Ava sat up, careful not to disturb Ellie who slept beside her. She tiptoed around the sleeping figures of the other girls as she inspected the basement. In the darkness, moonlight shone through a small window located along the top of the wall.
She quickly quelled the sliver of hope when she began to measure the size of the window. Of course, they wouldn’t all fit through there; it was too small. There was only one way out and that was through the trapdoor.
Ava suddenly crouched and froze when she heard the sounds of the man waking up and shuffling around the floors above her. When she heard his footsteps get louder, she curled up into a little ball in the corner where it was darkest. The trapdoor creaked open, and the man descended the stairs, the light from upstairs hiding his features from her. In his hands he held what seemed to be a packet of food and some supplies. He set them down on the stairs and swiftly turned to go back up. Ava stayed as still as possible, holding her breath as she waited for him to leave.
As he turned, she saw a silver key glint from around his neck. The closer he got to the light emanating from the entrance, the more Ava could see. She caught sight of a gun tucked into his waistband and filed that information away for when she decided to escape.
When she saw the trapdoor close shut and heard the sounds of his footsteps fade away, Ava stood once again, staying still for a few moments to check if he would come back. When the coast was clear, Ava approached the packet and breathed a relieved sigh when she saw a bar of soap among its contents.
She looked to the side and found a makeshift bathroom which was more like a recently installed toilet and showerhead with a tap and a drain in a floor, the only privacy a curtain that wrapped around the area.
Ava noted how it was built hastily and by one person. The tiles around her seemed as if they were slapped on in a hurry; some were askew. The shower curtain was made from cheap plastic, she noted, seeing the rip in their hem. The rails which held the curtains were simply scraps of metal that could be found anywhere. They were shaped just to serve their purpose. Ava got up on her tiptoes and scrutinized the man’s handiwork.
Well, he did good. Even though the room lacked aesthetic value and gave more of a horror-movie feel, Ava couldn’t help but give the man credit for his do-it-yourself skills.
Suddenly, as if a light bulb clicked on in her head, Ava clapped her hands.
A workshop. There had to be one on the premises. If she could just get her hands on anything inside that workshop, it would tip the odds of everyone’s escape in their favor. She first had to find a way out of this basement.
Ava helped herself to the soap and stepped under the shower. The sudden burst of cold water hitting her skin caused her to yelp and curse which in turn woke the other girls up. When she was done, she checked her face in the mirror. Even in the low light, she could see the extent of her bruises. Ava winced as she poked at one particular bruise which had split open into a small, open wound.
When she had dried herself and changed back into her clothes, three heads turned to look at her, and greeted her in soft whispers. Ava greeted back. One girl, Lena, noticed the bruises on her face and walked up to her.
“I’ll help you with these,” she said.
Ava shook her head. She really didn’t need help. She’d had worse injuries. However, upon looking into Lena’s eyes, she noticed that this help wasn’t for her benefit. The girl looked frightened, and she slowly reached her hands out toward Ava’s face again.
“Please,” she murmured.
Ava eventually obliged, and the girl hurried back to a box seated by her mattress. Ava sat on hers and waited patiently for the girl to come back with medical supplies. She set them gently on the mattress and motioned for Ava to turn and face her.
“I know who you are,” Ava said bluntly.
The girl stopped her movements and stared at her, the terrified look not leaving her eyes. She quickly shook her head and worked on Ava’s bruises again. Ava didn’t push the topic; clearly the girl didn’t want to talk about it.
“This salve will help them heal quicker,” she said. “It might hurt a little.”
Lena smeared the salve across Ava’s cheeks, and Ava grimaced as she pressed onto the sensitive flesh.
“Sorry,” the girl murmured.
Ava reached a hand out to place on Lena’s shoulder. When she saw Ava’s hand though, she flinched. Ava quickly retracted her hands and bunched them into fists at her sides. She had confirmed one more thing: the man liked to hurt others.
Ava could only imagine the feeling of the first girl in this place, how terrified she must have been. Surely, the sight of another human being was some sort of comfort. She was no longer alone. This misfortune had broken these girls but at the same time, had bonded them somehow.
Ava looked over at Ellie. She didn’t want this for her, but it had already begun. Ellie and Ava had been together when they were abducted. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they already were bonded.
It was all so unfortunate, and it
