Chapter 12

23rd December 2019

Cathy's POV:

I was leaning back on the headboard of my bed with a book on my lap. Its been almost a week and I have already lost so much hope that I will ever make it out. The routine of him ringing the bell for every meals' time, feeding me, and kissing me before leaving continued like a cycle. I started watching thriller movies to see if I get an idea of escaping from them.

Last night I had dozed off while watching a movie. When I woke up by what seemed like midnight with the bright moon shining its light through the window, I was on my bed with the tv turned off and a tray of food that had already turned cold was sitting beside me on the table next to my mom's old lamp.

After I took off my blindfold for the first time and saw the room decorated, I had asked him that very night when he came to feed me my dinner...

"Did you like your room?", his voice dripped with excitement.

"How did you manage to get those things? What did you do to Reny?", I asked him hoping for a positive answer.

"I didn't do anything to her. She just wasn't there in the room when I broke in", he said casually.

"Nobody saw you breaking in?", I asked as he looked up at me from the plate with a grin, I could feel it.

"I used the window at the back of your room. The backside of your new hostel was almost abandoned. So it was easier than planned", he continued feeding me as he spoke.

"You knew that Reny would go out?", I asked in a wobbly voice with a mouth full of food.

"Not really", he said.

"What would you have done if she was in the room?", I asked dread filling my voice.

He paused, "I don't know. But anything for you Lisa"

I sat up rubbing my eyes as my mom's face shouting at me about how I always skipped meals or never had them in time appeared in front of me. I smiled weakly. How is she doing now? She will definitely spend her days drying out her lacrimals, and dad? His confident and always-strong face, is it the same now? Did they think that I am dead already?

I pulled the plate onto my lap and started munching on the partially frozen food. But I didn't mind as my stomach growled in hunger already. It was delicious though. He definitely knew every small detail about me. He was even capable of writing a biography of me. Once I finished eating I placed it back on the table and wiped my hands clean with the couple of tissues that he had left by the lamp.

Then I spent some time gazing at the moon and the sky outside. The vegetation outside was still and silent almost like it was lifeless. I was not feeling sleepy too. There was no clock around and so I had to switch on the television to see the time every time. It was a smart tv and the time displayed was 2:17 in the morning.

I switched it off and looked for a book that I could read from the shelf beside. It startled me that all of the books arranged there were the books that I had stored in my cart to purchase later from amazon.

I pulled out one book about subconsious mind and its power. It was written by a great psychiatrist called Collen Murphy. I went over to the bed and plopped on it. I flicked on my mother's lamp before I started reading.

It spoke more about telepathy which reminded me of the bond that Renita and I shared. Our words, behavior, attitude, and mostly everything were the same. People often tell us that we texted them the same words or sent them the same emojis at the same time most often.

We always had the same thoughts, same opinions, and made the same decisions in everything. We often had abruptly started singing the same song and had laughed giving high-fives. I wondered whether she was feeling just like how I feel right now.

I read three pages from the book but couldn't concentrate on it after that. That's when I closed it and left it on my lap as my mind started working on how to escape.

What kept bothering me for the past one week is that I didn't know anyone named Victor. Or is it a false name just like how he called me Lisa? How much ever I try to think about what happened at the night of my abduction never does it hit my mind. As confusion, depressions, and stress messed up with my head one after the other, I didn't know how I had fallen asleep again.

It felt like only five minutes had passed when a soft voice woke me up,

"Lisa? Lisa?"

I pulled my eyebrows together and tried to bring my hand up to rub my eyes but my hands wouldn't move. It was tied behind me. I am again blindfolded. His firm hands made me sit up and lean back over the headboard like always.

"Good morning sunshine! I have come to feed you your breakfast", he said.

"Leave it by the bed like last night. I can have it myself", I proclaimed.

"When I want to feed you, I feed you or remain hungry", he said as he fed me my first mouth against my will.

I started eating silently as a question that kept nagging me for a long time popped up in my mind, "Why am I sleeping often? Are you drugging me?"

"I am mixing them in your food. It will allow you to stay awake for a few hours and then you will fall asleep",

I stopped chewing, "In the food?"

"Yes!"

"Why?", I asked unable to believe that I had been eating drugged food all this time.

"I don't want you spending so many hours alone coming up with an idea of escaping. The moment you get closer to a conclusion you will be sleeping already. Then when you wake up, you would have forgotten half of what you thought the last time you were awake. You should start all the way from the first... and the cycle continues", he chuckled as a chill ran down my spine.

