Hey! Two days ago my friend bought the book 3, 096 days by Natascha Kampusch and I remembered the movie. I saw it like two years ago so this won't be the same. I hope you enjoy as much as one can enjoy such a thing. The best of luck to all those going through something like this…
"I'm sorry, Annabeth. Please forgive me." He tried to take my hand but I wiped away my tears, grabbed my coat and left. I heard him yell my name. I heard him tell me to stay. I wanted to. But I didn't. He accused me of cheating on him and that hurts. I love him. I love my Seaweed Brain and I'd never cheat on him.
I left his warm apartment building and put on my warm coat as the cold night air blew my blonde curls out of my face. I didn't need to look to know he was watching me from his window.
Percy asked me out on a date for our two years anniversary and his 17th birthday, but while we were walking back to his apartment from the nice restaurant he took me to a jealous bitch from our school, Drew Tanaka, sent him a photo of me hugging Jason Grace my best friend's brother. Yes we did hug, but is it a crime to hug your practically brother you haven't seen for almost three years?
No, I don't think so.
I swallowed a sob and kicked a pebble out of my way instead. That night I was supposed to sleep over at Percy's. My mom left me at my father's doorstep when I was just a baby and my father always thought I was a mistake and never cared when I disappeared even for a few weeks, so it wasn't a problem to be gone, but to return.
I looked up and read the sign to see only two blocks and I'd have been at home.
But that night I never made it home.
As I was striding down one of New York's rare completely empty streets, a white van pulled up next to me. I didn't think much of it as I was walking past a night club, but then someone put their hand over my mouth and nose and pulled me inside the car.
I was kicking and trying to scream, but then my screams were muffled by a rag drenched in what I guessed was chloroform by the sweet smell and the fact that the second I inhaled it I felt weak and two later I was unconscious…
The next time I woke up, I was lying on a cold and hard ground, in a cold, wet room, covered with a tattered blanket and with a huge migraine.
Trying not to panic I threw the blanket off of me and looked around. There was a toilette and a sink, but in the tiny room there wasn't room for much more. Maybe a chair and a mattress.
Trembling, I sat up and touched my forehead to feel a trail of dried blood from my right temple all the way to my chin.
Was it a nightmare? Where was Percy? Where was I?
Ignoring the pain in my head, I jumped up and ran from wall to wall banging and screaming as loud as I could "HELP! HELP! LET ME OUT! HELP!" My voice cracked as hot tears filled my eyes blurring my vision. Not that there was much to see anyways.
With one last bang I shut my eyes and slid down the wall letting the tears fall. Hugging my legs to my body I let the sobs free.
But then there was the sound of metal scraping and I furiously wiped away my tears not wanting to give my captor the satisfaction of seeing me cry. The sound of rattling chains and locks clicking was heard and then the door opened.
The guy, my captor, was a blonde guy with a faded scar under his right eye. He looked to be about 25 and was wearing a decently ironed white button up tucked in grey dress pants.
"What do you want from me?" I asked finally looking at him with tired eyes.
Only then did I notice the grey sleeping pad behind his back. Wordlessly he spread it out on the ground then looked at me with no emotion "Take off your shoes." I didn't move. He pulled me to my feet so I was only about an inch away from his face.
My heartbeat started to pick up pace and my breath was coming out in short desperate puffs. "I said; take off your shoes." He hissed "You won't need them anymore." Then he let go of me and I fell to the ground as my feet felt like jelly.
Hurriedly I took off my old sneakers and he grabbed them, locking the door as he left.
How long was he going to keep me?
I lay down on the sleeping pad and covered myself with the blanket.
57th day
"…maddening superiority was unbearable these days. He didn't want to do anything els-" I was reading To Kill A Mockingbird for the thousandth time, since it was the only book he gave me, when the door burst open and my captor stormed in with a tool kit.
I put down my book and watched as he mutely started fidgeting with some cables he put there two days ago.
Cautiously standing up, I leaned on the wall next to him "What are you doing?"
He kept silent until he was done, then he put away his kit and sat down on a chair he gave me. "It works like a transmitter, so I can talk to you even when I'm upstairs."
