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“Yes,” I finish for her.
“I promise I won’t try to escape.”
“It’s not about that. You wouldn’t be able to escape even if you tried,” I say. Then I point towards the window. It’s dark out now, but the city light sparkle like stars. “It’s about who might be looking up through these windows.”
She understands quickly enough. “There are no windows in my room.”
“That’s right.”
“How long will you be gone for?”
“I’m not sure.”
“So probably a while… Leonid. I’ll go crazy if you lock me back up in there.”
“Not if you have something to do.”
“… Like what?”
“Come with me.” I don’t have much time, but I feel compelled to do this.
Brushing by my little captive, I walk through the kitchen and turn the corner down a long stretch of hallway. After a moment of hesitation, I hear Sophia start to follow me.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
“I’d rather you tell me first.”
She struggles to keep up until I stop at a door and pull it open. Before she can catch up, I make sure to turn on the light, just to make the sight a little less intimidating.
“Down here,” I tell her, taking a step into the basement.
“You know, now that you mention it, I can’t stop seeing the limp…” she mumbles.
“Enough, Sophia,” I warn her. “If you want something to keep you occupied, then you’ll keep quiet and follow me into the basement.”
“… The basement?”
When I look over my shoulder, back up the stairs, I find that my captive has stopped in the doorway. A look of uncertain terror pulls at her pretty face. Those big brown eyes are as big as ever.
“I’m not going to lock you down here,” I assure her. “… But it is where I keep the books.”
“Books?”
Just like that, the fear evaporates. She’s shuffling down the stairs on her sore legs before I can even take another step.
“Shit,” I can’t help but laugh. “Haven’t you ever heard of stranger danger?”
“You aren’t offering me candy or puppies,” Sophia huffs, already at my back. “Those things are useless. But books? I haven’t read a book in years…”
“I thought you liked to read?”
“I do… I did. It’s a long story.”
“Sure,” I mumble, reaching the bottom of the stairs. I can already smell the musty pages of Mom’s old collection. “After this, promise me you won’t follow stranger’s into dark basements just because they promise you books.”
“Or what? They’ll kidnap me?” she taunts.