He gave me some water and untied my wrists. "Open your blindfold after you hear the door close and I have left you a gift on that table. You will love it. He kissed me softly on my lips before standing up and leaving.

Once I heard the door close I removed my blindfold and looked to my left immediately. On the table sat a gift-wrapped box. I grabbed it and quickly ripped off the wrapper in multiple small pieces. It was a shoebox. I opened the lid to find the black cut shoe with laces and flowers that I had removed from my cart with a heavy heart a couple of weeks ago.

*

It was twelve in the noon, time for him to bring lunch for me. I sat staring at the pair of shoes he had bought for me. I had worn it and walked here and there admiring it against my feet in the morning after he left. That's when the only way to get out of this place struck my mind.

I should get into the good books of his first. There is no other way of breaking out of this place and so the only way of getting out of is just him. I should gain his trust. I sat pondering over all the ways I can gain his trust by when suddenly I heard the bell ringing.

Okay wow, time to put up some act! I grabbed the blindfold from the table and tied it around my eyes before waiting for him. Then he opened the door with a cheery, "Good afternoon beautiful!"

"Good afternoon Victor!", I said adding in fake excitement. There was no answer. He was probably startled by my response that I had given him for the very first time. I then heard him close the door and walk towards me. As usual, he tied my hands behind and made me lean on the headboard before shuffling closer to me with the plate in his hands.

"Did you like the gift?", his voice bubbled with curiosity.

"I loved it, Victor!", I said beaming wide, "Thank you so much for the gift!"

Instantly his hand grasped the side of my face before he said, "You don't have to thank me, Lisa! It's my responsibility to keep you happy", his hands grazed along the side of my face tucking few strands of hair behind my ear.

"Are you happy?", he asked his hand still on the side of my head.

"I am, though I miss my parents", I said dejectedly.

His hands started brushing my hair gently, "I know how it feels to be away from your loved ones"

His gloomy voice told me that there was a dark past behind him. Of course the broken turn into the evil eventually. Digging that would help me to touch his weak point here and then when necessary.

"Are you missing someone Victor?", I asked carefully to sound like I was concerned rather than like being nosy.

"Let's not talk about sad things Lisa, you are happy now and that's all that matters", he said planting a kiss on my cheek. Okay then, I have so much time left to dig his past though. Let's take this slow.

"You know Lisa?", he said as he started feeding me, "Whenever you ask your mom for permission to buy something and your mom turns you down I so badly wanted to buy them for you. Now after seeing that happy face of yours, I want to buy more things for you. Ask me whatever you want Lisa, please don't hesitate"

I chewed the food silently bobbing my head up and down. I think I was slowly gaining his trust. Wow, that was quite easy! "I will Victor, thankyou"

He then gave me some water and kissed me like always. But this time the kiss was longer and deeper. I restrained myself from showing any disinterest and ruining the little trust that I had gained so far. Instead sat still until he was done and flashed a contented smile once he pulled away. "This made my day Lisa, I love you"

*

24th December 2019

Cathy's POV:

I had been thinking all night about what my next step should be. Yesterday's afternoon went successfully at the start of earning his trust. He will be here anytime now for feeding me breakfast. I should take my next move very cautiously without him smelling any of my plans. I was twisting and turning last night on my bed, staring at the ceiling, wall, and the dark sky outside... Chanting to myself... Think Cathy! Think! Think!

Suddenly the bell went off, I tied the blindfold over my eyes and sat on the bed. He opened the door and stepped in, "Good morning beautiful! How was your sleep?"

"Morning Victor, Definitely the most satisfied and deep one since I came here!", I said as I heard him close the door and walk towards me. He did his usual regime of tying my hands behind and leaning me over the headboard. He then started feeding me as I sat pondering over what I should do next. I was unaware of the fact that he was observing me closely until,

"You seem busy thinking about something, what is it?", he asked.

Startled by the sudden question I asked warily, "I want something Victor, will you buy it for me?"

He paused, "Anything for you Lisa, just ask it out", he said with an authority in his voice.

"I want an elegant black frock Victor, a full frock", I said.

"Wow, that will look great on you Lisa! Sure thing hon, I will buy that for you", he said giving me water and a kiss like always. With that, he left after collecting what he brought. I undid the blindfold and sighed.

Great job Cathy! Now, what next? And instantly an idea surfaced my mind. Awesome!

HAPPY READING!