Annnnd, I'm back! Finally, after so very long. Sorry for the wait. I was so busy with work and stuff. I got a nice interview for a 2nd job to teach children in schools around here to take care of horses. Sort of a mentor program. I hope I get it! :D Anyways, thanks for all your sweet reviews and I hope this chapter is up to par.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Hills Have Eyes universe. I only own Rory and her friends.

There are various eyes. Even the Sphinx has eyes: and as a result there are various truths, and as a result there is no truth.

The dark curtain of sleep was pulled away from my eyes and mind and was replaced with a numbing pain that made me feel heavy, like lead. I let my eyes slip open and I was met with the sight of...nothing. There was no light in the room and everything was pitch black. A small feeling of fear settled in my stomach, making me feel nauseous. I had never liked the dark and I wasn't about to start now. I felt uncomfortable not knowing if I was alone or not. I tried to keep myself calm by figuring out my own situation.

First thing I noticed was I was still on the bed. I could tell from the musty smell and the feel of the roughspun blanket or sheet under me. I was on my back this time, not on my side and my hands were now tied above my head, stretching my torso and making every breath pull at my ribs. The ache that came with each inhale was like the bite of a fire ant in my lungs. It brought a small whimper to my lips and I winced, biting my lip. I let my breathing become shallow to ease the pain and I rolled my head to the side, closing my eyes and trying to succumb to sleep once more. Hope had utterly abandoned me and I was ready to embrace whatever came next. As ready as I was, I was still surprised when a square of light came into the room.

I glanced at the light, squinting, and tried to make out what was happening. I deduced at a door had been opened, judging by the creak that occupanied the light. A moment later, a figure stood in the doorway, almost blotting it out completely with its size. It was human-like and it slipped into the room and seemed to use its leg to kick the door closed once more, plunging the room into darkness once again. I began to panic, worried that the monster was back for me. The figure had looked large enough to be the creature that violated me and I was sure, at the moment, that he had come back to finish the job.

I felt the sting of tears in my eyes as I remembered the horrid onslaught on my body and I rolled my head away from where the figure went and tried to keep my sobbing quiet. I didn't care that the crying made my chest hurt or that it made me seem weak and broken. I just didn't care anymore. The pain and humiliation was too much for me. If I ever escaped, how could I face myself or anyone else, for that matter, after being touched by that thing. I was shaking at that point and I felt my muscles protest at the movement.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps from the darkness. They were heavy and they were coming closer. I knew it was him and he was coming for me. My shaking grew worse and I bit down on my lip so hard that I could taste blood. The fear drowned out any other thought. It was over. No more fighting, no more running. I had no hope of escape. I was tied down like a steer and had no way to defend myself.

It was over.

I held the bandages under one arm and a couple of bottles of water in the other. The cold from the water had long since faded from the contact with my warm skin. I had enjoyed the cool while it lasted. It had been nice when I pulled them from the fridge at the gas station and I almost leaned all the way in to rest inside of it, but I had decided against it, considering that the attendent wouldn't have liked it and that there was a mean looking shotgun behind the counter.

I slipped through the tunnels, following the wall as I walked. I adjusted my hold on my items as I reached the door. I brought up a leg and pushed the door open with a foot. The room was very dark, but my eyes were used to it and I could see the whole room almost instantly. I looked over to the bed in the corner, watching the girl on the bed. Her eyes were open and were locked on where I stood, but judging by her expression, she did not see me. I kicked the door closed and walked to my right to a table near the wall. I laid my things down on the tabletop and glanced over at her again. Her head was turned away now and I could see her body shaking slightly. I felt the guilty pang again, but I swallowed it down. I wasn't sure why I felt this way since I had never felt it before in my life, and I definitely never felt this way about any of my clan's victims.

I picked up a bottle of water and began to approach the bed. I made sure to keep my steps slow, so I didn't scare her, though I was sure she couldn't see me. As I got closer, I heard small broken cries from her and I saw that she was biting her lip. Her whole frame was racked with her sobbing and it caused an ache in my chest, one that made me choke. I stopped and shook my head, trying to clear these unknown and unwanted feelings away. I continued walking forward and, reaching the bed, I crouched down beside it. Now that I was so near, I could see that the girl was biting her lip so hard it was bleeding. I realized that she was terrified. Sighing, I leaned over and gently put a hand to her forehead. She started at the touch and I almost pulled away, but then, she turned her head towards me and her crying quieted. I petted her hair, trying to ease her fear. Then, she did something that surprised me.

"Please..." she spoke softly, her voice raspy, and I froze, my hand going still. I hadn't heard her voice since the night of the raid. That night, she had sounded so strong and fierce, it was hard to believe that she had been reduced to this. I had seen it happen before, but this time, it was so total and so sudden that it seemed impossible that she was ever strong.

