Rich lies & poor truths

Chapter 21 - Addiction

I nibble my nails feeling scared.  We have been driving for over four hours without stopping.  My bladder is so full but I’m so scared to ask them to stop.  The whole ride consists of complete silence and it’s kind of freaking me out.  I keep my face out the window, staring at the passing cars or the giant trees, waving at me in the strong wind. I feel warm and sweaty and I just want to stand, feeling stiffness in my whole body.  Even though I’m a quiet person, I’m suffering in the sound of silence. The beat in my heart is the only thing I can count on.  The only thing I can count on. I grip my thumb hard in my hand, wondering every second where they can possibly take me.  How far am I from home?  The boards with names of places on the sideways are unknown to me.  I bite my lips to keep myself from talking. From screaming.

“We’re almost there.”  Richard speaks almost as if he can read my vulnerable mind.  He looks at me through the rear view mirror and sighs.  I quickly look away from his eyes, wanting him to see that I’m angry.  Wanting him to see that all how  he’s going to get something else than anger from me, I want answers.  Answers!  I look at Rebecca sitting in front of me, wearing a tank top with golden bangles dangling from her thin arms.  Her hands are busy massaging her legs.  She’s probably also feeling the stiffness.  I frown, wondering what is running through her mind and why she is lying about her name.

The car slows for a minute, taking turns on a gravel road until it completely stops.  I let out a gasp breath, already feeling relieved.

Rebecca jumps out of the car and Richard walks up to me and opens the door for me.  I suck in my breath and climb out, almost falling, my legs weak.  I feel awkward.

“I really need to go to the bathroom.” I say, not able to hold it in any longer.

“I know, I’m sorry that you had to wait so long.” he apologizes and I want to click my tongue but I keep quiet.  I follow him on the gravel road, Rebecca out of site.  I want to ask where we are, but I don’t want to be answered by no real answer again.  A small yellow cottage appears as we turn from the bushy trees.  I look around at the open and isolated space.  They’re really meaning to hide me.  I let out a shaky breath when we turned away from the cottage.  I don’t see any other visible places, until I see a wooden board on the ground.

“I’m sorry, but here's the only toilet.” he says and bends over, pulling on the wood and it opens like a door, revealing old and scary stairs.

“Seriously.” I shake my head, “I would rather take a pee in the bushes.” I say, wanting to be honest.

“Riley, please, I promise it’s clean in there.” he sounds sincere so I take my first step towards the stairs.

“Okay.” I go all the way down to meet darkness.

“Isn’t there a light or something?” I call starting to feel a scary vibe.

“I’m sorry, Riley.” and with that a hard sound hurts my ears and it becomes even more darker.

Oh no!

“What the hell, Richard?” I call.

“I tried to make it as homy for you as possible.” he sounds regretful.  If he tried to make it as homy possible for me then this must have been planned.  I swallow. Is this the end of me?  If they want to kill me why don’t they just get it over with.  I let my hands slide over the wall next to me and after a while of feeling and touching I finally found a switch and I turn it on.  The dark space lights up, and I see a small single bed and a toilet next to it,  No stall, just an open toilet.  I start to cry,  and rush towards the toilet emptying my bladder. What am I going to do?  With my phone secretly in my cast but with a flat battery.  I look up letting my tears drip down my face.  I wish mom was here, to guide me. To give me something I can live for.  

After I emptied my bladder I fall down on the bed, it feeling hard and uncomfortable beneath my body.  I wish there was music, so that I can clear my mind and feel better.  I close my eyes hoping for sleep to take over and after a few minutes, I silently fall into a deep sleep.

---

“Riley.”  I jerk awake, when I hear my name being called.  Richard is standing in front of me and I frown, pulling myself in a straight standing position.

“What?” I say, massaging my back looking at the plate he’s holding.

“I brought you food.”

“Oh, am I being held captive now?”

He sighs.

“Who gave you the right.”  I let red anger go out of my system.  I want to hurt him.  I want to wipe his sorrowful expression off his face.

“Stephen did.”  I open my mouth but close it again.  Stephen.

“Nothing makes sense!”  I take hold of my head, not caring that I’m breaking in front of him.  Maybe if I cry and go mad he’l tell me something.  I take a deep breath.

