It's What Makes Me, Me

It happened almost in slow motion, the chair falling into the rough floor. It splintered. The pain was only visible in her eyes; Lexii was so strong she never showed pain on her face. Elliot yanked her to her feet and held her chin firmly as he spat words of venom at her, Lexii wriggled free from his grip but at a cost, four deep slices in her forearm. We were stuck in a stand off, facing the enemy ready for their attack; I didn’t think they would be the ones to admit defeat and walk away. Lexii used her flexibility to manipulate herself through the cuffs, she could move easier now. Spotting the scratches down her arm I had to bring it to her attention, it was like she couldn’t feel pain or it had happened so often she was numb to the sharp tingling sensation usually felt.
How was she this calm? I felt like a nervous wreck and it wasn’t helping that Lexii seemed relaxed and calm. On the outside I couldn’t even tell if she could feel emotion, we hadn’t spoke properly as friends since the first few days, after Caitlin’s party Lexii had avoided all of us and only spoke at practice. My mind was beginning to wonder if something had happen at that party but I couldn’t ask, no, I wouldn’t ask.
Tears ran in tiny streams down my cheeks, the warm tears reminded me of just how cold I was. Shivering as I ran my hands back and forth on my arms, ‘don’t do that, you’ll only get colder’ Lexii spoke so intellectually, how did she know so much about this? Why did she know? What circumstances had forced her to be like this? I was intrigued by the way she knew so much about survival, the way she held herself even in a situation where she was greatly out weighed and other small things an example would’ve been her defence of me, we weren’t close and if Lexii hadn’t have stepped in she wouldn’t have been punished.
Since the boy’s had left Lexii kept her eyes on the large door to our prison, she knew the sounds that originally could be heard, and very persistently she silenced me before I’d even had time to make a noise. The water bottle had only enough water for one, I was thirsty but I knew that Lexii had been here longer and would be the better person if we ended up in a battle, I wanted her to have it but that was not the case as the bottle was thrust into my arms. I didn’t argue. I wouldn’t.
‘We have to go soon, fast and silent, okay?’ I was taken aback by these words as they left Lexii’s lips, could we really escape? Out of the small window was nothing, no civilization, I had stared for a long time out that window just hoping someone would come past and help.
Why where they doing this to us? What had Lexii and I done to piss them off? I had no idea why anything was happening or what I could do to help, I was an amateur at this Lexii however had knowledge far beyond some one of our age, her life was becoming more curious to me and yet I didn’t want to know, it was obvious her life held dark secrets and hidden pain. I hoped one day we could be friends. One day she would trust me enough to tell her traumatic tale and I could help even if only by letting her know she has friends. We had seriously misjudged her, thinking of her as a withdrawn socially inept being when actually she had suffered and hid a tormented soul.
Lexii made her way elegantly up the large stone steps, some how she still had enough strength to be stealthy, I however gasped as my bare feet hit the ice cold stone. Her eyes fixed on me; she looked conflicted, one side wanted to help me, to allow me to make mistakes but the other wanted to force me to be perfect, without this perfection our escape would surely fail. The large wooden door swung open easily revealing a well lit hallway, sunlight flooded the white washed walls and the light oak floor boards. We began to make our way to the door at the end of the hall. Stepping carefully I tried not to make a sound, even our breathing had become almost silent until I was gasping for breath I had walked unaware straight into Lexii’s handcuffed arms. ‘Stop’ she whispered as I stared at her puzzled, why had she done that? ‘That floor board creaks’ she had planned this escape more meticulously than I had thought.
Reaching the small door we though it was the end, it was locked. Why had we thought escape would be easy for us? Looking back along the hallway, we had covered about twelve metres, and the door to our prison had been gently pushed back into place, no one would even know we’d escape unless they tried to find us and abuse us. I didn’t know what we’d do next, this whole situation was new too me but at least all was quiet in the house. Shit! I had spoke to soon, the loud creaking of springs returning to there original places and feet hitting the floor board echoed down the staircase a few steps away from us.
Each stair creaked individually as the captor walked down the steps, who was it? Which one could it be? I knew Lexii could handle Josh, Ash and Brock separately, maybe together but I was unsure about Elliot, he had surprised me changing into something I didn’t know about. Elliot was a monster, where had this side come from? To me he had always been so sweet, caring and thoughtful, what had happened to make him change? Moving slowly behind the door frame, hiding in the other room, signals created so I knew who was coming, as Lexii peered cautiously around at the encroaching person. The look of worry turned to shock as Lexii turned and held the index finger on her right hand to her lips, Elliot.