One-Shot, Shorts, And Ponderings - 1. The Lake's a Witness

I can feel it. All of it.

Every agonizing second creeps past me as I try, to no avail, to loosen the restraints he's tied around my wrists. Keeping calm is difficult, it takes far more energy than I thought it would.

Every inch of me longs to run away, to break the ties that bind and run head-first into the lake. It is still, a perfect mirror in which I can gaze the clouds and the treeline that surround the small clearing we are in. It has been at least four days, and still here I am, but am I the only one left?

"Don't worry, I'll be as gentle as I can. I promise." His voice is oily, filled with malice. Every time he speaks I can feel my stomach contracting, my skin breaks out in goosebumps.

"Please...please don't" My own voice sounds foreign, it is raw and pleading, the mirth and vitality that once ran through it have been all but extinguished.

"I don't understand why it's always this way with you people. I try to do something nice, something that will make all of you happy, and what do i get in response?" I can hear the agitation growing in his voice, rising to a fever pitch. "NOTHING! NO cooperation, no thanks, NOTHING!"

Suddenly things start flying about the room, tables, chairs, medical instruments, light fixtures, crash after crash betrays his temper, making me more and more afraid of my captor.

"You don't have to do this"

"It is not about what I HAVE to do, it's never been about that little one. There's so much more going on that you know."

"Please, just let us go."

"US?" He laughs maniacally, joylessly, it's the most frightening sound I've heard since the sound of his boots on gravel. "There is no 'us' anymore poppet, hasn't been an 'us' in days."

The knot in my throat stop the air from getting to my lungs, I have no tears to cry, I have no voice to argue with, all I am is a raw, exposed nerve tied to a table and nothing more. I have no strength with which to try to escape anymore, I don't even have a reason to, not if they're no longer here.

"You know poppet; when you cooperate with the procedure it is much easier to finish, no need for all the struggling and the banter, just lay back and let me do my job."

"I won't go so easily." There is no defiance in my voice, it cracks and sways when I speak, it's as weak as I feel.

The days feel different now, an eternity of moments in a second, or maybe it really has been years since I last saw the sun actually rise or set. All i can remember are the distorted reflection on the lake. The sun, the moon, the stars, the trees, all of it seems like a dream, a long-ago dream made up by children who had never known, nor would ever need to know the pain that coursed through every inch of my body.

"Are you ready now poppet?"

"No." It's nothing but a whisper, a mere ghost of what I remember my voice sounding like.
"You'll do yourself no favors with this attitude poppet." The anger is bubbling to the surface, maybe if i can make him lose control, I can end this.

"You think I care?"

"You ought to care poppet, that's the whole point." His hand rests on the small of my back, making concentric circles there, his touch makes me feel dirty, i want to run away from it all, to get away from his foul stench, to regain the humanity I once reveled in possessing. "Your lack of caring, that's the real problem poppet." The door creaks open, I can hear the sounds of a party somewhere close-by, maybe this is my chance.

I wait until I hear the door close, then i begin the slow process of trying to gather up my strength, most of it has been sapped away by the lack of food. But I know I have to get up. I have to find it inside me, to lift my head and get out of here, one way or another.

"You'll never break those Luis." His voice is like starlight to me, it fills the deep crevices of my spirit and soothes the wounds of my body, it's a balm that gives me energy and strength.
"How long have you been gone? Did he take Angel?"

"It's been longer than it should've been, but soon we'll be together."

"Did he take Angel?"

"Now's not the time for that Luis. Get up."

"DID HE TAKE ANGEL?"

"Yes. He took Angel, and he took me, and he took Paola. Now GET UP"

The fire that lights up inside me threatens to burn the physical world around me to a cinder. I can feel my muscles respond to my commands, I am renewed, awakened from the forced slumber by the confirmation of the losses I have suffered at his hands.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't get up faster Daniel. I'm sorry you and Angel and Paola are gone. I'm sorry I couldn't find the strength sooner" Every word fills me with more determination, the fire is all-consuming inside of me, it burn away all weakness and pain. "I will not let him take me too, I will stay here and i will make sure that you and Angel and Paola are all remembered as you truly were."

I hear the leather straps snap, I can do it, I can get out of here. I can leave this room and throw myself into the lake, even if i can't get away from my captor, I can make sure he doesn't get what he wants.

I try to get my feet under me, but I haven't used them in so long that they cannot hold my weight. I lean against the closest wall and begin making my way to the window, it covers the entire wall opposite where I've been tied down, but all that can be seen outside of it is the lake, that giant, still, clear lake.

"GO! C'mon Luis, hurry up and GO!"

"Daniel, I'm going as fast as I can"

"You won;t be fast enough to get away."

"I don't need to get away."

"You do Luis."

"Without you and Angel, what have I left to live for?" I looked at the window, grabbed a chair and put everything I could into running.

The chair smashes against the window and I can hear the glass scatter across the floor, can feel it split parts of the skin on my legs and arms.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!" His voice draws farther and farther away. I am no longer his, I am no longer bound.

The lake's water is cold, and a gasp of shock leaves my lips, and is instantly replaced by the fresh water, I know that I will drown, and I am okay with that, I have no reason left to live. The cold water envelops me and the blackness of unconsciousness rushes up from inside me; I allow it to take me, to replace the pain and loss and fill me with the hope of the afterlife, of my husband Angel waiting for me.

The light is blinding, it disorients me. I know where I have come to, I expected to be here. It's warm, and inviting.

"It will not be that easy poppet, the lake is witness." His voice.