Chapter 3
Avidya
I woke some time later, feeling groggy and more confused than before. Without opening my eyes, I knew I wasn’t in the room I had somehow grown accustomed to. I was now laying on a bed that felt like clouds. I was laying on my back, hands at my sides. I wasn’t tied up, yet my body felt heavy as though a hundred pounds held me in place.
I wasn’t alone, wherever I now was, but I wasn’t being watched. I could feel a presence in the room I was in. Since it wasn’t a concern at the moment, I took stock that other than my head hurting, I could feel only a small tinge of pain from when I fell into the table. The headache could be explained by the lack of food and water. I slowly tested my limits in a way that didn’t draw attention to the fact that I was awake.
Who had I been given to? What would become of me? Would I be alive long enough to find out?
Was this a sick game these so called people wanted to enjoy? Was I pawn in their schemes?
A ringing phone broke the silence, causing me to jump, opening my eyes to a low light streaming in the room.
“What?” a man’s voice broke through, although he attempted to keep it quiet.
“Not now,” he barked. “Take care of it!”
His words didn’t make an ounce of sense to me, but I knew from the way his voice sounded, he wasn’t above taking care of things himself it if came to that.
Thinking he was busy on the phone, I turned my head to look in his direction. What I saw, I’m not sure what someone like myself could possibly be here for. Nor why.
He could have easily been the most handsome man my eyes have ever seen. He was a few shades darker than my pale skin. Almost like he had spent years upon years outside in the sun. Pitch black short hair, a thick dusting of the same dark hair on his face. His long dark eyelashes landed on his skin with each blink. His dark eyes were glued to me, watching me take him in.
He was not what I expected. I wasn’t sure what I thought he’d be, but this was not it.
I instantly withdrew my eyes from his as my father’s voice rang in my ears about how the Devil always deceived those by looks more than anything else in this world. The Devil didn’t make you sin, but he sure as heck tempted you to.
So, was I in Hell? It sure felt like it.
With a deep breath in, I slowly sat up. I planned to ignore him as well as I could in my predicament. I had no idea how much I could get away with, but I surely would try. Even the pain would not stop me from trying.
Once I was sitting up straight, I could feel the man’s eyes on me as he hung up from whoever he had been talking to. He didn’t say anything, even as I fought to stay upright.
How long had I gone without food?
Once the dizziness passed, I slowly scooted to the edge of the bed and stood on shaking legs. I glanced around the room I was in, trying to take in any way I could possibly escape once I gained some sort of strength.
The bedroom was what I would consider a normal sized room. A bed, dresser, and three doors along with a window. From the dim lighting, the furniture looked as though it all matched.
“Bathroom is through the white door,” he spoke, causing me to startle and brace myself against the four-poster bed frame to keep my balance.
Within seconds, he was up and beside me, offering his hand for balance. When I merely glared at it, he sighed loudly, but otherwise didn’t touch me. It was as though he expected it. Was I the first one that had been given to him?
“You won’t make it across the room on your own,” he said knowingly.
I knew he was right, but I still ignored his hand and slowly took steps around the bed and closer to where the bathroom was. I wasn’t handicapped.
Of course, it didn’t work as I had hoped. A few feet from the bed, both of my legs gave out from underneath me. I would have collapsed to the floor if it hadn’t been for the man as he caught me around my waist, holding me up.
He didn’t say anything as he helped support my weight the few steps to the bathroom.
“I’ll wait out here,” he said, letting me go as I used the wall to keep upright.
Once inside the bathroom, the gray carpet changed to rock tile. I took in the huge mirror above the two sinks that were in the dark countertop. A huge walk-in shower took up the farthest corner with a window high up, the glass doors perfectly clean.
After relieving myself and washing my hands, I couldn’t help but look in the mirror. I was still in the same dress, although now it was filled with wrinkles. It was a refreshing thought that he didn’t change my clothes, I didn’t want him, or anyone, to see me naked. That also meant he hadn’t seen the damage to my ribs, and I didn’t want to even think about them.
My blonde hair was crazy, like always after waking up. It tended to have a mind of its own most days. My blue eyes popped, bright and red-rimmed against my pale skin. My face was paler than normal, too. I assumed it was due to such an ordeal I had been put through recently.
The huge handprint-shaped bruise on my arm was dark and angry on my skin, and I knew it would take weeks to fade.
My heart beat in my chest in heavy thumps as worries of the unknown bombarded my mind. What did he want with me? What was he a part of? Surely whatever operation I had been in was not legal, that was for sure.
A soft knock on the door made me jump back, releasing my pale reflection from itself.
“You okay?” he asked, opening the door slightly.
“Yes,” I squeaked out.
He opened the door wider once he realized I was finished. I refused to meet his eyes, preferring to look at the floor, one hand limp at my side with the other keeping my balance.
“Do you need help to get back to the bed?” he asked, stepping in.
I nodded, knowing I wouldn’t make it on my own as my legs already shook with fatigue.
He slowly took the last few steps towards me, being careful to pick me up and carry me back to the bed. I didn’t want to, but I held onto him, my arm around his neck, eyes stuck to my lap. My stomach did flips at his touch. He sat me gently down on the edge, taking a step back.
“I’d offer to let you get cleaned up,” he began, running a hand along his jawline, voice low. “But I’d have to help you, as you can hardly stand on your own. I’m sure you don’t want that.”
I quickly shook my head. No matter how appealing a nice warm shower sounded, I wasn’t up to letting him see me naked. Although I wasn’t dirty, I felt like I was. My head itched and I wanted out of this dress, into my old comfortable pj's. But more so, I was just so dang tired.
“Rest,” he said with a nod of his head towards the pillows. “I’ll get you some food.”
With another nod, I made myself comfortable, my head on the pillows. I felt so small in such a huge bed with it’s black as night comforter. Before I could think anymore about it, my eyes fell closed and sleep took me.