The Silence That Surrounds

I looked up silently at the ceiling. My tears had dried up and all that was left was the depression and silence. Nothing sounded out there and all I could hear in here was my steady and hollowed breathing. It drove me insane. Everything about this situation was maddening.

“Excuse me?” I called, hoping someone was at least posted near or by my door – although I suppose it would be a lucky break if they weren’t. It would make escaping easier. Despite the warnings, I wasn’t staying if I stood a chance at getting myself out of this situation. My dad would look for every opportunity and take the first one, so I’ll try that first.

The door opened and Zayn walked in, his hands shoved in his pockets. He looked on without expression or acknowledgment waiting for me to continue.

“H-hi, I, um, I need a drink.” I stuttered, wondering why between all of them, Harry and this one unnerved me the most.

He didn’t answer, not that I expected him to. They were men of strong silence – which is probably why this house was as reticent as a cemetery. I hit my head against the pillow in boredom and frustration. Who knew being kidnapped was so dull. It certainly isn’t anything like it is in the movies –except maybe the actual kidnapping part, only a lot more frightening.

The way I feel now, the fear was constant and stayed with me. I didn’t know what was going to happen but a distinct aura that I got about this place was dark – it was a place where death probably visited the most. They were in a gang, they knew what they were doing and they did it well. Why not add murder to the list?

I shuddered at the thought.

The door opened again and Niall walked in. He carried a glass of water and a small package of crackers.

“Got your water and I thought you may be hungry. Dinner won’t be for a few more hours yet.” Niall said casually, walking up and sitting at the edge of the bed.

He looked at the cuffs and reached over.

I distinctively pushed them up from his reach, panic in my eyes apparent.

“No, please, no. They hurt and I can’t slip out. Please don’t tighten the cuffs, my wrists are severely bruised I don’t want to cause any more damage. Please, I can’t do anything.” I pleaded with him.

He looked at me with a blank expression and reached for them again.

I sobbed but let him move them down as far as they would go.

“I’ve seen worse.” Niall commented before he clicked them to pinch my skin again.

I just left the tears fall, whatever his reasoning, I knew it wouldn’t make sense to me.

“Why?” Is all I asked but his voice didn’t sound. He simply continued to stare blankly.

He shrugged and grabbed the water, putting it to my mouth while lifting my head up from the pillow to steady it. I took the water greatly despite almost choking on it from trying to catch my breath. God, my father would be ashamed.

When the glass was gone he set it on the bedside table and grabbed the crackers, opening them and taking one out.

As he handed me the crunchy, stale piece of baked bread I grimaced.

“Don’t like em?” Niall asked, taking one from the packaging and popping it in his mouth, chewing slowly with a disgusted face. “I see what you mean.”

“I’m not hungry anyway.” I told him, my voice breaking as I faced away from my captor.

“Alright, then I’ll leave you to your own Ms. Stone. Call if you need anything else. Whistle twice if there’s anything I can do.” Niall offered, standing up.

“Loosen the cuffs? Niall, they really hurt, please!” I begged but he just stood and walked away without another word.

I watched the door shut and grunted in agitation.

“Assholes, the bloody lot of em.” I growled, knowing I wasn’t loud enough to be heard.

I took to staring up at the ceiling again, my eyes spacing and trying to relax my body again. It was stiff and painful but bearable; at least for now.

I tried to focus on something else, anything to elude my thoughts from this boring room. I turned my attention to the window. It didn’t offer me much comfort but at least I could see the top of some trees and I knew if I escaped I had a number of places to hide.

“If I’m ever let up.” I scowled, moving my head to glare at the cuffs. They were as tight as they had been yesterday.

Sighing I kicked the end of the footboard to express exactly what I was feeling.

“Okay, what would dad do? He would observe, he would keep quiet and make little wave as possible –compliant even then decide on a plan when the time was right,” I nodded to myself, agreeing. “He would, yes. So I need to take that lead. I need to remain calm and do what they say for now. No more begging or crying. If I act irrational they’ll keep me tied down like this but if I’m calm – it might not be right away but they’ll see I’ve settled down and maybe let me up, right?” I paused at my own question before nodding again. “Right.”