I nodded and continued to look at him. He was looking at me as well, but then his face turned red and he jumped up "Don't stare at me!"
Quickly I averted my eyes and sat back down on my sleeping pad. But the damage was already done.
"You're impossible! Why do you keep staring at me all the time? Can't you just behave?" I was staring at my hands, when he grabbed my chin and put a plate with boiled potatoes right in front of my face.
"Eat." He hissed and I managed to get out of his grip and look away "I'm not hungry."
He grabbed my hair and shoved my head into the wall behind me looking me deep in the eye, before letting go and leaving.
61st day
I was banging on the door, screaming into the transmitter. For as long as I could I stayed quiet but now I was desperate. He hasn't visited for four days, he hasn't talked to me for four days and he hasn't given me food for four days.
I couldn't take it anymore. Even before he hasn't fed me regularly and I've drastically lost weight, but this has gone too far.
"Please! I'm sorry okay!? I'm sorry just please give me some food! I promise to behave! Please!" And then, finally after hours, he answered "I'll give you food. But you'll listen."
My feet gave away from under me in relief "Yes! Thank you!" Minutes later he was down there with a slice of bread in hand. It wasn't much but it was something.
I was about to take it, but he put up his hand and stopped me. "You'll listen to me." I nodded eager to get food, but he wasn't done. "Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me." "Yes, just please-" "Listen to me. Listen to me." "I'm listening. I'm listening." "Listen to me!"
216th day
That was day first time he allowed me to go upstairs. I needed to shower because I got my period, so he let me. It was an unfamiliar house and the sunlight was too bright after spending almost a year down there with just a light bulb as source of light.
When I was done I put on his old wifebeater and sweatpants and examined a large bruise on my cheekbone. I looked horrible. My eyes were sunken in, the bruise looked like a toddler had tried to do my make-up and my whole body was losing flesh and becoming just skin and bones.
I looked like a zombie. No wonder no one was looking for me. Never before did I notice just how ugly I was. Percy always made me feel beautiful. Percy…
I let out a sigh and left the bathroom, not noticing the single hair that fell on Luke's sweater that was laid out on a chair next to the shower that cost me all my hair the next day.
329th day
He gave me his old radio and let me keep my now shoulder length hair. Almost every day they'd say something about me. My father refused to comment and Percy… I wished with all my heart to hear his voice again. But I didn't because he as well refused to talk to anyone besides the police.
They all wanted to know if I was still alive. If there was still hope. If my captor will ever let me go.
A song I always used to listen to when I was with Percy came on and I turned off the radio. I couldn't bring myself to listen to it.
"It's the middle of the day. Why are you still in bed?"
Rolling over in bed so I could look at him I answered dryly "How was I supposed to know it's the middle of the day?" His nostrils flared and he yanked me out of bed "Listen to me."
But he did not continue and that made me furious. "Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me! It's always just listen to me! But you're not talking to me. I don't even know your fucking nam-" I got interrupted by a sharp pain in my cheek. He slapped me and I hit the ground from the force of the hit.
Immediately my hand touched my hot, stinging cheek.
The room was silent and nothing besides the sounds of the wheezing ventilator and the slow, monotonous drip of the tap was heard. Then he crouched down so he was my height and stroked my hair.
I was creeped out but did not flinch. In fact I didn't dare to move at all. He started to brush my hair with his fingers, then took a comb and continued with it instead.
What was going through his mind?
"How long are you going to keep me here?" I finally dared to ask.
He was silent until he was done brushing my hair, then he sat cross legged in front of me and answered "Your parents don't want you." That's nothing new. "So I am your family. No one out there loved you. You sho-" I cut him off "Percy loved me! Percy was my family and he loved me! Thalia lov-" and he slapped me again.
"If they loved you, they would have found you by now. No. I'm your family! I'm your father, mother, grandmother, everyone! I'm your brother, I'm your boyfriend, do you understand!" I nodded with tears in my eyes. He let out a deep sigh "You can call me Luke."
500th day
I have rolled up my shirt and was examining my ribs showing through my bruised skin, when the door burst open and the second he entered a rose bouquet hit me straight in the face.
