Chapter Three: Freedom
It was agony lying in that crawl space. It took all my energy not to move so nothing would bite me. I think at one point, I went into shock. It would have helped if I had been able to sleep, but my fear and panic was so high I was praying that I would pass out from it. Cruel, cruel man. It was at the point where I thought it couldn’t get worse that I heard the door open and a couple of clicks. The icy cold water that pelted me chased off all of my new companions right quick. After several hours, I was coated with so many creatures I wasn’t sure what they all were. And it took ten minutes with a hose to get them all. Again, too bad I was gagged. I screamed myself hoarse within minutes.
Strong hands hauled me out of crawl space and carried me back into the house. It was night at this point. Maybe I did sleep during my confinement. Or I could have been so concerned about the spiders that I didn’t notice the time pass. I vowed to escape at the first available opportunity. Which, as it turned out, was sooner than I anticipated.
Uncle M place me on the floor of the bathroom and untied me. I was so stiff from two days of heavily restrictive bondage, that I couldn’t haul off and hit him like I wanted to. Or did I? I have to admit, my fear of spiders and rats has greatly diminished. Maybe if my jaw didn’t hurt so much, I would thank him.
Stop. Wait. Hold the phone. Thank him? The man has had me almost continually tied for two days. I should be pressing charges, not congratulating him on curing my phobias.
Uncle M, meanwhile, is talking soothingly, informing me that my other clothes have been cleaned and that night clothing has been placed on the bed in the next room. I can sleep here and leave in the morning. Food will be brought up after I’ve showered. This confused me. He tied me, gagged me, tortured me, and now he’s treating me like a princess? Why do I have a sinking suspicion that he’s up to something else just as hideous as today.
But I don’t care right now. A bath has been drawn. There will be food and a comfortable bed. And in the morning I can leave. And I will never let my guard down like this again. I can promise myself that much, can’t I?