"Please," she said again, "I...are you going to kill me?" Her eyes had found my face, but they were unfocused, traveling from my eyes to my chin and back as she talked. I remained quiet, not wanting to get in trouble for talking to her, despite the fact that every part of me screamed to answer her. I pulled my hand away from her head and I twisted the cap off of the bottle of water I still held. I slipped a hand under her head, noting how she reacted to my touch. Her body tensed for a second then relaxed and she even let out a small sigh. I tilted her head forward and held the bottle to her chapped lips, trying to coax her to drink. I knew that she would be dehydrated and she wouldn't properly heal without enough water.

Her lips opened as she began to drink. She seemed to gain energy and started chugging down the water like she would never have water again, which she most likely thought. I could see the water overflowing from her mouth and down her neck and I feared that she would choke so I removed the bottle. The girl whimpered, pup-like, and the sound nearly broke my resolve.

"No...please. Water..." She whispered it, desperate. I moved to let her drink again, but I held the bottle just barely an inch from her lips.

"Slow. Don't choke." The words were meant to be cautionary, but I assumed she took them as a threat or as a command because she nodded once, a frightened look on her face, and began to sip slowly. I let her drink her fill and, once she was done, I put the bottle away and stood. The girl seemed to try and find me, her eyes filling with what looked to be worry or loss. I moved away from the bedside and went to the table to grab the bandages. As I gathered them up, she called out.

"Are you still there?"

I was thankful for the water that trickled down my throat. It wasn't cold, but it was the most delicious thing I had ever had in my life. I savored the taste and the feeling of the hand behind my head. It was nice to have contact that wasn't forced or aggressive in nature. I felt an odd feeling, a sincere gratitude towards this person, this saviour from my mental and physical pain. The bottle was taken away again and this time, the person, the man, left as well. I could tell he walked away because I could hear the footfalls fade back into the soft dark. I tried to see him, but I couldn't make out anything.

I felt a deep longing for his presence and it shocked me. I had read about something like this in psychology class before. Sometimes, a captive will fall in love with their captor or at least believe that they are in love*. It was almost laughable and frightening that I almost felt that way. I promised myself, right then and there, that I would not be that way. Love didn't exist for monsters.

Regardless of that promise, I still wondered if he was in the room. I risked calling for him, asking if he was still here. After a moment, there was no answer. I felt disappointed and I settled back into the bed and stared at the ceiling or at least, where it should be. I began to wonder if I had just imagined his voice earlier, telling me to slow down when I drank. The voice had been rough, like a growl, but it had a gentle undertone, like a voice that was raw from yelling, but was originally soft and quiet.

As my mind wandered, I didn't notice the man return to the bedside. I didn't even notice him until his hands were on my ribs. I jumped, startled, and my eyes snapped to his face, searching for his intentions although I couldn't see his expression. His hands, warm and calloused, rested on my ribcage and didn't move. I calmed and waited to see what he would do. After a moment, he pressed down slightly, causing me to hiss in pain. He didn't relent and held the pressure for a long moment. I held my breath to ease the pain and shut my eyes tightly. After a few seconds, I could already feel my lungs burning from the need for oxygen.

"Breathe." His voice, rough like sandpaper, reached me past the pain. I did as he said and exhaled and as my chest fell, he lifted his hands away. I opened my eyes again and saw that he was much closer now, leaning over me and his face almost touching mine. I still could not see very well, but at this proximity, I could very clearly make out his eyes.

I had never seen any pair of eyes so intense. They were a deep steely grey, almost a blue and they were very focused. They barely moved as he worked over me. Now, he was wrapping soft bandages around my torso, but I barely felt him touch me as I stared into his eyes. They felt, to me, like an anchor to reality, like something I could trust in this terrible situation. His eyes were something to tie myself to and it gave me hope. His eyes were so normal, not like that of a monster, but like those of a man, a saviour, and a friend.

Then, those steel grey orbs snapped to mine and held my gaze. He didn't move or look away and neither did I. The man breathed quietly and I found myself matching his inhales and exhales. We sat like that for what felt like hours.

Then, there was a knock at the door.

*Stockholm's Syndrome

Ok. Done! Different style of chapter. Blame my friend Carrie Lynn! She challenged me to write a chapter like this...I hope it is good enough Car! And, I hope it was not too confusing for you all. So, yay! Now Rory and Stabber have had a slightly intimate moment. There will be more to come. Next chapter, for you Berry's Ambitions, there will be Chameleon and Missy! Woot! Please review if you liked!

TTFN! Ta Ta For Now!