Chapter 12: i am like decay, i rot the ground that guides your way

The first thing she registered was the low, echoing hum in the room. Then it was the pain; a soreness in the bottom of her spine and a dull ache in her head. A pang of hunger drew her attention to her hollow stomach.

Ellie rubbed her eyes with frozen, numb hands. When she opened them, her vision was grey and fuzzy around the edges. From where she laid down, the floor seemed to stretch out into the horizon. What little light remained was dimmed by the snow that covered a broken window high up on one wall.

It had quickly dawned on her that she wasn't waking up in bed. The basement floor was cold and hard against the side of her face. She could tell by the darkness and the chill that the night was fast approaching. A flimsy blue cardigan, definitely not hers, was crumpled under a wheeled metal table a few feet away. Another girl had been here – she shuddered at the thought.

Ellie squinted at the small window. It was cracked open just the slightest bit.

She pushed herself up, blinking through the wave of pain and light-headedness that washed over her, and leaned against the cement wall. As more of her self-awareness kicked in, she brought a hand to one swollen cheekbone and winced at the sensation. Her hand came away with specks of dried blood. A foot away from the corner of the room where she was slumped, a rusty crowbar caught her eye. If it were anything to go by, she guessed she had been knocked out.

It was surreal; she was still here. Still trapped. How long had it been? Her chest tightened and her eyes began to burn. This can't be real.

But before her tears had the chance to well up, there was a loud noise from outside, followed by the sound of voices and footsteps.

"There's no way."

"No, they're definitely on to us. We need to get her out of here, and we've got to do it by tomorrow…"

"Don't worry about it, James."

Fuck.

Her instincts kicked in. If worse came to worst, she wouldn't go down without a fight. Ellie rushed to nudge the crowbar off to the side, under a low wooden table, cringing at the grating sound of the metal against the concrete floor.

Not a moment too soon.

The door opened, and in he walked, holding a tray of food, and a makeshift gasoline lamp on one hand. She watched blankly as he descended the steps.

"Oh, good," the gravelly voice sent chills down her spine. "You're awake."

Ellie grimaced.

"Awake for long enough, at least. My name's David, in case you don't recall," he chuckled, kneeling in front of her. "Here – you should eat. How are you feeling?"

She pondered on the actuality of her situation; this rotten man could laugh and introduce himself as if in casual conversation. What the fuck is wrong with this guy?

She kicked up and knocked the tray out of his hands. There was a clang as everything spilled onto the floor, and her head throbbed painfully at the sound. "I'm not taking anything from you."

"You've been out for quite a while," said David. "Three days, I believe."

Ellie's stomach turned. She had spent three days just slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Now don't get upset. I can take care of you. I've been protecting you, you know."

Her eyebrows knitted in confusion. "From what?"

"The others," he said. "I just need to convince them that you want to stay here with me. What do you say?"

"You're so fucked up," she spat, voice dripping with venom.

He made a noise of derision, like she was being silly. After taking a moment to gaze at her, he spoke. "Please tell me your name."

Ellie stared at him icily.

"Alright, then," he said, dramatically resigned, although he looked menacing in the firelight. She stared, muscles frozen in apprehension, as he took a syringe and a glass vial from his pocket. "I guess that's it for today."

Once again, she kicked at his hands. The lamp tipped over to its side and the vial slipped out of David's hold, breaking into pieces. Ellie stared at the floor as the liquid seeped its way dangerously close to the lamp.

"That's fine," he chuckled, setting the now useless needle on the floor. "It's fine."

Standing up and making his way to the door, he looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. "Stay there, alright?"

"Sure," she smiled back sardonically and muttered, "Like I have anywhere else to go."

"That's right," he hummed in satisfaction before leaving her alone.

As the door closed, Ellie's smile dropped. Her time was ticking. She quickly set the lamp upright and grabbed the crowbar, dragging the wooden table over to the window as quietly as she could. She stepped onto the table then proceeded to push the crowbar through the gap between the frame and the sill, and tried to pry the window open. It didn't budge.

It's frozen shut, she realized, frustrated. Come on, think…

Ellie grabbed the blue cardigan and tore a strip of fabric from it. She uncapped the jar that served as the makeshift lamp and, holding the flame a good distance away, dipped the strip of cloth into the gasoline before stuffing it into the gap on the window. She put the lid back on the jar and twisted it shut, and then lit the gasoline-soaked cloth in hopes of thawing up the hinges. It made sense. In her head, anyway. Pleased with herself, Ellie decided to give it a few frustrating minutes to work its miracle, before her anxiety began to eat away at her patience.

"Fuck," she swore under her breath. I don't have time for this!

Ellie snuffed the flame out and left the lamp jar on the windowsill. She grabbed the crowbar and tried prying the window open once again.

The next thing she knew, the window had widened considerably, but the glass was shattered. It hadn't fallen apart yet, and she didn't hear it, but she knew it was louder than she would've liked. She could already hear footsteps from above.

"Come on, come on, come on!"

Her rabbit heart was pounding in her aching chest. This was make or break. Surely, if she got caught, she would never see the light of day again. She would never see anyone again. Not Joel, not Tess, not Riley. Her throat tightened. The thought made her stomach drop. Despite the weight of her emotions, Ellie soldiered on.

Just as the door burst open, the window finally gave and shards of glass rained down on her. Yes! She almost sobbed in relief. With newfound determination, she reached out the window and braced her hands on the wall to lift herself up.

Ellie's joy was short-lived, however, when a hand closed tightly around her ankle.