Luke let out a raged growl and pinned me to the wall with both his hands beside my face, trapping me. I felt something trickle down my right cheek and forehead. The roses' thorns have scraped my face.
"It's your fault!" he punched the wall and I jumped in fear "She's dead and it's your entire fault!" To me he didn't seem that sad. His face was red and for a while he just stood there pinning me to the wall and breathing rather heavily. Then the redness disappeared and I saw something crazy in his eyes. He was crazy, I knew that, but that look… It was pure insanity.
He was getting closer to my face and I turned my head expecting him to kiss me or something. But he didn't. He licked off the blood that was running down the right half of my face and I was petrified.
With his right hand he brushed the hair out of my face, licked his lips, picked up his flowers and left. Leaving me there, paralyzed until my feet wobbled and I hit the ground sobbing uncontrollably.
693rd day
"Happy birthday, Annabeth." My captor said opening the door and waking me up. He was holding a plate with a small cake and a paper bag. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.
My birthday? Does that mean I've been here for almost two years now? Yes I do have a radio, but they never say the date and they stopped talking about my kidnapping. They are forgetting.
Maybe that's for the best…
Luke put the cake next to the sink and took something out of the bag. "Thank you." He was actually smiling… "Look what I bought." He showed me the thing I recognized to be a video camera. "Now we can film just how happy we are. We'll have all our memories in one place."
I gave him a fake smile and slipped out of my bed. He turned on the handy camera and gave me instructions to smile, so I did.
"Happy birthday, my girl!" he repeated and I had to suppress a shudder when he said 'my girl'. "You're 19, ain't it exciting!" Nervously I put my hands behind my back not knowing what he wanted me to do. Then he took something else out of the bag, wrapped in blue paper. Percy would have liked that…
It took every ounce of my willpower to not give in to the desire to collapse and sob. "Thank you…" I took the present and ripped the paper. My eyes widened and I looked at him as if to ask 'are you serious?' "Is this shampoo?" he nodded with a smile. For almost two years I've not washed my hair with anything but water.
'Hug me' he mouthed so I reluctantly did. Giving me shampoo doesn't make up for the fact that he had kidnapped me.
But just like that we pretended to be a happy family.
981st day
I got woken up by rattling chains and clicking lock, then he walked into the room and before I could register what was happening he strapped both of my hands to one bed post.
"What are you doing?" I asked wide awake and horrified. He put one apple next to the sink and chuckled when he heard my stomach rumble. "I have to leave." Panic filled my whole body. Was he going to leave me there to starve to death? "You can't leave me here! Plea-" "I have to leave for a few days."
The breath escaped my lungs in a quick sigh of relief, but I wasn't satisfied "How many days?" I tried to struggle out of the restrains, but they were too tight and cut off my bloodstream so I let it be.
"Depends. But don't worry, I won't let you die. Five days at the most." Five days!? "And why did you strap me to the bed? I won't be able to drink, or eat, or u-" "So that you won't try to escape." He kissed the top of my head and left.
"You have me locked in a fucking fallout shelter! For two years now!" I shouted although I knew very well he was long gone and didn't hear or care.
987th day
I had a huge migraine and was lying in a small pool of my blood and urine. My mouth felt like sandpaper, my vision was blurry; I was so sleepy and didn't feel hungry or thirsty anymore. I just waited for my death, when the door opened and he walked in with a triumphant grin holding a plate with bread and scissors.
He put them down on the counter next to the now rotten apple and filled a cup with water. Then finally he put the glass to my lips and let it moisten and cool my dry throat. The water was dripping from my chin and the liquid stung in my dry throat, but I didn't care.
As I still had no power to move, he fed the bread to me, let me free and before I passed out I felt him pick me up and carry me out of the malodorous bunker.
1000th day
"No!" he screamed and threw the plate to the ground making it shatter into tiny shards. "Did you want to poison me?" I took a step back "If you don't like my cooking you as well may do it yourself!"