I felt stupid talking to myself but it’s not like I had anyone else to chat with. The boys who kidnapped me weren’t exactly the chatty type – although even if they were sitting around having a conversation with each other I would only have piqued interest to see what it consisted of but like everything, they didn’t appear to communicate with one another with more than a sentence or two at a time and that was usually just to give orders.

With nothing else to do I closed my eyes, just to open them about a short time later – possibly an hour, no more than two. The door was opened and Liam walked in.

He didn’t say anything and neither did I. We simply stared at one another for a moment before he seemed to get annoyed and sighed.

“Do you need anything? Dinner will be ready in an hour.” Liam asked, coming to the bed and looking down at me, observing me.

“Niall clicked the cuffs way too tight, they’re hurting my wrists and –“He cut me off before I could even continue.

“That concerns me how? I asked if you needed anything; taking or loosening them is something Harry, Louis and Zayn have complete control of. Niall and I are simply here to make sure you are taken care of, not comfortable. Sorry.” He shrugged uncaringly.

“A-alright. No, nothing thank you.” I stuttered, swallowing.

“Okay, Harry or Louis will be here when dinner is ready. Be well, Ms. Stone.” Liam turned away but I called out to him before he closed the door.

“Why won’t you call me Sophia?”

He paused but ended up closing the door without an answer.

“Of course I wouldn’t get an answer.” I muttered but had to remember to stick to the plan. Don’t annoy or insult them, don’t beg – ask if important, try to establish a relationship with them, maybe if they see you as human they’ll not be so heartless?”

I sigh.

“I don’t know, worth a try but I don’t want to continue to think on this right now, I’m getting a bad headache. For right now, no begging, be polite and whatever you do don’t get upset and don’t insult them.”

I nod.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

My stomach lurched at the mere thought but I knew if I was going to pull this off I would have to keep up my strength, I would force myself to eat despite my nonexistent appetite.

It wasn’t long before the door opened again. This time Harry walked in with the tray, his expression deadpanned like always. His dull green orbs looked but didn’t exactly note anything. He was dead to the world, like a corpse simply walking. That’s exactly what he looked like.

“Good evening, Ms. Stone.” He greeted and came to sit at the edge of my bed with the tray, showing me what was being served tonight. The choice wasn’t bad; Yorkshire pudding, two eggs and a piece of sausage topped with garden mushrooms.

“Good evening, Harry.” I returned softly, trying my best to be polite.

Nothing else was said and he took a cloth napkin and tucked it securely into the collar of the shirt I wore, moving his knee so it was under my head and propping it up.

He brought the spoon to my mouth, sliding it into my mouth. I chewed a few times and swallowed, repeating the process until it was gone. I didn’t meet Harry’s eyes the whole time.

When it came to the eggs and sausage, he switched to a fork and finishing off with the mushrooms before the empty plate was discarded onto the nightstand along with the glass from earlier.

“Thank you.” I said, feeling him take the bottom of the cloth napkin and running it along the bottom of my lip before covering them completely and wiping down to make sure no food lingered. It was humiliating to feel so helpless and my cheeks burned crimson. Harry didn’t notice or if he did, he didn’t care.

“You’re welcome Ms. Stone.” Harry nodded, grabbing a bottle of water and opening it.

I lifted up to meet the bottle, drinking readily.

When it was halfway gone I unlatched and laid back against his knee, which he moved and let me sink back into the pillow.

“Is there anything else before I go? I’ll be back to check on you once more tonight before we all settle down. I take it we won’t need to repeat last night, yeah?”

I shook my head.

“No sir.”

Harry smiled but it never reached his eyes, it was forced and sarcastic.

“Okay.”

He got up to leave but I stopped him, biting my lip.

“Harry? Niall tightened the cuffs and they’re pinching my skin; would you mind loosening them how they were? Please?” I requested calmly and as polite as I could muster.

“I’ll be back later Ms. Stone.” Harry said, ignoring my request all together.

I watched him leave, shock clearly registering on my face.

“What the actual bloody fuck?” I uttered before shaking my head. “So much for plan A – time for plan B.” I glowered, feeling the anger boiling in me.

Notes

Enjoy!!