Page 43 of Vega

“You’re going to hurt yourself.” The voice came from the corner.

I screamed as he came into view. He was sitting in a chair I hadn’t noticed, dressed in all black with that mask still covering his face. Only his eyes showed. He was so calm as he watched me like he had been there the entire time while I slept.

“You won’t stop fighting, so I chained you up.” I glared at him, trying to catch my breath. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “The chain is long enough for you to use the bathroom and shower. It gives you access to the bed, toilet, sink, dresser and tub.”

I looked toward the open bathroom door. “You’re insane.”

“You can’t reach the door,” he continued, ignoring me. “You can’t reach anything heavy, sharp, or throwable. You can’t reach any other object you might try to use against me.”

“You chained me up like an animal.”

“Stop acting like one.”

My breath caught.

His eyes sharpened slightly, but he didn’t take the words back.

“You’ll stay chained up until you learn how to act.”

“Learn how to act?” I repeated. “Fuck you!”

“I didn’t want to chain you up but you fought me hard enough to bruise my ribs.”

“Good.”

His head tilted slightly.

“I hope they’re cracked,” I seethed.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he stood. I pushed myself backward, dragging the chain with me until it snapped tight again.

“I’ll bring dinner soon,” he told me.

“I’m not eating shit you bring me.”

“You will eventually.”

“Fuck you.”

He looked down at me for a long second, unreadable behind that black mask. Then he walked to the door.

“Wait!”

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“Who are you?”

His hand rested on the knob. “Nobody you need to know.”

The door opened. He stepped into the hallway, then closed it behind him.

The lock clicked. That sound broke something loose inside me.

I screamed. “Help!” My voice tore through the room and bounced back at me. “Somebody help me!”

I screamed until my throat burned. Until the words turned hoarse. Until my chest hurt and my eyes watered. I pulled at the chain between cries, rattling it as hard as I could, hoping the noise carried beyond the door, beyond the house, beyond wherever he had taken me.