He took a surprised step back with his eyes wide and face red "Clean it up!" And he pushed me so hard I fell right into the broken glass, cutting both my arms and my left leg and left side. I stayed on the ground until he left, but still I didn't dare to move.
In the process of standing up more shards cut through my skin. Still, I didn't dare to cry. The first thing I did was clean up the broken glass, but considering I was bleeding, I made an even bigger mess. Unfortunately he didn't give me as much as a rag or something so I was forced to take off my shirt and wipe the blood with it.
That's when I let the tears fall. Wistfully I looked at the window. Blinds shut and handle broken so I won't be able to open it.
I was looking at it for a bit too long, because then he walked in and struck me in the face for staring. "Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me!" he hissed holding my jaw so I was looking at him "You won't leave! Do you understand?" wiping away the tears with my bloody hand making a smudge on my cheek I nodded and he let go of me.
With the intention to wrap my shirt on my wounds so I won't make a bigger mess, I tried to stand up, but he kicked me back to the ground as soon as I did.
Were they even still looking for me?
1249th day
Luke pulled the lid off a well inside his cellar and pointed his flashlight inside so I could see just how deep it was. I gave him a confused look.
He grinned evilly "The pump stopped working. You have to climb down there or we won't have water." Fear washed over me immediately and I shook my head furiously "No."
His grin disappeared and his lips were set in a tight line. "Listen to me." He hissed and I had to suppress an annoyed groan "You're small enough to fit." Again I shook my head "No. Please, why can't you call a plumber?" He grabbed my wrist digging his nails into my skin and dragged me to the hole in the ground "Because I have you. Just pull it out."
With trembling hands I took the flashlight and carefully started to step down the ladder. It was dark, deep, wet and cold. I looked up at him with fear as I took the last step and hit cold, dirty water that was up to my knees.
He started to cackle and shut the lid and I was left in complete darkness except for my flashlight. A sinking feeling of panic swept over me and I started to scream for him to open it.
Finally after a full minute or two he opened the lid still laughing maniacally, so I grabbed the stupid pump and started to climb back up, ignoring the tears that were blurring my vision and the fact that the pump was goddamn heavy.
Once outside I fell to my knees crying hysterically and shaking like a Chihuahua. Finally he sobered up and put his arms around my shoulders squeezing lightly but it was enough to hurt me "You should have seen yourself!" Anger boiled inside me and I elbowed him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him.
While he was catching his breath I stood up on wobbly feet and ran for the door. But he was up in a second and then I was pinned to the ground with him on top of me, with blood running down my forehead and new bruises appearing with every blow he gave.
1346th day
"I told you to dust the furniture. You disobeyed me! I told you to listen to me. You promised to listen to me!" Luke was squeezing my upper arm so tight he cut off my bloodstream. But the only thing I noticed was that he was actually able to hold my upper arm with one hand so that his thumb and index finger were touching.
"I did it twice already!" I tried to struggle out of his grip "You were there while I was doing it!" He tightened his grip and dragged me to the wooden coffee table pointing at it with his free hand "This is not clean! You had one job! One stupid task and you couldn't do it properly!"
Finally I managed to rip my hand out of his grip "Then fucking do it yourself! I'm not your slave!" Big mistake.
A few minutes later he had filled the kitchen sink with water with a tight grip on my hair, dipping my head into it every time I tried to apologize or do something. He'd hold my head underwater until I felt as if my lungs were about to burst and the pauses for breathing were getting shorter, until finally when I was getting weaker and weaker and I had gulped at least half of the water he threw me to the ground.
But it was too much. The panic, mixed with no oxygen and liters of water in my stomach lead to me throwing up all the water along with stomach acid. I felt like a fish out of water, gasping for oxygen instead of water. I've had enough water.
As if that wasn't enough, he made me swallow three mouthfuls of dish soap for every dirty word I said. Except I only said 'fucking', but he thought 'slave' is a dirty word as well and the third mouthful as for throwing up. That psychopath even forced me to thank him for getting me rid of the taste of vomit.
He didn't care that I had terrible cramps for the rest of the week.
