No More Room To Breathe

***Marilyn's POV***

I wasn't sure how long I'd been down in that basement. Days, Weeks? Jason had covered the lone window that had provided me sunlight, any sense of time. I was dirty and tired, but I didn't dare go to sleep. The only sleep I got now was short in spans when I couldn't force my eyes to stay open and every little noise had me scrabbling back on the dusty floor.

I had stopped trying to find a way out of my little prison after the third day. The window had only been high enough for me to just peek through the bottom of the panes before it was covered and there was no way I was strong enough to hoist myself up. The small meals provided to me only enough to keep me alive. I had grown used to the constant darkness at least.

I always knew when Jason was there lurking in the darkness, his breathing loud and excited as if he'd been running. Was he staying far away from me or just upstairs? I hoped with what little strength I had left for the latter so that any possible escape would be even a little less impossible. His "visits" left me tired from fighting and screaming, any plan I had wouldn't be extravagant.

*I just need to get out of here and find Maika, HELL find SOMEONE. I've gotten through tougher times before and I can do it again* , I thought, shaking.

I'm sure when Jason saw me, looking at me from behind his flashlight and flashing one of his many instruments in my line of sight, he saw a broken girl. A girl done fighting. But, each time he dragged a blade or flame across my skin I was even more desperate to survive and see the light of day again. To see the man I loved.

*I won't die here!*

"Marilyn, sweetie pie. I'm hoooome."

I flattened myself against the back wall of the basement when I heard it. Footsteps above me and then a small door opened, only a sliver of murky light allowed in before it was closed again. The replacement light hitting me square in the face.

"How are we today? Is Hotel Hartlett is up to your standards, Miss?"

"Please. Just let me go, Jason. You're an escaped killer, the police are bound to be looking for both of us and they will find us. MAIKA will find me.", I pleaded, my voice coming out raspy from screaming.

"Oh, yes, Maika. Actually, I've taken extra care to make sure that he does find us."

"W-What do you mean?"

"I sent little Loverboy a note, telling him exactly where we are. If he brings any cops, you die. But, that'll spoil the fun....well, some of the fun at least."

I started to yell, getting in his face as the panic his words brought bubbled up inside me, "You're sick! You've already taken everything from me! My family, Shane! WHY CAN'T YOU LET ME BE?!"

I didn't feel the flashlight slamming into the side of my head. One minute I was up and screaming, furious. The next I was holding back sobs as waves of nausea hit me as the artificial light flickered. My hand came away sticky when i placed it to my throbbing head.

"YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A FILTHY WHORE!!! WE WERE HAPPY TOGETHER AND YOU THREW ME AWAY LIKE I WAS NOTHING!!!! I COULD'VE MADE YOU HAPPY IF YOU HAD TRIED HARDER, BUT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN WORTHLESS!"

Jason's heavy breathing filled the air. I was too afraid and disoriented from his hit to respond to what he was saying. It didn't matter to him that HE was the one who ruined our happiness with his drug abuse and anger issues. It didn't matter to him if I was unhappy in our relationship and all through my life he made sure to keep me that way, taking everything and everyone that gave me any possibility of a good life. Taking anyone who'd ever cared.

"When Loverboy gets here, I'm going to kill him. I'm going to make you watch him scream your name as he bleeds to death. I'm going to make you regret ever even having a thought of leaving me and when that's all done, I'm going to kill you too."

With a final sneer, Jason stomped up the stairs, slamming the door at the top and plunging me back into darkness.

*nonononononononono*, was all I could think.

"Maika..", I whimpered.

I laid in the dirt and cried.