7

***************

"Now where were we?" He smiles mischievously.

*****

I look at him as though I saw something revolting. This could not be happening.

"Kim, why do you treat me so? I mean we used to be really close- until now. Why did you suddenly change? What's the reason behind this? C'mon you can tell me anything, can't you dear?" He asks with so much politeness it makes me want to enter under the ground and die.

"Hm here are some questions for you too doc. Why do YOU treat me so? Why did YOU suddenly change? What's the reason behind this? Now let me answer your undying questions. First of all I never changed it was you!" I say with a raised voice now.

"Oh and sorry to point out the obvious but I think we both know that it's you who's treating me like a big bag of shit!!" I shout angrily at him. Doesn't he know how painful it is? Not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. I freaking trusted this guy! How could he turn on me just when I was believing him? How could he crush my already wounded heart? Doesn't he know how it feels?

He looks taken aback by my statement.

"I treat you like a big bag of shit? Really?" His voice morphing to that of rage. "Which kind of person takes care of a naturally hated person? I mean it's so obvious who we're talking about here. Which kind of person nurtures you to the extent he thinks he going bankrupt? Which kind of person-"

"Sorry but did you just say you take care of me? You nurture me? What the hell! Am I some kind of animal you can easily speak trash to? Even without sitting to look at the various wounds I have I know how many they are! I wont be lied to by you! And for your information you cant go bankrupt when you such an amazing job!!!" I shout wondering where all the energy came from.

"Oh the little everyone knows about everyone." He says suddenly pondering on something.

"Do you ever wonder why there's always two or more different stories about something or someone? Why you can only believe one? Obviously it's all a matter of choice. If you choose wisely, you get a wise reply but if you choose foolishly you get a foolish reply, garbage in garbage out. Now, you chose to trust and believe in a total stranger to whom you don't know from anywhere just because he showed you a little care and support for a short period of time. Hmph, being naive is an incurable disease to those who do not seek the cure. I saw you and knew right away how perfect you would be for my new use. That guy Nathan? He's just a made up lie put in place to make you have hope so I can mercilessly crush it. Have it in mind that there's no one out there to save you talkless of anyone who cares enough about you". He says with a steely voice matching his look.

I'm at the brink of crying.

"I-I-I-" I stammer trying to find words to say but cant find any. I am beyond stunned. Nathan isn't real?!?! Then- then what is? How can this be possible? Am I real either? Am I dead but living? Or am I living but dead? Nothing makes sense anymore! Or maybe something does make sense. The undying truth that I -Kimberley West- fell into the trap of a psychotic maniac who I dont even know of his true intentions for me. The shocking reality slapped me in the face hard.

"I can see you want to ponder over this so" He says leaning over my face.

"Goodnight dear" he says place a peck on my forehead with his pink feathery lips as he walks out the door.

Why is life so cruel? How come this only happens to one person? Cant the world have at least a fraction of my pain?

I never remember when all my energy left me and I drift off into a deep slumber.

********

I wake up startled to see that the room was dark again. In my still lying position, I realise that there's no pain anymore. Also, I'm not tied up anymore.

Weird

I sit up taking in my environment. I attempt to see anything but to no avail. I continued to take a survey of my surroundings until this faint light appears from nowhere. I carefully stand up and walk to the mysterious light. I continue to walk to the light but it seems as if it's running away from me. I stop dead in my tracks when I see a woman in the middle of the light. I may sound like a lesbian but this woman is gorgeous.

She's wearing a long flay white gown that makes her look like Odette in Swan Lake. Her long curly jet black hair fell flawlessly down to her waist. Her flawless pale skin looked admirable under the faint light as though she were some kind of godess. She was slender but curvy. She was wearing a pair of white flats which each had a cute white fashionable bow on them which complemented her striking gold earrings and bangles. Her big doe eyes and pretty smile made me feel- home- like as if I knew her and she was once this warm hearth. I looked at her in raw awe. She was truly amazing.

My train of thoughts were overlapped by the calm voice of the woman standing far away from me.

"Kim".

I was startled when I heard her speak. She smiled at me considering the fact that I was both shocked and confused at the same time- almost as if what I did was slightly amusing.

"Kim, please dont be afraid of me. Introductions are not needed at the moment dear, but what is needed now is your knowledge about some things".

"I'm sorry but I've learnt a lot about listening to strangers in just a day so if you dont mind I'll be leaving." I say turning on my heel to the other direction. I stop when I realise two things- the fact that I have no idea where I'm going to and also I'm going into a pitch black abyss. Coming to this realization, I look back at the woman who was already looking at me go. She looked at me as if telling me to come back to her and hear her out. As if hypnotised, I walked back to were I was before.

"I'm sorry for what is happening to you, but whatever it is you need to overcome it. If to stop you from looking at me that way I guess a small introduction would do even though I need none from you. I'm not an angel neither am I your guardian but who I am would please both of us later in the future".

"What kind of introduction was that? I was expecting you know name, surname, where your from and you know things like that instead I hear-".

