It's What Makes Me, Me

Blood dripped from my lips as I exhaled, pain surging through my chest, my ribs seemed as if they were crushing my lungs, expelling the much needed air contained in them. Physically I was weak but mentally I had stayed strong, keeping aware of my final out come, escape from this hell hole. Appearances made by my captor became more frequent, the time we were apart had become my haven, a safe place where I could relax, show my emotions and let my pain reveal it’s self. I had managed to numb my pain when I was around Elliot; his relentless torture had changed into a direct, planned infliction of pain.
It was time, Elliot’s feet creaked along the wooden floor boards as he headed towards the wooden door, my sanctuary was about to be breached. Preparing myself, I struggled to my feet using the window frame to support me; I stepped carefully one foot in front of the other, it felt like the iconic drunk walking, something I had only had little experience of. The cold steps were unusually moist beneath my feet, I looked wondering, what was it? Out of the corner of my eye I saw the puddle collecting at the bottom of the stairs, pooling on the floor the liquid began to grow, from a small droplet the puddle spread into all corners, seeping in around the hard concrete. The figure stood at the top, barrel in hand as his fist connected with my cheek, my first response sent me hurtling down the stairs, face first into the unknown liquid. The fluid covered my face, I don’t know why I did it but I licked my lips, the taste was terrible but I noticed it, petrol.
‘Shit!’ I had broken my silence, unaware of what was going to happen next, he walked down the stairs an air of elegance and grace in his strut. Reaching out his hand in my direction, he had got what he wanted I hoped I would be spared. Tugging me softly he began to lead me up the steps until we reached the top, Elliot turned that evil glint shining in his eyes and his mouth had formed that stupid toothy grin that showed he was up to something. Out of his pocket he drew a different weapon; it altered everything as he released me from the ever tightening grip. The barrel of the gun now pointed directly into my face, this wasn’t going to end well as he gestured down into the now ankle high pool of petrol. Following orders, I was scared reaching the bottom I stepped into the pool, it was rather cooling but didn’t and couldn’t distract me from the situation. Luckily only my knees, hands and face had been doused in petrol when I’d fallen in, I knew this would be a great help to me. A small artificial flame appeared, a lighter drawn from his pocket, I thought to myself how much more could those pockets contain? The feeling was almost unreal as I watched in slow motion the flame hit the trail of petrol, it lit instantly and began to ignite the rest; streaks of flame grew suddenly until it hit the large pool, engulfed in flames I stood my ground. The flesh around my feet began to burn, pain seeping through into my calm exterior, anguish showing on my face. Elliot danced his way to the bottom step, I hadn’t noticed before now the trail of lit petrol spelled out ‘The End’. The gun pointed back at my face, I could see his finger closing in on the trigger.
The heat from the raging flames cooled, I wrenched my eyelids open only to be met with blinding sun light, I was outside. My fingers ran through the surface beneath me, sand parted at my touch, water lapping at my feet, why was I at a beach? Sweat dripped from me, it was just a nightmare nothing to be worried about, all of it was my imagination. A hand snaked into mine, my head snapped in that direction, Charlie? We were lying side by side on a secluded little beach, crystal blue waves lapping at the golden sand.
Charlie’s hand rested on my knee, I was too relaxed and safe to think of it, the hand began tracing irregular shapes and patterns as it disguised its journey up my thigh, Charlie’s other hand found its way to my waist turning me to face him. He pulled me on top of his body, which I had just realized was only covered by swimming shorts, my own body sat straddling his waist, wearing a skimpy bikini, black with white skulls. I dipped my head slightly grazing my lips against his; his impatience became known when a hand found the pack of my neck forcing it down, our lips crashed together. The weight shifted and I found myself back down on the floor, staring up into his large brown eyes as his tongue flicked across hiss lips. I couldn’t stare into his eyes for long as his teeth nibbled at the skin on my neck, sucking and licking it was almost painful, his hands wandering over my body.
My hands were running over Charlie, nails gripping into his shoulder as he planted kisses in a trail from my neck to my lips, the pace slowed as my face cupped in his hands slowly gained kiss after kiss. The last kiss deepened, Charlie’s tongue finding refuge in my mouth our tongues danced, swirling and flicking as we continued are passionate embrace. The sun was fading on our beach, lighting the sky with bursts of orange, red and yellow it looked like a flame, I tried to forget the terrible memory of that nightmare, it had seemed so realistic.
Charlie started again; hands gripping my thighs as he kissed my bare stomach, one hand began to pull down my bikini bottoms. Black! Why has everything gone black?
‘Shit’, I was dreaming again. The basement walls unfolded around me, the small window and large door fell in there original places, why was my imagination messing with my mind? First I had nearly died, I surely would have if I wouldn’t have jumped to a happier place, even there I wasn’t away from my threatening thoughts, the realization of my current situation.
Floor boards creaking overhead bought me out of wallowing in self pity, the door swung open as light shone through. I watched eyes wide with horror as the fluid trickled down the steps; this was too much like my dream, I rose to my feet, stumbling towards them. ‘Thought you’d be thirsty, bitch’ and the water bottle came bouncing down the stairs spilling its precious contents.