“I’m going insane.”  my voice comes out shaky.

“Riley.” he says.

“Who are you?”  I lift my head and look deep into his wide eyes, “Like imagine this,” I start to walk up and down the room, counting steps as go through the words I need to say in my head, “Imagine how it must be like, to not know anything,”  I explain with my hands, “to not know who you guys are and what you want with me.” fat angry tears roll down my warm cheeks.  I see him swallow still holding the plate with a hard grip.

“I,” he starts but I beat him to it and start to speak again.

“How would you feel if it was you?”  I ask and raise my eyebrows at him.

“I know.” and that’s when I see him give in.  In his body language as he gives the plate a gentle throw on the bed and sits beside it. He rests his face in his hands, sighing through it.  I wait.

“I know how you must feel.” his voice is breathy.  Oh come on, I don’t want pity I want answers.  So I let a small noise of sadness escape my mouth.

“It’s Jessica.”  There it is. Her real name.

“Jessica?”  I act as if I’m all confused.  Which in reality I actually still am.

“I mean, Rebecca.”  he says and takes his face out of his hands.  His eyes are watery.

“What about her?” I ask, desperately hoping that he won’t speak in circles again.

“I was forced into this.  I didn’t have a choice.”

“How? What choice?”

“Listen, we can run away from all of this.” he says suddenly, having new hope in his voice.

“What?”  I start to walk towards the wall where a medium sized wooden plan is standing.

“We can start over.  I’ve always loved you and it’s killing me to do this to you.”

To do what.  What are you planning?” I ask, ignoring his weird statement of saying that he always loved me.  Maybe they’re both crazy.  What kind of sick joke is this.

“Listen Riley, let’s run away.” I grit my teeth.  He’s ignoring my question again.

I take hold of the plank in my hand, wishing again that I didn’t have a cast on the other.  I grip it tight, my knuckles turning white.  With gracefulness I turn and bring the plank over my head with a fast movement and with a little assistance with my cast and broken wrist I s***h the plank over his head.  I do it again and he slumps to the ground, like dead weight.  Breathing hard I drop the plank and run up the stairs, thankful that the wooden door from the ground is open.  I lock it with a lock in a chain, consisting around the wood The sun is setting.  I run towards the way we came, hoping Rebecca wouldn’t see me and give a thankful sigh when I see the ford standing just the exact same way Richard parked it.  

“Damn it.”  I mutter, remembering that I need keys.  I can’t drive but I need to charge my phone.  I try to think of a solution.  There may be a possibility that there won’t be a charger in the car in anyway.  I close my eyes, knowing what I must do.  I swipe my forehead with my sleeve before I make a run towards the cottage. I pick up a brick laying in my path.  I hope I won't have to use it.  A small garden, with colorful flowers line along the wall of the cottage. A wooden door is standing open.  I try to make each step as quiet as possible and my face scrunch up whenever I step on something making a crunching sound.  I peak in through the door seeing nothing but a four-chair wooden table and old kitchen cabinets.  I inhale the smell of old wood as I enter through the door.  My eyes speed around the place, trying to find something.

Bingo.  There’s a phone charging on the kitchen counter.  The phone has a pink cover, so it's probably Rebecca’s.  I put the brick on the counter and click the phone on, showing that it needs a password.  I sigh and plug the phone out of the charger, take out my phone from it’s cast with deep breaths and plug it in.  I have to wait a few minutes.  I clear my mind.  Am I going to look for Rebecca or stay here?  Hoping she won’t find me.  I nervously bite my lips feeling shaky.  I wish that my phone didn’t and it would’ve made everything so much easier.  I wish I wasn’t so clueless not knowing what to do. I fumble with my clothes, deciding to stay in the kitchen and whilst my phone is busy charging I turn it on.  Just as I thought that everything will get better, a message pops up.

Good day, Riley this is  Doctor smith from Green rose hospital.  I got your blood tests back and I’m afraid that we need to send you to rehab.  There’s a drug in your blood and you are certainly addicted with the amount…  I guess you did the tests to somehow stop the addiction?  We would be glad to help. Please visit the hospital before tomorrow or the rehab central will come pick you up.

Have a great day