my whole body ached from being thrown down the stairs. I sat staring toward the top of the stairs, hoping that today would be the day that he opened that door and let me up.
I was drifting off to sleep when light peeked in from the top of the stairs. I scrambled to my feet, but the door shut quickly. I heard something bouncing down the stairs and it smacked into my feet. Hesitantly, I reached out to see what it was and was relieved when I felt the bottle by my feet. I snatched it up and twisted off the cap, drinking down as much of the water as I could stomach. It was a mistake though. After a few minutes, my stomach churned painfully and I twisted to the side, just in time to throw up what I had just drunk.
Tears slipped down my face and I brushed them away, swearing that I wouldn’t cry. I had done this before. I had been down here more times than I could count and I had only broken that first time. I closed my eyes and laid down on the concrete floor, waiting for the moment that someone would come back for me.
More time passed, and I couldn’t remember anymore what day it was. When the door finally opened, I was so tired that I couldn’t even open my eyes. I just laid there and prayed that whoever was there would help me. I heard the heavy footfalls on the stairs and I felt myself being lifted, but I still just couldn’t open my eyes. The arms that held me were gentle, so I knew it couldn’t be the senator.
I was laid down in my bed and moments later a bottle of water was pressed against my lips. I didn’t want to drink. I was too afraid that I would throw up again, and this time, I was in my room. The senator would probably throw me back in the basement if I got sick in my room.
“Come on, you have to drink,” the gruff voice said. I peeled my eyes open and saw one of the senator’s guards sitting on the edge of my bed. He was one of the nicer guards, but I didn’t trick myself into thinking that he cared what happened to me. If he did, he would have come for me sooner. He was probably concerned that I wouldn’t look okay for the next time the senator needed me.
I took the drink he offered, but I only took a few small sips. The guard tossed a small loaf of bread on my nightstand, along with a few bottles of water and headed for the door. That was the last time I saw him.
✯✯✯✯✯
I stayed in my room for three days. I had a bathroom attached to my room, so I didn’t have to venture out to see anyone. Someone had knocked at my door on that first day, and when I got up to answer, I saw a tray of food waiting for me. That was how I got my meals ever since then. I didn’t leave the room for fear that the senator would have me thrown back in the basement. I didn’t want to be alone down there. It was hard enough when I was down there not to let the darkness get to me. It was even worse when I woke up in my bed in the middle of the night. Down there, I could make myself believe that everything was okay. Up here, I dreaded the thought of being thrown back down there. It didn’t make sense. I should be more scared when I was down there, but for some reason, being up here was even worse.
Curiosity got the better of me on the third day and I decided to leave my room. I wanted to see my mom, thinking that maybe this time she would see me and decide that we couldn’t stay with the senator anymore. I cracked the door open to see if anyone was in the hall, but it was empty. I slipped down the hallway, making sure I stayed close to the walls. I was just outside my mom’s room when I heard the senator’s voice. I should have turned around and left, but I heard my name and needed to know what he was saying.
“That kid is more trouble than he’s worth, and the mother isn’t any better.”