"Kim! Listen to me. We know and don't know each other. Unfortunately I have no time to explain this. You need to understand that you're in a trance that's why there's no pain and you're not tied to anything. This is the only I can talk to you without meeting you in person and I know you wont understand until the day we meet but it's so far away. Kim, I want you to know how much I love and miss you but most importantly I want you to get out of this mess I put you in, although it wont be easy, I trust you can do it. Be bold, be brave, be strong and dont give up". She said as her last sentence sounded more like a whisper and her once vivid image became a dissipating cloud of white smoke. I too slowly started to feel pain everywhere and have a raging headache.

******

I jolt up on the altar but quickly retract to my lying position.

A trance?

Remembering the woman with the doe eyes made me feel almost as if I lost a huge part of me but I couldn't place what relevance she was to me. I hear muffled until I see Warren enter the room. He has this awkward smile on his face, almost lopsided if you ask me. I close my eyes so as to show my unconcerned looks. But that seemed like the worst mistake I made because I received a heart-crushing slap to the face.

"Good morning dear, did you sleep well?" He asks with fake concern dancing lavishly on his face.

"Of course I slept well, you know in an awesome contraption like this who wouldn't feel home?"

His expression changed from the counterfeit smile he once had to a lucid rage. He gripped my face hard with his huge hand.

"Watch your tongue sweetheart, it's not nice to talk to daddy that way." he says slowly removing his hand from my face but his eyes ever-looking.

"You are NOT my daddy because I never became a prostitute in a day".

I think this man is bipolar because the way his expression changes so quickly is astonishing and almost equivalent to those who are actually suffering from the disease.

"Ah Kim. You were never a prostitute to me, maybe to others but not to me. I love you Kim"

"You love anything in a dress."

"On the contrary, I did say I love you not anything in a dress. Plus you're in a skirt and shirt not a dress. Hm, how come you dont know that? Oh wait you're tied up for my own selfish pleasure!" He says with this strong mocking rumble of laughter. Anyone who hears him laugh wouldn't have to see him to fall in love with him because he has such an amazing laugh. I would compliment him if he wasn't the bastard who's caging me in here like some kind of animal.

"By your expression, I can see you're one of the many girls who love my laugh. Don't worry, no pleasantries needed." He said giving me this sexy wink.

I couldn't believe I was falling for the looks of a stranger who's at least nine years older than I am and it seemed so- absurd.

"I'm NOT falling for you and I certainly didn't want to shower you with pleasantries of any sort." I said with outstretched confidence.

He looked at me and smiled showing of his perfect straight white teeth and cute dimples. "Are you sure about that?" His warm brown eyes searched mine for any expression but I wasn't going to let him win.

I think he can hear my thoughts because he moved closer to me, his eyes never leaving mine. His warm breath smelt of cinnamon and a masculine scent fanned the side of my neck as though he were a vampire and wanted to turn me. The pleasant smell radiating of him was captivating. I wanted to get lost in it forever. I could feel myself slowly trying to sit up to have a better feel of him but I remembered what happened earlier and sank back down. I noticed his warm brown eyes and long sooty eyelashes close and open slowly. They gave out different emotions ; sadness, tiredness, concern and what have you. I wanted to apologise and hug him and tell him everything's alright until I noticed his expression change again.

This guy is definitely bipolar.

He smiled a triumphant smile as though he won a game. I think I know why he's happy all of a sudden.

"I knew you couldn't keep it up for long. It was all a matter of time till you gave up" he says, his triumphant smile getting wider.

Did I just lose this? Did he just win this? No way, winners dont lose without a stuck up smile to their opponent. So I acted out my thoughts.

"Why are you smiling all of a sudden?" His smile wavering.

They dont only smile but laugh

And with that, I laughed. And I laughed hard. Although my neck hurt like crazy, I still needed to show him I wasn't a loser. Even if he felt like a king just now I turned the table and became the victor in this game. He on the other hand he wasn't so happy. He looked more puzzled than outraged.

"Happiness is contagious but goes to only the people who deserve it".

"Some wise choice of words dear, food for thought if you ask me but that doesn't change your situation if you look back" he grinned evily at me.

"Oh, I-". I lost my words to stammering again. This guy really wants to kill all joy in me.

"Ok, let's do it this way. We'll have a question-answer session, okay?".

"No, that's not okay. Why cant you just tell me -like you know- the story of your life or something, you know even if it's just a hint of your life or maybe even why you're a psychotic maniac and decided to kidnap me".

He laughed to the extent that a tear came out of his eye.

"I love your humour, kidnapping you was no mistake "

Did he just call me funny? No one's ever called me funny before. Wow.

"You look taken aback, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine"

"So where were we, yeah! Our little conversation "

"So you want to know me? Well that's gonna take time". He said as he brought out this golden key from the back pocket of black denim jeans. He went to where my feet were and unlocked whatever was holding them in place. I feel- free. Even though the pain's still there but there isn't something holding me down. He then came up to my view, crouched and unlocked a lot of locks as if to show that he secured any attempt to escape. After unlocking all the locks, he turned to me and removed the nylon strings on my neck and hands. Relief washed over me as soon as they came off.

"Obviously you need to feel comfortable to hear my interesting story but before I start I have to warn you, just because I released you from this doesn't give you the liberty to run away from me -unless you want to play cat and mouse but remember cats eat mice"

I gulp as the realisation hits me.

"So where to begin? "

********