1418th day
He hasn't visited for two days and I didn't even care that he had not given me food. But my peace got interrupted by the rattling of chains and the clicking of the locks. The first thing I noticed was the camera in his hand. "Good morning." He greeted cheerfully and put a plate with an apple with a huge brown spot next to the sink.
I didn't care about the brown spot. I crawled out of bed keeping the blanket around me because of the coldness and took a big bite. Sitting down on my bed he glared at me "Why are you still in bed?" I swallowed before answering "I'm cold and the bed was warm."
He cleared his throat and ripped the warm blanket out of my hands "Make the bed and come up when you're done."
I ended up naked and strapped to a hot radiator. He turned it up to its highest and sat down in a chair in front of me reading Cinderella aloud. After an hour of the metal burning my skin, he finally let me go. "Listen to me. Listen to me really carefully. Are you still going to complain about the cold?" he hissed in my ear raking his fingernails across the hot red burnt skin on my back, making me cry out loud.
I shook my head with a sob and after a few seconds he threw the t-shirt at me. How messed up can one be?
1635th day
With a tired groan I put the way too heavy concrete mix sack on top of the 14 others and wiped the sweat from my forehead. BUM! He hit the wall with a sledgehammer and it crumbled to the ground churning up more dust. Done. The walls were down, now we could renovate.
The sun shining through the roof window warmed my back and I looked out into the garden through the thick layers of dust, coughing just a little bit. How I wished to hear the birds sing, the cool grass between my toes, the wind caress my skin, the rain drench my hair…
I blinked away the tears that wanted to fall and turned around just in time to see the sledgehammer flying in my direction. By then I was too used to it to flinch so I just closed my eyes preparing for the blow. Instead I heard a loud bang and then small corns of the concrete mix hit my skin.
Careful not to get any of the mix in my eyes I blinked a few times and looked at Luke who was breathing heavily definitely breathing in some of it, with the hammer burrowed in the top sack that was ripped where the hammer had hit it.
"Listen to me." he whispered almost too calmly "Don't stare out of that window, because you are mine. Mine and only mine."
We stood there like that for a long time. The dust was starting to settle as none of us moved. Then I've had enough "May I take a shower?"
With a curt nod, he threw the hammer to the side and stormed out of the room. Me following seconds later.
1762nd day
That was the first day I started noticing that my situation was worse than bad. It was even worse the terrible. Of course it wasn't like licking honey before, but to me the pain was way better than what followed after my 1762nd day.
Even the events of said day weren't as bad as the ones following, but they weren't far from it.
We had finished throwing away old broken bricks and I was about to go down to my room as it was pretty late and I was tired, but Luke had other plans. I expected him to escort me down to my prison, but as I was about to go down the stairs, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to his bedroom. It wasn't much but way bigger and comfier than mine…
He led me to his bed and pushed me down onto it. It felt good to be sitting on a mattress instead of a thin pad. But then he took off all his clothes and the comfort disappeared. I closed my eyes until I felt the mattress sink under his weight.
Thankfully he had put on his pajama pants. Still I wasn't sure what exactly he wanted from me, but then he answered "Tonight you're staying here." I wanted to protest, but he grabbed my hand and before I knew it, my right hand was strapped to his also right hand with a plastic cable strap.
Why was he doing it?
With a sigh I climbed into his too small bed, followed by him. I didn't want to look at him so I lay on my right side, but since he strapped me to his right hand as well, I ended up lying on his arm.
How could it get any more bad?
1911th day
Sleeping in the same bed became a normal, but luckily not daily habit. But he was starting to cross the line. It started out with sleeping in the same bed, followed by his arms around my waist every chance he got and kissing my shoulder.
But once he kissed me on the lips. I freaked out. Throwing the pot I was holding at him I darted for the door. It was locked. I heard an angry growl and loud footsteps coming closer, so I broke the nearest window cutting my whole arm. So close to freedom. But then he grabbed my bleeding elbow and pulled me back inside.
Dragging me on the floor by my elbow through all my protests and cries, he pushed me down the stairs into the cellar, stomped down after me and before I got the chance to at least try to get up, he opened the metal lid of the bunker and pushed me through the hole. It was impossible and I knew it but I at least tried to stand back up, but my whole body hurt and I fell down even before I managed to get on my knees.
