Deep Inside

Camilla

I heard them outside. Banging on the door, but I’m stuck here. He left to go to the pub, I hope he doesn’t run into them. We’re leaving in three hours, all I want to do is escape from this hell hole! Why couldn’t Dougie save me earlier? Doesn’t he care that I’m here? Does he still hate me?

He tied me to the bed, just one arm, but I’m stuck. I’ve no way of moving. Getting out of here, escaping. I can hear them from outside, debating on what to do. They’ve been out there for more than an hour now.

“Could we… should we ring her?” Dougie suggested,
If he didn’t care would he still be outside? Danny’s with him, maybe he’s just staying to keep Danny company. But then I saw the look that past his eyes when he saw me. I saw it! He was scared. Shocked. Horrified. Disgusted.
He cares. He does. He has to. How can he not? How can he hate me after all this time? Does he not realize that I love him? Love him more than I thought was possible to love someone, especially in knowing them for such a short time? Does he not know how much pain I went through while I was away from him. How can he hate me? …Unless he went through a worse time than I did. Or was he fine?
Was he fine? Did he even suffer that I wasn’t here anymore? He brought back that tramp. Maybe he didn’t care. Maybe he just doesn’t care for me like I do him. Maybe we’re just not right for each other.
Maybe.

I sigh and try to close my eyes. If only I could shout loud enough for them to hear me but not loud enough for them to hear me next door. If they rang, my phone would send them to voicemail. It’s dead. Would they wait here until Jason came back? Jason would certainly kill them, after realizing who they are. He would only realize after they refused to move though, maybe Harry would join them. They would get hurt so badly and it would be my fault.
It wouldn’t be bad if I got hurt, but if he hurt them. Well that would all be my fault. I couldn’t let Harry get hurt for what is my problem. He doesn’t deserve that. He’s my best friend, big brother… protector.

Suddenly the shrill noise of the hotel telephone ringing interrupts my thoughts. I jump violently hitting my head off the hard headboard.
“Answer the bloody phone Camilla” Danny’s muttering. I reach over, It’s not helpful that the phone is placed on the other side of the bed. I stretch far, barely able to see in front of me from the lack of light coming through the shutters. All that helps me see is the red beeping light that comes with each shrill of a ring from the phone. I can’t reach it. The tips of my fingers graze against the cheap yellow plastic of the phone. I stretch a little further but no luck. My arms feel as if they’re about to fall off.

Don’t hang up, Don’t hang up! I plead silently to myself, while twisting my body around so as to let my feet push the table closer to the bed. My foot hooks around the closest leg of the table. Instead of bringing it closer to me, my leg jerks and I tip the table over, making the phone and lamp crash to the floor.

“Shit!” I shout, but notice the phone has come unattached from the bass of the phone.

“Camilla?” I hear Danny’s voice coming from outside, but also from the speaker of the phone. I pull myself as much as I can towards the furthest edge of the bed, nearer to the phone.

“Hello?” I call in a loud whisper.

“Camilla are you there?” Danny asks. Can he not hear me? Shit.

“Danny?” I say a little louder hoping not to attract attention from the room next door. My throat is so hoarse.

“Camilla!” He screams in delight. His voice is fuzzy from the reception of the phone and a lot of static and crackling makes it difficult for me to hear him. “Are you inside your hotel room?” He asks me.

“Yes” I hiss.

“Are you alone? Are you okay? Why didn’t you answer the door?” His voice is becoming strained with each question.

“Yes I’m alone” I reply, resting my head on the edge of the mattress and staring at the phone, wishing that it could crawl towards me. “He tied me up that’s why. I can’t move properly” I say.

“What? I can’t hear you that well” he tells me. I sigh heavily.

“He… tied… me… up…” I say louder and more concise.

“Why?! How did you answer the phone?”
Very good question.

“I used my feet” I explain, choosing to ignore the first part of the question.

“Your feet?! How do we get you out of there?” He asks.

“I don’t know” I say, “I’m trapped here. He’s bringing me to America in a couple of hours and then I guess I’ll never see you again” A tear rolls down my cheek.

“No, we won’t let that happen. We’ll follow you as best as we can. Harry’s been going insane” He sighs.

“I knew he would be. Tell him I miss him”

“I will”

“Danny are you with Dougie?”

“Yes, he’s sitting next to me”

“Can I talk to him?” I ask him, my voice wanting to ask it quietly, but I know he won’t be able to hear me if I do.

“Uhm… he’s… asleep” Danny laughs a little. I sigh. Of course he is.

“Well wake him up!” I scream, then freeze. I hear noises from next door.

“What was that?”…
“I don’t know. Go check it out”…
“Why me? You go!”…
“Oh for God’s sake, I’ll go!”.

“Danny they’re coming!” I say urgently.

“What?” He asks.

“Go!” I scream, not caring if they hear that.
I hear him moving and waking up Dougie. It’s silent for a minute.

“Don’t worry, I won’t hang up the phone” Danny’s whispered voice reaches me through the phone. My stomach twists painfully.

“Is she talking to someone?”
“I don’t know! I’m going… hang on would you?”
“He’s going to kill us if she is… would you hurry up!”
“I‘m gone!”
And I hear the door bang from next door. I hold my breath as I lay sprawled across the bed, my right arm tied to the bed and my naked body on show. I take a deep breath as the door opens and light spills into the room, causing blind spots to form in my eyes. Kevin stands in front of me. At least it’s the nice one.

“What are you doing Camilla?” He asks me in a whispered tone. I open my eyes, tears fighting to stream down my face.

“Nothing” I reply, my voice thick. He sighs and walks into the room.

“Who were you talking to?” He asks, looking at the phone, then the smashed lamp on the floor and the upturned table.

“I wasn’t talking to anyone. I was trying to get free” I spit in a hard voice. He sighs.

“You know I’d love to do that, but Jase would kill me”

“Literally” I mumble and he nods. “Fine whatever, just go away would you?” I beg, but he just walks into the room.

“I have to clean this place up” He explains, picking up the table and the shattered lamp. I hold my breath as he stops and looks at the phone. “Were you talking to someone?” He asks me. I shake my head roughly.

“No” I squeak. He picks up the yellow phone and goes to place it on the bass, very slowly.

“No don’t!” I shout and jerk my free hand towards him, just before he puts it on. He pauses and turns to look at me. Without a word he places the phone bass on the table and puts the phone on the bed next to me. I look at him, scared and confused.

“If this is all I can do to help you escape, it’s what I’ll do. You’re a nice girl Camilla, I never liked what he did to you. You should escape, but he can’t know I’m helping you” I look at the tall, burly man. Looking straight into his eyes. How can such a kind man have been sucked into the evil of Jason?

“Thank you” I whisper, a tear rolling down my cheek. “Can you pull the blankets over me please? I’m getting cold” I tell him. He looks down at my naked body and nods stiffly. I feel the blankets covering me and shiver at the warmth.

“Good luck” He murmurs and leaves me in the dark room, alone. I take a deep breath and pray that Danny stuck to his word and didn’t hang up the phone.

“Danny?” I say in a low voice.

“Camilla?” He whispers in reply. My chest feels like it’s been opened up and a spark of hope is filling me with joy right now.
He’s there. He didn’t leave. He’s going to help me.
I’m nearly free.