Another 25crimes short fic with the prompt Prisoner. I sort of left the end up for interpretation on purpose. Or at least, that was my intention.
Don't Be Afraid
The sound of the clock got louder, the longer he listened. It had to be a dreary day outside, since it was still raining. But with his eyes closed, how could he tell? No windows were open - there was no wind, but outside he could hear it rattling the building and threatening to break it down even though it really couldn't. He knew the feeling. But the rain...he could feel the rain.
Bobby opened his eyes to nothing but black. He lifted his face up to find the source of his knowledge of the rain. The few drops that escaped into the building from the old and broken roof splashed on his face, helping to cool him down, but not to stop the pounding headache. Confusion... what-..why? Why was it raining, why was his head about to explode, why couldn't he see..or think. Blindfold. The whole realization had been coming slowly since he woke up to the sound of the clock ticking near his ear, making his head throb with every second. And now it hit in a dizzying sensation, like that of slamming into a brick wall.
He tugged at the ropes holding his wrists behind the chair, but only found that they were attached to his ankles, and a sharp tug caused a sharp pain. Bobby bit his lip and tried to relax again - he had to maintain control. But his grasp on control was slipping more and more. Tied to a chair, blindfolded, in an old leaky building with no knowledge of where or how he got there.
Panic. He tried to twist his hands behind his back to get out of the ropes, but only succeeded in pulling more on his ankles and causing more pain. His feet weren't touching the ground, they were pulled back under the chair and tied to the same rope binding his wrists...even if he knocked the chair over, he couldn't get away.
"Awake now, my dear Bobby?"
He looked around, trying to find the direction of the voice. Her voice. Her. For a moment, Bobby sat still, breathing hard with panic welling up in his chest. No control. Here, only Nicole had control. Fear. Escape. He began to struggle again, ignoring the pain, trying to work the knots in the rope into undoing themselves.
"You know..." Nicole said softly, brushing a hand through his curly hair, "You are only going to strain something if you continue to do that, Bobby, those knots...will not come out."
He pulled his head away from her hand. "What do you want?"
Nicole laughed, "My dear, do you really even need to ask?" Running a hand down the side of his face, she added, "Isn't it obvious? I want you." Her hand was replaced by cold, flat, metallic object on his cheek. He tried to pull away again, but she held his head still and turned the knife, so that the edge was pressing into his flesh - not cutting it yet, but enough so that he knew the threat. He froze again.
Removing the knife, she walked in circles around him. He could hear her footsteps. "Don't be afraid, I believe we are going to have lots of fun..." Nicole trailed off, stopping behind him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him down.
He panicked and pulled at the ropes again, then screamed at the sharp pain in his back.
Bobby Goren woke suddenly in his own bed, with the sensation of the knife point still in his back. He panted heavily and reached a hand to rub his lower back, trying to massage the muscle spasms that often made his dreams feel all the more real. After a moment, he sat up shakily. It was a dream, only a dream.
From a distance, he had no knowledge that he was being watched. Nicole smiled slightly. My poor Bobby..she thought to herself, he still doesn't sleep well. But then, he never did.