Finally opening the 'door' to my room, he grasped my arm and with a cry from me he hurled me into the small room and shut the door, but I was unconscious before I even hit the ground.
2008th day
I couldn't believe it. Luke was taking me out. He was taking me to Home Depot to buy tiles and paint. He was actually taking me out of that stupid house. Maybe I'll manage to escape.
Giving me his jacket he grabbed my arm and threw me in the front seat of his stupid white van. But for just a split second I heard the birds and I smelt the fresh air. As soon as he was inside he locked the doors just to make sure I won't open the door and jump out in the middle of the ride.
And then finally after five and a half years I left that goddamn house. I watched everything with desire and awe. Never before has anything looked so good. So tempting. It was right in front of me yet so far. Freedom.
I couldn't even remember the last time I was excited to go shopping, kind of… But every time I was looking at someone or something for too long he'd squeeze my arm really hard, and I remembered that he was there. He was there and he wasn't going to let me go. So I stared at the ground for the rest of the trip.
Except when he went to get some tiles. I tried to make eye contact with everyone that walked by, knowing that if I spoke, he'd hear and go psycho, but everyone ignored me.
On the drive back, I wasn't as happy. We were going into that house again. I did not manage to escape. I'm a worthless coward, just like he said.
2232nd day
Luke went out with some friends, so I was left once again strapped to the bed. There was nothing exciting happening and all my attempts to break free ended with me cutting my wrists on the stupid plastic straps. So after hours I just leaned my head against the bed pole and went to sleep.
He had other plans. I didn't know how late it was, but it was pretty dark when he stumbled into the room and untied me only to strap me to his own hand. To my surprise he strapped my right hand to his left one unlike every other time when I was forced to lay on his arm so we won't get tangled.
He dragged me out of the bunker and into his room and we crawled into bed. I was expecting him to turn off the light and just go to sleep, but once again he had other plans.
It started out with him rubbing my thigh. That was uncomfortable enough, but slowly he was getting on top of me, kissing my neck. I felt the all too familiar panic fill me once again and tried to push him off, but he grabbed my hair with his free hand and pulled on it making me gasp in pain, giving him enough time to slip his tongue into my mouth.
I felt tears trickle down my cheeks as he took advantage of me. Then when he got off, I let out a relieved sigh, but my relieve was short lived, since he just pulled out a packet of condoms, pulled down his pants, put one on and the next thing I know he's back on top of me with my sweatpants pulled down and him slamming into me.
He took the only thing I had left and that was supposed to be Percy's.
My innocence.
But it wasn't the last time. It was only the first of many times he'd rape me.
2351st day
I couldn't take it anymore. Six years and I was still caught in that hellhole. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him touch me, felt him kiss me and heard him moan my name. He made me feel disgusted in myself even more.
So that few days I was finally left alone, I tried to end it.
I turned on the handy hotplate he gave me to make food when someone was visiting, and I put all the toilet paper I had on it once it was really hot. Listening if he was coming, I watched as smoke started to appear turning into a small fire. It was working.
I lay down in my bed and waited till the whole room was filled with smoke. It was getting hard to breath and horrible coughs shook my body. As it was getting hard to breath I heard him move the cupboard hiding the entrance to the bunker.
Immediately I jumped up and put out the hotplate, throwing the burnt toilet paper into the bin and spraying Mr. Muscle Window Cleaner all over the room while protecting my mouth from smoke with my sleeves.
But there was no way for me to make it in time. The door opened and the smoke started to disappear. He started to cough and realized what I've been trying to do.
Grabbing my arm hard enough to leave a bruise, he dragged me upstairs and then threw me into the bathtub making me hit my head. Sharp pain paralyzed me, when he started to hit me and spray hot water from the tap in my face.
After that I never dared to try committing suicide again.
2534th day
After three hours in the van, I was staring at the mountain covered in white snow and then at Luke. "I can't do this." Of course I know how to ski, but I've not been skiing since I was fifteen when I went with the Jackson family because Percy insisted I came along, and then I had about 44 pounds more. This time even the winter jacket was too heavy for me and the ski pants slid down my waist with every heavy step.
