Stockholm Syndrome

The sun hits me through the open drapes, waking me up from my sleep. I sit up and stretch, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I look around to see a familiar room. Teal walls, zebra print everywhere. This was my room!

I jump out of my bed and rush around my house. My kitchen. My room. My phone. My food. Everything here is mine! I run outside to meet a beautiful Spring day. Last time I checked, it was Winter but who cares? I'm free!

I run back inside with a smile on my face. It was just a nightmare. I've never been captured. There was no Ariana Tobias. Toni is still alive! When I reach my living room, I see something I thought I'd never see.

"Teddy?" There was Teddy, coloring in his book. He looked up at me with a smile. He still has those two front teeth missing and his blonde hair is still a honey color. He still wears that winter sweater with Frosty the Snowman on it. He's still Teddy.

"You're here!" He yelled with so much joy it hurt my heart. Tears weld in my eyes when he wrapped his arms around my waist. I kneel down to his height and embrace him.

"Ariel? Is it really you?" Someone said. A woman with red-orange hair looked at me. She had blue eyes that looked like mine and had light freckles spread across her face just like me. I pick Teddy up and walk over to the lady. She was really pale.

"Who's asking?"

"It's your mommy, Mermaid!" Teddy said. I stare at her in awe. No wonder she looked so much like me. She is part of me.

"Mom?" She holds a hand out, palm facing me. I set my brother down and touched my palm to hers. They were a match. She smiled and engulfed me in a tight hug. I cry into her shoulder for a while until another voice pops in.

"Hey, Mermaid." I knew that voice better than anything. I turn around to see my dad. My smile was wider than I ever smiled. I run up to my father and jump on him.

"Daddy!" I say once he catches me. This was it. This is my family. All back together again. He falls over on his back and onto the floor. We laugh and Teddy jumps on top. I laugh hard. I'm the happiest I've ever been in a long, long time.

"Get up, Chelsea!" Dad said. I giggled at his voice. It reminded me of someone. But who? Wait! What did he call me? I stop laughing and get serious.

"C'mon, sweetheart. Get up." He said again. When I stand up, it's like my whole life flashed before my eyes. Mine, Dad's, and Teddy's laughs. Dad's death. Teddy's death. All leading up to the kidnapping.

I wake up like I was getting out of water after being under there for a long time. I was out of breath. I look around to only see a washer and dryer. There was cemented walls instead of teal and zebra. I look to my right to see Luke. He looked worried.

It was all just a dream.

"Nightmare?" He asked. I shook my head and sat up, ready to cry. He looked so concerned about me. When the first tear fell, I cling on Luke with all I had. He immediately hugged me back. It was like I lost my family all over again.

"Shhhh. It's okay, sweetheart." He hushed my sobs, rubbing my back soothingly. I ball his shirt in a fist, sobbing hard. It hurt when I cried. Like a fire was ignited inside my heart. After a while, I let Luke go and sit against the wall. I stared at something for a while, remembering the feeling of my mother holding me.

Luke leaves after feeding me. I cry as hard as I can. It felt so real. The tears. The smiles. That's something I'm never going to have again. I curl up in a ball and push my food tray away.

I usually listen to music when I think abut my family, but there was no music. I wasn't home. I wasn't in my own room. I was... here. I sighed and stood up, walking around a bit. I haven't walked in 5 days and now that the rope is off my ankle I can.

"Millions of miles from happiness. Millions upon billions of miles away from you." I whispered, walking in circles. What am I doing you ask? Just trying to pass the time with some words of wisdom.

"Chelsea? Mind coming up here, love?" I hear a voice. My heart leaps at the offer. I hesitantly walk up the steps to the house. Calum was lugging in something big. A mattress.

"I found this for you. Plus, we happen t have an extra room is you wouldn't mind moving?"

Notes