Unconsciously I slipped a blonde strand of hair behind my ear, as my head lowered in guilt. My intentions were not to displease him, but nonetheless, I did. A foreboding feeling invading me to my very soul, my tongue lightly touching my dry, trembling lips. I knelt before him, and laid my head to his feet hoping for forgiveness.
The room was silent, a silence so thick you felt you could almost touch it, hold it in your hands. A wave of nausea race through me, my lips lightly searching out his feet, as I felt him take a step back. I bit back a sob that seemed to permeate my whole being.
The silence continued, as I slowly slithered on the floor, inching closer to his feet in hopes of being released from this sentence of pain.
His voice cut through the air, my body freezing as the impact touched my ears. "Don't move."
I closed my eyes tightly and froze to the spot I had found myself. I heard a light steps almost echo through the room as he vanished from my view. Each breath I took seemed to take on a life of its own. Every sense in me was alive, and felt as if it had become its own entity.
I sensed him drawing close; the sound of his feet lightly brushing the carpet alerted me. My eyes closed instinctively, my hands grasping at the carpet. As my fingers moved, an image quickly races through my mind, of seeing a young child holding onto his blanket for security. As I had looked at him, calmness had invaded me. It's hard to imagine something so small could give someone such peace of mind. The more I clawed, the more insecure I felt.
I sensed his presence, standing over me, his voice curt and brisk, "Stand."
Without hesitation I slipped to my feet, glancing up hopefully just for a moment. My legs felt weak, my weight wobbling on my knees. My nails clawed at the flesh of my thighs as I quickly looked to the ground, seeking some solitude. My eyes were covered without notice, a blindfold covering them with ease.
His hands slid over my shoulders to my arms, leaving a light sensation where he had touched as I felt him gently push me back, my legs giving way as I slumped into a chair. The sounds of pouring water echoed through my ears, water hitting water, a light stream, a sound I knew from memory. A glass was placed in my hand, my fingers enclosing the surface as he lifted the glass, placing it to my lips. Tilting it, I drank, small droplets running down my face as I continued to swallow, the glass finally emptied.
Over and over I heard the water pour, as the vessel was again lifted to my mouth. I continued to swallow, a heavy ball slowly forming in my stomach. I think it was close to 10 glasses, when the droplets that were running down my mouth were now streams as I tried to swallow. I tried to listen, but it was difficult, the heaviness in my stomach took precedent over everything at that moment. My concentration on the heaviness left, as I felt leather enclose each wrist. The sensation of the leather being pressed closed, the metal buckles being tightened. A steel clasp joined each wrist, pulling them close together. With a tug, he easily pulled me to my feet, moving me across the room in my world of darkness.