"I took you all the way to Greek Peak so you won't be locked up in that house all the time; I bought you that stupid ski pants and jacket and rented your ski. You'll stop complaining and start doing something!" Luckily or unfortunately everyone was too busy skiing to notice his outburst.
Then he pushed me and I started to slide down the mountain. Everything was fine until my feet gave away under my weight and I was sent rolling down the rest of the sierra.
My whole body hurt and I wanted nothing more than to die.
He stood over me at the very bottom of the mountain shaking his head angrily. After a few calming breaths he helped me stand up and I asked to go to the toilet.
Maybe that was my chance. I entered a stall and waited until I heard the door open and in walked a woman. Immediately I was by her side while she examined herself in the mirror.
"Please help me. I've been kidnapped almost seven years ago. My name's Annabeth Chase. I need your help." But she shook her head "Je ne parle pas l'anglais…" And she left the bathroom hurriedly. I lead out an exasperated groan and left the bathroom as well. And then she said my name to her friend and Luke heard.
He glared at me, grabbed my hand cutting off the blood flowing through my veins and threw me in the van driving back 'home'.
2763rd day
It was the first night in our new bedroom. Yes, ours. It was beautiful, but… It. Was. OURS. Not his, not mine, ours. Once again I was strapped to his hand, but none of us could fall asleep. So I asked the question that's been bugging me since he had kidnapped me.
"Why me?"
"Huh?" Luke asked looking at me. I looked him in the eye and asked again "Why me? Why did you choose me?"
Nodding in understanding he answered "I've been watching you for quite some time. You were always alone roaming the streets of Manhattan or with that black-haired dude. Sometimes I'd see you sleeping on a park bench and then I knew that you needed my help. My protection."
Protection… Really? In seven and a half years I've left this stupid house for only about three times in total, I was strapped to his hand, raped by him on more than one occasion and a beating was something I was getting more often than food. But it was all just to protect me of course.
I didn't even realize I had laughed until he was straddling my waist with a murderous look in his eyes "You doubt my protection?" he grabbed my jaw "I've given you more love than anyone has before!"
And he shoved me once again how much he was protecting me, by making me feel like a slut once again.
2999th day
For once he wasn't beating or raping me. Instead I was sitting on the floor and he was brushing my hair, although he had brushed out all the knots 45 minutes ago, and humming a song.
I didn't care as long as it stayed by hair brushing. I enjoyed the peace for once and the great view of the full moon through the window.
"May I go out?" I asked finally and he stopped mid-brush "Just into the garden. Please." I gave him my saddest look and to my surprise he let me. Of course he strapped me to his hand first, but he actually let me out of the house.
The night was cold, but the view was awesome. The stars were sparkling just like Percy's eyes when he was smiling.
But my thoughts were interrupted by a painful tug on my hand "We're going in. You're just dreaming of freedom again, but you're forgetting that you're mine."
And he started to drag me back in, but this time I fought back. I stopped and he stumbled a bit and looked at me furiously. "You're bound to me as much as I'm to you." I said showing him our bound hands.
But he wouldn't have that and dragged me inside. He was protecting me.
3040th day
"Annabeth, I know that you've missed prom, so I decided to make one for you." Was he serious? After being kidnapped, prom was the least of my worries.
I gave him a fake smile "Are you serious?" He nodded and gave me a red short dress telling me to put it on.
It would have been beautiful if it fit. I was too skinny for it and it was loose and showing my ugly skinny body. The last thing I wanted to do was look at me.
He was filming me drinking punch, which indeed was just heated orange juice, and forced me to dance with him with the camera on the table filming it.
If it weren't for the guy I was spending 'prom' with and the circumstances, it would have been enjoyable. But it was Luke, the guy that had kidnapped me eight years ago, and the circumstances were how they were. It was anything but enjoyable.
