It's a different room than the one I was in before. But why does it look so familiar?
There are hushed voices outside the door so I quickly lay back down, hoping they'll leave me alone. But the door opens slowly, light streaming into the dim room as Chris strides in. Arrogant as always. He comes to sit beside me, caressing my face with his rough hands.
"I know you're awake, Angel. No use faking. We've got things to do. But first... you need to get cleaned up and presentable."
He presses a kiss into my palm as he sweeps my frail body up into his arms, the pain returning to my back and chest. He walks to the bathroom, carrying me in his arms straight to the large mirror hanging on the wall beside the shower. He sets me on a chair he had obviously brought in just for me. But the reflection I saw in the mirror wasn't my own.
This girl had dark chocolate brown hair instead of my silky blonde hair. And her body was littered with bruises. She had a bandage wrapped around her torso and more on her shoulders. She looked broken.
I couldn't let that be me.