3096th day
Once again he let me out of the house, but only into the garden where his van was parked. "We need money, so I decided to sell the van." He explained "You have to clean it. I'm expecting a call from the potential buyer so-" he got interrupted by the ringing phone "Speak of the devil…"
He took out his phone and handed me the vacuum cleaner. With a sigh I got to work, when after ten minutes I noticed that Luke went inside because he couldn't hear anything through the sound of the vacuum cleaner.
Immediately my eyes wandered around the garden looking for a way to escape.
The fence was too high, the gate too near to the window, but the always locked gate leading to the neighbor's garden was out of his view…
With the vacuum still on, I tiptoed to the rusty gate and tried to open it. Locked as always. But it was really rusty.
Looking around if he was coming I kicked the lock with the little strength I had and thank the gods and spirits it broke!
I almost couldn't believe it. I was finally free.
I ran to the neighbor's front door but knew he was not home, so I ran down the street, trying to get as far away from that house as possible. I ran through a corn field until I came to a small farmhouse.
My heart was pounding fast and my breath came out in short desperate gasps, but I managed to escape. I was free!
"Help me! Please!" I shouted.
"What are you doing here, girl? You aren't allowed to be here!" An old woman came running out of the house.
"Please, help me! My name's Annabeth Chase, I've been kidnapped eight years ago. Please, you have to help me!" She looked unsure but ran into the house and seconds later I heard her talking to the police.
I sat in an uncomfortable garden chair, hugging my legs to my chest until the police arrived. I was free.
Luke Castellan had committed suicide. He had jumped in front of a moving train. And I was free.
After eight years of living with him it felt strange to be around people. It felt strange that he was gone. Maybe it was because I've been living with a messed up person for so long, but I did not blame him. He was mentally ill and it wasn't his fault.
I was standing in the officer's office waiting for something to happen, when the door burst open. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Percy. I just knew it was him. Not my dad, my own family, Percy.
Yet, even after dreaming of this moment for so long, I didn't dare turn around. What would he think of me? I was even uglier than before. Skinny, ugly a slut…
"Annabeth…" his voice broke and I knew he was crying. And that made me turn around.
He was there. He was really there and he hasn't change a bit. Percy was still the handsome, muscular guy every girl fell in love with. The only thing that was missing was the happy sparkle in his beautiful sea green eyes.
His beautiful sea green eyes.
I let it all out. Gallons of salty tears. His and mine.
And then his arms were wrapped around my tiny, fragile body holding me tight. Not Luke-tight, but a gentle but firm grip reassuring me that it wasn't a dream.
"I'm so sorry, Annabeth. I'm so so sorry. It's my entire fault. I shouldn't have let you go. I should have trusted you. I should have been there for you and I'm so sorry. I should have fought more to make you stay. I love you, Annabeth, and I'm so sorry." He hiccupped.
I let go of him and looked him in the eye. I ran my boney finger over his jaw and wiped away a tear that had managed to slide down his face. "Percy…" It felt good to say his name again "You say that now. But once you find out what I had let him do…" I looked away and let my hand fall on his chest. He grabbed both my hand and kissed my knuckles "Please don't say that, Annabeth. It was my fault that bastard hurt you. I don't deserve your love, but please at least let me love you."
More tears ran down my already wet cheeks and I kissed his throat as I didn't have enough strength to stand on my tiptoes and kiss his lips.
Then he held me until an officer came and told us it was time to go. Percy held my hand when the officer gave me a blanket to cover myself from the press. I thanked him and put it around my shoulders. I looked at Percy who gave me an assuring nod "I promise you to be by your side and protect you for the rest of my life. I'll protect you even if you don't love me anymore, Annabeth. I promise."
I put the blanket on my head so it was covering my face and gently stroked his cheek "I love you, Percy. Please don't leave me."
"Never." And we walked out of the police station. Immediately thousands of flashes blinded us and questions were thrown at us from every direction. Although the police was pushing them away they put microphone in our faces.
Percy had his arms around me protectively until we reached the car and got in. After that he let me curl up in a ball with my head in his lap and for the first time in eight years I had a good sleep with Percy stroking my hair.
He did keep his promise and with time I got over it and somehow managed to live a normal live with my awesome husband by my side.
Please Review!